Popham describes the evolution of his Instructional Objectives Exchange (IOX) from an objectives-dispensing enterprise to an assessment-creating enterprise. Discusses national standardized testing, criterion-referenced versus norm-referenced assessment, teacher licensure tests, and professional development activities for graduate students. (KS)

Explains the criterion-referenced assessments in an educational context that aim to give information about valued educational outcomes. Traces the ways criterion referencing has been applied in the course of its 30 year history. Discusses a framework for the analysis of criterion-referenced approaches and applies the framework to the National…

Accountability and assessment have become grossly confused in today's educational climate. Although restructuring assessment is essential, the education community must communicate what tests measure, explain the different types of assessments utilized, and distinguish among several scoring techniques. Students should be taught effective…

Living in an age of communication, literacy is an extremely integral part of our society. We are impacted by literature during our infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. "Literacy for the New Millennium" includes information from specialists in the field who discuss the influence of popular culture, media, and technology on…

Animation continues to be used extensively in learning environments; however, research regarding its effectiveness in facilitating different kinds of learning objectives remains inconclusive. Systematically designed content, four individual criterion measures assessing different kinds of learning outcomes, and a variety of animation and…

This article reports on the findings of a questionnaire survey of 142 educational psychologists from England and Wales on their approach to the assessment of children with learning and behavioural problems. Participants were asked to report on the frequency with which they used a variety of approaches to assessment, including interviews with…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of integrating Microsoft Excel into a high school algebra class. The results indicate a slight increase in student achievement when Excel was used. A teacher-created final exam and two Criterion Referenced Tests measured success. One of the Criterion Referenced Tests indicated that the…

This paper addresses the main issues related to concepts of school effectiveness and their implications, with a focus on the selection of school-performance indicators. School effectiveness has many definitions, which is in part due to the different demands made by various social groups. The boundaries of performance within which schools should…

Tests can be categorized into two major groups: norm-referenced tests (NRTs) and criterion-referenced tests (CRTs). NRTs are designed to highlight achievement differences between and among students to produce a dependable rank order of students across a continuum of achievement from high achievers to low achievers. With NRTs, a representative…

Norm-referenced tests (NRT) help compare the performance of one student with the performances of a large group of students, while criterion-referenced tests (CRT) focus on "what test takers can do and what they know, not how they compare to others" (Anastasi, 1988). Both types of test can be standardized so that scores can be interpreted the same…

The French as a Second Language model test (intermediate level) was designed as a criterion-referenced test using established criteria to measure attainment of learner expectations outlined in the Alberta (Canada) second language curriculum. It is intended for use at the junior and senior high school levels. Each test is based on an organizing…

There are many procedures to use in the evaluation of student achievement in reading. Each has its pros and cons. No single approach will be perfect, but with a variety of approaches a teacher may determine how much progress each student has made. Standardized, norm-referenced tests, once so popular, have come into disfavor as reading evaluation…

The Carleton Academic English Language (CAEL) Assessment is a criterion-referenced test developed at Carleton University (Canada). It combines logic of performance testing with ethics of gradual admission, i.e., that limited-English-speaking students should be allowed to begin limited academic study in English, based on language proficiency and…

Student achievement in the Austin Independent School District (AISD) (Texas), as reflected by different achievement test scores, is reported for 1992-93. In this year, 14,114 students took the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS)in the fall, and 14,799 took the TAAS in the spring. In grades 1 and 2, 9,520 students took the Iowa Tests of…

This drafting criterion-referenced test item bank is keyed to the drafting competency profile developed by industry and education professionals in Missouri. The 12 references used for drafting the test items are listed. Test items are arranged under these categories: drafting room procedures; tools and equipment; basic drawing skills; geometric…