jueves, 3 de octubre de 2013

Classroom and Standardized Testing

Retrieved from: http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/school/teststress/
Monitoring training means to keep track of student progress to make instructional decisions and to give students feedback about the performances. Classroom testing is one of the several methods of monitoring learning objectives that also includes questioning in class, monitoring seat work, homework, and study. There is some discussion as to the reliability and validity of testing. On the one hand, some say that the results only apply under the test conditions and so are limited in what they test. On the other hand, others are in favor of standardized testing that places students strictly along a continuum of achievement across a broad student body. These views tie into debates about whether to concentrate more on the learning process or ono the learning outcomes.

Before compiling a test for classroom use, it is necessary to determine what to test and how to test it. Assessment should be based on the content taught in the program. Generally, one may speak of content-based, performance-based, and objectives tests. These all have a different focus. Objectives review information through short answers, true/false questions, matching exercise, and multiple choice questions. This is for when a teacher wishes to find out if a student has attained particular learning experience objectives. Content-based test whether the student has learned the content taught in class. Objective analysis may accomplish this aim, as will essay questions and other methods of the written evaluation. Performance-based test whether the student is able  to perform tasks based on what was studied in class. These include activities like oral exams, communicative tasks, interpretative exercises, and even role plays and public debates.

When compiling classroom test, the teacher needs to decide on the subset of curriculum goals to test for. The following are procedures for constructing good test items:
  • The assessment must be directly related to the educational objectives that were carried out during instruction.
  • The report should be balanced by function, difficulty, medium of presentation and format.
  • The teacher should decide whether to test for knowledge, comprehension, application, synthesis, or evaluation of the concepts covered in class.
Retrieved from:http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/school/teststress/

With the growing use of standardized tests to evaluate students and schools, even us as teachers.  Stimulate the tiredness of mental process of our students. Most critics are very much about children and education they receive, but they think that testing separately the process are not accurately with the learning process.  Is not a secret that this subject can be a valuable teaching tool but how provide information  necessary ones, due to there are more options for performing feedback to teachers, students and institutions?


When administering classroom study, one must decide on the logistics of what to do before, during and after the test. Where will students sit or stand and what will they be allowed to use or have during the test. Teachers will also need to determine the time to allow for students to complete the examination. After the test is completed, the instructor must determined how to assess the performance of students. The question of subjectivity in grading is a matter of some debate in educational circles, so it is essential to develop a grading rubric or rating scale that will allow for some consistency in marking. Once a test has been given and corrected, it may be necessary to evaluated the effectiveness of the test. This may be done informally through conversation with the students or a teacher may objectively analyzed the effectiveness of each subject.


Retrieved from: http://lawebdelestudiante.es/
el-museo-de-la-chuleta/
claves-en-el-examen-tipo-test/
Teachers are concerned about this standardization of the teaching because may have them think that they encourage teachers to teach students test taking strategies which may have an adverse influence on the essence of education that these teachers can offer. The standardization of education may be a force to consider a close range of topics, rather than examining a broad variety of matters, and they will not learn the most powerful tool that we as a teacher can heritage to our students "critical thinking".

As I mention before and as we saw in this evaluation program there are many ways to test our students, these alternatives we just have to choose the most appropriate for our students needs. Remember that the teachers play an important part, because we interact with them on a daily basis in the classroom and we can speak out about potential problems that they see, we have to considering tests as a supplementing requirement. But that cannot govern our course.