Measuring Achievement, Abilities, and Interests Objectives: Identify the most widely used aptitude tests, achievement tests, and interest inventories. Explain the application of aptitude tests, achievement tests and interest inventories. Vocabulary: Aptitude Test Achievement Test Interest Inventory
APTITUDE TESTS The goal is to Assessed in terms of Predictive Validity discover a person’s talents Predict how well he or she will be able to learn a new skill Assessed in terms of Predictive Validity Examples Differential Aptitude Test General Aptitude Test Battery Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) American College Test (ACT ASVAB
ACHIEVEMENT TESTS The goal is to Assessed in terms of Content Validity Measure how much a person has already learned in a particular area. Allows teachers to assess student learning Allows students to assess their progress Assessed in terms of Content Validity How well they measure student mastery of a set of knowledge
Distinction Between the Two Blurred Aptitude Tests also test experience (learned knowledge) Achievement Test can be good predictors of many occupational abilities. Overlap causes confusion and disagreement about what tests are considered.
Distinction Based on Purpose and Validation Aptitude Test- if used to predict future ability Achievement Test- if used to assess what a person already knows.
Administration of Achievement Tests Computers Adaptive Testing: The computer changes the question difficulty as it adapts the test to your performance. i.e. MAP Test Miss a lot, the questions get easier Do well, the questions get harder Adaptive Instruction: The computer adapts test to include questions in areas that you struggle to help with the instruction of material. Pencil and Paper
INTEREST INVENTORIES Goal or purpose is to Determine a person’s preferences, attitudes, and interests Compare individual’s responses to the responses given by people in certain occupations or professions Examples: Campbell Interest and Skill Survey Kuder Preference Record
Career Cluster Web Sites http://mycareercalculator.com/?SSAID=7 http://www.careerclusters.org/index.php http://www.careerclusters.org/resources/ccinterestsurvey/InterestSurvey.pdf http://vcc.asu.edu/ccis/ccishome.php?box_id=1