1. Chapter 8
End of School Year

2. PRIMARY TOPICS Use of standardized tests in Canada
Description of standardized tests
How standardized achievement tests differ from other tests
Stakeholders’ views of standardized achievement tests
Characteristics of well-designed standardized tests
Preparing students for standardized tests
How standardized test results should be used

3. Standardized Testing in Canada
Federal → achievement levels of 13 yr olds (math, reading, and science)
Provincial/territorial → different uses
including math and literacy testing at
certain grade levels and Grade 12 exit
exams

4. Standardized Tests Contain the same questions for all test-takers
Administered to all test-takers in same fashion
Scored in systematic and uniform manner

5. Standardized Achievement Tests
are different from teacher-made tests and aptitude tests

6. Criterion-Referenced
TEST TYPES
Criterion-Referenced
Student’s score
determined by
comparing performance
to established criteria
Norm-Referenced
Student’s score determined by comparing performance to that of other students

7. Original Purpose of Standardized Testing Programs
. . . to assess the effectiveness
of instruction

8. CRITICISMS OF STANDARDIZED TESTING
Tests are biased
Stressful for students and teachers
Results in teaching to the test
Takes up too much time
Does not enhance student learning
Content of tests does not reflect classroom instruction

9. Classroom and large-scale assessments should . . .
be based on same curriculum framework,
address the same cognitive demands,
incorporate similar tasks,
use common standards for judging quality of work, and
use same benchmarks to represent student learning over time.

10. All tests are imperfect instruments. ~
Even the highest quality tests
are problematic if used for
improper applications.

11. Standardized tests should . . .
enhance teaching and learning,
improve curricular design, and
be minimally intrusive.

12. Preparing Students for Standardized Tests
Convey positive attitudes about testing
Teach test-taking skills
Simulate use of time limits during testing
Familiarize students with types of questions used
Involve students in marking questions of each type

13. INTERPRETING STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES
Does the student’s score make sense?
How does the score compare to the student’s other achievement indicators?
Does the score reveal growth in learning?
Did the student just have a bad day?

14. Performance-Level Scores
. . . classifications of student
performance that describe and clarify
standardized assessment results