1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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

8. Career Cluster Web Sites