TESTING

Running Head : Testing

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Assessments are highly invaluable measures of student 's progress . They are not only useful to teachers but to the administrators as well as the education boards at the local and state levels and even the government Assessment helps in teacher to make instruction more individual and plan lessons more specifically for student needs

Formal assessments are also known as conventional methods and are the most commonly used . Formal tests are basically used to measure the overall achievement and make

comparison between student 's performances as well as in finding the strengths and weaknesses of a student (Weaver 2006 . Examples of formal students are the SAT9 and other tests that measure aptitude . Norm-referenced tests are one example of formal tests These tests are used mainly for comparing one student with another or for comparing between groups of students . Due to this , the schools taking them ensure that they are taken under similar and specific circumstances to avoid one group having added advantage over another These tests have the advantage that it makes it possible to know how each student compares to students of their own grade level , age or gender . It provides information on lessons that need to be reviewed and those that were effectively learnt . The high specificity of norm referenced tests makes them easy to be administered . The materials are all similar and time of test taking is the same meaning that there is not much to worry about . The students and teachers are clear on their expectations from the test and understanding grading is easy Inaccuracies and unfairness are highly unlikely (Weaver , 2006

Norm-referenced tests rely heavily on multiple choice questions . This is a disadvantage because the student does not face the challenge of actually coming up with the answer making the test unable to measure the depth of a student 's knowledge . The tests also do not provide information on at the student has learnt in relation to what they should have actually learnt . Consequently norm-referenced tests provide inadequate information by only comparing students (Lain , 2006

Criterion referenced tests are a type of formal tests that measure the student 's performance comparing it to a standard rather than another student (Formal Assessments , RICA Domains Study Grid . The test 's advantage lies in the fact that by measuring a certain skill say math or grammar the mastery level of the student can be identified . Due to the fact that the student is being compared to a standard the test can clearly determine whether a student knows or does not know something with no grey areas . Further , criterion tests have little ambiguity on what they are testing . Students are let to know what s and subjects they will be tested on to enable them prepare for the exam . The material should have been taught before hand consequently students all have the same advantage since the material was learnt together in one class

The main disadvantage with these tests however is the...