Demystifying Evaluation Instruments

Majority, if not all, of the classroom teachers have a serious lack of understanding of the types of evaluation instruments. On this premise, classroom teachers should know the different types of evaluation instruments. Hence, this lesson introduces the different types of instruments that can be used in classroom assessment in Mathematics.

Learning Outcomes

1. Define the terms test and testing in your own words.
2. Differentiate between standardized and teacher-made tests.
3. Identify the different kinds of standardized tests according to its classifications.

Motivation Question

As a student, what are the different kinds or types of test that you have encountered? Can you name them?

Discussion

The assessment and evaluation of student’s learning is a sole responsibility of those who are primarily tasked to implement the school’s instructional program, the classroom teachers, and the school administrators. Majority, if not all, of the classroom teachers and school administrators have been observed to have a serious lack of understanding of the types of evaluation instruments. On this premise, classroom teachers and school administrators should know the different types of evaluation instruments. It is important that they use evaluation as a systematic process in which judgements are made regarding any activity, program, or person in relation to a given criterion, or standard, and that on the basis of evaluation results, actions are then initiated.

Test is formal and systematic instrument, usually paper and pencil procedure designed to assess the quality, ability, skill or knowledge of the students by giving a set of question in uniform manner.

Testing is one of the different method used to measure the level of performance or achievement of the learners. Testing refers also to the administration, scoring, and interpretation of the procedures designed to get information about the extent of the performance of the students.

In conducting a test to our students to measure its performance, skills, and abilities, we will be using different measuring instruments. Measuring instruments is defined as a device, tangible or otherwise, used for determining the quantity of achievement.

The following are the classifications of measuring instruments: the standard tests and teacher-made tests.

Classifications of Measuring Instruments

As far as educational measurement is concerned, there are two general kinds of measuring instruments. They are:

1. Standardized tests are tests where content has been selected and checked empirically, for which norms have been established, for which uniform methods of administering and scoring have been developed, and which may be scored with a relatively high degree of objectivity.

Examples: intelligence test, aptitude test, personality test and interest test

2. Teacher-made tests are tests made by teachers and administered to their students to determine the achievements of the students in the subjects are taking for the purposes of marking and promotion.

Examples: essay examinations and objective types of test such as true or false, fill-in-the blanks, multiple choice etc.

Classifications and Uses of Standardized Tests

The more common ways of classifying standard test are the following:

A. According to Function

1. Psychological test is a test that measures an individual’s ability or personality as developed by general experience. The types of psychological tests are the following:

a. Intelligence test is a test which measures the student’s broad range of abilities. It may be expressed as very superior, above average, average, below, average, borderline or mentally defective.

Below is an example of an online IQ tests to measure the broad range of your abilities and skills. Actually, there are lots of online IQ tests in the internet.

But if you want to have books to test your intelligence, there are many available books in pdf file in the internet that can possibly downloaded. The following are some links of IQ tests in mathematics.

• Carter, P. And Russell, K (1992). Test Your Intelligence. Cassell Illustrated.
• http://elibrary.bsu.az/books_rax/N_357.pdf
• https://www.nite.org.il/files/psych/new_psych/quantitive-eng.pdf
• https://openpsychometrics.org/printable/intelligence-quotient-test.pdf

b. Aptitude test measures the ability or abilities in a given area.

(Image retrieved from: https://www.amazon.ca/Solomon-Academys-IAAT-Practice-Tests/dp/1500258156)

The following are some links of the samples of aptitude tests in mathematics.

• http://www.ftik.usm.ac.id/arithmetic_and_quantitative_aptitude_for_competitive_exams.pdf
• http://www.banasthali.org/banasthali/wcms/en/home/admissions/mba_apttest.pdf

c. Personality test is a test that measures the ways in which individual’s interest is focused with other individuals or in terms of the roles that other individual has ascribed to him and how he adopts in the society.

d. Diagnostic test is a test which measures a student’s strengths and weaknesses in a specific area of study.

The following are some links of the samples of diagnostic tests in mathematics.

• http://courses.missouristate.edu/rbelshoff/261/Diagnostic_test.pdf
• https://www.rainbowresource.com/pdfs/categories/cat02343_ptst0.pdf
• https://www.uregina.ca/science/mathstat/assets/docs/pdf/MATH110-Diagnostic-Test.pdf
• https://nzmaths.co.nz/sites/default/files/Numeracy/2008numPDFs/NumBk2.pdf

2. Educational test is an achievement test which aims to measure a person’s knowledge, skills, abilities, understanding, and other outcomes in subjects in school.

a. Achievement test is a test which measures how well a student has mastered specified instructional objectives.

b. Formative test is a test which measures a student’s progress that occurs over a short period of time.

c. Summative test is a test which measures the extent to which the students have attained the desired outcomes for a given chapter or unit.

d. Survey test measures general achievement in a given subject or area and is more concerned with scope or coverage.

The following are some links of the samples of survey tests in Mathematics.

• https://nces.ed.gov/timss/pdf/1999_8th_grade_Math_Teacher_Questionnaire.pdf
• https://www.bc.edu/research/intasc/PDF/opd_bat_StudentPost_fall06.pdf
• http://www.cwsei.ubc.ca/resources/files/Math-Attitudes-Perceptions_Survey.pdf

B. According to Construction

1. Structured test is a test when the examinee is required to respond within the framework or design of the test and correct responses are expected.

Examples are objective tests whether standardized or teacher-made. These are also called restricted tests because there are restrictions imposed.

2. Unstructured test is a test where the examinee is free to respond in any way he likes, thinks, feels, or has experienced and there are no incorrect answers.

Examples are projective tests. These are also called unrestricted tests because there are no restrictions imposed.

C. According to the Number of Persons to Whom Test is Administered

1. Individual test is a test administered to only one person at a time.

a. Personality test is a test that measures the ways in which individual’s interest is focused with other individuals or in terms of the roles that other individual has ascribed to him and how he adopts in the society.

2. Group test is a test that can be given to more than one person at a time. Intelligence tests and achievement tests are usually given to several persons at a time.

D. According to the Degree to Which Words are Used in Test Items and Student Responses

1. Verbal test is a test of the paper and pencil test variety but questions may be presented orally or in written form or objects maybe presented for identification. The answers, however, are given in words usually written but sometimes given orally.

2. Nonverbal test is a test which a minimum amount of language is used. The test, composed mostly of symbols, may be written or given orally but the answers are given solely in numbers, graphical representations, or three-dimensional objects or materials.

3. Performance test measures a student’s proficiency level in a skill. It requires manual or other motor responses.

E. According to Difficulty of Items

1. Speed test is a test which measures the speed and accuracy of the students in answering the questions within the time limits imposed.

The following are some links of the samples of speed tests in mathematics.

• https://www.ukmt.org.uk/sites/default/files/ukmt/ptmr/ptmr-sample-speed.pdf
• http://files.hostgator.co.in/hostgator253199/file/speedmathematicssimplified-edwardstoddard.pdf
• http://russellelem.weebly.com/uploads/5/6/6/8/56683845/superspeed_math_ii.pdf

2. Power test measures level of performance rather than speed or response. This test is made up of a series of test items in grade difficulty, from the easiest to the most difficult ones.

The following are some links of the samples of power tests in mathematics.

• https://fcit.usf.edu/math/resource/mathpower/fullpowr.pdf
• https://rodelaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Math-Power.pdf
• http://teachers.wrdsb.ca/kathrynmcpherson/files/2017/02/Mathpower-10-Ontario-Edition.pdf

F. According to the Arrangement of Items

1. A test in which arrangement of items is not important.

Speed tests are of this kind because the items are of equal difficulty. Arrangement of items has no effect whatsoever upon performance.

2. Scaled test is a test in a series of items arranged in the order of difficult ones.

G. According to the Amount to be Performed

1. Maximum performance test is a test in which an examinee is urged to accomplish as much as he can to show his ability and capacity.

Examples are intelligence, aptitude, and achievement tests.

2. Typical performance test is a test that reveal what a person really is. The examinee is urged to answer all items honestly.

Examples are tests of personality, vocational interest, emotional adjustment and others. Time limits are not important.

In conclusion, the presented lesson emphasizes the critical importance for classroom teachers and school administrators to comprehend the various types of evaluation instruments. The discussion underscores the responsibility these educators bear in assessing and evaluating students' learning, thereby necessitating a thorough understanding of evaluation tools. The lesson categorizes measuring instruments into standardized tests and teacher-made tests, elaborating on their distinctions and applications. The classifications of standardized tests, based on function, construction, the number of persons involved, language usage, difficulty of items, arrangement of items, and the amount to be performed, are thoroughly examined. The overall aim is to equip educators with the knowledge and awareness required for effective classroom assessments in the realm of mathematics. As education professionals, it is imperative for teachers and administrators to employ evaluation as a systematic process, using judgment based on specified criteria or standards to initiate actions and enhance the learning environment for students.