TESTTEST

Test is the major techniques used for Test is the major techniques used for evaluation. Testing is quite common. It evaluation. Testing is quite common. It

is most important for the classroom is most important for the classroom teacher.teacher.

Qualities of a good testQualities of a good test

1.1. ObjectivityObjectivity2.2. Objective basednessObjective basedness3.3. ComprehensivenessComprehensiveness4.4. ValidityValidity5.5. ReliabilityReliability6.6. Discriminating powerDiscriminating power7.7. PracticabilityPracticability8.8. ComparabilityComparability9.9. UtilityUtility

Types of test itemsTypes of test items

Three types of test items are usedThree types of test items are used

1. Objective type1. Objective type

2. Short answer type2. Short answer type

3. Essay type3. Essay type

OBJECTIVE TYPEOBJECTIVE TYPE

An objective type of test item is which the An objective type of test item is which the response will be objective. Usually four response will be objective. Usually four different forms of objective type items.different forms of objective type items.

1. True – false type1. True – false type

2. Multiple choice type2. Multiple choice type

3. Matching type3. Matching type

4. Completion type4. Completion type

Advantages of objective type Advantages of objective type itemsitems

It can be scored objectively and easilyIt can be scored objectively and easily It is a very good tool for ensuring It is a very good tool for ensuring

coveragecoverage It reduces the subjective element of the It reduces the subjective element of the

examiner to the minimumexaminer to the minimum It reduces the role of luck and cramming It reduces the role of luck and cramming

of expected questionsof expected questions It promotes economy of time, for it takes It promotes economy of time, for it takes

less time to answer than the essay typeless time to answer than the essay type

It eliminates irrelevant factors such It eliminates irrelevant factors such as, speed of writing, good hand as, speed of writing, good hand writing, neatness etc.writing, neatness etc.

It creates an incentive for pupil to It creates an incentive for pupil to build up a broad base to knowledge, build up a broad base to knowledge, skill and abilities.skill and abilities.

If carefully planned, It can measure If carefully planned, It can measure the higher mental processes of the higher mental processes of understanding, application, analysis, understanding, application, analysis, prediction and interpretation.prediction and interpretation.

Limitations of objective type Limitations of objective type itemsitems

Difficulty in preparing good itemsDifficulty in preparing good itemsProblem of guessingProblem of guessingProblem of cheatingProblem of cheatingEmphasis on testing superficial Emphasis on testing superficial

knowledgeknowledge Inefficiency in testing complicated Inefficiency in testing complicated

skillskillHigh printing costHigh printing cost

SHORT ANSWER TYPESHORT ANSWER TYPE

A question requiring three value A question requiring three value points at the most may be defined as points at the most may be defined as a short answer question. The length a short answer question. The length of the answer expected from a short of the answer expected from a short answer question become very shortanswer question become very short

AdvantagesAdvantages

A relatively large portion of the A relatively large portion of the content can be covered in a test.content can be covered in a test.

It is easy to construct.It is easy to construct.

It provide little opportunity for It provide little opportunity for guessing as the examinee is required guessing as the examinee is required to supply specific information.to supply specific information.

It can be made quite objective by It can be made quite objective by carefully fixing up the value points. carefully fixing up the value points.

It is useful in evaluating the ability It is useful in evaluating the ability

to interpret diagrams, charts, graphs to interpret diagrams, charts, graphs etcetc

Application and problem solving skills Application and problem solving skills can be evaluated.can be evaluated.

LimitationsLimitations

It is more subjective than the It is more subjective than the objective type of itemsobjective type of items

It’s excessive use may encourage a It’s excessive use may encourage a student to memories facts and student to memories facts and develop poor study habits.develop poor study habits.

Mechanical scoring is not possible Mechanical scoring is not possible because of the subjectivity involved.because of the subjectivity involved.

ESSAY TYPEESSAY TYPE

This is the age old , traditional type This is the age old , traditional type questions. questions.

It is a free response test item. It is a free response test item.

The examinee is free to give the The examinee is free to give the answer of a question as he likes.answer of a question as he likes.

It help to evaluating complex skill It help to evaluating complex skill and other similar behavioural pattern.and other similar behavioural pattern.

AdvantagesAdvantages

It is easy to prepareIt is easy to prepareThe method of administering this The method of administering this

type of test is simple.type of test is simple. It is quite useful in measuring certain It is quite useful in measuring certain

very important abilities.very important abilities. It involves deep level objectives. It involves deep level objectives.

They promote originality and creative They promote originality and creative thinking.thinking.

The possibility of guess work can be The possibility of guess work can be eliminated.eliminated.

They reduce chance of on the spot They reduce chance of on the spot copying.copying.

They are helpful for appraisal of skill.They are helpful for appraisal of skill.Comprehension of the subject matter Comprehension of the subject matter

as a whole is encouraged.as a whole is encouraged.

LimitationsLimitations

They are subjective in natureThey are subjective in natureQuestions require a lot of time to Questions require a lot of time to

answer.answer.This leads to selective study on the This leads to selective study on the

part of the students.part of the students. It do not possess sufficient validity or It do not possess sufficient validity or

reliability.reliability.

DefinitionDefinition

A test designed to identify and A test designed to identify and investigate the difficulties, investigate the difficulties, inadequacies and gaps of pupil in inadequacies and gaps of pupil in specific curriculum areas with a view specific curriculum areas with a view to helping them overcome those to helping them overcome those difficulties through remedial difficulties through remedial instruction is called a diagnostic test.instruction is called a diagnostic test.

purposepurpose

IT purpose is to identify the exact IT purpose is to identify the exact nature of the difficulties and to nature of the difficulties and to locate the causes that result in locate the causes that result in poor achievement.poor achievement.

Construction of a diagnostic Construction of a diagnostic testtest

There are five steps,There are five steps,Purposeful planning.Purposeful planning.Analysis of learning material Analysis of learning material

concernedconcernedWriting of test itemsWriting of test itemsDivision of items into small sections Division of items into small sections Provision of clear instructions.Provision of clear instructions.

Analysis of the result of diagnostic Analysis of the result of diagnostic testtest

A view to find out the exact area n A view to find out the exact area n which difficulties existwhich difficulties exist

To determine what exactly the To determine what exactly the nature of each difficulty.nature of each difficulty.

This may be done with respect to the This may be done with respect to the group tested (group diagnosis) as group tested (group diagnosis) as well as for each individual student well as for each individual student (individual diagnosis)(individual diagnosis)

Remedial teachingRemedial teaching

Remedial teaching is the process of Remedial teaching is the process of instruction that follows immediately instruction that follows immediately after diagnostic testing and analysis after diagnostic testing and analysis of the result.of the result.

The teacher has to plan strategies for The teacher has to plan strategies for remedial teaching on the basis of remedial teaching on the basis of nature of the difficulties.nature of the difficulties.

It aim at helping each individual It aim at helping each individual student solve specific difficulties of student solve specific difficulties of his own. his own.

On the basis of this analysis ,the On the basis of this analysis ,the reason for each difficulty has to b reason for each difficulty has to b determined.determined.

It may be at the group level or It may be at the group level or individual levelindividual level

By the success in remedial classes, By the success in remedial classes, resistant children become co-resistant children become co-operative, apprehensive children operative, apprehensive children become self confident, discouraged become self confident, discouraged children become hopeful, and children become hopeful, and socially mal-adjusted children socially mal-adjusted children become acceptable to the group.become acceptable to the group.

Achievement Achievement testtest

Achievement in a subject Achievement in a subject indicates the extent to which the indicates the extent to which the leaner has internalised the related leaner has internalised the related learning material. Any test learning material. Any test designed to assess the designed to assess the achievement in subject with achievement in subject with regard to a set of pre-determined regard to a set of pre-determined objectives is called an objectives is called an achievement test achievement test

Steps involved in the Steps involved in the construction of achievement test construction of achievement test

are,are,Planning of the test Planning of the test Preparation of a design for the testPreparation of a design for the testPreparation of blueprintPreparation of blueprintWriting of itemsWriting of itemsPreparation of the scoring key Preparation of the scoring key

and marking scheme and and marking scheme and

Preparation of question-wise analysisPreparation of question-wise analysis

Distinction b/w achievement & Distinction b/w achievement & diagnostic testdiagnostic test

Achievement testAchievement test

Measures how Measures how much a student has much a student has achievedachieved

Diagnostic testDiagnostic test

Measures how Measures how much a student has much a student has not been able to not been able to achieve and whyachieve and why

Gives due weightage Gives due weightage to objectives, to objectives, content, form of content, form of question and question and difficulty level-all in a difficulty level-all in a general waygeneral way

Give due to Give due to weightage to every weightage to every topic in a content topic in a content areaarea

Considers each and Considers each and every one of these every one of these aspects in a aspects in a specialized way-this specialized way-this is done in a critical is done in a critical and analytical wayand analytical way

Give greater Give greater emphasis to the emphasis to the aspects with aspects with potential difficultiespotential difficulties

Strictly observes Strictly observes the time factor in the time factor in answering. Measures answering. Measures how much can be how much can be performed in a fixed performed in a fixed duration of time. No duration of time. No extra time is allowedextra time is allowed

Mark scored in Mark scored in achievement tests achievement tests are very important are very important because, grading, because, grading, ranking and ranking and placement are its placement are its functionsfunctions

Not concerned with Not concerned with the time factor. This the time factor. This is because it is is because it is meant to identify meant to identify deficiencies and deficiencies and difficulties of the difficulties of the learnerlearner

Marks are not Marks are not normally assigned n normally assigned n diagnostic test, diagnostic test, because, grading, because, grading, ranking and ranking and placement are not its placement are not its functions. It aims functions. It aims only at identifying only at identifying difficultiesdifficulties

Construction of a Construction of a diagnostic test diagnostic test requires more requires more imagination. The imagination. The test-constructor has test-constructor has to analyse the to analyse the content, arrange content, arrange them in the order of them in the order of their difficulty, and their difficulty, and present each item present each item with clear with clear instructions.instructions.

Construction of an Construction of an achievement test is achievement test is comparatively easy, comparatively easy, though the test-though the test-constructor has to constructor has to prepare a design, prepare a design, blueprint etc.blueprint etc.