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Module 1: introduction and overview (constituents in the testing process…
Module 1: introduction and overview
introduction
decisions are going to be made everyday over controversial issues and if a test can help guide us in the right direction then we should use it
what makes a test useful
a test can take many forms but the common theme in all of them is the assessment procedures represent a sample of behavior from the test taker.
simply put we test a sample to make inferences about the population we are studying
the utility of the test and how it is used is important. different types of tests are developed all of the time and how we use them depends on the construct they are developed in and the context they are intended to be used in
tests may be misused. an example is standardized testing. the results of the tests determine school funding and teacher pay. not all students have the same advantages as others and the scores on the tests are being used inappropriately
individual differences
how individuals differ on test scores and the underlying traits being measured by those tests
the more facets or things a test measures the more variability there will be int he test results
inter-individual differences
: where we examine differences on the same construct across individuals
intra-individual differences: these differences take two forms. 1. we may be interested in examining a single construct within the same individual across time. in this case we are interested in how the individual changes or matures over time. 2. we are interested in looking at a individuals strengths and weaknesses over a variety of constructs, typically at one point in time. in this case a test battery is important for assessing the individuals strengths and weaknesses.
constituents in the testing process
the test takers themselves have strong interest themselves in the results of the test.
the test users are more concerned with the test being fair for the test takers
the test developer tends to be focused on providing the best possible test to the test user and the test taker
this also includes making sure the test has reliability
diversity issues
most of the tests we know today were developed by white men for the study of white men yet these same tests are given to a diverse population
the most common concerns when it comes to testing people of the population is if the test is reliable and valid for the population it is being administered to. while the test may be effective for white men it may not be generalizable to a diverse population
reasons for concern
there may be many reasons why the test does not translate across populations. differences in experiences, beliefs, test-taking motivation, familiarity with testing, english language ability, and values
in other words, the test takers may simply not share the same common experience
often times different cultures do not emphasize speed of cognitive ability but rather depth of cognitive ability