It is argued that, by design, norm-referenced tests (NRT) and criterion-referenced tests (CRT) are conceived with different frames of reference. They are not totally exclusive of each other, but they do direct attention to different uses and references for information and decision making. Their combined contributions allow a more detailed and…

"Classroom Assessment in Action" clarifies the multi-faceted roles of measurement and assessment and their applications in a classroom setting. Comprehensive in scope, Shermis and Di Vesta explain basic measurement concepts and show students how to interpret the results of standardized tests. From these basic concepts, the authors then…

The monograph on individualized instruction focuses on the use of instructional objectives, instructional activities, instructional materials, and criterion referents. It is explained that objectives specify what the student should be able to do at the end of the instructional unit; the instructional activities and materials are the vehicles used…

Instructional packages (PAKs) are effective in promoting vocational learning as they provide an organized procedure for delivering self-paced instruction to individual trainees on a personalized basis. Some of the advantages of PAKs are that they free an instructor from the role of full-time transmitter of skills and knowledge, reduce equipment…

Focusing on the use of "paper and pencil" criterion-referenced tests in educational measurement, and to correct misconceptions, the definitions of basic terms and historical antecedents are discussed. Classifications of the tests are compared with other achievement tests. The phases in developing criterion-referenced tests are presented with the…

Intended to help educators select diagnostic and criterion referenced reading tests for their specific purposes, this book contains reviews of nine individual and three group tests. The reviewed tests were selected for their "importance" from a list of 34 and were reviewed by experts according to their descriptions of content, test development,…

This 10-chapter book discusses the research process and how it can be used to improve educational practice. The assumption is made that schools can and do make a difference in the educational progress of students, and that research data can be used to improve educational practice. Important current educational topics are also presented. These…

Living in an age of communication, literacy is an extremely integral part of our society. We are impacted by literature during our infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. "Literacy for the New Millennium" includes information from specialists in the field who discuss the influence of popular culture, media, and technology on…

This document contains five essays which explore the idea that increased teacher awareness and knowledge of human interaction will promote public acknowledgement and acceptance of (a) improved self-concept, (b) desire for learning, and (c) respect for others on the part of students, and establish these behaviors as accountable curriculum goals in…

Designed to provide solutions to some of the problems related to measuring reading behavior, this publication explores some of the problems of test selection and usage which confront educators. Contents include "Reading Testing for Reading Evaluation" by Walter R. Hill, "Reading Tests and the Disadvantaged" by Thomas J. Fitzgibbon, "What Is…

What is meant by "accountability" varies a great deal. It is not, however, the tools such as merit salary plans, voucher plans, and management techniques that are used to achieve accountability. Accountability has from its earliest days been tied to testing. In discussing testing, it is necessary to discuss the pros and cons of standardized, or…

This article presents views of proponents and opponents to standardized tests, isolates the major weakness of testing--questionable validity--and offers several recommendations for the betterment of test development and use. Some major misuses of tests include the following: (a) tests are at times administered with no clear purpose; (b) test…

This book is designed to help K-12 teachers and administrators understand the nature of standardized tests and, in particular, the scores that result from them. This useful manual helps teachers develop the skills necessary to incorporate these test scores into various types of instructional decision making--a process known as "data-driven…

This book is intended for teachers of second and foreign languages who use and construct tests while they teach. The emphasis is on the process of testing, as well as the process involved in taking a test. The five chapters treat the following points: (1) an overview of classroom testing, its nature, process, and value; (2) a theoretical framework…

This article summarizes the systematic process of instructional development by breaking down the three major stages of instructional analysis, design, and formative evaluation into the steps of needs analysis, learner analysis, task analysis, concept analysis, specification of instructional requirements, and the statement of instructional…