Much of the learning in technology education is hands-on and best assessed via techniques other than traditional tests. Rubrics have become increasingly recognized as the best means of evaluating student efforts and accomplishments in projects, group work, presentations, various types of research papers, videotapes, web pages, and many other learning activities and products typical of the contemporary technology classroom. Tests are important for cognitive learning, and the time that technology teachers spend administering tests is well spent if the tests also help students learn. This article is one researcher's attempt to share findings from a series of experiments with technology teachers in the field. Beginning in 1985, the author of this article conducted nine experimental studies on the effects of test taking on retention learning in technology education settings and two studies that were post-hoc analyses of test items and tests written by technology teachers. The results of these studies indicate that students actually learn more while they are taking tests on technology content. Cognitive knowledge and comprehension objectives are often best assessed with tests. Though ability to apply knowledge to a specific problem is better assessed with a rubric of the student's solution, students' overall ability to apply their knowledge to multiple novel problems is better evaluated with skillfully designed test items. This article reports these research results to the professional community of technology teachers to help them maximize the learning value of testing in their classes.