TESTING-is
the process of administering a test. According to Wiersma and Jurs(1985) ,Test refer to a set of items or
questions designed to be presented to
one or more students under specified conditions.The first things a teacher can
ask him or herself before constructing a test is that “how well does the
individual students perform in comparison with other students?”.However, as a
tool for data collection in education context tests can have weaknesses when not
properly handled. The weaknesses can arise from
·
Sampling of test items
·
Sample size especially if the sample is
not widely spread
·
Administration-is the environment where
the test is done conducive?, A teacher need to provide a good physical and
psychological environment during testing to ensure validity . E.g. the room needs to be well ventilated, with
enough right .Psychological ,a teacher or any test administrator should not use
threats and excessive warning which may disturb a student .
TYPES OF TESTS
All
test categories fall under two group, they can be teacher made (man made test) or professional (standardized tests –made by professional board ).
Test
are not limited to paper and pencil inventories; there wide ranges of test
samples as follow;
(i)Individual
/group tests
Individual tests-
comprises things like interview and normal classroom tests
Group- group work
-Some students tend to do better in individual test while others in group
tests.
(ii)Power
(time)/speeded tests (amount).
Powered tests-students
are being given much time to complete an assignment
Speeded test-Amount
of test items per test become bigger compared to the amount of time given to
complete .This can lead to errors.
N.B:A
test should be balanced both in power (time)and speed (amount of what is tested
/content )in order to be valid and reliable .
(iii)Verbal/non
verbal tests
Verbal
–mostly tests communications skills
Non
verbal –tests physical performance or psychological skills.
(iv)Paper
and pencil/performatory tests
Paper and pencil-Normal
exams
performatory tests-Action
/psychomotor skills.
REFERENCES
Babyegeye E.B.,(1998).Test and measurements .The open university of Tanzania .Dar es
salaam.
Ebel R.L., and Frisbie,D.A (1991).Essentials of Educational Measurement
.New York :Prentice Hall.
Gronlund ,N.E and Linn
,R.L (1990),Measurement and
Evaluation in Teaching.N.Y.Macmillan.
Omary ,I.M.(1995).Conceptualizing Quality in Primary Education
.papers in Education and Development,16,25-48.
Thorndike ,R.L,and
Hagen, E.P.,(1991) .Measurements and
Evaluation in psychology and Education:New York .Macmillan.
Tyler,E.E.,(1964).Test and Measurements New Jersey
.Prentice Hall.
Wiersma, W. and Jurs
.S.G, (1985).Educational Measurement and
Testing .Allyn and Bacon ,Inc.USA
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