Deck 15: Standardized Tests and Teaching

Question 1

Standardized tests can be used to help teachers diagnose students' strengths and weaknesses.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

When establishing national norms, the norm group should include males and females from urban, suburban, and rural locations in a variety of geographic regions throughout the country and from a variety of socioeconomic and ethnic groups.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

When a middle-class, white, male student takes a nationally standardized test, his final score is computed on the basis of a norm group of similar middle-class, white, male students.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Validity is the extent to which a test produces similar results when administered on multiple occasions, but not the accuracy with which a test measures what it is intended to measure.

Question 5

A test can be reliable but not valid.

Question 6

An aptitude test and an achievement test measure the same underlying traits.

Question 7

A survey battery is a group of individualized subject matter tests designed for a particular level of students.

Question 8

Diagnostic testing is a group of individualized subject matter tests designed for a particular level of students.

Question 9

Most state-mandated tests have criterion-referenced scoring.

Question 10

Critics of state-mandated testing argue that such testing encourages teachers to teach for the test, thus focusing specifically on material expected to be on the exam rather than presenting a wider variety of material that teachers might think is worthwhile.

Question 11

According to No Child Left Behind, if underperforming schools don't improve after four years, states are required to implement major staff and curriculum changes in the schools, and if progress is not made after five years, states must close the schools.

Question 12

According to No Child Left Behind, all teachers now are required to be "highly qualified"; however, this information is to be kept strictly confidential by the schools.

Question 13

Very few state-mandated tests have criterion-referenced scoring.

Question 14

In a recent analysis of state-by-state comparisons of academic standards, most states have set the bar high with rigorous standards.

Question 15

When administering a standardized test to students, it is important for the teacher to communicate a positive attitude and to describe the nature and purpose of the test.

Question 16

When taking standardized tests, students should be encouraged to skip difficult items and return to them later.

Question 17

In the case of a normal distribution of scores, the most common scores occur at either extreme.

Question 18

When communicating test results to parents, it is best to avoid discussion of the student's strengths, weaknesses, and overall progress.

Question 19

Because of the potential for bias in standardized tests, it is important to assess students using a variety of methods.

Question 20

It has been concluded that performance assessment is more meaningful and involves higher-level thinking skills.

Question 21

Standardized tests are least appropriate for which of the following purposes?

A) Diagnosing students' strengths and weaknesses
B) Providing evidence for placement of students in specific programs
C) Assessing whether students meet objectives in a particular classroom setting
D) Providing information for planning and improving instruction

Question 22

A standardized test is least appropriate in which of the following situations?

A) Assigning students to different reading groups
B) Comparing the students in one classroom to those in another
C) Diagnosing student strengths and weaknesses
D) Determining whether students in a certain class have met their teacher's objectives

Question 23

A norm group is best described as which of the following?

A) A group of similar students who have been given the same test
B) A group of students who, as individuals, tend to receive average scores
C) The entire population of students who might one day take an exam
D) The entire population of students with abilities similar to abilities of those taking an exam

Question 24

Reliability refers to the extent to which a test does which of the following?

A) Can be used repeatedly without becoming obsolete
B) Provides equivalent scores for a diverse group of individuals
C) Measures what it is intended to measure
D) Produces a consistent, reproducible measure of performance regardless of testing population.

Question 25

The extent to which a test yields the same performance when a student is given the same test on two different occasions is called which of the following?

A) Split-half reliability
B) Alternate forms reliability
C) Test-retest reliability
D) Predictive reliability

Question 26

The extent to which a test can be used to predict a student's performance as measured by other assessments is called which of the following?

A) Content validity
B) Concurrent validity
C) Construct validity
D) Criterion validity

Question 27

The high correlation between students' ACT scores and their future performance in college suggests that the ACT exam has high

A) content validity.
B) concurrent validity.
C) predictive validity.
D) construct validity.

Question 28

The extent to which a test is unbiased and nondiscriminatory refers to which of the following?

A) Reliability
B) Validity
C) Standardization
D) Fairness

Question 29

An administrator wants to determine whether a ninth-grade biology class in one district is comparable in difficulty level and content to a ninth-grade biology class in another district. Which of the following approaches would provide the most valid comparison?

A) Compare grades of students in one class to those in the other.
B) Compare teacher notes from one class to those in the other.
C) Have students in each class take an exam prepared by one of the teachers and compare results.
D) Have students in each class take a standardized exam and compare the results.

Question 30

Standards-based tests are most appropriate in which of the following situations?

A) To assess skills that students are expected to master before moving to the next grade
B) To determine whether a student has met the particular objectives established in the classroom
C) To place students in classes based on level of difficulty
D) To make admission decisions at a college or university

Question 31

The principal sends out a memorandum suggesting a teachers' meeting to discuss high-stakes testing. Which of the following would be least likely to be on the agenda?

A) Whether to revise the approach of using a test to determine whether students will graduate
B) The issue of students requiring remedial work in a particular subject
C) Using a test to determine whether a student will be awarded the Henry B. Murray college scholarship
D) Policy of using the SAT and ACT to determine whether a student will gain entrance to college

Question 32

Professor Robins administered two exams to his students during the final week of the semester. Each exam contained similar but unique items on the same content matter. Professor Robins was attempting to obtain which of the following?

A) Split-half reliability
B) Alternate forms reliability
C) Concurrent validity
D) Predictive validity

Question 33

Martin gets consistently low scores on intelligence tests, but these scores severely underestimate his intelligence because he gets extremely nervous and is unable to answer the questions. In Martin's case, the tests are best described as which of the following?

A) Both reliable and valid
B) Reliable, but not valid
C) Not reliable, but valid
D) Neither reliable nor valid

Question 34

Maxwell gets consistently high scores whenever he takes an intelligence test. Other indicators also suggest that Maxwell has a very high IQ. In Maxwell's case, the tests are best described as which of the following?

A) Both reliable and valid
B) Reliable, but not valid
C) Not reliable, but valid
D) Neither reliable nor valid

Question 35

Richard has just received the scores from the standardized test administered by his school. He blames the test. Because English is his second language, the wording on the test was unfamiliar to him, and this was the main reason he could not get the correct answers. Richard's complaint stems from what problem with some standardized tests?

A) Reliability
B) Validity
C) Fairness
D) Non-uniform testing procedures

Question 36

Both aptitude tests and achievement tests have which of the following attributes in common?

A) They assess the student's potential to learn new skills.
B) They assess skills that the student has already mastered.
C) They assess the student's current status.
D) They assess the potential for the student's growth.

Question 37

All of the following are criticisms of the No Child Left Behind legislation except which one?

A) Provides an economical way to assess students' and teachers' progress and abilities
B) Requires too much time in the classroom "teaching to the test"
C) Provides a too-narrow view of students' and teachers' abilities
D) Provides strong incentives to exclude low-achieving students from school on testing days

Question 38

According to the No Child Left Behind legislation, schools must show adequate yearly progress (AYP); otherwise, states will close schools that don't achieve AYP after five years. Which of the following illustrates the best reason for why it can be difficult to achieve AYP?

A) AYP must be achieved by all students, including students with disabilities and limited English proficiency.
B) States typically set such rigorous standards that only gifted students are able to achieve them.
C) While most schools focus on math and language skills, NCLB testing is holistic and includes the arts, sciences, and critical thinking.
D) Spending on NCLB testing and test preparation is inadequate.

Question 39

An aptitude test measures which of the following?

A) What the student has learned
B) What the student should be able to learn
C) Whether the student is gifted
D) Whether the student needs to be in special education classes

Question 40

A survey battery is best described as which of the following?

A) Tests that measure what the student has learned
B) Tests that predict a student's ability to learn
C) Tests that assess individual subject matter for a particular student level
D) Tests that thoroughly evaluate a specific area of learning

Question 41

Achievement tests are best described as which of the following?

A) Tests that measure what the student has learned
B) Tests that predict a student's ability to learn
C) Tests that assess individual subject matter for a particular student level
D) Tests that thoroughly evaluate a specific area of learning

Question 42

Which of the following best captures the purpose of an aptitude test?

A) Tests that measure what the student has learned
B) Tests that predict a student's ability to learn
C) Tests that assess individual subject matter for a particular student level
D) Tests that thoroughly evaluate a specific area of learning

Question 43

What are diagnostic tests?

A) Tests that measure what the student has learned
B) Tests that predict a student's ability to learn
C) Tests that assess individual subject matter for a particular student level
D) Tests that thoroughly evaluate a specific area of learning

Question 44

Which of the following is not one of the benefits of using high-stakes testing?

A) Improved student performance
B) Less time spent teaching subject matter
C) High expectations for students
D) Improved confidence in schools

Question 45

The federal No Child Left Behind act was signed into law in 2002, mandating the use of standards- based tests nationwide. The primary theme of this legislation is which of the following?

A) Diversity
B) Accountability
C) Intelligence
D) Workplace preparedness

Question 46

All of the following are facets of No Child Left Behind, except which one?

A) All teachers who are not considered "highly qualified" will be put on public probation with the potential for dismissal.
B) States are required to create their own standards for students' achievement in math, English/ language arts, and science.
C) "Underperforming" schools are to be given special help, but they must give parents the option of moving their children to a better-performing school.
D) Students are given annual tests in math, English/language arts, and science, with some variability given the students' grade levels.

Question 47

Within NCLB legislation, schools that fail to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) for two consecutive years are labeled "underperforming." All of the following statements concerning underperforming schools are true, except which one?

A) Parents will have the option of moving their child to a better-performing school.
B) States and districts are required to provide report cards that show a school's performance level so that the public is aware of which schools are underperforming.
C) If underperforming schools don't improve after five years, states must close the schools.
D) Underperforming schools will be required to open after-school tutoring programs.

Question 48

Critics of No Child Left Behind argue which of the following?

A) Teachers should spend more time drilling students on basic facts and skills.
B) It is inappropriate to test students' creativity, motivation, persistence, and social skills.
C) Standardized tests represent a very narrow aspect of students' skills.
D) The standards set for teacher training and development are too low.

Question 49

Mindy is on her way to school to take a test that will identify whether she will benefit from placement into gifted classes. What type of test will she take?

A) An achievement test
B) An aptitude test
C) A survey battery
D) A diagnostic test

Question 50

Students are happy that they will not have to go to classes today, but are not as excited that they have to spend most of the day taking a test to measure what they have learned at school. What type of test will they take?

A) An achievement test
B) An aptitude test
C) A survey battery
D) A diagnostic test

Question 51

Faculty members are discussing the value of state-mandated testing. Which member is stating a valid criticism of such testing?

A) "We should use such testing; then we will know which students to really concentrate our attention on."
B) "We should use such testing; it will make all of us spend more time teaching those subjects the test measures."
C) "We should not use such tests; they result in teachers spending less time on tasks that require higher-order cognitive processing."
D) "We should not use such tests, as they will lead to a lower student achievement."

Question 52

Faculty members are discussing the value of state-mandated achievement tests. Which of the following faculty members is not stating a valid criticism of such testing?

A) "We should use such testing; then we will know which students to really concentrate our attention on."
B) "We should use such testing; it will make all of us spend more time teaching those subjects the test measures."
C) "We should not use such tests; they result in teachers spending less time on less tasks that require higher-order cognitive processing."
D) "We should not use such tests, as they will lead to a lower student achievement."

Question 53

At a local meeting of the PTA, a parent complains about the use of a state-mandated test to determine college eligibility. She is concerned that this would lead to students from select groups being denied the opportunity to go to college. What is the general emphasis of her concern?

A) Dumbing-down of curriculum
B) Discrimination
C) Lack of supportive research
D) Sacrificing students' higher-thinking skills

Question 54

Of the following suggestions, which is not recommended as a wise test-taking strategy?

A) Work quickly enough to complete the test.
B) Try to answer the most difficult items first.
C) Eliminate as many alternatives as possible on a multiple-choice test.
D) Make informed guesses rather than omitting items if scoring favors doing so.

Question 55

The mean is a measure of which of the following?

A) Central tendency
B) Variability
C) Sample size
D) Validity

Question 56

Which of the following scores is expressed as a deviation from a mean?

A) Standard score
B) Stanine
C) Grade equivalent
D) Percentile rank

Question 57

What is the mean and standard deviation of a z-score?

A) 0.0 and 0.0, respectively
B) 0.0 and 1.0, respectively
C) 1.0 and 0.0, respectively
D) 1.0 and 1.0, respectively

Question 58

Suppose 1,000 students take a particular exam. Their scores follow a normal distribution and range from 50 to 95. Of the following values, which would most likely be the mean?

A) 58
B) 65
C) 74
D) 82

Question 59

Suppose 1,000 students take a particular exam. Their scores follow a normal distribution and range from 50 to 95. Of the following values, which would most likely be the mode?

A) 58
B) 65
C) 74
D) 82

Question 60

A group of students received the following scores on a quiz: 24, 20, 20, 16, 15, 13, 13, 13, and 10. What is the mean?

A) 13
B) 14
C) 15
D) 16

Question 61

A group of students received the following scores on a quiz: 24, 20, 20, 16, 15, 13, 13, 13, and 10. What is the mode?

A) 13
B) 14
C) 15
D) 16

Question 62

A group of students received the following scores on a quiz: 24, 20, 20, 16, 15, 13, 13, 13, and 10. What is the median?

A) 13
B) 14
C) 15
D) 16

Question 63

A group of students received the following scores on a quiz: 24, 20, 20, 16, 15, 13, 13, 13, and 10. What is the standard deviation?

A) 3.34
B) 4.47
C) 5.69
D) 6.75

Question 64

A group of students received the following scores on a quiz: 24, 20, 20, 16, 15, 13, 13, 13, and 10. What is the range?

A) 4.5
B) 8.4
C) 12.2
D) 14.0

Question 65

Ms. Parez gave an exam to her students during the first week of class. Since students performed poorly, she added 20 points to everyone's score so that nobody would feel too discouraged. In changing the scores this way, Ms. Parez influenced the standard deviation and range in which of the following ways?

A) Both the standard deviation and range remained constant.
B) Both the standard deviation and range increased.
C) The standard deviation increased, but the range remained constant.
D) The standard deviation remained constant, but the range increased.

Question 66

A person who gets the second-highest score of 20 people taking an exam would be assigned which percentile rank score?

A) 90%
B) 85%
C) 80%
D) 75%

Question 67

A person who gets the second-highest score of 40 people taking an exam would be assigned which percentile rank score?

A) 95%
B) 90%
C) 85%
D) 70%

Question 68

What is the average IQ for a normally distributed population of individuals?

A) 50
B) 75
C) 100
D) 150

Question 69

Which of the following refers to an alternative assessment?

A) High-stakes testing
B) Diagnostic testing
C) Portfolios
D) All of these

Question 70

Alternative assessment is more in line with the recent emphasis on what types of programs?

A) Constructivism
B) Direct instruction
C) Cooperative learning groups
D) Back to the basics

Question 71

Which of the following teachers holds the most accurate viewpoint on standardized tests?

A) Ms. Ryan feels we shouldn't rely on them, for they are systematically biased.
B) Mr. Connelly feels not all are biased, but overall they have little utility.
C) Mrs. Ross considers them one of many types of assessment teachers should take into consideration.
D) Mr. Strickland devoutly believes they are the only valid and reliable way to measure achievement.

Question 72

Alternative assessment is more in line with the recent emphasis on what types of classrooms?

A) Those that focus on students engaged in meaning-making and active knowledge construction
B) Those that focus on lectures, demonstrations, and the recitation method
C) Those that emphasize group learning
D) Those that focus on reading, writing, and arithmetic

Question 73

The new principal, Mr. Bradshaw, poses the possibility of utilizing alternative assessment in the classrooms. Which of the following refers to an alternative assessment?

A) Having students take a valid and reliable standardized test
B) Having students take a test in alternative subjects
C) Having students create portfolios demonstrating improvement
D) All of these

Question 74

Identify advantages of state-mandated testing.

Question 75

Define "survey battery."

Question 76

Describe what a "diagnostic test" is used for.

Question 77

Identify three examples of high-stakes testing.

Question 78

Describe what a "norm group" is.

Question 79

Differentiate the concepts of reliability and validity as they are used in the context of standardized testing.

Question 80

Compare and contrast "alternate-forms reliability" and "split-half reliability."