A further consideration on test design
Tests are needed
when assessing certain skills, for instance when learners are going through a
process which involves different levels or stages, how to go from one stage to
another without an ‘objectively’ tool, or a measurable way to assess. My point is that
tests are for sure needed when assessing students in order for them to reach
the following level. The main concern will be then the design of those sources.
From my
personal experience, designing a test is not that easy, even though you have
the concise guidelines, topics, and even a grill to design it. As teachers
without professional training on those fields, we tend to design quizzes, tests, work sheets, etc; without
having in mind all the characteristics and features regarding testing design,
just because we are not aware of them. For example, when selecting an activity
the principal feature that is taking into consideration is the topic, but forgetting
about the objectives, the implications, or the real purposes and the usefulness
for the student itself, just to mention.
To design a
well and accurate test, teachers need at least a grasp knowledge about the
matter on the table, for me it is absolutely necessary that teachers or people
in charge to design tests are experts or as I already mention, have a grasp
idea of the task.
You are right Natalia. We don't only need to know how to administer a test ( which seems to be easy) but only how to design it. It is not matter of creating a test thinking about if it is easy or difficult; it is matter of knowing which are the objectives and goals we want to achieve with it. But regarding that we haven't received training in this field (testing design), we try to do our best, sometimes forgetting what is really important: the real purpose of administering it.
ResponderEliminarI think we should be aware of the importance of going deeper in this topic (tests designing); we need to read more, ask more, and do more to at least elaborate tests with an specific purpose which provide real results that help us to assess students properly.