Many people believe that examinations are a simple way through which student’s comprehension of the various materials and lessons that have been taught in class is tested. However, exams not only test this but also have a variety of other purposes through which a teacher and student can better determine the usefulness ad exact purposes of providing the examinations, other than the obvious. From this, it is important to fully understand the various elements presented in the code of Fair testing principles of Education. These elements provide teachers with the guidance and assistance in development of tests that not only serve the core purpose, but are also fair for all students, irrespective of their specific demographic factors. Test developers should ensure that when they are constructing the tests, the provide equal opportunities for all the people who are going to take the test to showcase what they have learned and what they know. In so doing, such tests should be fair across the platform, from the development of the tests, to the reporting of the tests. Below are the various areas to which an individual should concentrate when developing a test for a group of persons and ensuring that it remains fair for all.
Test Items and Format
Test items, in a simplified form, refer to the specific questions or tasks, which individuals taking the test are asked to perform. The test item seeks to identify the level of understanding of a test taker with respect to a given area. They assess certain points or objectives. According to Chappelle and Brinlley (2002), the test items are used to collect information and make certain judgements regarding the learner’s knowledge of a particular language and their ability to use it. Richards and Schmidt (1992), however identify the test item as, “ an individual question in a test which requires the student to produce an answer ”.
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In presentation of test items, there are various test formats which are produced by the Test Makers. According to the persons who are to sit for the test, a Test Maker can analyse the various formats and decide on which format better captures and achieves the goal which they seek. There are Multiple Choice Format, Dual-Choice format, Completion Formats and Essay Formats (Downing & Haladyna, 1997).
Multiple Choice and Dual Choice Formats for tests refers to the provision of an objective assessment where there are several choices of answers and respondents are asked to select the only choice which they think is correct from the list provided. Dual choice formats require a selection from two scenarios (True/False). They are the most frequently used formats of testing in education centres. This test format is most utilized for Online Tests or Computerized tests. From these tests, a teacher is able to analyse the responses and determine how best the students performed with respect to the responses provided (Benhima, 2015). The Test Markers can perform a simple Test Analysis which examines the whole performance of the class and determines the following aspects of the test: The difficulty Index, The discrimination Index, and the analysis of response Options from the test. To this, a test maker can identify to what degree of fairness the test provided and from the test determine the test items which were either too easy, or did not pose better distractors. Both these Formats are easily analysed, however, in a classroom setting, they are not highly applicable as they provide students with opportunities to dub and cheat thus providing biased data (State Personnel Board, 2003).
Completion Formats and Essay formats are those which provide student with a question and students are asked to provide an answer for that question. The Completion Format provides the student with an incomplete statement which the student is supposed to complete. In Tests, they are preferred for physical tests which require invigilators presence as they provide a tougher time for students to dub, or copy. They are the most commonly used to identify different views and understanding of students with reference to a particular area or test item. They do not provide multiple choices, rather, seek an explanation of the understanding of the student pertaining to that given test item. However, they are time consuming in marking and data analysis compared to other formats of Tests (Jiao & Lissitz, 2017).
In each of the above formats, it is very important to ensure that the quality of the test items provided suites the knowledge of the students. Assessing information that does not fall in place with the knowledge provided to the Test Takers provides biased data which is not to be relied upon. Each of the test formats provides a Test Developer with the opportunity to determine which format best fits the students to be issued (Dr. Thawabieh, 2016). For simple tests, Multiple and Dual Choice Formats are applicable, and complexity requires the latter.
Fair and Appropriate Materials
In determining the fairness of tests, Test Developers should also ensure that the relevant materials to be utilized during the test are easily available to individuals and persons with disability alike. There shouldn’t be items that are irrelevantly placed in order to disorient and disorganize the minds of the students during the test (Educational Testing Service, 2016).
Physical barriers for instance pose a challenge to the student taking a test and may ultimately distract the student’s capability to adequately take the test. For instance, where the student does not have hands, it is important for the test material to adequately meet his/her need and not be bias or prejudice towards the student’s plight. It would be unfair to provide writing material for students who do not have hands. In the same manner, tests which have diagrams would be inappropriate for students who are blind (Educational Testing Service, 2016).
It is important to continually identify the various barriers, pertaining to the Material that may hinder the student from undertaking the test. The language presented in the Test material should be understandable and easy to read and not focused on a single area which may be construed as offensive. For instance, where test items use specific topics in a degrading or abusive manner. For example, depicting religion of some areas in a negative light, or inciting violence against a given people (Educational Testing Service, 2016). In this manner, it is also important to identify the nature of the test and the appropriate materials designated for it. For instance, a test on spoken language will require a student to undertake a spoken test, hence the materials required there will be different from a written test (Educational Testing Service, 2016).
AERA identified the need for supporting documentation for tests which better describe and derive the appropriateness of the tests to the test users and also determine its intended purpose. The Test documentation is used to specify the exact nature of the test, its intended use and the process which was involved in the test development process, information pertaining to the scoring process and validity and reliability evidence of the test (State Personnel Board, 2003). The documentation should also provide guidelines for interpretation and administration to assist in identifying the appropriate materials to be utilized when issuing the tests.
Use of Technology
Advancements in technology have allowed for the expansion of test material to online platforms. In this way, people are able to utilize various test formats in an online setting. Persons in various areas are able to access tests online which are taken and governed through time. For instance, a multiple choice answer will require less than 2 minutes for the reader to read and respond (Jiao & Lissitz, 2017). From this, they are submitted and analysed through the use of specific software technology designed for the same purpose. The tests also utilize Essay and Completion Formats and use key words or other designated websites such as Turnitin to analyse the grammar, uniqueness and originality of a given respondent to a particular test or test item.
Advancement in technology have also attracted fairness in the provision of test for Test Users. They are able to access the same information online as other members within the class, and the method is not biased to any one individual. Allocated time and grading software utilized is fair and appropriate for the use of all individuals. Where there is need for special attention, the technology is able to be modified to meet the required specification with direction from the given Test Developers. Test Users, through the utilization if technology is in a better and equal position when talking any test with no priority for a given individual or group. The standards are universal (Jiao & Lissitz, 2017).
Conclusions and Recommendations
In the above, the various Test formats which are provided are utilized in various methods and techniques. Where technology is concerned, Multiple and Dual Choice Formats are utilized as they are easily understandable and analysed through specific software. Essay and Completion Formats are best utilized in examination and physical environments which require hands on handling. All these formats are developed and distributed using various mechanisms which allow for fairness and appropriateness in various areas. Different test items should be free from prejudice and other degrading and offensive language which may prevent the individuals from answering rightfully and freely. It is recommended that Test developers utilize or develop guidelines provided by the Educational Testing Service and other professional bodies to better aid on how to come up with tests that not only seek to identify the understanding of students on a particular test item, but also show the Test developers of their weaknesses and strengths in development of those tests.
References
Benhima, M. (2015, 31Oct). Test item formats: definition, types, pros and cons . Education. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/wdoty3/test-item-formats-definition-types-pros-and-cons
Downing, S. M., & Haladyna, T. M. (1997). Test Item Development: Validity Evidence From Quality Assurance Procedures. Applied Measurement in Education , 10 (1), 61–82. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15324818ame1001_4
Dr. Thawabieh, A. M. (2016). A Comparison Between Two Test Item Formats: Multiple-Choice Items and Completion Items. European Centre for Research Training and Development UK , 4 (8), 63–74.
Educational Testing Service. (2016). ETS International Principles for the Fairness of Assessments | A manual for developing Locally Appropriate Fairness Guidelines for Various Countries. Educational Testing Service. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwings3D3PrVAhUjR48KHbb2AqUQFggsMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ets.org%2Fs%2Fabout%2Fpdf%2Fets_guidelines_for_fair_tests_and_communications.pdf&usg=AFQjCNHp8Rzhp_H3nC4ijBmquof9dol0oA
Jiao, H., & Lissitz, R. W. (2017). Test Fairness in the New Generation of Large?Scale Assessment . United States of America: IAP.
State Personnel Board. (2003). Summary of the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing. California State Personnel Board. Retrieved from www.spb.ca.gov/content/laws/selection_manual_appendixf.pdf
