EDM 311 – EDUCATIONAL TESTING MEASUREMENT

AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

1. Discuss how to develop educational testing and measurement.

Educational Testing
It will measure a test-taker's knowledge, skill, aptitude, physical fitness, or classification in many other topics
(e.g., beliefs). A test may be administered verbally, on paper, on a computer, or in a predetermined area that
requires a test taker to demonstrate or perform a set of skills. Tests vary in style, rigor and requirements. For
example, in a closed book test, a test taker is usually required to rely upon memory to respond to specific items
whereas in an open book test, a test taker may use one or more supplementary tools such as a reference book or
calculator when responding. A test may be administered formally or informally. An example of an informal test
would be a reading test administered by a parent to a child. A formal test might be a final
examination administered by a teacher in a classroom or an I.Q. test administered by a psychologist in a clinic.
Formal testing often results in a grade or a test score. A test score may be interpreted with regards to
a norm or criterion, or occasionally both. The norm may be established independently, or by statistical analysis
of a large number of participants. An exam is meant to test a child's knowledge or willingness to give time to
manipulate that subject.

Educational measurement
It is the use of educational assessments and the analysis of data such as scores obtained from educational
assessments to infer the abilities and proficiencies of students. The approaches overlap with those
in psychometrics. Educational measurement is the assigning of numerals to traits such as achievement, interest,
attitudes, aptitudes, intelligence and performance.

2. What is Project Development?

Project development is the process and the facility of planning, organizing, coordinating, and controlling
the resources to accomplish specific goals. The process takes a transportation improvement from concept
through construction. It has six phases; initiation, definition, design, development, implementation and
follow-up phases.

What are the requirements of project development?

1. Expert Judgment:
Experts are the people more knowledgeable in their respective areas. Their knowledge & experience help
to gather most of the specific product/ project requirements. Expert judgment is used to determine
specialized requirements comprising following topics:

 Requirements elicitation
  Requirements analysis
 Business analysis
 Diagramming techniques
 Facilitation
 Conflict Management
 Projects requirements in similar previous projects

2. Data Gathering:
Data gathering is an important technique for facilitation &/or group creativity. Here, a group of people
involves figuring out all project requirements. Ideas evolve through group creativity and help to determine
requirements. There are several tools, we can use this technique. But the right selection depends on the type
of needs or stakeholders including other complexities. Below is the list of tools under this technique:

a) Questionnaires and Surveys:

We use this requirement-gathering tool for large groups. Wherever there is a need to capture the
requirements from various stakeholders. A large number of stakeholders doesn’t permit to arrange a one-
to-one interview. Also, it’s not wise to call all them at one place, if they sit remotely. So, Questionnaire &
Surveys give the opportunity to collect requirements of a big group of stakeholders. It also provides
flexibility to stakeholders to take part as per their ease. Yet, to prepare the survey questions is another
challenge, you have to be very careful about.

b) Interviews:

A tool to engage personally with stakeholders to understand needs. Interviews can be facilitated through
personal meetings or phone calls. It’s a good practice to prepare a checklist before interviewing. This will
ensure to capture all the requirements in a single meeting. Interviews can be elaborative; hence gives an
opportunity to understand stated or unstated needs.

c) Focus groups:

It’s used, when we want to collect the needs from specific sets of stakeholders. Suppose you need to gather
the needs of the top executive and process owners both. You can schedule separate meetings with the two.
And gather the individual group's requirements.

d) Brain Storming:

Also called as group thinking or group creativity. It evolves several new ideas and new requirements. People
from different domains and functions come together for a meeting. They try to share their ideas and
requirements with creative thinking. This technique is very useful when you don’t have any preset need.
And you try to explore new requirements for a new product.
 e) Benchmarking:

In this technique, the comparison is made between existing practices & best practices. This way most of
the organizations try to explore best in class practices. And hence set their requirements to improve their
current position. As we know, a market is more dynamic than ever. It is full of competition. So, to be in a
race and maintain market positioning, organizations go for benchmarking. And with gap analysis, they
explore the requirements and take projects.

3. Data Analysis:
Business analyst often uses these techniques. This technique is also known as Document analysis. As the
name suggests, we analyze existing documents to elicit project requirements. This technique utilizes
documents like:

 Business plans,
 Use cases,
 Problem or issue logs,
 Policies or procedures,
 Business rules repositories and/ or
 Market literature etc., to elicit requirements

4. Decision Making:
Following are the techniques used in decision making for requirements collection:

a) Multi-Voting:

It is further divided into 3 categories-

Unanimity: All group members agree to a final decision. Hence, there will be unanimity among group
members about final requirements.
Majority: Here, more than 50% of the members in the group agree to final decision.
Plurality: The larger chunks of votes in a group qualify as a final decision. For an example, if 60% of the
people agree, 25% of the members disagree and rests are neutral. Then, a final set of requirement goes with
60% votes in agreement.

b) Multi-criteria decision-making:

Here, multiple criteria are set before making a decision. These criteria are assigned different ranks. To reach
final requirements, calculate these ranks. Give priority to the higher rank.
 c) Autocratic decision-making:

Also called as dictatorship group decision-making. Here, only one individual defines the requirements.
Who doesn’t take any consensus from others? For example, Top executive of the organization only sets the
project requirements.

5. Data representation:

a) Affinity Diagram:

It is used, when we have a large number of stakeholder’s requirements. A similar set of requirements, we
can group together under one head. Hence, we reduce the number of requirements to least possible few
categories. This broadens the scope of focusing few categories rather than taking all them at once.

b) Mind Mapping:

Here, we wear the caps of different stakeholders. Try to map their minds and generate ideas. Thus, it’s a
technique to generate a large number of ideas through the process of backtracking. A very useful technique
to identify the requirements of potential customers or end users.

6. Interpersonal and team skills:

a) Nominal Group Technique:

This technique is generally used to prioritize the requirements. Here, all stakeholders take part in a
brainstorming session. Generate as many ideas through brainstorming. Then rank for each idea generated.
Add up all these ranks from each stakeholder to get the final ranking of each idea. These ideas are then
sorted out to gather most important requirements. Higher the rank, higher the priority.

b) Observation:

Also known as a job – shadowing. Here, a potential user or group of users is observed for identifying
requirements. E-commerce sites use this technique to identify the patterns of customer’s needs.

c) Joint Application Design & Development:

This technique is more focused on group dynamics & synergy. Introduced by IBM in the late 1970s, it
brings stakeholders from various domains together. Commonly, referred as JAD, this technique is held in
3-4 sessions. All relevant stakeholders are invited to these sessions to gather requirements. They discuss
and come to a consensus to set final requirements.
 d) Quality Function Deployment:

Also known as a house of quality. This technique is preferred to generate technical requirements when
stakeholders’ needs are known. Translate voice for stakeholders to identify process requirements.

e) User Stories:

Capture user’s experiences to identify different needs. Nowadays, social platforms provide many
opportunities to gather user’s experiences. Examples are Twitter and Facebook etc.

7. Context Diagram:
Context diagrams exemplify a scope model. They represent a pictorial visualization of various interactions.
Interactions between different users and system. Thus, they depict the steps – customers & processes take,
to result in system outcomes.

8. Prototypes:
A model of the final product is developed based on stakeholders’ need. Now, stakeholders are asked to give
their feedback on this model. Negative feedbacks are captured to identify further requirements. Positive
feedbacks are retained as it is. Thus, prototype gives the flavor of the final product in advance.

3. Give the specific educational testing and measurement for:

a. Elementary level

1. Diagnostic Testing
This testing is used to “diagnose” what skills a student has demonstrated proficiency on. Diagnostic testing
often measures for student misconceptions or where students are in stages along a progression, such as by
grade level, of concepts, or skills. For example, diagnostic reading assessments can measure what grade
level students are fluent at reading, or based on their comprehension of the text.
Teachers use diagnostic testing information to guide what and how they teach. They’ll spend more time
teaching skills students struggled with most on the diagnostic test.
Diagnostic assessments can be a very helpful tool for parents. The feedback my kids receive on these tests
lets me know the specific areas where they may need extra help at home.
 2. Formative Assessments
Formative assessment is often viewed as more of a natural part of the teaching and learning process. It can
include strategies such as observations, having students read out loud, and asking students questions in
class, as well as the use of different types of tools, like digital games.
This type of testing is used to gauge student learning during the lesson. Often, teachers are evaluating
student learning without even knowing it. It is informal and low-stakes, meaning that the kind of decisions
that are made from these types of assessments should be limited to informing and adjusting instructional
practices, such as re teaching a lesson or grouping students for extra help. They are designed to give students
the opportunity to demonstrate they understand the material.

Schools normally do not send home formal reports on formative testing, but it is an important part of the
teaching and learning process. If you help your children with their homework, you are likely using a version
of formative testing as you work together.

3. Benchmark or Interim Testing

This testing is used throughout the school year often to check whether students have mastered a unit of
instruction. There are other types of benchmark assessments that mirror the state summative test as a way
to view progress and see if students are on track.

When designed for this particular use, benchmark or interim tests may even provide a predictor of how
students may perform on the end of year summative test. These tests are typically longer than formative
assessments and are often used for a grade.

Unlike diagnostic testing, students are expected to have mastered material on benchmark tests. Parents will
often receive feedback from these tests, which is important to me as a parent, as it gives me insight into
which concepts my kids did not master. If I want to further review a concept with them, I can find lessons,
videos, or games online, or ask their teachers for resources.

4. Summative Assessments
Summative assessments are used as a checkpoint at the end of the year or course to assess how much content
students learned overall.

These tests are given to all students in a classroom, school, or state, so everyone has an equal opportunity
to demonstrate what they know. Students demonstrate their ability to perform at the level prescribed as the
proficiency standard for the test. Results are often aggregated to also understand school and district
performance for the purpose of accountability.
In my opinion, the most important function of summative assessments is student equity. It’s our way of
making sure that populations of students are not being left behind. In order to do so, we need to evaluate
not just the total population of students but a breakdown by subgroup so we can identify any potential
underserved populations of students and put interventions in place for their success.
Since summative tests cover the full range of concepts for a given grade level, they are not able to assess
any one concept deeply. As a parent, I consider summative testing a confirmation of what I should already
know about my sons’ performance. I don’t expect to be surprised by the results, given the feedback I have
received from diagnostic, formative, and benchmark testing.

4. Give specific educational testing and measurement for college level.

Entrance Exams

1. Create a practical study plan

Students usually spend more time in planning than actually executing those plans. Planning is art of the
possible. So, create a plan which can be successfully executed. Give more time to topics which you find
difficult and keep a buffer so that you can complete some pending tasks.

2. Know your strength and weakness

Everyone has specific strengths and everyone has specific weaknesses. It’s pretty certain that if you are not
clear on your weaknesses then you are not clear on your strengths either. Playing to your strengths and
sailing through the weaknesses is the best exam strategy you can bet on.

3. Use fewer books for theory

Students have a habit of referring innumerable books for each subject even though most of them convey
the same thing. Having too many books would lead to confusion during time of revision and most of your
doubts would remain unresolved without a go to book. We have compiled a list of IIT JEE books
recommended by our experts here.

4. Read the questions cautiously

Examiners try to trap students by playing around with the question and options. So read the question
carefully to understand what is required and see the options with great concentration. Watch out for the
questions which are designed to have more than one correct answer and you are supposed to choose the
option with multiple correct answers.

5. Plan your exam strategy

Planning the way you attempt various questions is quite crucial to crack the entrance exam. You do not
have to approach the question paper the way it is intended to be. The important thing is not to waste time
over questions which seem to be difficult. Finish off all the sections which you are really good at so that
you can dedicate more time for the difficult ones.
 6. Train your mind for the exam
Your mind should be prepared to perform well during an exam. This requires consistency over a long period
of time. If you are planning to give your exam in 9-12 slot, you should practice solving papers at the same
time so that your mind is trained to be super active during that period.
7. Practice previous year papers
Practicing previous year question papers should be left for the last couple of months before an exam. These
are actual questions which have appeared and you should time yourself while answering them so that you
can compare your scores. Also, try to attempt the test papers in the same time slot as your final exam.

8. Use our cheat-sheet to revise formulas

Our experts have created cheat sheets which you can refer anytime you have a doubt or forget a formula.
Revise these cheat sheets weekly and if required get them printed. It includes a comprehensive list of
everything you will ever need to crack your entrance exam. You can sign up to access these cheat sheets.

9. Use method of elimination

Whenever in doubt use method of elimination to your rescue. Start by eliminating 2 options which have the
least possibility of being correct. Sometimes irrespective of the question, the fact contained in the options
itself can be used to eliminate them. Selecting a final answer out of 2 is sometimes tricky and if it’s worth
the risk you can go with your gut at times.
10. Learn all the shortcuts
Every student has shortcuts which they use to prepare for entrance exams. Be it for remembering formulas
or memorizing charts, use shortcuts to save your time. There are some standard shortcuts which you can
tap into but creating your own wouldn’t harm either.
11. Stay Physically and Mentally Balanced
Keeping yourself and your mind healthy is quite neglected during exam preparation but it can have adverse
effects in the final outcome. Exercise daily and sleep well so that your mind and body are fresh when you
are taking the exam. Avoid sleeping late and tune your mind so that it works best in the time slot of your
final exam.
12. Practice, Practice, Practice.
Finally, there is no substitute for practice. 70% of exam preparation is practice. Use this time very
effectively by using our platform which can help you plan, save time and improve accuracy. Our students
have improved 25% accuracy and saved 30% time by completing goals on our platform.

Prepared by: JOVANIE A. BALDEVINO