Transcript Validity in language assessment
Standards based assessment
Tim McNamara The University of Melbourne
Standards-based assessment and criterion referencing
Standards-based assessment is a form of criterion-referenced assessment (cf norm referenced assessment).
Information derived from a Criterion-Referenced Test
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The degree to which the student has attained criterion performance, for example whether he can satisfactorily prepare an experimental report.
Glaser 1994 [1963], p.6
Information derived from a Norm-Referenced Test
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The relative ordering of individuals with respect to their test performance, for example, whether Student A can solve his problems more quickly than Student B.
Glaser 1994 [1963], p.6
Definition of a criterion referenced test
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A criterion-referenced test is one that is deliberately constructed to yield measurements that are directly interpretable in terms of specified performance standards. Performance standards are generally specified by defining a class or domain of tasks that should be performed by the individual.
Glaser and Nitko, 1971, p. 653
Definition of a criterion referenced test (2)
A student’s score on a criterion-referenced measure provides explicit information as to what the student can and can’t do. Criterion-referenced measures indicate the content of the behavioural repertory, and the correspondence between what an individual does and the underlying continuum of achievement. Measures which assess student achievement in terms of a certain criterion standard thus provide information as to the degree of competence attained by a particular student which is independent of reference to the performance of others.
Glaser, 1963, p. 519
Norm-referenced test
Any test that is primarily designed to disperse the performances of students in a normal distribution based on their general abilities, or proficiencies, for purposes of categorizing the students into levels or comparing students’ performances to the performances of others who formed the normative group.
Brown and Hudson (2002, p. 2)
Is CRT behaviourist?
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Criterion-referenced testing has its origins in behaviourism, but need not be atomistic, purely dichotomous, or reductive.
Criterion-referencing and levels on a continuum
ELICOS placement test -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Item Estimates (Thresholds) all on all (N = 86 L = 57) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.0 | | | | | | | | | 2.0 X | 24 50 | | 18 | XX | 37 | XXX | 53 XX | XX | 39 54 1.0 XX | 3 13 43 45 X | XXXXXXX | 32 34 XXXX | 12 25 35 36 47 XX | 19 | XXXX | 27 49 51 57 XXXXXX | 38 42 XXXXX | 29 31 52 .0 XX | 5 XX | 28 XXXX | 9 21 46 XXXXXXXX | 14 XXXX | 23 26 | 4 XXXXX | 33 41 XXX | XXXXX | 15 16 20 40 XXXX | -1.0 X | 22 44 X | 17 XXXXX | 30 | 8 | 10 X | 7 | | | 1 -2.0 | | | | | 6 | | | 2 11 | -3.0 | -------------------------------------------------------------------- -----
Underlying the concept of achievement measurement is the notion of a continuum of knowledge acquisition ranging from no proficiency at all to perfect performance. An individual’s achievement level falls at some point on this continuum as indicated by the behaviors he displays during testing. The degree to which his achievement resembles desired performance at any level is assessed by criterion referenced measures of achievement or proficiency.
Scales and CRT
The standard against which a student’s performance is compared when measured in this manner is the behavior which defines each point along the achievement continuum. The term ‘criterion’, when used in this way, does not necessarily refer to final end of-course behavior. Criterion levels can be established at any point in instruction where it is necessary to obtain information as to the adequacy of an individual’s performance.
Glaser, 1963, pp. 519-520
Interface with policy - scales and frameworks
Dominant movement in language education internationally Driven by need for accountability and emphasis on demonstrable outcomes Has adopted functionalist view of language education (i.e. not cultural, intellectual, values dimension) Response to demands of globalization, efficiency Curriculum and assessment addressed in single framework Emphasis on reporting
Format of standards
Standards are typically formulated as an ordered series of statements about levels of achievement or stages of development. (There may be multiple sets of ordered statements for different aspects of language development)
CEFR Levels A2 , B1 (speaking)
A2: Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.
B1: Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
Mislevy: claims and evidence
An assessment is a
machine
for
reasoning
ASSESSMENT ARGUMENT about
what students know, can do
or
have accomplished
CLAIMS based
on a handful of things they say, do,
or
make
in particular settings OBSERVATIONS/ EVIDENCE
What is the CEFR?
It represents a construct definition; it is an exercise in domain modelling It provides a set of claims It provides a general characterization of evidence and tasks It is not a test - it allows different kinds of tests to be realizations of this construct
Possible functions of standards
Planning
: to act as a series of objectives of goals for teaching and learning; involve clear and specific statements of teaching aims
Professional understanding
: to inform teachers about the typical progress of learning; more complex statements and include contextual and interpretative information in order to help the teacher understand more fully the nature of the emergent ability in the learner
Accountability
: to act as statements of learning outcomes for administrative purposes - tends to be dominant function
Formative vs summative assessment
Can standards-based assessment help with formative assessment?
Gathering evidence to form basis of reporting
Gathering of evidence a mixture of teacher-led assessment and external examination External evidence may be seen as intrusive, insensitive to learning Places burden on teacher for record keeping Requires intensive professional development of teachers Best schemes provide good advice to teachers about integrating assessment in instruction learning’ movement ‘Assessment for
The assessment pyramid
LEVELS (NUMBERED ) LEVEL SUMMARIES STRAND DESCRIPTIONS WITHIN EACH MODE, EXAMPLES PROVIDED [ADVICE TO TEACHERS] DETAILED EXAMPLES TEACHER CHOOSES ACTIVITY & CRITERIA
Competing demands in standards-based assessment
Validity demands
Intellectual defensibility of construct Evidence of Reliability Other validity evidence Concern for consequences
Managerialist demands
Reporting Accountability
Teacher/ learner demands
Meaningfulness in instructional process Facilitation of learning Enhanced quality of teaching Minimization of administrative burden on teachers
Dylan Wiliam: Beyond norm and criterion-referenced tests
Norm-referenced - hard to interpret in terms of what a student can do; limited to placing student in cohort group Criterion-referenced leads to narrowing of teaching Also implies a cohort group
Wiliam on the role of teachers
An assessment is valid to the extent that you are happy for teachers to teach towards the test Therefore: Involve teachers in summative assessment Increases reliability and validity Externalize standards Locates teacher as coach, not judge Requires teachers to form a ‘community of practice’
Wiliam on construct-referenced assessment
‘Criteria’ do not define but exemplify grades ‘Standards’ are shared by the community of practice ‘Standards’ are implicit and evolve
Example: Standards and the PhD
Implies a yes/no decision about individuals Impossible to specify criteria But examination process proceeds successfully Granting PhD is a performative utterance, an illocutionary act (not a description) - the person is launched on their career
Wiliam on summative and formative assessment
Effective summative assessment requires teachers to share a construct of quality Effective formative assessment Requires
students
construct of quality to share the same Requires teachers to posses an
anatomy
quality of
Wiliam on quality rather than criteria
“Maxims cannot be understood, still less applied by anyone not already possessing a good practical knowledge of the art. They derive their interest from our appreciation of the art and cannot themselves either replace or establish that appreciation”.
(Polanyi, 1958 p50).
“Quality doesn’t have to be defined. You understand it without definition. Quality is a direct experience independent of and prior to intellectual abstractions”.
(Pirsig, 1991 p64).
Our questions
1 assessment vs testing vs evaluation vs validation vs measurement 2
affective factors in assessment
3 influence of L1 on assessment 4 raters/judges 5 effect of tasks - (esp CELU) 6 criteria in writing and oral interaction 7 history of assessment 8
why assessment? Can we do without it?
9 performance assessment
Our questions
10
qualitative vs quantitative aspects
11
correction in an oral exam
12
assessment as a process - and the final exam?
13 scales/descriptors for oral language 14 should listening be part of the oral exam?
15
Are we assessing what we want to assess?
16 Defining standards - intermed/advanced etc 17 Inter-rater reliability?
Our questions
18 Inferring actual performance from exam performance?
19 Exam strategies 20 Criteria in assessing a performance e.g. grammar?
21
Cultural aspects - interference in performance, rating, etc?