Educational testing and measurement. John Wiley & Sons Incorporated

Education is among the most essential public services. This article’s authors have an in-depth discussion of the intent of curriculum creation and lesson delivery. According to the author, the grand goal of the above facets is critical in achieving educational goals. The source incorporates fundamental principles that are used to decide whether or not goals are met. This report establishes a solid foundation for discussing the importance of standardized assessments in primary schools in the United States by doing an in-depth study of assessment, estimation, and evaluation. As a result, the source is a pertinent guide for my research article. Kelleghan, Thomas, George F. Madaus, and Peter W. Airasian. The effects of standardized testing. Vol. 1. Springer Science & Business Media, 2012.

It is necessary to analyze the actual root of standardized tests. This source provides an understanding of how standardized test came into existence. The authors provide that this testing technique stemmed from the introduction of ‘no child left behind’ policy in 2001. The standardized tests came in to improve uniformity in the educational evaluative systems and improve accountability of schools and teachers. The crucial argument in this source was to whether the reason why initiation of standardized testing is justifiable. This source forms a set of the most relevant books for the study. It provides precise analysis of the root of standardized testing. It will aid my evaluation of the bases of administration of standardized tests.

McNeil, Linda. Contradictions of school reform: Educational costs of standardized testing. Routledge, 2002.

The author evokes a crucial perspective into testing and evaluation. The global setting is dynamic hence giving education a great task to prepare individuals for the global environment. The world’s dynamics require creative skills of problem-solving, collaborative skills and innovation and creativity. McNeil and Linda provide that standardized tests measure none of this.This source proves helpful in the analysis of a range of expectations the society awaits from education hence providing the reader with a chance to weigh the relevance of the tests.

Gonzalez, Arturo. An Examination of the Validity of State Standardized Testing of English Language Learners. Diss. Northwest Nazarene University, 2016.

It is a standout source that firmly defends standardized tests. Standardized tests are excellent tools in measuring language proficiency of learners. 75% of learners newly introduced to English benefit from the test’s progressive language skills development. Having its roots from justifiable experimental data, this source is relevant in providing a crucial argument for standardized testing to avoid bias in making conclusions. It is, therefore, a quality source for my research.

Tienken, Christopher H., and Yong Zhao. “How common standards and standardized testing widen the opportunity gap.” Closing the opportunity gap: What America must do to give every student a chance (2013): 111-122.

This source was chosen for having a close relationship with that of McNeil and Linda. The US must provide the learners with a clear pathway to develop relevant skills that the current societal setting requires. Flawed testing metrics do not give learners chances to explore talent, creativity, and innovation. The source provides a scenic critique of standardized tests providing that the tests do not give learners chances to develop critical practical skills society requires.

Benjamin, Aaron S., and Hal Pashler. ”The value of standardized testing: A perspective from cognitive psychology.” Policy Insights From the Behavioral and Brain Sciences 2.1 (2015): 13-23.

Benjamin, Aaron, and Hal examine the importance of standardized tests on the growth of the cognitive domain of the learners. Standardized tests help in the development of the ability to form memories of learned concepts in the classroom. A standardized test not only gives the overall outlook of the learning progress but also gives important information about the learner’s ability to learn and retain knowledge. This source bring in a multifaceted approach to the topic through the application of different domain of learning in evaluating standardized tests.

Phelps, Richard. Kill the messenger: The war on standardized testing. Routledge, 2017.

This source would help further analyze the accountability bit of introduction of standardized tests. The use of the performance of learners in the standardized test as a measure of teachers’ professionalism maybe detrimental to teacher’s motivation. Professionalism has been hinged to the performance of learners in these tests hence making the teacher to pressure learners to ‘express their professionalism in a positive way,’ by passing high. Consequently, the students are put under immense pressure hence reading to pass but not to develop crucial skills. The source gives deeper insights on why the teaching force in the war against the standardized test.

Popham, W. James. Educational evaluation. Allyn & Bacon, 1993.

Popham provides a wide analysis of a good evaluation technique. The effective evaluation tool should be valid, objective, and reliable. Furthermore, evaluation systems should not discriminate against the learners in a way. The source insists on the objectivity of the test providing that there must be solid reasons for the administration of the test.

This source provides a solid basis for analysis; whether standardized tests meet the criteria or not.

References

Phelps, Richard. Kill the messenger: The war on standardized testing. Routledge, 2017.

Popham, W. James. Educational evaluation. Allyn & Bacon, 1993.

Benjamin, Aaron S., and Hal Pashler. ”The value of standardized testing: A perspective from cognitive psychology.” Policy Insights From the Behavioral and Brain Sciences 2.1 (2015): 13-23.

Tienken, Christopher H., and Yong Zhao. ”How common standards and standardized testing widen the opportunity gap.” Closing the opportunity gap: What America must do to give every student a chance (2013): 111-122

Gonzalez, Arturo. An Examination of the Validity of State Standardized Testing of English Language Learners. Diss. Northwest Nazarene University, 2016.

Kubiszyn, Tom, and Gary Borich. Educational testing and measurement. John Wiley & Sons Incorporated, 2015.

Kelleghan, Thomas, George F. Madaus, and Peter W. Airasian. The effects of standardized testing. Vol. 1. Springer Science & Business Media, 2012.

McNeil, Linda. Contradictions of school reform: Educational costs of standardized testing. Routledge, 2002.