ATSW Assessment Methods & Student Evaluation 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A teacher wants to measure higher-order thinking skills according to Bloom's Taxonomy. Which question stem BEST targets the 'Evaluate' level?
- What is the definition of osmosis?
- Describe the steps of the water cycle in order.
- Which experimental design is MOST valid, and why? (Correct answer)
- Identify the main character in the story.
Correct answer: Which experimental design is MOST valid, and why?
The 'Evaluate' level of Bloom's Taxonomy requires students to make judgments based on criteria, such as assessing the validity of an experimental design.
Question 2: Which of the following is the BEST example of using assessment 'for' learning rather than assessment 'of' learning?
- Administering a final exam at the end of the semester
- Using student error patterns to adjust the next day's lesson plan (Correct answer)
- Reporting grades to parents at the end of a grading period
- Comparing a student's score to a national percentile rank
Correct answer: Using student error patterns to adjust the next day's lesson plan
Assessment for learning (formative) uses data in real time to adjust instruction and support students, whereas assessment of learning (summative) reports achievement after the fact.
Question 3: A teacher creates a test with 50 questions but only 5 address the primary standard for the unit. This violates which assessment principle?
- Fairness
- Reliability
- Alignment (Correct answer)
- Efficiency
Correct answer: Alignment
Alignment requires that the weight given to each topic on a test reflects its instructional emphasis; under-representing the primary standard misaligns the assessment.
Question 4: Which scenario demonstrates appropriate use of self-assessment in the classroom?
- Students assign their own letter grades to avoid teacher bias
- Students use a checklist to evaluate their writing against provided criteria before submitting (Correct answer)
- Students grade each other's work and submit the peer grade as final
- Students choose which questions to answer based on personal preference
Correct answer: Students use a checklist to evaluate their writing against provided criteria before submitting
Self-assessment is effective when students compare their work against clear criteria, promoting metacognition and ownership of learning.
Question 5: A school district wants to compare its students' performance to students across the country in reading. Which assessment type should the district use?
- A teacher-created criterion-referenced test
- A nationally normed standardized reading assessment (Correct answer)
- A portfolio assessment compiled across the year
- A formative observation checklist
Correct answer: A nationally normed standardized reading assessment
Nationally normed standardized assessments are specifically designed to allow comparisons between a local population and a national reference group.
Question 6: Which of the following BEST explains why a teacher should use multiple measures rather than a single assessment to evaluate student learning?
- It reduces the total amount of grading the teacher must complete
- No single assessment can fully capture the breadth and depth of a student's knowledge and skills (Correct answer)
- Multiple measures ensure students always have an opportunity to earn a higher grade
- It satisfies legal requirements under NCLB for student evaluation
Correct answer: No single assessment can fully capture the breadth and depth of a student's knowledge and skills
Multiple measures provide a more complete and accurate picture of student learning because each assessment method captures different dimensions of performance.
Question 7: A student scores in the 72nd percentile on a standardized reading test. This means the student:
- Answered 72% of the questions correctly
- Scored higher than 72% of students in the norm group (Correct answer)
- Is reading at a 7th-grade, 2nd-month level
- Needs to improve by 28 percentage points to reach proficiency
Correct answer: Scored higher than 72% of students in the norm group
A percentile rank of 72 means the student performed as well as or better than 72% of the students in the norming sample.
ATSW Assessment Methods & Student Evaluation 5
A teacher wants to measure higher-order thinking skills according to Bloom's Taxonomy.
Which question stem BEST targets the 'Evaluate' level?