CORE Assessment Strategies 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes a norm-referenced assessment?
- It measures whether a student met a specific skill standard
- It compares a student's performance to that of a larger peer group (Correct answer)
- It evaluates performance against a predetermined rubric
- It assesses a student's improvement over time
Correct answer: It compares a student's performance to that of a larger peer group
Norm-referenced assessments rank students relative to a comparison group, not against an absolute standard.
Question 2: A CORE educator wants to assess whether students can apply the concept of carrying capacity to a local state park scenario. Which assessment type is most aligned with this goal?
- True/false quiz on the definition of carrying capacity
- Scenario-based performance task requiring a written management recommendation (Correct answer)
- Matching terms to definitions worksheet
- Fill-in-the-blank vocabulary test
Correct answer: Scenario-based performance task requiring a written management recommendation
A scenario-based performance task requires students to apply their knowledge to a real-world situation, assessing higher-order thinking.
Question 3: What does inter-rater reliability mean in the context of outdoor education assessment?
- Different assessors consistently apply the same rubric criteria to produce similar scores (Correct answer)
- Students rate each other using an internet-based platform
- The assessment is valid across multiple age groups
- Results are consistent when the same student retakes the same test
Correct answer: Different assessors consistently apply the same rubric criteria to produce similar scores
Inter-rater reliability indicates that two or more evaluators score the same student work consistently using shared criteria.
Question 4: Which assessment accommodation is most appropriate for an English language learner in a CORE class taking a wildlife identification quiz?
- Exempt the student from all assessments until fluency is achieved
- Provide visual aids, bilingual glossaries, or extended time so the language barrier does not obscure content knowledge (Correct answer)
- Administer a shorter version of the test with fewer questions
- Grade the student on a separate, easier standard
Correct answer: Provide visual aids, bilingual glossaries, or extended time so the language barrier does not obscure content knowledge
Appropriate accommodations remove language barriers so the assessment accurately reflects the student's conservation knowledge.
Question 5: A student scores well on a multiple-choice test about fire safety but fails to demonstrate safe fire-starting technique in the field. This illustrates a limitation of:
- Performance-based assessment
- Authentic assessment
- Paper-and-pencil assessments for measuring applied skills (Correct answer)
- Criterion-referenced assessment
Correct answer: Paper-and-pencil assessments for measuring applied skills
Paper-and-pencil tests measure declarative knowledge but may not reflect a student's ability to perform hands-on skills.
Question 6: When designing an end-of-unit assessment for a bow-hunter education module, backward design suggests starting with:
- The most engaging activity available
- The desired learning outcomes, then building the assessment to match those outcomes (Correct answer)
- The textbook chapter order
- State-mandated test formats
Correct answer: The desired learning outcomes, then building the assessment to match those outcomes
Backward design begins with defining what students should know and be able to do, then aligning assessment and instruction to those outcomes.
Question 7: Which of the following is an example of diagnostic assessment in a CORE context?
- A final practical exam on archery form
- A KWL chart completed before beginning a unit on fish ecology (Correct answer)
- A peer evaluation of a conservation presentation
- A graded reflection essay submitted at the end of the semester
Correct answer: A KWL chart completed before beginning a unit on fish ecology
A KWL chart used before instruction is a classic diagnostic tool that reveals prior knowledge and gaps.
CORE Assessment Strategies 4
Which of the following best describes a norm-referenced assessment?