Virginia Assessment & Evaluation Methods 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Virginia teacher wants to determine whether students have mastered prerequisite skills before beginning a new unit. Which type of assessment is most appropriate?
- Summative assessment
- Diagnostic assessment (Correct answer)
- Benchmark assessment
- Norm-referenced assessment
Correct answer: Diagnostic assessment
Diagnostic assessments identify students' prior knowledge and skill gaps before instruction begins.
Question 2: Which of the following BEST describes construct validity in an educational assessment?
- The test measures what it claims to measure (Correct answer)
- The test results are consistent across administrations
- The test content reflects the curriculum taught
- The test predicts future academic performance
Correct answer: The test measures what it claims to measure
Construct validity refers to how well an assessment measures the specific theoretical trait or construct it is intended to measure.
Question 3: A teacher records observations of student behavior during group work over several weeks. This is an example of:
- Portfolio assessment
- Anecdotal records (Correct answer)
- Running record
- Checklists
Correct answer: Anecdotal records
Anecdotal records are brief, descriptive notes teachers write about student behaviors or events they observe over time.
Question 4: When comparing a student's performance to a predetermined standard of mastery, a teacher is using:
- Norm-referenced interpretation
- Criterion-referenced interpretation (Correct answer)
- Ipsative interpretation
- Standardized interpretation
Correct answer: Criterion-referenced interpretation
Criterion-referenced interpretation compares student performance to a fixed standard rather than to other students.
Question 5: Which statement BEST describes the difference between reliability and validity in assessment?
- Reliability ensures fairness; validity ensures accuracy
- Reliability means consistent results; validity means the test measures what it should (Correct answer)
- Reliability applies to standardized tests; validity applies to classroom tests
- Reliability and validity are interchangeable concepts
Correct answer: Reliability means consistent results; validity means the test measures what it should
Reliability refers to consistency of scores across administrations, while validity refers to whether the test accurately measures the intended construct.
Question 6: A Virginia teacher uses exit tickets at the end of each lesson to check for understanding. This practice is an example of:
- Summative assessment
- Formative assessment (Correct answer)
- Diagnostic assessment
- Norm-referenced assessment
Correct answer: Formative assessment
Exit tickets are a formative assessment strategy that provides real-time feedback to guide ongoing instruction.
Question 7: In an authentic assessment, students are MOST likely to:
- Choose answers from a list of options
- Demonstrate skills through real-world tasks (Correct answer)
- Compare their scores to national norms
- Complete multiple-choice tests under timed conditions
Correct answer: Demonstrate skills through real-world tasks
Authentic assessments require students to apply knowledge and skills to meaningful, real-world tasks rather than selecting predetermined answers.
Virginia Assessment & Evaluation Methods 2
A Virginia teacher wants to determine whether students have mastered prerequisite skills before beginning a new unit.
Which type of assessment is most appropriate?