Technology & Assessment (S16 T7)
Presenters: John Sabatini & Mary Russell
Assessment was defined as the collection of information for the purpose of making some kind of decision. Assessment can serve different audiences and address different needs. It can qualify the learners with credentials and provide valuable information for the instructors about the effectiveness of a certain program. Assessment can also provide program directors with vital information for decision-making processes and help policymakers decide on where funding should be directed. The social consequences to the test taker as a result of the outcome of the test can determine whether the assessment is low stakes or high stakes.
Advances in technology have made it possible to individualize and customize assessment so that it can better serve the needs of learners and their instructors.
Some of the advantages of computerized assessment are the following:
- test administration can be standardized with technology to lead students through instructions, demonstration items, practice items, and test items;
- learners have control of the test situation and are active participants, not passive test takers;
- learners can perform at their own pace, yet performance rate information can be collected and analyzed, which is crucial for assessing fluency and automaticity;
- learners gain a sense of privacy when given their own space to work with headsets to listen to the instructions;
- most data is collected electronically and can be scored automatically by programs; and
- time is saved in test taking.
The presentation concluded with a hands-on session where participants visited the assessment section of the SLTP website and participated in self-testing.
Related Web Sites (examples of computerized assessment)
What's the Correct Word Order?
http://www.aitech.ac.jp/~iteslj/s/
Interactive Javascript Quizzes for ESL Students
http://www.aitech.ac.jp/~iteslj/quizzes/js/
Internet Resouces on Tests and Testing
http://www.lib.utulsa.edu/guides/testnet.htm
What's your emotional intelligence quotient?
You'll Soon Find Out...
http://www.utne.com/cgi-bin/eq
Test Center
(Includes IQ, Personality, Creativity)
http://www.virtent.com/testbottom.htm
Test Com Inc
http://www.test.com/scripts/viewcat.exe?sid~673MyIREj4FU2O0/cols~3/cat~19
INTERNATIONAL LITERACY
INSTITUTE