Preparing tests to assess student achievement is not an easy task, especially when you take responsibility seriously and are aware that you need judgment, experience and knowledge. It is about seeking harmony between a well-defined achievement and the basic objectives of education.
It must be taken into account that knowledge measurement tests must be meaningful for teachers and students, so it is recommended to adopt a methodology that allows us to clearly define the learning results that we have to measure and evaluate.
First of all, in our role as teachers, it is healthy to be aware that knowledge assessment tests must support and reinforce other aspects of the educational program; since they play a fundamental role in the teaching and learning process, helping the student and the teacher in the direction of the expected results of the matter in question.
The degree to which evaluation tests contribute to improving the process is largely determined by the principles on which the preparation of the tests is based, since they can direct the student's attention to the objectives of the subject or deviate from them..
Tests may encourage students to superficial learning or require depth of understanding; they can encourage them to a limited aspect of the course content or to direct their attention to topics of general importance. Finally, it is about achieving the general and particular objectives of the content of the subject that serve as feedback between the student and the teacher.
The sequence of steps to determine the expected learning results is as follows:
The determination of the objectives of the course in question.
State the objectives in terms of the general learning results (we can rely on Bloom's taxonomy) according to the degree of cognitive difficulty.
Subtitle in each objective, the specific learning results that will be accepted as confirmation that it has been achieved.
If we base ourselves properly on this sequence of steps, the concrete learning results will clearly indicate what behavior the test should measure, so that it faithfully reflects the teaching goals to be achieved.
In conclusion, achievement tests must measure the specific behavior expected of students at the end of a teaching-learning experience. What do you think?
