Education Flashcards
Role of educational testing
1- how much learning has taken place and what degree is it mastered
2- compare knowledge acquired to groups of students
3- form assessment to test if a child has difficulty learning. If so why and what can be done
4- to what degree does a person have the prerequisites for learning
Referral question examples
Developmental delay? Ready to begin primary school? Have difficulty learning? Is info taught in class being learnt? How well with student perform in uni degree?
learning disorder
Learning disorders can affect abilities to perceive or process info efficiently and accurately
Poor achievement triggers referral
Dsm-5 has one overall diagnosis for deficits that impact academic achievement
After diagnosis type and specifics of deficit provided by clinician
Specific learning disorder dsm-5 diagnostic criteria
A- difficulties learning/ using academic skills for 6 months despite intervention
B- academic skills substantially below age expectancy and cause significant impairment
C- difficulties may not fully manifest until demand for skills exceeds individuals limited capacity eg - timed tests
D- difficulties should not be better explained by other disorder, disability or inadequate education
All meet based on history, testing and school reports
Name specific learning difficulties
Reading - dyslexia - reading accuracy, comprehension and rate/fluency
Written expression - dysgraphia - spelling, grammar and clarity of written expression
Maths - dyscalculia - accurate maths reasoning and calculation, number sense and memorisation of arithmetic facts
Response to intervention model (RTI)
Multi-tier approach to early identification and support of students with learning and behavioural needs
Tiers -
1- teachers provide evidence based instruction with usual classroom routine
2- targeted interventions for small groups identified as struggling
3- intensive one on one interventions
Constant evaluation, intervention and assessment
Individual tests
Tests subjects individually (maths)
Examiner records responses
Examiner needs training to score
Examiner flexibility if permitted by test can elicit best performance (means tests need to be interpreted)
Group tests
Many students at one time = cost-efficient
Students record response
Scoring objective and straight forward = less training
No safeguards- low score is assumed low ability
Types of educational tests
- Achievement tests - evaluate learning as a result of exposure to defined learning experience (course). Tests what’s learnt in the past (crystallised ability - direct experience)
- Aptitude tests - measures what learned informally. General or specific. Tests probable future ability (fluid ability - adapt general ability to new problems)
Types of achievement tests
Formative: give students feedback to monitor own learning and improve
Summative: evaluate students learning
Types of achievement test items
Fact-based: rote-learning
Conceptual: knowledge of facts and application
Use of achievement tests
Assess student progress toward instructional objectives Gauge quality of instruction Compare between student progress Decision making of placement of student Screening for learning difficulties
Group achievement tests
Common to student cohort
Standardised for comparison
In school setting to assess broad content (vocab, reading, math)
Eg-naplan
Individual achievement tests
Used to provide norm and criterion references of performance
Assess basic academic skills (reading, written expression)
Eg- Wechsler’s individual achievement test, Woodcock-Johnson tests of achievement, wide range achievement test
Wechsler individual achievement test (WAIT-3)
Assess reading, math, writing, oral language
Child and adult
Different subtests and items depending on grade
Scores compared to age and grade norms
Measure of subject area achievement
Often teacher made
Adv= tailored to program
Dis= not standardised and may lack objectivity and content validity
General aptitude tests
Indistinguishable from IQ tests (verbal comprehension, working memory, perceptual organisation, processing speed)
Overall potential to solve problems, adapt, think abstractly, learn from experience
Find info on strengths and weaknesses to facilitate learning
Eg- WISC-V, Stanford Binet Intelligence scales, Kaufman Assessment battery for children
Kaufman Assessment battery for children (K-ABC)
Aptitude test
Two subtests groups
Reflects Luria (1966) focus on how info is processed not what’s processed
1. Simultaneous - visual instruction - solves problems best by mental integration of pieces all at once
2. Serial- verbal instruction-solves problems best by mentally arranging small pieces of info into consecutive step by step order
Prognostic tests
specific aptitude test
Used to make predictions in specialised areas
Useful for potential in edu. or job
Measures logical reasoning, problem solving, understanding people/ethics, non-verbal reasoning
Eg- UMAT, mechanical reasoning test, Meier Art judgement test
Performance assessment
Assessment of knowledge, skills and values examinee must exhibit
Domain specific eg- art portfolio
Evaluation of samples by domain experts
Authentic assessment
Assess ‘relevant, meaningful tasks’ that demonstrates transfer of study to real world
Role play type assessments
Eg - Assess writing skills on writing samples
Checklists
Questionnaire where marks indicate presence or absence of behaviour, thought or event
Used by self, professional or observer
Rating scales
Completed by evaluator to judge standing on specific variable
Checklists and rating scales
Often used together and distinction blurs
Examples: Achenbach Child Behaviour Checklist, Connors rating scale-revised, Vineland adaptive behaviour scales, behaviour assessment system for children-2
Testing requires
Motivation - perceived benefits
Courage- can be confronting
Testing is influenced by
Thoughts and feelings
I can’t do it
This is boring
Considerations when doing psychoeducational testing
- Develop rapport
- explain testing purpose
- be flexible especially with children
- Test takers presentation (mood, fatigue,attention) and approach to testing (giving up or anxious)
- environment factors (noises, distractions)
- time of day
- who is the referrer and audience for report
Psychoeducational assessment report
- Referral question
- referral source
- background info
- assessments conducted
- Observations during assessment (mood ect)
- assessment results
- interpretation of results (diagnosis if required)
- summary and recommendations (speech pathology, sessions with psych working on emotion, modifications to class work)
