Digital Module 30

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Validity and Educational Testing: Purposes and Uses of Educational Tests


Module Overview

This module is designed for educators, educational researchers, and psychometricians who would like to develop an understanding of the basic concepts of validity theory, test validation, and documenting a “validity argument.” It also describes how an in-depth understanding of the purposes and uses of educational tests sets the foundation for validation. We describe the benefits and limitations of educational tests, the concept of validity and why it is important, and the types of validity evidence that should be used to support the use of a test for a particular purpose. We also discuss the need for assessment programs to provide such evidence and how it should be interpreted and documented to use educational assessments to best serve education.

Meet the Instructors

Jennifer Lewis, Center for Educational Assessment, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Research Fellow


Jennifer Lewis is currently a Research Fellow for the Center for Educational Assessment (CEA) and doctoral candidate in the Research, Educational Measurement, and Psychometrics program at UMass Amherst. She earned her B.A. and M.A. in psychology from Mount Holyoke College. Prior to joining UMass, Jenn worked as an instructor and advisor in a community-based Adult Education program. As a Research Fellow, she provides support to adult education practitioners in becoming certified to administer and use assessments, collaborates on reports and technical documents, and contributes to other research projects affiliated with the CEA. Jenn’s research interests are in the areas of promoting learning through effective communication of actionable information based on test performance to test takers, designing cognitive diagnostic assessments using evidence-based approaches to test development (e.g., evidence centered design and principled assessment design), and investigating test taking behavior (e.g., response processes and patterns).

Contact Jennifer Lewis: jlewi0@umass.edu

Stephen G. Sireci, Center for Educational Assessment, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Distinguished University Professor

Sireci.jpg

Stephen G. Sireci, Ph.D. is Distinguished University Professor and Director of the Center for Educational Assessment in the College of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is known for his research in evaluating test fairness, particularly issues related to content validity, test bias, cross-lingual assessment, standard setting, and computerized-adaptive testing. He has authored/coauthored over 160 publications and is the co-architect of the multistage-adaptive Massachusetts Adult Proficiency Tests.  He is a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association, and of Division 5 of the American Psychological Association; Past-President of the National Council on Measurement in Education, and President of the International Test Commission.

Media link: https://www.umass.edu/education/values/taking-critical-look-testing

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=qrGroqMAAAAJ&hl=en

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Upon completion of this ITEMS module, learners should be able to:
  • Gain a deeper understanding of the purposes of educational tests
  • Examine the benefits and criticisms of tests
  • Gain an understanding of some of the critical steps in test development that promote valid test score interpretations and uses
  • Define and understand validity as it pertains to educational testing
  • Identify appropriate and inappropriate test use
  • Define, understand, and illustrate the five sources of validity evidence
  • Understand how to synthesize validity evidence to create and document a validity argument



Useful Resources: Useful_Resources.pdf
Referenced ITEMS Modules:

Module Content

SECTION 1

Purposes and Uses of Educational Tests

Upon completion of this section, learners should be able to:
  • Gain a deeper understanding of the purposes of tests
  • Examine the benefits and criticisms of tests
  • Understand the steps of developing educational tests of high quality
Video: 

Interactive Learning Check:
Learning_Check_-_Section_1.pptx
Please right click on File. Then, click "Save Link As..." and open with PowerPoint on your PC.

SECTION 2

Understanding Validity

Upon completion of this section, learners should be able to:
  • Define validity
  • Identify appropriate and inappropriate uses of tests
  • List the sources of validity evidence
Video: 

Interactive Learning Check:
Learning_Check_-_Section_2.pptx
Please right click on File. Then, click "Save Link As..." and open with PowerPoint on your PC.

SECTION 3

The Five Sources of Validity Evidence

Upon completion of this section, learners should be able to:
  • Define the five sources of validity evidence as described in the Standards
  • Use examples to illustrate the five sources of validity evidence.
  • Understand how to create a validity argument
Video: 

Interactive Learning Check:
Learning_Check_-_Section_3.pptx
Please right click on File. Then, click "Save Link As..." and open with PowerPoint on your PC.

SECTION 4

Summarizing and Documenting the Validity Argument

Upon completion of this section, learners should be able to:
  • Define the “Validity Argument”
  • Exemplify documenting validity evidence
Video: 

Interactive Learning Check:
Learning_Check_-_Section_4.pptx
Please right click on File. Then, click "Save Link As..." and open with PowerPoint on your PC.

SECTION 5

Activity

Interactive Activity
Section_5_-_Activity_.pptx
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Downloadable Content

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Slides: DM_30_-_All_Slides.pdf

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