EDUC-265 Educational Assessment – Course Information

Participants will explore the multi-varied world of measurement and evaluation. The overall purpose is to look at measurement and student performance as it aligns to instruction and curriculum. In addition participant will examine the role that validity, reliability, test bias, and item construction play in ensuring a good and meaningful assessment instrument. This course will review Criterion Referenced Test (CRT), Norm Referenced Test (NRT), and Performance Assessment. Emphasis will be given on the common type of scoring often associated with these

forms of assessment. Participants will become familiar with the concept of a formal testing program. This will include reviewing the federal program No Child Left Behind along with Maryland State Department of Education’s accountability program. An overview of how local school districts conform to these mandated programs will also be included.

Objectives

Upon completion of this course the student will understand the historical

development of assessment and current accountability practices including:

􀁺 terms and vocabulary associated with measurement and evaluation

􀁺 the relationship of testing domains to instruction and curriculum

􀁺 the levels of measurement

􀁺 measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion

􀁺 the concept of validity and its relationship to reliability

􀁺 the concept of reliability

􀁺 how to obtain and interpret a coefficient variable

􀁺 how to detect for testing bias

􀁺 how to construct better test items

Course Format

During the week before our course begins I will send you an email message that

will include the URL (or Internet address) and your personal username and

password so that you can access our online class. The communication in the class will take place through emails and a weekly chat. The time of the chat will be based on everyone's availability in the course.

Credits 3

Prerequisites None

Fees This course has fees totaling $30.00.

Instructor Julian Katz

Phone (410)313-6755 (Office) — Voice Mail extension 528

(410)442-2285 (Home) — Please do not call before 10 a.m. or after 9:30 p.m.

Email JKatz@howardcc.edu

Orientation

This course does have a required face-to-face orientation. Check the list of scheduled orientations for the date, time, and location. Look for an email from me with information about an orientation for this course. I may wish to hold a Saturday instruction during the year. This may be useful to the student that has some concerns regarding mathematical applications. Because this is a distance learning course, I will not make this session mandatory.

Course Requirements

􀁺 Review the "Characteristics of Successful Online Students" and the

"Minimum Hardware and Software Requirements" to be sure that you

should be enrolling in this course.

􀁺 Two tests (one of which is a measurement test) consisting of short answer,

multiple choice and problem solving items. This will be done via e-mail.

􀁺 One testing project (Which will be explained during the middle of semester

and due at the end of the semester).

Texts and Materials

Required:

Educational Testing and Evaluation – Classroom Application and Practice,

Tom Kubiszyn & Gary Borich, Willey / Jossey-Bass Education (2003)

Buy your textbooks from our online Bookstore, or visit our Bookstore. (Maps)

If you have questions about this class, send a message to

Julian Katz, JKatz@howardcc.edu

Last revised: 16 May 2006