NoMark 13 | - Freelance Writer
Jan 06, 2016 | #1
Researching the Individual Achievement Tests Performed in Academic Institutions.
The Peabody Individual Achievement Test is an example of a widely applicable achievement test that has undergone many reviews, pilot tests, and updates. It applies over the course of many grade levels, and it is well-established among education professionals. Cross explains that the subtests - in General Information, Reading Recognition, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, Spelling, and Written Expression - consist of multiple choice tests, all except for Written Expression. The quality of the multiple choice questions seems to be high, because they have survived scrutiny from many reviewers over the years. He asserts that the design and presentation of the test itself seems user-friendly, so it should pose few problems for parents and educators as they make use of it.
Cross notes that the test is enhanced through the use of a computer program that eliminates the need to look up scaled scores in the manual. It is called the ASSIST program, and in addition to saving time it also has potential to improve accuracy by eliminating the possibility of human error in comparing scores to scaled scores. While the test itself has remained largely the same, the significant new addition to this 1998 version is the innovation of this program for facilitating the scoring process. Cross gives a generally favorable review of this achievement test, but he cautions the publishers that examiners need to be aware of certain subtleties of computation in order to avoid misleading interpretations of the results.
This assessment is very broad and general with its strengths coming from versatility and universality, but Cross notes that it is not intended for formal diagnostic information. Cross also states that the psychometric evidence needs to be updated; the 1989 version provided a high quality summary of reliability and validity evidence from previous studies, but a review of more recent studies is now necessary in order to accommodate changing times and the changing characteristics of the assessments.
The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-Second Edition (WIAT-II) provides composite scores in four areas of achievement: reading, mathematics, written language, and oral language. It is an improvement upon the 1992 version of the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, and reviewer Beth Doll expresses the fact that it is "substantially different from its predecessor in the content and format of its subtests [. . .]. In most respects, changes reflect the incorporation of cutting-edge research in the acquisition and assessment of educational skills." The test is widely applicable, intended for the assessment of individuals ranging in age from 4 years old to 85 years old. Two manuals accompany the assessment. One manual is intended for use in the assessment of school age learners under the age of 18, while the other is intended for use with adults and college students.
Doll commends the authors and publishers of the WIAT-II for designing a modern achievement test based on the most sophisticated research data available. One limitation of the assessment seems to be the fact that its complexity makes it difficult for examiners to use if they are not already experts in the areas of research on which it is based, but this limitation is inevitable when a test is created based on insights from advanced research. Doll recommends that an "expert's guide" is necessary, because the current examiner's manual does not sufficiently prepare its reader for interpreting test results with accuracy. She also notes that scoring for the Reading Comprehension subtest is quite complex; however, the nature of reading comprehension assessments is complex by nature.
In addition to this limitation of inevitable complexity, Doll notes some limitations that may be avoidable. For example, item type changes frequently within any given subtest, and some types will not be administered after certain incorrect answers are given because of the interactive nature of the text. This will affect scoring in ways that will require careful discretion on the part of the examiner. These complexities can be mitigated through the creation of an expert's guide, as Doll recommends.
References:
Doll, B. Review of the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-Second Edition. University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Lincoln, NE.
Cross, P. Professor of Educational Research and Evaluation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Blacksburg, VA.
Essay Chat. Academic Paper Research Guide. Web: essaychat.com/write-academic-paper/
Peabody Individual Achievement Test
The Peabody Individual Achievement Test is an example of a widely applicable achievement test that has undergone many reviews, pilot tests, and updates. It applies over the course of many grade levels, and it is well-established among education professionals. Cross explains that the subtests - in General Information, Reading Recognition, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, Spelling, and Written Expression - consist of multiple choice tests, all except for Written Expression. The quality of the multiple choice questions seems to be high, because they have survived scrutiny from many reviewers over the years. He asserts that the design and presentation of the test itself seems user-friendly, so it should pose few problems for parents and educators as they make use of it.
Cross notes that the test is enhanced through the use of a computer program that eliminates the need to look up scaled scores in the manual. It is called the ASSIST program, and in addition to saving time it also has potential to improve accuracy by eliminating the possibility of human error in comparing scores to scaled scores. While the test itself has remained largely the same, the significant new addition to this 1998 version is the innovation of this program for facilitating the scoring process. Cross gives a generally favorable review of this achievement test, but he cautions the publishers that examiners need to be aware of certain subtleties of computation in order to avoid misleading interpretations of the results.This assessment is very broad and general with its strengths coming from versatility and universality, but Cross notes that it is not intended for formal diagnostic information. Cross also states that the psychometric evidence needs to be updated; the 1989 version provided a high quality summary of reliability and validity evidence from previous studies, but a review of more recent studies is now necessary in order to accommodate changing times and the changing characteristics of the assessments.
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-Second Edition
The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-Second Edition (WIAT-II) provides composite scores in four areas of achievement: reading, mathematics, written language, and oral language. It is an improvement upon the 1992 version of the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, and reviewer Beth Doll expresses the fact that it is "substantially different from its predecessor in the content and format of its subtests [. . .]. In most respects, changes reflect the incorporation of cutting-edge research in the acquisition and assessment of educational skills." The test is widely applicable, intended for the assessment of individuals ranging in age from 4 years old to 85 years old. Two manuals accompany the assessment. One manual is intended for use in the assessment of school age learners under the age of 18, while the other is intended for use with adults and college students.
Doll commends the authors and publishers of the WIAT-II for designing a modern achievement test based on the most sophisticated research data available. One limitation of the assessment seems to be the fact that its complexity makes it difficult for examiners to use if they are not already experts in the areas of research on which it is based, but this limitation is inevitable when a test is created based on insights from advanced research. Doll recommends that an "expert's guide" is necessary, because the current examiner's manual does not sufficiently prepare its reader for interpreting test results with accuracy. She also notes that scoring for the Reading Comprehension subtest is quite complex; however, the nature of reading comprehension assessments is complex by nature.
In addition to this limitation of inevitable complexity, Doll notes some limitations that may be avoidable. For example, item type changes frequently within any given subtest, and some types will not be administered after certain incorrect answers are given because of the interactive nature of the text. This will affect scoring in ways that will require careful discretion on the part of the examiner. These complexities can be mitigated through the creation of an expert's guide, as Doll recommends.
References:
Doll, B. Review of the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-Second Edition. University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Lincoln, NE.
Cross, P. Professor of Educational Research and Evaluation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Blacksburg, VA.
Essay Chat. Academic Paper Research Guide. Web: essaychat.com/write-academic-paper/