Assessment is a critical component of education. One form of assessment  that is commonly used is testing. In this post, we will look at several practical tips for developing tests.

Consider the Practicality

When developing a test, it is important to consider the time constraints, as well as the time it will take to mark the test. For example, essays are great form of assessment that really encourage critical thinking. However, if the class has 50 students the practicality of essays test quickly disappears.

The point is that the context of teaching moves what is considered practical. What is practical can change from year to year while adjusting to new students.

Think about the Reliability

Relibility is the consistency of the score that the student earns. THis can be affected by the setting of the test as well as the person who marks the test. It is difficult to maintain consistency when marking subject answers such as short and answer and or essay. However, it is important that this is still done.

Consider Validity

Validity in this context has to do with whether the test covers objects that were addressed  in the actual teaching. Assessing this is subject but needs to be considered. What is taught is what should be on the test. This is easier said than done as poor planning can lead to severally poor testing.

The students also need to be somewhat convince that the testing is appropriate. If not it can lead to problems and complaints. Furthermore, an invalid test from the students perspective can lead to cheating as the students will cheat in order to survive.

Make it Aunthentic 

Tests, if possible, should mimic real-world behaviors whenever possible. This enhances relevance and validity for students. One of the main problems with authentic assessment is what to do when it is time to mark them. The real-world behaviors cannot always be reduced to a single letter grade. This concern is closely relates to practicality.

Washback

Washback is the experience of learning from an assessment. This normally entails some sort of feedback that the teacher provides the student. the feedbag they give. This personal attention encourages reflection which aides in comprehension. Often, it will happen after the testing as the answers are reviewed.

Conclusion

Tests can be improved by keeping in mind the concepts addressed in this post. Teachers and students can have better experiences with testing by maintaining practical assessments that are valid, provide authentic experiences as well insights into how to improve.