Re: Test Protection

[Peter Farruggio <pfarr@cal.berkeley.edu>]

Yes, yes, yes, George!  Two other points:

Is it time to revive the demand that politicians pass the exit exams?

Essay scoring:  over the years, I remember hearing from inside 
whistleblowers about how the testing companies hire non-experts at 
$10.00/hr or at piece-rate to sit in a room and score student essays 
by following a formula.  Also, there was at least that one story of 
somebody's son who wrote a whole essay consisting of the repeated use 
of "I hate this bleeping test.  I hate this bleeping test. etc" and 
got a 4 out of 4.

Is there any way this stuff can be incorporated?

Pete Farruggio



At 01:14 a.m. 02/07/2007, you wrote:
> Transparency should also include the complete publication of all test items,
> materials, scoring rubrics and other information once the tests have been
> given.
>
> Only this kind of transparency can really reveal the weaknesses and
> limitations of all high-stakes (usually multiple choice machine 
> scored) tests. And the
> tests have to be available in full because only the full test can tell the
> public whether it really "covers" the material that is supposedly on it.
>
> I don't know why this simple proposal, which can be implemented at each state
> level, is so difficult for people to push.
>
> Are people so intimidated by test secrecy craziness (or cowed by what
> happened to me) that they are afraid to note that the Test Emperor 
> Has No Clothes?
>
> George Schmidt
> Editor, Substance
> www.substancenews.com
>
>
>
>
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