Re: We're Not on the Same page Afterall...

["Deanna M. De'Liberto" <Ddeliberto@AOL.COM>]

Dear Nathan and ARN,

The PSAT is a multiple-choice norm-referenced test and many on this list will
agree with your views about how this test is biased.  Monty Neill from
FairTest has plenty of data on this one.

What concerns me is Nathan's statement about criterion-referenced tests.  You
stated that you have taken these but still find them to be biased.  Test
publishers are well aware of racial, economical, gender and cultural biases
and you should be aware that methods have been developed by test publishers to
minimize this bias.  Every test or assessment has some measurement error and
this fact needs to be understood by those who interpret and use test results.
I could discuss the methods but I am afraid that would not do anything but
create an email that would be quite long in length.

Instead, I will ask Nathan to comment on how we should be evaluating student
achievement.  It just seems that Nathan is opposed to ALL types of assessment.
So I really would like to hear his ideas on how we can assess students'
understanding. Bear in mind that even constructed response items, projects,
etc. are standardized in terms of administration and/or scoring.

Looking forward to your next email Nathan.  BTW Nathan, I decided to embark on
a career in test development so that those who use tests would have
alternatives to the shelf tests.  We really want to do testing right.  So I am
interested in your ideas.

Deanna
===================================================
Deanna M. De'Liberto, President/Director of Assessment
D Squared Assessments, Inc.
(Specialists in Test Development/Validation and Test Administration)
9 Bedle Road, Suite 250
Hazlet, NJ 07730-1209
Phone:  (732) 888-9339
Email:    Ddeliberto@aol.com
Web:     http://www.quikpage.com/D/dsquared

Member of the Association of Test Publishers
===================================================
In a message dated 10/12/98 11:14:05 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
lharring@CAPACCESS.ORG writes:

>
>  Dear ARN,
>          It's Nathan again. I don't know if any of you are high school
> students
>   or have been recently, but never the less I am, and I represent the
>  feelings of many of my fellow students. This is an
>  exellent dialog we have here, but I am affraid Deanna did not understand
>  what I said in my first message. With all due repect to Deanna and others
>  in the Stndardized Testing field, who speak of "criteron-referenced
>  testing" and "misuse of test scores", they are not getting at the same
>  thing I am, nor are they taking an aproropriately social approch to the
>  issue. To set the record strait, I want to ABOLISH ALL STANDARDIZED TESTS
>  FOR ANY PURPOSE. I have taken these so called "criterion references
>  tests" and the bottom line is the same. The entire idea of Standardized
>  Testing to me is an abomination to students who are subjected to them, as
>  well and society as a whole which is largely unaware of the
>  Institutionalized racial, economical, gender and cultural biases and
>  coutless injustices delt by the system. Call me an expreamist, but I
>  speak from the front line, I take the PSAT in a week. Peace and Regards,
>                                                          Nathan Harrinton
>

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