A systems approach to educational testing

Resource type
Journal Article
Authors/contributors
Title
A systems approach to educational testing
Abstract
Our concern in this paper is with the validity of educational tests when they are employed as critical measures of educational outcomes within a dynamic system. The problem of validity arises if an educational system adapts itself to the characteristics of the outcome measures. We introduce the concept of systemically valid tests as ones that induce curricular and instructional changes in education systems (and learning strategy changes in students) that foster the development of the cognitive traits that the tests are designed to measure. We analyze some general characteristics that contribute to or detract from a testing system's systemic validity, such as the use of direct rather than indirect assessment. We then apply these characteristics in developing a set of design principles for creating testing systems that are systemically valid. Finally, we provide an illustration of the proposed principles, by applying them to the design of a student assessment system. This design example addresses not only specifications for the tests, but also the means of teaching the process of assessment to users of the system.
Publication
Educational Researcher
Volume
18
Issue
9
Pages
27-32
Date
December 1, 1989
Journal Abbr
Educational Researcher
Language
en
ISSN
0013-189X
Accessed
06/01/2021, 11:48
Library Catalogue
SAGE Journals
Extra
Publisher: American Educational Research Association
Citation
Frederiksen, J. R., & Collins, A. (1989). A systems approach to educational testing. Educational Researcher, 18(9), 27–32. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X018009027