What is a diagnostic test?
Classroom diagnostic assessment (also known as pre-assessments) methods are used to determine the level of students’ understanding or skill ranks before instruction is given. These assessments are usually used in reading and math to give teachers the information needed to determine remedial or other appropriate placement (e.g., universal access group) (Archuleta, n.d.). These tests also provide a baseline for measuring growth after the learning unit is completed. Special education is an area where diagnostic testing is often used.
Special EducationSpecial Education uses elaborate legal requirements to diagnose abilities/disabilities in students and more specific and formal diagnostic tests are used to determine whether a student qualifies for Special Education Placement.
In Education - This non-exhaustive list names many of the special education diagnostic tests that must have written permission in order to be administered: Wechsler tests: WISC-III, WAIS-R, Stanford-Binet, Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC), Leiter International Performance Scale, Raven’s Progressive Matrices, Test of Language Development-2 (TOLD-2), Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF-R), Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Woodcock-Johnson, Detroit Tests of Learning Apitude-2 (DTLA-2), Wepman Auditory Discrimination Test, Test of Auditory Perceptual Skills (TAPS), Slingerland Tests, Conners Parent & Teacher Rating Scales, WIAT: Mathematics Composit, Key Math, Woodcock-Johnson-R Achievement: Mathematics. Special education will benefit greatly from online assessment techniques. Much research and development is needed in this area. The online options will be instrumental in changing the speed at which the formal testing process can be accomplished. It will greatly increase the speed at which students will be identified, therefore also increase the speed that students enter the special education system. This could create a greater shortage in special education teachers and a greater shortage in funding. These formal tests are very specific and measure a wide range of abilities (e.g., cognition/intelligence, verbal intelligence, non-verbal intelligence, receptive verbal language, expressive verbal language, receptive nonverbal language, expressive nonverbal language, auditory discrimination, visual discrimination, auditory memory, visual memory, reading and phonics skills, spelling skills, handwriting skills, and math skills). Strengths - These are highly specific and conclusive in their results if administered properly. The results are very reliable. The data is mathematically computed and scores can be given in standard scores, stanines (standard nine-point scale), or percentiles. Weaknesses - They are expensive and must be overseen by school psychologist or resource teacher. They must have written parental permission to administer. Technology - Technology is gaining importance in the roll of assessments to determine abilities/disabilities. Today many of the tests listed above have online options developed by publishing companies such as Pearsons Learning. The online options can also be scored and interpreted by scoring software and reports can be given using report writing software. Visit: One free online diagnostic test to determine learning styles is Learning-Styles-Online.com: http://www.learning-styles-online.com/inventory/login.php A table of common educational tests used as diagnostic assessments for special education is located at this link. http://dredf.org/special_education/Assesments_chart.pdf Technology Acceptance Model
The latest generation of Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) is a Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). This is a service-oriented learning/teaching system to help faculty and students in distance learning environments. It adds the element of diagnostic assessment to guide instruction in the e-learning environment. Students continue through material and answer questions given by the faculty. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) analyses the responses given by the class and shares that information with both the students and the instructor. The TAM continually and automatically assesses the students’ everyday activities.
Strengths – The instructors are able to change and adapt the instruction if the program finds students’ skills lacking or perhaps the students have the skills necessary to move more quickly through the objectives. Students are able to see if the rest of the class is having difficulty with the same concept. Instructors will be able to see the main weaknesses of those in the class and is able to adjust the instruction. The system improved student learning by giving direct feedback. The system improves teacher productivity and effectiveness of teaching. The system enabled instructor to do his/her job more efficiently. Weaknesses – It is the newest of the learning systems, also called third generation. There is not a fully functional implementation in place yet. Is used on the college level, it is not yet available for all grade levels online. Technology – Technology is the integral part of a Technology Acceptance Model. The students are able to learn in a more student supported online environment through the use of technology to assess and diagnose learning and send that information back to the instructor. The instructor uses the computer generated analysis to adapt the lessons to fit the individual make-up of the class. This cutting edge model is the future for online learning systems. Visit: TAM WIki |
STARThe Standardized Test for the Assessment of Reading, or STAR, are standardized tests that are taken using computers by students in 1st grade through 12th grade. They are used in conjunction with the Accelerated Reading Program to find students’ zone of proximal development. If students practice by reading books in their zone, they will improve their reading ability through perseverance. They are able to persevere because the book they are using to practice with is at their level or only slightly higher. No books are too easy (not a challenge) nor are they too hard (given up on). The diagnostic STAR test is given once a month to set new goals or make adjustments in the goals and levels.
In Education - Using the STAR reading assessments as a diagnostic tool helps teachers make leveled reading groups. It also can be very powerful for students to see reading growth. If the program is followed, a large majority of the students will show growth. This test would be useful in showing the need for resource intervention and student study team meetings if the student was showing no growth or minimal growth. Strengths - The STAR test can be given to all students in the program online. The test takes only 10-15 minutes; it is timed. The teacher can get the results and print a report instantly once all the students have tested. The test is adaptive and very good at pinpointing the reading levels of students. The tests are standardized and offer national norms, grade equivalents, percentile ranks and normal curves. Individual graphs of test scores are useful for showing growth and for showing “flat-liners.” Weakness – Not all books can be used as practice books for the reading program. There must be an Internet connection. The program does come at a cost. Technology – The STAR reading assessments are taken online using classroom computers. The reports are viewed and printed out by the teacher. Students can see their growth with individual reports. Students can also see their practice test scores and are given immediate feedback on each practice test. Visit: Star Assessments Curriculum-Based Measurement
Curriculum-based measurement passage reading fluency (CBM-PRF) is the best-established reading diagnostic according to Fuchs, Fuchs & Hamlett. The assessment gives an overall reading level because it requires readers perform many skills in a complex performance.
Strengths – The tests are easy for teachers to implement. This test can be used to create specific cut points to correspond to instruction in decoding, fluency, or comprehension. Weakness – Tests are individual and time consuming in the classroom. If the score of zero or approaching zero happens, then other tests must be used (e.g., decoding skills battery). Technology – There are programs that have been developed that provide a more accurate analysis of a reader’s level of fluency. The tests are given on the computer. These are new methods of scoring fluency tests, and they are expensive. (Trial period of 6-12 months for $5,000 for MN-IP http://license.umn.edu/technologies/z07032_reading-fluency-test) In the future, fluency tests will be given on computers routinely and used to diagnose reading ability. They will make the teacher’s job much easier when making ability groups and assigning apps or enrichment to students. Visit: Student Progress Monitoring Cognitively Based Assessment - LearningCognitively Based Assessment of/for/as Learning (CBAL) uses a cognitive model to build test-design and analysis and gives diagnostic information about student’s strengths and weaknesses for personalized instruction or for remediation. It uses three elements: cognition, observation, and interpretation.
Strengths – This type of testing is very valuable to increasing teacher and teaching effectiveness and brings added value to the assessment. These models of testing provide accurate diagnosis and offer valid methods to demonstrate educational improvements. Weaknesses – Testing has negative undertones. There is a greater need for quality test makers. There is much confusion as to the specific uses of most tests. Technology – With the future of testing going from pencil and paper to computer-based the ability to develop a sound and trustworthy way of testing and using the scores to make important decisions driving the workings inside any classroom is extremely important. Technology will be able to deliver the precise information teachers need to make the appropriate decisions for remediation and instruction in the classroom. As we move forward with technology in education, there is a great need for valid and trustworthy test questions to assess specific learning. This assessment model must move past the current assessment models. We must move beyond the culture of over-testing yet under-assessing. Visit: CBAL |
References
Archuleta, N., (n.d.). Diagnostic testing in education. Synonym.com-The Classroom Index. Retrieved from http://classroom.synonym.com/diagnostic- testing-education- 5096.html
Fuchs, L., Fuchs, D., & Hamlett, C. (2007). Using curriculum-based measurement to inform reading instruction. Reading & Writing, 20(6), 553-567. doi:10.1007/s11145-007- 9051-4
Navas, M. J. (2014). Bringing added value to educational assessment: A shift from an audit mode of assessment to an assistence mode. Psicologia Educativa, 20(2), 61-63. doi:10.1016/j.pse.2014.11.005
Robles-Gómez, A., Ros, S., Hernández, R., Tobarra, L., Caminero, A. C., & Agudo, J. M. (2015). User Acceptance of a Proposed Self- Evaluation and Continuous Assessment System. Journal Of Educational Technology & Society, 18(2), 97-109.
Archuleta, N., (n.d.). Diagnostic testing in education. Synonym.com-The Classroom Index. Retrieved from http://classroom.synonym.com/diagnostic- testing-education- 5096.html
Fuchs, L., Fuchs, D., & Hamlett, C. (2007). Using curriculum-based measurement to inform reading instruction. Reading & Writing, 20(6), 553-567. doi:10.1007/s11145-007- 9051-4
Navas, M. J. (2014). Bringing added value to educational assessment: A shift from an audit mode of assessment to an assistence mode. Psicologia Educativa, 20(2), 61-63. doi:10.1016/j.pse.2014.11.005
Robles-Gómez, A., Ros, S., Hernández, R., Tobarra, L., Caminero, A. C., & Agudo, J. M. (2015). User Acceptance of a Proposed Self- Evaluation and Continuous Assessment System. Journal Of Educational Technology & Society, 18(2), 97-109.
Grand Canyon University
TEC538
Blue Group
Diane Olmstead - Diagnostic
Ruben Urquidez - Formative
Katherine Webb - Summative
Millicent Connor - Norm-referenced
Christopher Murphy - Criterion-referenced
TEC538
Blue Group
Diane Olmstead - Diagnostic
Ruben Urquidez - Formative
Katherine Webb - Summative
Millicent Connor - Norm-referenced
Christopher Murphy - Criterion-referenced