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Evaluation Activity 2

Insuasty Activity 2

1. Think of a test that you know which could exemplify the testing philosophy of each of the language testing eras identified by
the author (Shohamy). (0.5 point)

R/. The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is a standardized test was created by Educational Testing Service (ETS) the GRE
measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, analytical writing, and critical thinking skills that have been acquired over a long
period of learning. The content of the GRE consists of certain specific algebra, geometry, arithmetic, and vocabulary. Also the GRE
exam is a norm-referenced test based on multiple choice questions.

Focused on quantitative and verbal reasoning

1949 1985 1993 2002 2011


GRE exam was a new Analytical Reasoning GRE became Analytical Reasoning Revised GRE
created by ETS section was added a computer adaptive test was replaced by Analytical exam was created*
Writing Section

2012 2015
Score select ETS changes the name
was created** of the exam from Revised
GRE exam to GRE General exam
*in 2011, the Revised GRE exam had some new features, for example it had a new scoring
system, new types of questions, and a completely different testing system that not only changed
the difficulty of the test as test takers progress, but allowed them to go back to questions
previously skipped or change answers. It also allowed selecting more than one answer as correct
if the test requires it.

In the old version of the exam, scores ranged from 200-800 in 10-point increments
In the Revised GRE exam, scores range from 130-170 in 1-point increments

**in the 2012 GRE Revised exam, testers can choose their most recent scores or all of their test
scores to colleges and universities to which they would like to apply.

Most of the changes made to GRE exam were because some critics consider this exam as biased;
some of their assumptions are the computer-adaptive methodology which increases difficulty
with performance, if a test taker answers easy questions during a part of the exam, they may infer
they are doing bad in the exam. Another aspect is that placing more weight on the first several
questions is biased against test takers who typically perform poorly at the beginning of a test due
to stress or confusion before becoming more comfortable as the exam continues. In addition, the
GRE exam has been considered as racist due to some people who claim that white test takers
performed well than the black test takers.

Also the GRE exam has been considered as a poor predictor of graduate school performance,
because students pay more attention to standardized test rather than their real needs in life.
Finally the exam had been exposed to cheating in the past, the questions pool available in the
computer-adaptive test made it vulnerable to cheating. Simply put, the GRE exam lacked of
validity and reliability in the past but now the test has changed in order to attend candidates
needs.

2. How do teachers definition of language knowledge and the purpose for assessing impact
their decisions regarding the types of assessment to use/design (Shohamy) (one to two
paragraphs) (2 points)

R/. Teachers need a variety of alternatives to assess students performance, besides it is necessary
to take into account that the process of language knowledge and assessment are related to each
other. Depending on the context and students needs, a teacher needs to use integrative methods
of language since language became global and testing more contextualized. Taking into account
that language knowledge is made of many features, a single testing procedure cannot measure
them completely, and assess an individual's knowledge based on a single tool can be inaccurate at
some point. Therefore, teachers have the need for developing and using multiple procedures for
collecting data for a variety of purposes, some of the activities that can be made in class can be:
projects, role plays, creating a restaurant menu, real life situations (e.g. buying in a
supermarket) writing a movie review etc. besides students have to be engaged in self-assessment
practice because they need to assess their own performance and find ways to improve. Finally,
the importance to be assessment literate plays a key role in the process of selecting appropriate
methods to assess students performance but in some contexts teachers need to consider some
issues involved in designing and administering an assessment instrument that it may be biased
due to context issues.

3. Using your background knowledge and what you learned from the chapter, explain what
it means to be assessment literate (one paragraph) (2 points)

R/. Assessment literate allows a teacher to become proficient in different aspects, one of them is
that teachers are able to identify key information that they can analyze and use it for further
teaching and learning for individuals and groups of students. Also, teachers are able to involve
students in all forms of assessment; in this way students see assessment as essential in helping
them monitor their learning. Besides teachers can interpret and explain any kind of statistical
information; for example, norm, mean, standard deviation, and the like. Finally, teachers use
assessment materials in depth according to the context policies and consider some aspects such as
validity, reliability, and quality control as important because it guarantees a clean assessment
process.

4. What areas of EFL/ESL assessment are you strong and what areas do you need to
improve? (one paragraph) (0.5 point)

R/. Personally, I think I have many things to learn about assessment because I have not had the
opportunities to work deeply in it, in the place I work assessment is summative and formative but
it is necessary to know about new alternatives in language testing such as alternative or peer
assessment which can give students opportunities to take part of the process. In our context, it is
always the teacher who is in charge of assessment but students are not aware of the process of
assessing their peers work thus it might be a good idea to change that old view of assessment.

References

A Comparison Between the Old GRE Exam and the GRE General Test. Taken from:
https://www.thoughtco.com/old-gre-exam-v-gre-general-test-3211977

ETS and Test Cheating. Taken from: https://www.fairtest.org/ets-and-test-cheating

GRE Examination: taken from: https://exampedia.org/wiki/GRE_Examination

Lund, C. Scipio, A.J (2010) White Privilege and Racism: Perceptions and Actions. New
Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, Issue 125

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