Yesterday I attended three sessions at the AERA/NCME conference. I will briefly explain the topics covered in each session.
Session #1: Technical issues in benchmark assessment
The presenters at this session discussed issues in using benchmark assessments to provide specific types of information (in the form of scores). Benchmark assessments are given at specific points throughout the year. School and district leaders use the data generated by benchmark assessments to ensure that students are ready for the statewide summative assessment. Presenters touched on the following technical issues.
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Growth Models – Test users are interested in developing benchmark assessments that track student growth. Leaders are interested in knowing that, even if a student is failing, that the student is learning (and maybe even catching up).
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Predictive Models – Test users are interested in developing benchmark assessments that predict whether the student will pass the summative test.
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Sample Size – Benchmark tests, particularly those developed at the district level, are administered to smaller numbers of students when compared to the statewide summative assessment. This presents a number of additional issues to the measurement community.
Session #2: 21st-century assessment design: Four perspectives
The presenters at this session discussed innovative approaches to designing assessments. The approaches presented during this session focused on evidence-centered design (ECD). This approach holds promise in assisting test developers in identifying the content students need to know and what students need to be able to do with the content. After this session, I know that I need to study this approach in much greater detail.
Session #3: Common core standards and coordinated state assessment
This session was a panel discussion. Panel members were experts that are monitoring the assessment competition that is a part of the federal government’s Race to the Top Competition. The next five years will be very exciting in educational assessment because consortia of states will be working together to develop common assessments.