A standardized test is a formal formative test because it provides the teacher with feedback on what the students have learned, and it is not a test over an entire chapter/book/unit. It is a test over a collection of things that should have been learned by the students up to this point. It is formal because it is planned and prepared for and it is formative because it provides the teacher with information and feedback.
An assessment can be reliable and have poor validity because while showing you what the students have learned and what they are still struggling with, but it can have poor validity because of the way the test is constructed. A standardized test sometimes has poor validity because of the stress added on when taking a high stakes standardized test. It also could be biased, therefore, creating an unbalanced playing field for each student.
I think for the most part, standardized tests are standardized. But one population I can think of that might not be equally represented would be students with functioning disabilities taking the same test. Disabilities such as dyslexia, ADHD, and others, can be at a disadvantage because of their disability.
I like your explanation of reliability and poor validity. Stress is definitely a measure that standardized tests do not take into consideration that can majorly affect a student's scores.
ReplyDelete