Introduction and training of students to use separate answer sheets: Effects on standardized test scores

Previous research has found conflicting evidence regarding how early children can effectively use separate answer sheets with achievement tests. This study looked at the effects of separate answer sheets on the California Achievement Test (CAT) scores of third, fourth, and fifth graders. The Mathematics Computation and the Reading Comprehension subtests of the CAT were used. Seventy-one classrooms were randomly assigned to have students record their answers on either: (a) their test booklets, (b) separate answer sheets, or (c) separate answer sheets after being given training in the use of separate answer sheets. The results were consistent across both subtests and grades; no response mode treatment effect was found. Further, no evidence of a treatment by ability interaction was found, which was contrary to previously reported research. The results of this study suggest that students can, as early as grade three, effectively use separate answer sheets without prior training.     

Chapter 8 Pupil Attitudes

This study examined the influence of two widely used instructional programs on first-grade-level pupil achievement in economics. A total student population of 116 was studied. Six intact groups from four elementary schools in West Springfield, Massachusetts, were divided into three groups of two each. One group was assigned the Science Research Associates (SRA) materials for a full year, one group was assigned the use of the Follett materials for a full year, and the third group spent a semester using each of these programs. Data were gathered through the administration of the Spear’s Test For Achievement In Economics in a pretest-posttest fashion. The data collected were submitted to both analysis of variance and covariance techniques. The results of this study indicate that pupils taught with a full year of SRA materials achieved significantly higher than pupils taught with a full year of Follett. When intelligence and pretest scores were held constant the combination SRA and Follett group scored significantly higher in pupil achievement than the Follett group alone. When teacher understanding of economics concepts was held constant, the combination group did not score significantly higher than the Follett group on pupil achievement.     

Internality,academic status and intergroup attributions

Some pupils categorized as good vs. bad pupils were given a questionnaire of attributions, thus allowing the calculation of internality scores. They were also requested to answer as would a good (vs. a bad) pupil do. Finally, they also had to predict in which way a good (vs. a bad) pupil would answer on their behalf. The results were explained within the frame of two different theoretical fields: the theory of the norm of internality and the biases in terms of intergroup attributions. These results show that 1) the attribution of internal explanations relates to an attribution of value that takes place within the intergroup evaluation, 2) whereas the ultimate attribution error can clearly be observed among the good pupils, the bad pupils exhibit an attributive pattern that is favorable to the good pupils.     

Micro-Counseling: An Experimental Study of Pre-Practicum Training in Communicating Test Results

Micro-counseling techniques were used to train 10 beginning graduate students in communicating test results. Training emphasized listening and responding to cues given by the client, brief and concise statements about test-related information, and relating the information to the client's experiences and needs. Training aids included programmed materials, brief videotapes of positive and negative models, role-playing, and videotape feedback of the role-playing and test interpretation sessions. Judges' ratings of trainees in the experimental group were significantly higher than their ratings for the 10 trainees in the control group. Client ratings of counselor effectiveness did not differ significantly for the two groups. Changes in clients' pre- and post-test attitude scores and knowledge scores were statistically significant. An enthusiastic response to the micro-counseling approach was evident from both inexperienced and experienced graduate students.     

Putting Standardized Tests and Scales to Practical Use in the Rural Schools

ABSTRACT

The authors compared the performance of third-grade students testing on answer sheets with those testing on machine-scored test booklets. The 1,832 students in the nationally representative sample were assigned at the campus level to complete the Stanford Achievement Test Series, Tenth Edition in 1 of 4 conditions: (a) Form A answer sheet, (b) Form A booklet, (c) Form B answer sheet, and (d) Form B booklet. After controlling for scholastic ability, no significant differences in performance on total reading, total mathematics, and total language strands were found between students using booklets and those using answer sheets. The results of this study provide no evidence to support the need to use separate test booklets with general education third-grade students. States may consider using separate answer sheets with these students to realize potential cost and schedule efficiencies.     

English language acquisition and educational attainment at the end of primary school

This paper analyses the national key stage 2 test results for 2300 11‐year‐old pupils in an inner London LEA. A range of concurrent pupil background data was also collected, including whether pupils spoke English as an additional language (EAL), and if so, their stage of fluency in English. EAL pupils at the early stages (1–3) of developing fluency had significantly lower KS2 test scores in all subjects than their monolingual peers. However, EAL pupils who were fully fluent in English achieved significantly higher scores in all KS2 tests than their monolingual peers. The negative association with attainment for the early stages of fluency remained significant after controls for a range of other pupil characteristics, including age, gender, free school meal entitlement, stage of special educational need and ethnic group, although these factors effectively explained the higher attainment of the ‘fully fluent’ group. We conclude that EAL is not itself a good guide to levels of attainment, and a measure of stage of English fluency is necessary to interpret associations with test performance. Alternative measures which focus only on the very early stages of English proficiency, such as the QCA ‘language in common’ steps, are inadequate to assess the impact of bilingualism for all but the very earliest learners of English. Given the uneven distribution of EAL pupils across the country, those schools and local education authorities with high concentrations of pupils in the early stages of learning English are likely to be adversely affected in school achievement and attainment tables. The policy implications for national data collection and for the use of such data are considered.     

THE EFFECT OF PRACTICE SESSIONS ON THE USE OF SEPARATE ANSWER SHEETS BY FIRST AND SECOND GRADERS

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of formal practice sessions on the ability of first and second graders to use separate answer sheets on the California Test of Mental Maturity. The Ss were all 79 pupils enrolled in these grades at one elementary school. Academically, these Ss were above average. Through the use of a counterbalanced design, the CTMM was administered twice to all Ss; once employing the usual answer marking format contained in the test booklet and once employing a separate answer sheet preceded by a formal practice session. Significant mean raw score differences between formats of 10.30 and 7.19 were obtained for Ss in grades one and two respectively in favor of the booklet format. Accuracy scores, which removed the effect of speed from raw score performances, were also analyzed and the results confirmed the superiority of the booklet format. It was concluded that even with prior practice sessions, above average pupils in grades one and two are unable to utilize separate answer sheets in an effective manner.     

Attitudes towards being assessed in group work: The effects of self-efficacy and collective efficacy moderated by a short educational intervention

Being assessed in group work is a balance between cooperation and competition. Self-efficacy and collective efficacy are important concepts in understanding how group work progresses and what attitudes assessment evokes. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of a short educational intervention on the association between efficacy beliefs and attitudes towards being assessed in group work. In a randomized, controlled study of 22 pupil work groups, half of them got a short educational intervention. The work groups were formed for this study. The pupils answered a questionnaire before the intervention and after doing group work for 3 to 6 weeks with a study-specific task. A moderated mediation analysis showed that attitudes towards being assessed in group work significantly are related to self-efficacy mediated through perceived collective efficacy and that this relationship is stronger in the intervention group. In the context of work group assessment, we have shown that self-efficacy and collective efficacy are two separate, but related concepts that are dependent on each other when it comes to pupil attitudes towards group work assessment, and that a relatively short educational intervention to teachers and pupils had an effect on the attitude. However, the older girls' attitude towards group work assessment was the least positive of all, which may indicate that the intervention depends on gender and age.     

Predictive and Postdictive Validity of Need Achievement Measures

Abstract

The study assessed the instructional behaviors of trained student tutors and compared these behaviors with those of untrained tutors. Behaviors of six trained and six untrained fifth-grade tutors were recorded on the Tutor Observation Scale as the tutors worked with kindergarten pupils using programmed materials related to a reading program. Trained tutors scored significantly higher than untrained tutors on (1) engaging the pupil in friendly conversation, (2) confirming, (3) praising, (4) giving the correct answer when the pupil is incorrect, and (5) eliciting the correct response before going on. The behaviors of trained and untrained tutors differ with respect to basic instructional principles. If it is desired that tutors behave according to these principles, then they should be trained.     

The Impact of Training in Mainstreaming on Teacher Attitudes,Management Techniques,and the Behaviour of Disabled Students

Of the growing number of training programs in mainstreaming competencies reported, only a few have used naturalistic observations to evaluate the impact of these interventions. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a preparation program in mainstreaming for regular teachers on attitudes, management styles and mainstreamed pupil behaviour. Thirty prospective teachers, including 15 trained in special education (the experimental group) and 15 controls were each observed interacting with a mainstreamed and matched comparison pupil. Findings revealed that (a) training was effective in modifying attitudes toward mainstreaming by experimental teachers; (b) mainstreamed pupils in control teacher classrooms displayed significantly less appropriate classroom behaviours than their comparison peers; and (c) experimental and control teachers did not differ significantly in the management techniques employed. Both groups, however, reacted differently toward mainstreamed pupils than toward their matched classmates. Implications for preparation programs for regular educators are discussed.     

Analysis of an instructional unit for level of cognitive demand

A section of the secondary chemistry curriculum was analyzed to determine the level of cognitive demand of the various aspects of the selected topic. Piagetian levels of thinking of 71 pupils were initially assessed by two group tests, a unit on the mole was taught, and guidelines were used to estimate the level of cognitive operations required by each concept and problem type in the unit. Results of a 23-item test were used to compare the estimated level of cognitive demand of each test item with the Piagetian cognitive level of pupils who were able to answer the item correctly. It was found that pupil cognitive level was positively associated with overall unit test score and with percent success on all test items. Predicted levels of cognitive demand were confirmed for eight items and were within one level for nine additional items.     

THE USE OF SEPARATE ANSWER SHEETS BY PRIMARY AGE CHILDREN1

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects on test scores of employing a separate answer sheet using the California Test of Mental Maturity with 117 pupils in the primary grades of one through three. The CTMM was administered twice to all students; once employing the usual answer marking format contained in the test booklet and once employing a separate answer sheet. A counterbalanced design was used to control for order effects. The mean raw differences between marking format conditions decreased from 23.67 to 10.79 to 3.32 for students in grades one through three respectively, indicating that the need for the test booklet marking format decreases sharply as the grade level of the Ss increases.     

Differences in Effectiveness Between Primary Schools and their Impact on Secondary School Recommendations

In school effectiveness research differences between schools are mainly expressed in percentages of the variance in cognitive test scores. This article focuses on the impact these differences in effectiveness have on the school career of pupils. The analyses were executed on the data of a school effectiveness study carried out in 1987 and 1988. Two groups of outlier primary schools were selected. The pupils were divided into four categories based on their IQ-score, and into four categories based on their SES-score. Four dependent variables were used: test scores on language, test scores on mathematics, expectations for the follow-up secondary school type based on these test scores, and the actual secondary school recommendation given by the teacher. For all groups of pupils the average scores on mathematics, language and the total standard test score differ significantly for both low- and high-effective schools. The actual recommendation for type of secondary education does not differ significantly. This leads to the conclusion that the recommendations given to the other pupils in the same grade seem to be important; schools tend to recommend a secondary school type according to a normal distribution. High-effective schools tend to recommend beneath, while low-effective schools tend to advise above the expectations.     

Changing Teacher and Pupil Performance with Protocols

The problem of this research was to determine whether training teachers with the Utah State University Protocol Modules brought about significant changes in teaching performance and related pupil outcomes. Twenty-eight in-service elementary school teachers were randomly assigned to two groups. One group was trained in the classroom management modules (Group A), the other in the self-concept modules (Group B). Before and after treatment, teachers and their pupils in both groups were observed in their own classrooms on performance variables related to both sets of modules. Pupils were also administered two self-concept measures. Since the two sets of modules deal with different teacher behavior, this design permitted each group to serve as control for the other group. Results indicated that Group A teachers had significantly more favorable post-treatment means than Group B teachers on 7 of the 13 classroom management skills. Group B teachers had significantly more favorable post-treatment means on 11 of 12 behaviors covered in the self-concept modules. Pupils in Group A classrooms made significant reductions in both mildly deviant and seriously deviant behavior. No significant changes in pupil self-concept test scores occurred.     

The social position and development of pupils with SEN in mainstream Dutch primary schools

Since August 2003, pupils with auditory, communicative, motor, mental or multiple disabilities, as well as severe behavioural/emotional problems, in The Netherlands have been entitled to receive a pupil‐bound budget when attending a mainstream school. The first experiences with this budget in regular Dutch primary schools are described in this paper. The focus is on the social position and development of 20 special educational needs (SEN) pupils who were placed in mainstream primary schools. The class teacher, parent(s) and peripatetic teacher of each of the pupils were interviewed; interviews focused on the cognitive, social and social‐emotional development of the SEN pupils. In addition, the class teacher, parent(s), peripatetic teacher and classmates assessed the social position of the SEN pupil via interviews and a sociometric questionnaire. The results showed that teachers and parents and, to a lesser extent, peripatetic teachers, had a more positive view of the social position of the SEN pupils than did classmates. The results of the sociometric questionnaire indicated that the social position of the SEN pupils and that of their non‐SEN classmates did not differ significantly, however. In addition, a panel of five independent assessors assessed the cognitive, social and social‐emotional development of the 20 SEN pupils by examining anonymous pupil dossiers, which comprised information derived from interviews with class teachers, parents and peripatetic teachers, together with results of the sociometric questionnaire and a copy of the individual education programme (IEP) of the SEN pupils. The assessments showed that the panel had concerns about the development of 35% of these pupils; it was (very) positive about a further 35% of the SEN pupils. An expected relation between the social position of the SEN pupils and satisfaction of the panel concerning the development of the SEN pupils, however, was not found.     

INTERACTION OF RACE AND TEST ON READING PERFORMANCE SCORES

This study examines the relationship between race and performance on two nationally standardized reading tests. The appropriate reading tests of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and Metropolitan Achievement Battery were administered to all fourth and sixth-grade students in all elementary schools of an urban school district near New York City. Although white pupils earned higher scores than nonwhite pupils on both tests, the Metropolitan produced significantly greater differences between the races than the Iowa, at both grade levels. Factorial analysis of variance confirmed the statistical significance of these differences. Implications of Race X Test (suggesting S.E.S. X Test) interaction effects for program evaluation and instruction are briefly discussed.     

An intervention program for promoting deaf pupils' achievement in mathematics

Our past research identified two aspects of deaf children's functioning that places them at risk for underachievement in mathematics. The first is their reduced opportunities for incidental learning, and the second is their difficulty in making inferences involving time sequences. This article examines the effectiveness of an intervention program to promote deaf children's numeracy that was designed to deal with these two factors. The design involved a comparison of 23 deaf pupils participating in the project with a baseline group formed by 65 deaf pupils attending the same schools in the previous year. The project pupils were tested before and after the intervention on the NFER-Nelson Age Appropriate Mathematics Achievement Test. The intervention was delivered by the teachers during the time normally scheduled for mathematics lessons. The project pupils did not differ from the baseline group at pretest but performed significantly better at posttest. They also performed at posttest better than expected on the basis of their pretest scores, according to norms provided by the NFER-Nelson Age Appropriate Mathematics Test for assessing the progress of hearing pupils. We conclude that the program was effective in promoting deaf pupils' achievement in numeracy.     

Some Bases Used by Students in Choosing Partners in the Chemistry Laboratory

Abstract

The effects of mobility upon performance on standardized group tests of mental ability of disadvantaged children in 18 elementary schools in New York City were assessed.

Among nontransient pupils there was no significant difference between the mean Otis Alpha test score at the third grade and the mean Otis Beta score which was taken three years later at the sixth grade. However, the Otis Alpha scores of these nontransients were significantly higher than that of their third-grade transient classmates. Also, the Otis Beta scores of these same non transients were significantly better than that of their sixth-grade classmates.

This study emphasized differences in the test performance of transient and nontransient pupils in a school population of disadvantaged children and pointed up the need for separate longitudinal analyses of these two groups.     

Effective School Improvement in Mathematics

This article addresses the evaluation of the Mathematics Improvement Programme. The results show that the programme improved the learning results of pupils in grade 3 with half a standard deviation and reduced the percentage of struggling pupils to less than 1%. Fifteen percent of the variance in pupil results is to be explained at the school level. About a quarter of this 15% can be explained by differences between the experimental and the comparison group. All of this condition variance is explained by the experimental variables. Five out of 10 implementation features contribute significantly to differences in pupil results.     

The inclusion of pupils perceived as having social and emotional behavioural difficulties in mainstream schools: a focus upon learning

This article focuses upon the relationship between social and emotional behavioural difficulties (SEBD) and learning. It argues that, while inclusion is desirable in principle, it can be highly problematic in practice. Further, it explores the contested nature of the concept of SEBD and the nature of support for pupils categorised as such. The article draws upon a case study which evaluates a group work approach devised by the author to support pupils experiencing SEBD within a mainstream secondary school, within a deprived area. The study (N = 69) established benchmark measures relating to pupil attendance, discipline sanctions, attainment and pupil attitudes and followed the progress of the pupils until one to two years after completion of the intervention. The findings indicate that the intervention did not reduce the differential in performance in National Tests between the Support Group pupils and comparator groups but it did impact positively upon dispositions towards learning.