Psychometric Aspects of Maintaining Standards of Examinations

Through pilot studies and regular examination procedures, the National Institute for Educational Measurement (CITO) in The Netherlands has gathered experience with different methods of maintaining the standards of examinations. The present paper presents an overview of the psychometric aspects of the various approaches that can be chosen for the maintenance of standards. Generally speaking, the approaches to the problem, can be divided into two classes. In the first approach the examinations are a fixed factor, i.e. the examination is already constructed and cannot be changed, and the link between the standards of both examinations is created by some test equating design. In the second approach the items of both examinations are selected from a pre‐tested pool of items, in such a way that two equivalent examinations are constructed. In both approaches the statistical problems of simultaneously modelling possible differences in the ability level of different groups of examinees and differences in the difficulty of the items are solved within the framework of item response theory. It is shown that applying the Rasch model for dichotomous and polytomous items results in a variety of possible test‐equating designs which adequately deal with the restrictions imposed by the practical conditions related to the fact that the equating involves examinations. Especially the requirement of secrecy of the content of new examinations must be taken into account. Finally it is shown that, given a pool of pre‐tested items, optimisation techniques can be used to construct equivalent examinations.     

考试如同游泳

一个成熟的社会,是一个重视考试的社会。中国过去是一个科举社会,为了防止人情和关系的泛滥,现在和将来还须以考试作为社会生活的调节阀,因此现代中国还在日益走向一个考试社会。虽然科举制度中的考试内容如今已被历史所抛弃,但其制度设计所体现的才学本位和公平竞争的精神,却显示出它的无尽生命力。考试是社会生活中减少矛盾的一种有效手段,但过度追求公平也有其严重的弊病,这是当今考试改革应当汲取的教训。     

采行考试是历史的选择

考试的采行是中华民族对人类制度文明的伟大贡献之一。值此纪念科举废除100周年之际,我们高度评价科举考试的历史地位和作用。历史证明,在等级森严的中国封建社会,科举考试乃是一项难得的具有公平精神的制度。采行考试是历史的选择,在没有想不出再好的办法之前,考试是不可废的。     

Allowing Students a Choice of Items on Objective Examinations

Measurement experts often advise against giving students an option of selecting which items on a test they choose to answer. A review of the related literature revealed that this caveat refers primarily to essay examinations. It was the purpose of this research to investigate the effects of permitting students the prerogative of selecting a proportion of the items on an objective test which they wished to exclude from the calculation of a grade. Findings regarding the effects of this practice on test reliability, test validity and on the students' relative test performance ranks suggest that it may not be as deleterious as we had been led to believe.     

关于建构主义的几个问题

本文对建构主义的内容及其学习理论、认识论根源、积极作用和消极作用作了综合性阐述.     

Ability Grouping of Junior High-School Pupils in Cleveland: Some Practical Aspects of the Problem

Abstract

The study investigated teacher attitudes toward measurement (testing) as it is routinely used for classroom instructional purposes. Data were collected from a stratified random sample of elementary and secondary teachers in a rural mid western state. Results are reported for six major attitudinal areas: teachers’ knowledge, information desired by the teacher, student acceptance/support, external constraints on the testing situation, the nature and quality of information yielded by tests, and the evaluative uses made of tests. The results depict teachers as: heavy users of tests, supportive of tests but concerned about the evaluative merits of tests, and limited in their testing expertise.     

唐代试律诗正文用典选典方式考察

用典是唐代试律诗的典型特点之一,通过对1031例唐代试律诗正文用典进行考察,发现其选典方式可分为因事选典、因人选典、因物选典、因地选典和因情选典等五类。     

乡镇政府能力的多维审视

乡镇政府能力是乡镇政府管理乡镇地方公共事务的综理能力，本主要从乡镇政府能力的主体、价值及合法性等三个不同视角展开，以阐明乡镇政府能力的多样性。     

浅谈电大英语考试听力理解应试技巧

听力是电大英语考试的必考部分。听力成绩的好坏直接影响着英语成绩 ,听力部分更是衡量各省市电大学生英语水平的标准之一。因而掌握一定的听力应试技巧 ,结合扎实的英语基础知识 ,就能在每次的期末测试中取得优异的成绩。     

试析应用能力考试(B级)中的翻译选择题

通过对江西省高等学校英语应用能力考试(B级)中61-64题翻译选择题的分析,论述了其信度和效度,提出把翻译选择题改为翻译题不会破坏试卷信效度的平衡,反而有助于学生英语实用能力的提高。     

A Practical Guide to Practice Analysis for Credentialing Examinations

Practice analysis (i.e., job analysis) serves as the cornerstone for the development of credentialing examinations and is generally used as the primary source of evidence when validating scores on such exams. Numerous methodological questions arise when planning and conducting a practice analysis, but there is little consensus in the measurement community regarding the answers to these questions. This article offers recommendations concerning the following issues: selecting a method of practice analysis; developing rating scales to describe practice; determining the content of test plans; using multivariate procedures for structuring test plans; and determining topic weights for test plans. The article closes by suggesting several references for further reading.     

Some Psychotherapeutic Aspects of Academia

This article examines several dimensions of academic life that parallel psychotherapeutic processes. By specifying and discussing several dimensions, such as a special environment, understanding, self-sufficiency skills, and interpersonal factors, it contributes to an understanding of how teaching and participation in the academic world foster not only intellectual but also personal growth. Drawing on pertinent literature and personal experience as both a teacher and a practitioner, the author concludes that both roles have at core the function of leadership.     

关于数学试题命题的几点思考

通过分析各类数学考试命题中出现的失误，提出了避免这些失误的原则，以提高数学命题的质量，从而提高数学教育的质量。     

Multiple Choice and Essay Tests

A Flawed Effort in a Good Cause: College of Character By Warren Bryan Martin San Francisco: Josey-Bass, 1982, 215 pages, $15.95. Reviewed by Michael P. Zuckert     

严峻的挑战,现实的抉择

加强党的执政能力建设必须结合党所面临的形势和任务,针对党所面对的各种挑战作出积极的应对措施。目前,我们党的执政能力面临的挑战与考验有来自国际的、国内的、党内的,还有我们党自身目标和任务的。而应对这样复杂的挑战,关键是扩大党的代表力,增强党的战斗力,做到执政为民,实现最广大人民的根本利益。