美国斯坦福中小学成就、诊断及英语水平考试的发展和应用

本文介绍了斯坦福(Stanford)考试系列在美国中小学教育中的发展和应用。着重阐述了三个考试即斯坦福成就考试、斯坦福阅读和数学诊断考试及斯坦福英语水平考试的各自内容,相关的技术和设计原理。     

Effects of Curricular Differences on Achievement Test Data at Item and Objective Levels

The objectives of this study were to examine the impact of different curricula on standardized achievement test scores at item and objective levels and to determine if different curricula generate different patterns of item factor loadings. School buildings from a middle-sized district were rated regarding the degree to which their curricula matched the content of the standardized test, and the actual textbook series used within each building (classroom) was determined. Covariate analyses of objective scores and plots and correlations of item p values indicated very small, nonsignificant differential effects across ratings and textbook series. Factor patterns indicated no curricular effects on large first factors. These findings parallel the results of a previous study conducted at the subtest level. We conclude that educators need not be unduly concerned about the impact of specific and generally small differences in curricular offerings within a district on standardized test scores or inferences to a broad content domain.     

An analysis of global problem issues in sixth-and seventh-grade textbooks

The study examines the extent to which the global issues of population growth, world hunger, air quality and atmosphere, and water resources were treated in sixth- and seventh-grade science textbooks. Ten textbooks were examined by five raters to determine the amount of content presented by different textbooks on global issues, the number of pages of content devoted to each issue, and the degree of depth in which issues were treated. Differences between grade levels were also explored. Of the 4,393 pages of content analyzed, less than 2 percent was devoted to these issues identified as the most serious human problems. No significant differences were found between textbook series. Significant differences were found in the number of pages of content presented on each issue. Most of the content fell into the categories of water resources, population growth, air quality, and atmosphere. The issue of war technology had the least amount of content. Distribution of content did not vary by grade level. Both levels addressed the issues of population growth, air quality, and water resources with a greater degree of depth than the issue of world hunger or war technology. The study concludes that the most widely used textbooks at the sixth- and seventh-grade levels avoid serious discussion of major global problems. And like the career indecision of a recent Miss America contestant, purchasers don't seem to be able to decide whether they want science textbooks to be “a brain surgeon or a movie actress.” Implications stemming from this dichotomy and its relationship to future science education curricular are also explored.     

Otis-Lennon Mental Ability Test,Stanford Achievement Test,and Three Demographic Variables as Predictors of Achievement in Grades 2 and 4

Abstract

A series of multivariate statistical analyses was used to determine what relationships exist among three demographic variables, the Otis-Lennon Mental Ability Test (OLMAT), and the Stanford Achievement Test (SA T) at Grades 2 and 4. Data were obtained from the second grade classes in 1977-78 (V = 91) and 1979-80 (V = 103), and from the 1979-80 fourth grade class (/V = 91) in a rural middle income school district in southeastern New Hampshire. The best predictor of achievement at either Grade 2 or Grade 4 was the IQ variable alone. The correlations among the SAT subtests led to questions concerning that test’s construct validity and its use for differential diagnosis of educational problems of children. Among the Grade 2 variables, the best predictor of achievement at Grade 4 was the SAT; IQ was a negligible factor. Detailed study of the correlations between the OLMAT and SAT did not support the continued use of the group IQ test as part of the district’s comprehensive testing program; the costs expended cannot be justified by the value of the information obtained.     

Curricular Differences and Unidimensionality of Achievement Test Data: An Exploratory Analysis

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a linear factor analytic method commonly used to investigate violation of the item response theory (IRT) unidimensionality assumption is sensitive to measurable curricular differences within a school district and to examine the possibility of differential item performance for groups of students receiving different instruction. For grades 3 and 6 in reading and mathematics, personnel from two midwestern school systems that regularly administer standardized achievement tests identified the formal textbook series used and provided ratings of test-instructional match for each school building (classroom). For both districts, the factor analysis results suggested no differences in percentages of variance for large first factors and relatively small second factors across ratings or series groups. The IRT analyses indicated little, if any, differential item performance for curricular subgroups. Thus, the impact of factors that might be related to curricular differences was judged to be minor.     

The Boehm Test of Basic Concepts as a predictor of academic achievement in grades 2 and 3

Ninety-four second- and third-graders from a suburban New Jersey school who had taken the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts as kindergarteners were given the Stanford Achievement Test, Form W. The obtained grade scores in each subject area as tested by the Stanford were then correlated with the Boehm Test scores. The resulting coefficients indicated a strong association between deficiencies in early concept mastery as measured by the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts and academic achievement in the second and third grades. These results therefore support the use of the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts as an early predictor of school achievement.     

Employing teachers' ratings in selection of achievement tests in reading and mathematics with a behaviorally disturbed population

The usefulness of a particular standardized achievement test with a specific population may be determined largely on the basis of experience. Sixty-six behaviourally disturbed students were administered portions of a test battery including the Reading Recognition subtest of the Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT), PIAT Reading Comprehension, the Reading subtest of the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT), and Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test (SDRT); PIAT Mathematics, WRAT Arithmetic, Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics Test (SDMT), and KeyMath Diagnostic Arithmetic Test. Toward the end of the academic year, teachers estimated students' grade levels in reading and mathematics. Results indicated that, in mathematics, the SDMT and the PIAT predicted teachers' ratings equally well and better than the other tests; in reading, all tests predicted teachers' ratings equally well except for the PIAT Reading Comprehension, which performed less well than others. Explanations for these results are offered, together with suggestions for identifying achievement tests suitable to specific populations.     

Screening for school readiness: The influence of birthdate and sex

School readiness has been measured in many ways; chronological age, sex, and developmental age all have been used, with varying success, to predict young children's readiness for school. One hundred and fifty-two children were classified by birthdate and sex, and compared on their performances on the Gesell Screening Test, the Gesell School Readiness Test (GSRT), and the Stanford Achievement Test. The Gesell measures were sensitive to the different birthdate groups; however, these differences diminished as the children aged. There were no significant differences between birthdate groups on the Stanford Achievement Test. Females scored higher than males on the GSRT at the end of kindergarten, but no interactions between birthdate and sex were found. Implications of the varying ways to determine school readiness are discussed.     

Format changes in reading achievement tests: Implications for learning disabled students

It has been seen that children's scores on reading achievement tests vary not only with knowledge of content, but also with the differing formats of test items. Teachers working with learning disabled children or children with attention problems may wish to choose standardized tests with fewer, rather than more, format changes. The present study evaluated the number of format and direction changes across tests and grade levels of the major elementary standardized reading achievement tests. The number of format changes varies from one change every 1.2 minutes on the Metropolitan Achievement Test Level E1 to one change every 21.3 minutes on the P1 level of the Stanford Achievement Test. Teachers may wish to take this evaluation into account when considering use of standardized reading achievement tests for their students.     

An Analysis of Problem-Posing Tasks in Chinese and US Elementary Mathematics Textbooks

This paper reports on 2 studies that examine how mathematical problem posing is integrated in Chinese and US elementary mathematics textbooks. Study 1 involved a historical analysis of the problem-posing (PP) tasks in 3 editions of the most widely used elementary mathematics textbook series published by People’s Education Press in China over 3 decades. Study 2 compared the PP tasks in Chinese and US elementary mathematics textbooks. This allows for the examination of PP tasks from an international comparative perspective, which provides one point of view about the kinds of learning opportunities that are available to students in China and the USA. We found evidence that the inclusion of PP tasks in the Chinese textbook series reflected, to some degree, changes in the curricular frameworks in China. However, the distribution of PP tasks across grade levels and content areas, as well as the variety of types of PP tasks included, suggest a need for greater intentionality in the design and placement of PP tasks in both the Chinese and US textbook series. Findings from the 2 studies reported in this paper not only contribute to our understanding about the inclusion of PP tasks in curriculum both historically and internationally, but also suggest a great need to systematically integrate PP activities into curriculum and instruction. The fact that both Chinese and US curriculum standards have heavily emphasized PP in school mathematics, despite there being only a small proportion of PP activities in both Chinese and US elementary mathematics curricula, suggests the existence of challenges that are delaying the implementation of reform ideas such as problem posing in school mathematics.     

Comparative Effectiveness of Initial Teaching Alphabet vs. Traditional Orthography in First Grade in the Pittsburgh Public Schools

Abstract

This study compares the effectiveness in reading instruction of the i.t.a. Scott Foresman series and the traditional Scott Foresman series on 562 first-grade students as measured by three subtests of the Metropolitan Achievement Test (taken in the traditional alphabet) and four subtests of the Stanford Achievement Test (taken in the alphabet in which they were trained). Two readiness measures were used as pretests. An analysis of covariance clearly indicates a statistically significant difference in achievement favoring the i.t.a.     

Curriculum bias and reading achievement test performance

The overlap of words specifically taught in reading textbooks with the contents of standardized reading achievement tests may be a source of bias that is frequently overlooked in psychoeducational assessments. This study compares the standardized achievement test performance of 62 second graders receiving instruction in two different reading curricula (Open Court and Houghton-Mifflin) to determine whether either curriculum generates different quantitative estimates of reading achievement. Reading subtest scores derived from the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement-Brief Form (K-TEA), the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised (WRAT-R), and the Reading Recognition and Reading Comprehension subtests from the Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT) were examined. Grade level equivalents and scaled scores from the California Achievement Test (CAT) were also examined. Three Curriculum × Test repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted using grade level scores (2×7), standard scores (2×4), and CAT scaled scores (2 × 5) as dependent measures. A significant Curriculum × Test interaction was identified, suggesting differences among tests in estimates of reading ability as a function of the reading program.     

The effectiveness of a transitional prekindergarten program on later academic achievement

Transitional, or extra year, classes have become a widely implemented intervention in many schools. This study investigated the academic effectiveness of a prekindergarten program in a suburban, predominantly Caucasian upper middle class school system. Ninety matched pairs of children were selected for the study based on a “developmentally immature” score on the Gesell School Readiness Test. Children who spent an extra year in prekindergarten were matched with youngsters who proceeded directly to regular kindergarten based on gender, date of birth, and Gesell score. No significant differences were found between the two groups of students on the basis of Stanford Achievement Test scores (second grade), Pupil Evaluation of Progress scores (third grade), placement in a first grade remedial reading program, review by the building level Pupil Service team, or classification by the Committee on Special Education. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Large-scale academic achievement testing of deaf and hard-of-hearing students: past, present, and future

The first large-scale, nationwide academic achievement testing program using Stanford Achievement Test (Stanford) for deaf and hard-of-hearing children in the United States started in 1969. Over the past three decades, the Stanford has served as a benchmark in the field of deaf education for assessing student academic achievement. However, the validity and reliability of using the Stanford for this special student population still require extensive scrutiny. Recent shifts in educational policy environment, which require that schools enable all children to achieve proficiency through accountability testing, warrants a close examination of the adequacy and relevance of the current large-scale testing of deaf and hard-of-hearing students. This study has three objectives: (a) it will summarize the historical data over the last three decades to indicate trends in academic achievement for this special population, (b) it will analyze the current federal laws and regulations related to educational testing and special education, thereby identifying gaps between policy and practice in the field, especially identifying the limitations of current testing programs in assessing what deaf and hard-of-hearing students know, and (c) it will offer some insights and suggestions for future testing programs for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.     

Relationships between chronological age,developmental age,and standardized achievement tests in kindergarten

Chronological age and developmental age have been used to identify readiness for kindergarten entrance. In the current research, chronological age and results of the Gesell School Readiness Test were evaluated as predictors of kindergarten performance as measured by the Stanford Achievement Test. Subjects were 284 children attending kindergarten in the San Luis Coastal School District during the 1986—1987 school year. Results indicate that both chronological and developmental age provide good predictors of Stanford Achievement Test performance in kindergarten. Implications of the current research for setting appropriate entrance policy were explored.     

Assessment practices of professionals serving students who are deaf or hard of hearing: an initial investigation

Assessment currently plays a critical role in American schools and society, in tasks ranging from ranking schools' effectiveness, to determining individual placement, to planning instruction. The purpose of the study was to gather data about the formal and informal assessment instruments and processes used by professionals in deaf education. Respondents indicated that statewide annual assessments are the most frequently used measures, followed by the Stanford Achievement Test series and the Woodcock-Johnson III Test of Achievement. Commonly used assessment instruments and procedures for each academic area are reported in rank order. Issues about current practices are raised, and suggestions for additional research related to assessment practices in deaf education are provided.     

Elementary and middle school students' image of science and scientists related to current science textbooks in Taiwan

This study examined elementary and middle school students' images of science and scientists, with an analysis of how those images may be influenced by science textbooks currently in use in Taiwan. A modified Chambers' Draw-a-Scientist Test (DAST) was administered to a total 289 students from grades 1, 3, 5 and 8. Results showed that upper-grade students drew more indicators (i.e., lab coats, eyeglasses, facial features, research and knowledge symbols, and relevant captions) than did lower-grade students. An analysis of individual drawings revealed an increase in sophistication and complexity according to progressively higher grade levels. It was found that students very often drew images strikingly similar to what their science textbook presented. It implicated that our current science textbooks indeed have some degree of influence on students' image of science and scientists.     

The Teacher as Thinker

The authors explore how and to what extent students use their textbooks. Data was collected through a survey regarding when reading is primarily done, how the textbook is used for studying, and which specific study strategies the students used. The results indicate that students know it is important to read, know the professor expects them to read, and know it will impact their grade, yet most students still do not read the textbook. Finally, we also examine what students feel would motivate them to increase their usage of the textbook.     

基于数学课程标准的小学数学教材调查分析

第八次基础教育课程改革倡导教师“用教材教”,而不是“教教材”．新教材使用至今10多年了,为了解教师对教材使用情况,调研了天津市河西区与郑州市金水区的523名小学数学教师,结果表明：教材能够比较好的体现数学课程标准的要求;注重对学生创新精神和实践能力的培养;内容丰富,容量恰当;难度基本合适;教材能够有效指导教师的教学;教材外观漂亮,出版服务比较好．结论教师总体认同教材,认为教材富有特色,尚需进一步改进．     

A Review of Multiple-Choice Item-Writing Guidelines for Classroom Assessment

A taxonomy of 31 multiple-choice item-writing guidelines was validated through a logical process that included two sources of evidence: the consensus achieved from reviewing what was found in 27 textbooks on educational testing and the results of 27 research studies and reviews published since 1990. This taxonomy is mainly intended for classroom assessment. Because textbooks have potential to educate teachers and future teachers, textbook writers are encouraged to consider these findings in future editions of their textbooks. This taxonomy may also have usefulness for developing test items for large-scale assessments. Finally, research on multiple-choice item writing is discussed both from substantive and methodological viewpoints.