steps in constructing tests

7/28/2019 Steps in Constructing Tests

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Given responsive environments, resources,and appro aches, students atta in stat ist ica l lyhigher achievem ent and apti tude test scores incongruent (matched) rather than dissonant(mismatched) treatments .

Most teachers and counselors can learn to uselearning styles as a cornerstone of theirinstructional and counsel ing program s.


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Most students can learn to capita lize on theirlearning styles strengths when concentrat ing onnew or dif f icult new or dif f icult academ icmateria l .

The less academ ical ly successful the individual ,the more important i t is to accommodatelearning style preferences.


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FIFTEEN FALLACIESABOUT LEARNING


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FALLACY ONE

Youngsters who cannot remember verbalinstruction tend to be less intelligentthan those who can.


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The Research: Each students perceptual strengths (visual,

auditory, tactile and kinesthetic) should beidentified. A new subject matter should betaught through resources or approaches thatcomplements their strongest, and reinforcedagain through their third modality (Kroon;Dunn)


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FALLACY TWO

Students learn best in well-illuminatedareas and damage their eyes when theyread in low light


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The Research:

Many students perform significantly betterin low rather than in bright light. Veryoften, bright light makes students restless,fidgety, and hyperactive (Krimsky; Dunn etal.)


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FALLACY THREE

Homework should reinforce what hasbeen taught and should be assignedfrom an appropriate text after a lecture.


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The Research: Since students achieve higher grades

when taught through their perceptualstrengths, it is only justifiable that thesame concept should be applied in doingor assigning homework (Dun & Dunn)


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FALLACY FOUR

Students learn best when seated upright,before or in front of a desk or table.


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The Research:Many classrooms use wooden, steel or plastic chairsand desks for students. When a person sits on a chair

constructed from these materials, approximately 75%of the total body weight is supported on only foursquare inches (4 in2) of bone (P. Braton; Shea;Hodges). The resulting stress on the tissues of thebuttoks often causes fatigue, discomfort, and the needfor postural movement.


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FALLACY FIVE

Generally, the older the students are, theeasier it is for them to adapt to ateachers style.


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The Research: Students continue to learn differently fromeach other. Nothing is more unbearable thantreating individuals as though they wereequals in most ways. Students should bepermitted options and choices for completingtheir tasks and homework (Price; Hunt;Mager and McCann; White et al.)


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FALLACY SIX

Most students could achieve wellacademically if only they were self-motivated


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The Research: Studies show that students achieve significantly

higher scores when taught through approaches thatrespond to their individual learning styles.Motivation is increased when students exercisecontrol over their own studies (R.F. Mager and J.McCann, Learner Controlled Instruction).Motivation changes from day to day, class to class,and teacher to teacher


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FALLACY SEVEN

Whole group instruction is the best wayto teach


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The Research: Some students do their best thinking alone. Manywork better in pairs or teams. Some like to learn

with adults, whereas others need peers. A smallpercentage of students cannot concentrate withanyone present while others may not have the skillsto work independently (Thomas de Bello, A CriticalAnalysis of the Achievement and Attitude Effects ofAdministrative Assignments)


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FALLACY EIGHT

Students concentrate best whenclassroom temperature is maintained at alevel ranging from 68 degrees to 72degrees Fahrenheit (30.9 degrees to 32.7degrees Celsius).


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The Research: Preferences vary dramatically among age

groups, between sexes, and amongindividuals regardless of age and sex (P.G.Murrain, Administrative DeterminationsConcerning Facilities Utilization andInstructional Grouping)


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FALLACY NINE

Truancy is related to poor attitudes,home problems, and lack of motivation


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The Research: A study of truants reveals that they are low-

academic achievers, having no study skillsand low self-esteem. A disproportionatenumber of them are males. They generallycome from low socio-economic status familiesand have no participation in or identificationwith the school. (C.B. Douglas, MakingBiology Easier to Understand).


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FALLACY TEN

Students perform better on tests andlearn more from their homework in anabsolutely quiet atmosphere.


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The Research:Many adolescents think and remember

best when studying with music (GaryPrice, Which Learning Style Elementsare Stable and Which Tend to Change).Few students require so much silence toperform more efficiently on tests.


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FALLACY ELEVEN

Students who do not sit still are notready to learn.


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The Research: When students were permitted to move fromone instructional area to another to learn new

and difficult information, they achievedstatistically better scores than they did whenrequired to learn while remaining seated. (JoanDella Valle, An Experiment and Investigationof the Relationship(s) between Preference forMobility )


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FALLACY TWELVE

Effective teaching requires clearly statedobjectives followed by detailed, step-by-step, sequential explanations untilstudents understand what is beingtaught.


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The Research: Analytical learners pay attention to a series offacts leading to a concept. Global learners

grasp large concepts and then tackle the detailsand facts related to the concept. Both groupslearn especially well and achieve significantlyhigher scores when taught in a style that iscorrect for them. (C.B. Douglas, MakingBiology Easier to Understand).


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FALLACY THIRTEEN

Students learn best in blocks of timeappropriately 40 to 55 minutes withvariations for laboratory period (80 to110 minutes).


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The Research: When students are permitted to learn in anenvironment that responds to their mobility and

furniture needs and can learn through their perceptualstrengths (visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic)rather than solely by lecture, they are better able toconcentrate and remember regardless of the scheduledamount of time (Joan Della Valle and L. M. Miller,Mobility as an Element of Learning Styles).


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FALLACY FOURTEEN

Eating should not be permitted inclassrooms except at snack time; foodbelongs to the canteen.


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The Research: Some students eat, drink, chew or bite on objects

as they study or concentrate. A study showed thatstudents who eat raw vegetables and popcorn whiletaking a test achieved significantly higher scoresthan those who needed food but were denied it.(Harold MacMurren, A Comparative Study of theEffects of Matching and Mismatching Students).


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FALLACY FIFTEEN

Students learn difficult subjects best inthe early morning when they are mostalert.


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The Research:When students are allowed to learn

subjects at their preferred time-of-day,their behavior, motivation, andmathematics scores will improve (S.Caruthers and A. Young, Preference ofConditioning Time in LearningEnvironments ).


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In A Nutshell

Many adolescents think and remember bestwhen they study with music. Low light relaxes while bright light makes the

students restless. Sitting on wooden and steel chairs for longperiods of time makes students uncomfortable.


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Motivation is enhanced when instructionalpackages match the learning styles of thestudents.

Students learn differently from each other.Truancy is related to unmatched learning style

preferences between the students and theteacher.


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Students can achieve higher scores when taughtthrough their strongest perceptual strengths.

Sociological preferences of each student vary. Food intake plays a great role in the studentsperformance.


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Learning is improved when students are allowedto study at their preferred time-of-day.

Students are highly mobile. Allow them to move. Some students are analytic; others learn globally.Allow focus and diffusion in giving lectures.


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Students are not failing because of thecurriculum. Students can learn any subjectmatter when they are taught with methodsand approaches responsive to their learningstyles strengths.

Dr. Rita Dun, Ed D., DirectorIntl Learning Styles Network


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THE DUNN & DUNN LEARNING STYLES MODEL

Stimuli Elements


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ELEMENTS OF

ENVIRONMENT

SOUND LIGHT

TEMPERATURE DESIGN


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Introduction

Research has shown that four major environmentalfactors affect the learning process of students. Some students learn best with sounds. Others study well with low lighting. Some like to learn in a cool environment. Others learn best when they study in an informal set -

up.


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The Element of Sound Studies have shown remarkable changes in

teacher-facilitators who used classical music aspart of their instructional technique. Impressivechanges also occurred in students learningcapacity. Classical music is considered to begenerally culture and value fair.


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Related studies also revealed that the introduction of music in aschools curriculum produced marked improvements in thestudents performance in math, reading and the sciences. Benefitsincluded: Relaxation and stress reduction The fostering of creativity through brain wave activation The stimulation of imagination and thinking A reduction in disciplinary problems The ability to focus and align as a group


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The Element of Light Light can affect the alertness and mood of

a person because it shuts down theproduction of melatonin, the sleep inducer.If a low degree of alertness in needed, thenbrightness is not so important.


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Environmental lighting exerts profoundbiological effects on humans. Light deprivationnot only affects performance but can also leadto some form of depression. Manyunderachieving students prefer dimlyilluminated environments when studying,concentrating, or learning.


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The Element of Temperature Brain researchers say that the cooler your brain is,

the more relaxed you are; the warmer your brain is ,the more aroused you are. On another dimension,they say that if we are too warm or too cold it isdifficult to think; but what is too warm or too coldfor one maybe just right for another.


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Choice is the important variable in determiningthe temperature of the learners environment. Awide variety of perception exists in what mayconstitute a warm or cool room. The bottom-line is, there should be consideration for thepreferences across ages, peers and genders.


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The Element of Design An effective and low-cost redesign of the educational

environment involves using what is available and settingthem in new patterns. The desks, chairs, tables and otherfurniture can be moved around to suit the learning stylesof the students. Constant evaluation of how well the newdesign meets learning objectives should be undertaken.


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In A Nutshell:

The physical setting of the classroom orlearning environment is one of the greatfactors that affect students capability toconcentrate, process, absorb, and retainnew and difficult information. Theelements of the environment are:


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SOUND LIGHTYes

Bright

No Dim

TEMPERATURE DESIGNCool

Formal

Warm

Informal


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ELEMENTS OF

EMOTIONS

MOTIVATION PERSISTENCE

RESPONSIBILTY STRUCTURE


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Introduction

The more emotionally stimulated you are,

the better your memory and retention

because the experience directly relates to

your life.

The emotional stimuli provide a different

perspective on how and why you

accomplish what you do, the way you do.

Influential factors, like feedback,structures, and tasks, all interrelate with

how students want their tasks to be done.


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Elements of Motivation

In using multi-modal strategies,

students are motivated to achieve in

the areas of their specific interests.

provide frequent feedback, especially

those that elicit feelings of

motivation, encouragement and self-

affirmation than to discourage or

embarrass the students.

The joy of learning should be a cause

of constant celebration.


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Element of Persistence

Persistence is having that go-go-go

feeling of finishing a task or a group

of tasks.

l f


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Element of

Responsibilty

Students who work on projects that

hold their personal interests need

minimal supervision from the teacher.

Nonconformity is marked by

dissimilarity, innovation, divergent

thinking or creativity. Highly

nonconforming students prefer to

work with others in a cooperativemanner.


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highly conforming students feel

satisfied and secure when they follow

recommended instructions.

Working with familiar patterns and

routines marks conforming students.


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Element of Structure

Some students work with specificdirections while others work evenwithout directions.

there are students who fairly dependon structures and directions giventhem before starting out the tasks athand.

Either way, what is more important isthat productivity and the innateabilities of the students are exploredand maximized.


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In a Nutshell:

The emotional disposition and

attitude of students is one of the

great factors that affect students

capability to concentrate, process,absorb, and retain new and difficult

information. The elements of

emotions are:


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MOTIVATION PERSISTENCE Practical Achiever Multiple Starter

Academic Achiever One- at- a-time

RESPONSIBILITY STRUCTUREConformist SelfProcess-

Oriented

Non- Conformist Direction-Oriented

ELEMENTS OF


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ELEMENTS OF

SOCIOLOGICAL

PREFERENCEALONE PAIR

PEERS TEAM

AUTHORITY VARIETY


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Introduction

Observe how students behave indifferent work situations.

Do they prefer to work alone?

Do they get excited when asked towork in groups?

Do they seek another person todiscuss things?

Do they prefer to have a teacherpresent when they begin to performchallenging tasks?

The Element of


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The Element of

Sociological

Preferences There are students who want to work

independently or alone because they feel

distracted when working with others.

Other students are more efficient and

productive when they work with another

person or in pairs

Still, other students want to work with

their peers

Lastly, there are students who want to

work with a team or as a group

Th El t f


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The Element of

Authority

Some students respond to authority

figures, like supervisors or teachers,

who are knowledgeable and provide

specific guidelines and a list ofexpectations.

Others respond well to teachers who

are option-oriented and approachable

They prefer it when teachers ask

rather than tell them what they are

supposed to do.


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The Element of Variety

Research validates the belief that

most students can learn, but each

child concentrates, processes, absorbs

and remembers new and difficultinformation in many different ways.

This is the essence of learning styles.


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Take note that in every family:

mothers and fathers tend tohave styles that are

diametrically opposite each

other.

brothers and sisters learn

differently from each other.

children do not necessarily

reflect either of their

parents learning styles.


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In A Nutshell:

The sociological preference and

attitude of students towards the

teachers is one of the great factors

that affect the students capability toconcentrate, process, absorb, and

retain new and difficult information.

The elements of sociological

preference are:


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ALONE PAIRLikes to work alone Likes to work

with a partner

PEERS TEAM

Likes to work with peers Likes to work

with a team

AUTHORITY VARIET

Conformist Self-Process-Oriented

Non-Conformist Direction-

Oriented

ELEMENTS OF


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S O

PHYSIOLOGICAL

PREFERENCEAUDITORY VISUAL

TACTILE KINESTHETIC

INTAKE TIME-OF-DAY

MOBILITY


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Introduction

Physiological elements are biological

needs that need satisfaction in orderto enhance the students ability to

concentrate and process new and

difficult information. Satisfying needs

is tantamount to enhancing

performance and productivity.


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Some students love to move around.

Others students prefer to eat or

munch while learning or studying.

Still others are at their best whentheir energy levels are at their peak.


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Since biological needs determine the

ability to concentrate, process, retain

and recall new and difficult information,

it might be necessary for teachers toallow students to study and learn

according to their needs provided that:

It results to better

performance and productivity.

The privileges given be

withdrawn once abused.

Moving around or taking frequent

breaks does not characterize

misbehavior. Nor should either be cause

for disciplinary action. Some students

need mobility because of feelings of

PERCEPTUAL


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PERCEPTUAL

STRENGTHS When a teacher gives a lecture, many students

respond to the talk according to their

perceptual strengths or learning modality:

*Some learn best by listening attentively.

*Others recall the lesson by seeing or forming

the words or pictures on the page.

*Some learn best when they doodle, take notes

or highlight text.

*Others learn best when personally or

physically involved.


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This may be auditory, visual, tactile

or kinesthetic.

The learning process is acceleratedwhen there is a match between the

perceptual strengths of the students,

and the teaching modality of the

teachers.

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