Social Studies Center Facilitator Training May 6, 2002

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Social Studies CenterFacilitator TrainingMay
6, 2002 Presented by Trina Davis Kelly
SpencereEducation, College of Education, Texas
AM University
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What is the eEmpowerment Zone?
Comprehensive, web-based e-learning and
professional development center
Designed to meet the needs of several communities
of learners
Focused on providing instructional modules and
integrated resources and tools that support
teaching and learning
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http//empowermentzone.tamu.edu
Online Modules eZone Quarterly Resource
Media Center Break Room
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Virtual Resource Media Center
A dynamic shared resource center for communities
of learners. Users Review and Nominate
Resources.Assessment Resources
IncludeQuizStar Automatically Grades RubiStar
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Modules The Hallmark of the eZone
On-demand, knowledge objects that can be used as
stand-alone resources or integrated into full
courses or professional development programs
Incorporate video, audio, feedback prompts and
are designed around state and national standards
(NETS)
Professional development K-12 modules are
currently available
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Getting Started Site Created forSocial Studies
Center Facilitators

• Getting Started
• Registration
• Test Item Modules
• Supporting Documents

empowermentzone.tamu.edu/presentations/esc
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Getting Started - Registration

• Before accessing the Test Item Construction
  Modules, REGISTER!You will be asked to enter
  the pass code for the Social Studies Center Pass
  code ss2002

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Getting Started
2. Once logged in, select a module in the
directory 3. Or start using other eZone resources
like My eAccount to keep track of your progress!
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eZone Module Directory
Access the 4 Test Item Construction Modules from
the directory
Modules are separated into instructional and
technical strands
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Instructional Strand
Designed to meet a variety of instructional
needs, from lesson planning to test item
construction!

• Current Instructional Modules Include
• Test Item Construction
• Instructional Planning
• Developing Web-based Instructional Modules

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Test Item Construction Modules
Provide guidelines and strategies for developing
appropriate test items Develop the best, most
accurate test items that truly assess students'
abilities
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Test Item Construction Modules
Four Modules Multiple Choice Test Item
Construction Matching Test Item
Construction True/False Test Item
Construction Essay Test Item Construction
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Test Item Construction Modules
Four Modules Includegt Pre-Assessmentsgt
Guidelines and Examples Correct Faulty
gt Feedback Promptsgt Post-Assessments
Project-based
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Test Item Guidelines Examples
gt Faulty and Sound Examples gt 21 Guidelines
for Multiple Choicegt 8 Guidelines for
Matchinggt 8 Guidelines for True Falsegt 5
Guidelines for Essays
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Feedback Prompts
gt Try This exercises throughout the modules to
test for mastery of guidelines gt Feedback
Prompts to indicate correctness
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Post-Assessments
gt Post-Assessments test for mastery of
guidelines gt Post-Assessments are project-based
Learners must create test items and submit them
to the eZone
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Multiple Choice Test Item Construction
Multiple Choice Items Consist of - A direct
question or incomplete statement (stem) - A list
of options - Options consist of the correct
option (answer) and distracters (plausible
competitors of the answer) The student must
select the appropriate response to the stem using
the options given.
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Multiple Choice Test Item Construction
Guideline One The multiple choice stem needs to
present one problem to the student before the
options are considered. Guideline Two Avoid
writing stems that contain extra information as
an introduction to the question. The stem should
only include the question or the incomplete
statement.
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Multiple Choice Test Item Construction
Guideline Three Include as much information in
the stem and as little information in the options
as possible. Guideline Four Restrict the use of
negative terms in the stem. Guideline Five
Focus each test question on a specific objective
of the instructional unit.

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Multiple Choice Test Item Construction
Guideline Six Construct stems that require the
selection of the best answer when each of the
options contain elements of correctness. Guidelin
e Seven Each distracter should have about the
same number of words as the correct
option. Guideline Eight Avoid word choices that
are above the student's vocabulary level.
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Multiple Choice Test Item Construction
Guideline Nine Make all distracters plausible.
Guideline Ten Do not repeat wording or common
elements from the stem in the correct
option. Guideline Eleven Some valid questions
require only two or three options. Guideline
Twelve Avoid constructing negative options that
follow a negative stem.
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Multiple Choice Test Item Construction
Guideline Thirteen Make sure the stem is
grammatically consistent with all of the options.
Guideline Fourteen Avoid using overlapping
distracters. Guideline Fifteen Carefully
proofread items.
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Multiple Choice Test Item Construction
Guideline Sixteen When a list of choices is
included in each option increase the similarity
of all the answer choices to increase the
difficulty of the test. Guideline Seventeen
Avoid the use of indefinite terms such as usually
and generally in the options and distracters.
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Multiple Choice Test Item Construction
Guideline Eighteen Avoid the use of absolute
terms such as never and always in the options and
distracters. Guideline Nineteen Avoid using
"all of the above." Guideline Twenty To
increase item difficulty include "none of the
above" as a final option. Guideline Twenty-one
After the options are written, vary the location
of the answer.
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Matching Test Item Construction
Matching items consist of -stimuli presented on
the left side of the page -a column of
responses placed on the right side of the
page Students are required to match the response
associated with a given stimuli.
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Matching Test Item Construction

• Guideline One Include specific, clear directions
  for the students.
• State the basis for matching the stimuli with the
  responses.
• State whether or not a response can be used more
  than once.
• Indicate where/how to write the answer.
• Guideline Two Use only items that share the same
  foundation of information.

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Matching Test Item Construction
Guideline Three Avoid using matching items that
require sentence completion. Guideline Four
Write more responses than stimuli for each
matching item. Guideline Five The stimuli
should be numbered and listed in a column on the
left, while the responses should be lettered and
laid out in a column on the right.
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Matching Test Item Construction
Guideline Six The column of stimuli on the left
should set the question clearly. Guideline
Seven The items for a matching exercise should
be listed on one page. Guideline Eight Limit
the list of stimuli to fewer than 8-12 in order
to keep the number of matching items brief.
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True/False Test Item Construction
True/False items are -complete statements that
provide either correct or incorrect information
about phenomena The student is to determine
whether the stated information is correct (true)
or incorrect (false).
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True/False Test Item Construction
Guideline One Use vocabulary that corresponds to
the test material and is appropriate for the
targeted age level. Guideline Two Test one idea
at a time. Divide compound ideas into two or more
items. Guideline Three Avoid specific
determiners such as only, exactly, precisely,
absolutely.
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True/False Test Item Construction
Guideline Four Avoid using terms that suggest an
indefinite amount or degree, such as small,
large, a long time ago, often, seldom, high, low,
sometimes, usually, typically, and generally.
Guideline Five Avoid stating the test item in
a negative sense by using no or not.
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True/False Test Item Construction
Guideline Six Use popular misconceptions as
false statements. Guideline Seven Construct
true-false items that require the use of
introductory materials such as maps, graphs, or
readings. Guideline Eight Have the students
correct the false statements by changing them
into true statements.
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Essay Test Item Construction
Essay items consist of - Problems or project
situations, called prompts  The student must
compose an answer in writing, rather than by
selecting an answer from several given.
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Essay Test Item Construction
Guideline One Use essay tests to assess the
achievement of higher order cognitive objectives.
Guideline Two Construct the essay items to
reflect the type of behavior specified in the
performance objectives. Guideline Three Clearly
word the essay items to indicate the student's
task.
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Essay Test Item Construction
Guideline Four Avoid giving the students a
choice among various essay items. Guideline
Five Ask questions that elicit responses on
which experts can agree that one answer is better
than another.
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Next Steps Explore the eZone
REGISTER AT THE EZONE ACCESS interactive modules
with guidelines, examples, pre post tests,
try this features in the eZone
http//empowermentzone.tamu.edu/current/
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Next Steps Have Teachers Register
Facilitators Can follow progress of their
Community through the My eAccount Administrator
Features
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Next Steps DOWNLOAD supporting materials
resources from this Test Item Construction
Presentation
http//empowermentzone.tamu.edu/presentations/esc.
html
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Q A From Sites
Please feel free to contact us with
questions Trina Davistdavis_at_coe.tamu.edu