Determining the Validity and Reliability

1
Session 5

• Determining the Validity and Reliability
• of Key Assessments
• and Other Questions
• Regarding Key Assessments

2
Fairness

• Assessments are fair when they assess what has
  been taught.
• Candidates should be exposed to the knowledge,
  skills, and dispositions which are measured in
  the assessments.

3
Fairness

• Curriculum mapping
• (e.g., a chart that shows where in the curriculum
  candidates have the opportunity to learn and
  practice what is specified in the standards).

4
Fairness

• Candidates should be given information on how the
  assessments are scored and how they count toward
  completion of programs

5
Validity and Reliability

• Piloting assessments,
• Developing benchmarks,
• Ratings assessments, and a
• Analyzing the extent to which the assessments
  were successful in measuring targeted candidate
  knowledge, skills, and dispositions.

6

• Problems with assessments include missing or
  vague instructions, poorly worded questions, and
  poorly reproduced copies that make reading
  difficult.

7
Elimination of Bias

• The assessments are free of racial and ethnic
  stereotypes, poorly conceived language and task
  situations, and other forms of cultural
  insensitivity that might interfere with candidate
  performance and unintentionally favor some
  candidates over others.
• Further, the elimination of bias includes
  consistent scoring of assessments and vigilant
  efforts not to discriminate against groups of
  candidates.

8
Elimination of Bias

• Units evaluate assessments and assessment
  conditions and eliminate as many sources of bias
  as possible.

9
How does Brenau University College of Education
ensure that its assessment procedures are fair,
accurate, consistent, and free of bias?

• Through collaboration between faculty and lead
  instructors, key assessments and rubrics are
  developed and reviewed annually.
• Training of faculty and adjunct faculty to
  consistently and accurately utilize rubrics is
  ongoing.
• Training occurs annually prior to fall semester
  during faculty meetings and adjunct orientation.
  
• Rubrics are reviewed regularly to eliminate vague
  or weak scoring instructions.

10
How does Brenau University College of Education
ensure that its assessment procedures are fair,
accurate, consistent, and free of bias?

• An alignment matrix for all courses in the
  College of Education was developed to show how
  course objectives are aligned with unit outcomes,
  program outcomes and the conceptual framework, as
  well as state and national standards.
• Each course syllabus includes the unit and
  program outcomes addressed and how the
  assignments and assessments are aligned with the
  outcomes.