March Madness: Let the Testing Begin

My NCAA basketball tournament brackets have once again become my folly after only the first weekend of the tournament so I began to think of what "March Madness" really means for me in education... the beginning of the testing season.

I think there are many valid and useful reasons for testing so the "Madness" I refer to only means how busy we get during this time of year. To help you with your testing "Madness," I have created a list of twenty resources that will help you understand the reasons for testing, the testing process, test interpretation, and remediation.

I hope the list below will help you gain a better understanding of why we test and how important the process and the results are for your students and your program.

The CareerTech Testing Matrix (The Competency Test Process)

Understanding the “Depth” of Testing

Effectively Communicating the Measurement of Constructs to Stakeholders

Testing Integrity: Issues and Recommendations for Best Practices

Create a successful testing environment

Follow the recommended time for administering tests

Establish rapport with examinees

Limit test anxiety

Provide test security and eliminate cheating

Understanding the numbers I, II, III, IV

Interpreting test scores

The Pygmalion Effect: Are You Guilty?

Analyze individual tests scores across all levels - instructor, district, and state

Provide positive reinforcement and build upon an examinee’s relative strengths

Remediate an examinee’s relative weaknesses

Implement improvements across all levels

Reporting Test Results to Parents

10 Questions Every Parent and Student Should Ask About Testing

Study Tips and Skills

Read and learn “The Secret of Writing Multiple Choice Test Items”