Page 123 - DEDU504_EDUCATIONAL_MEASUREMENT_AND_EVALUATION_ENGLISH

Unit 9 : Test Standardization

9.3.6 Percentile Norms for School Averages Notes
In the schools participating in state-testing programmes or in school system in a large city it is
desirable to interpret result in terms of school averages. Comparison of one school with another
school in the same city or one system with another school system (Government, K. V., Public, N.
V.) is not possible through usage of norms based on individual pupil scores, because variability
of individual scores is much greater than the variability of school averages. Percentile norms for
school averages are worked out in the same manner as other percentile norms are derived,
except that averages are substituted for individual scores in the grade distribution. Percentile
norms used in interpretation of school results should not be used in interpreting individual
pupil scores, because it would introduce sessions error in test interpretation by confusing norm
for school average with percentile grade norms used in interpreting individual pupil achievement.
9.3.7 Norms vs Standards

The words standards and norms are sometimes used carelessly as synonymous. Standardisation
is a process of gathering the data for critical analysis of tests and derivation of suitable norms.
The term ‘standard’ when used to refer to a level of pupil achievement implies the ultimate goal
or intended level of achievement towards which to strive, but may not actually be reached by
any individual. On the contrary, norms represent the level of achievement that the typical pupils
actually attain. The process of securing these comparative scores, known as ‘norms’, is called
normalising.
The standard in arithmetic accuracy is 100% as computation errors are useless. But actual norm of
arithmetic accuracy of computation on well-known tests may be from 70 to 75% for high school
grades. It means that instead of desired ultimate goal of 100% accuracy, the pupils of these grade
work out arithmetic examples with an accuracy of 70 to 75%. Norm does not necessarily reflect
satisfactory level of achievement. This is particularly true of schools where instruction and
school environment are superior and pupils’ intake is from good homes, having superior abilities
and other support services.
Standards are of two types. One, these may be minimum essential that are generally accepted by
schools, e.g. reading, spelling and arithmetic. They represent minimum quality and perhaps
speed of performance that equip the pupils for post-school life. On Ayres Scale of Handwriting,
60 is widely accepted standard at the rate of 70 letters per minute. Though 60 at the given rate is
approximately the norm for pupils who completed the sixth grade, it is also taken as standard or
minimum ability that should be acquired by all pupils before they finish school. Second, standards
in any school subject of pupils’ achievement can be formulated, probably subjective or as vaguely
conceived idea in the mind of principal or teachers concerning his expectations of the pupils. In
this case standards are quite variable and differ from teacher to teacher, school to school and
year to year for the same teacher. Modern emphasis on providing each child the type of instruction
that suits best to his abilities, interest and his future needs rather than moulding all pupils in the
same pattern has reduced the reliance on standards. Attempt is now made to provide maximum
aid to each child to develop his potentialities and evaluate his achievement in terms of himself
as an individual.
Self Assessment
1. Fill in the blanks :
(i) ______ are the tables of information necessary for interpretation of test scores.
(ii) ______ help in expressing the progress of pupils through grades by Converting their raw
scores or standard scores it grade equivalent scores.
(iii) ______ of a test item refers to the quality or magnitude of response.
(iv) ______ is a process of gathering data for critical analysis of test and derivation of suitable
norms.

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