Learning Activity: Evaluation of the Mental Measurement Yearbooks

Robert Linn and Gronlund Norman in their book “Measuring and evaluation in teaching” define educational test as a systematic procedure through which various instruments are used to measure samples of behaviors that are dominant in the students. In the book published by the Macmillan, in the year 1990, the authors use page 5 to reiterate on the association between psychological testing and education testing. Even though this paper focuses on evaluating teaching tests, some of the premises that will be applied are grounded on the psychology tests. Generally, the teaching tests have been associated with development, administration, validation, scoring and interpretation of the student’s psychology by the teachers.

Teaching tests can, therefore, be wholesomely defined as repeatable and standardized procedures that are used to measure and evaluate the behavior of students. Specifically, the seventeenth Mental Measurements Yearbooks is discussed in this book. The evaluation is intended to test the procedures involved in scoring, coding and quantifying the behavior of school going children between the age of 9 and 18. The test is categorized as general aptitude because of its ability to quantify behavior by providing systematic and normative procedure on the learning process. Furthermore, the testing is used to evaluate students’ abilities beginning with aptitudes, intelligence, skills and achievement. The test components are provided in the manual which cements the evaluation of personality characteristics among them being attitude, traits, values and interests.

The review of the seventeenth Mental Measurement Yearbook was made by the Buros Institute of Mental Measurements located at the University of Nebraska. The seventeenth yearbook is rich with manuals that provide a comprehensive guide with more than 2000 testing instruments. The resource also contains Tests in Print abbreviated as TIP as well as a biography of commercially available tests. The print version is available online in the English language. In my opinion and personal judgment, I acknowledge the applicability of the seventeenth MMY in conducting education tests.

The nineteenth Mental Measurement Yearbook becomes the second most preferred instrument for conducting educational tests. According to Kazdin Alan in the volume 8 of the “Encyclopedia of psychology” published by the American Psychological Association at Washington, D.C. A detailed review of the Mental Measurements Yearbook is presented in the book. It also offers information and reviews on educational tests. The Yearbook is written in the English language and has 15 editions derived from the Buros Mental Measurements Yearbooks. The book presents the nineteenth MMY in an alphabetical order presented by six indices that are available in the form of a manual.  The Buros Mental Measurement Yearbook has been made available on the shelves of the McWherter Library Reference Department.

There is also an online review of the nineteenth Yearbook which contains basic information on more than 4000 educational tests. The tests have been reviewed and evaluated in the order of their title, purpose, publisher’s address, publishers, and the pertinent information required to facilitate the educational test. Specifically, the MMY can be purchased through an online platform under the reference section and on the tenth index table. The educational test has been critiqued as using information that is supported by the psychological tests, as well as business tests. The tests use the databases A-Z, which are scrollable on the homepage area in the Google Search Engine. The MMY is specialized in using tests and testing, sensory and motor testing, health psychology testing, development scales and schedules, personality scales and inventories, neuropsychological assessment, clinical psychology testing, educational measurement, occupational and employment testing and consumer opinion and attitude.

The third educational test has been reiterated by Feden and Vogel in the book “Methods of Teaching: Applying Cognitive Science to Promote”. The book was published in the year 2003 by McGraw Hill Higher Education. It emphasizes on the twelfth MMY which is grounded on providing educational tests. This is an instructional method that is used by students in learning. It is very engaging and requires them to think about what they are doing. The activities used in this method of learning are all introduced in the classroom. Through homework assignments, teachers can be able to tell how well their students were able to understand what was taught in class. So it is used as a means of an evaluation tool. However, this style received criticism over its effectiveness (Feden, & Vogel, 2003). Nevertheless, no evidence was shown regarding the fact that the method does not work and, therefore, it is still used by many learning facilities.

Active learning helps students to improve their handwriting and thinking. Their skills are developed while motivating them at the same time. These students become very independent in their work as they are given time to assess them well (Wankat, 2002). The students usually pair up in a group of two so as to make it easier for them to compare notes given by the teacher. This also improves the engagement that the students have with each other. This results students forming study groups, and they work as a team on issues that may be difficult for some of them (Feden, & Vogel, 2003).

This test explores about the different types of learning methods that are used in school and this information can help parents understand what their children are going through school thus be able to even help during their take home assignment. I believe that active learning helps a student in general. It shapes both their interaction skills and educational skills. This is important as they are prepared to be strong and confident individuals.

References

Feden, P., & Vogel, R. (2003). Methods of Teaching: Applying Cognitive Science to Promote Students Learning. McGraw Hill Higher Education.

Kazdin A. Encyclopedia of psychology. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association Vol. 8

Robert, L. & Gronlund, N. (2009). Measuring and evaluation in teaching. New  York: Macmillan Press

Wankat, P. (2002). The Effective Efficient Professor: Teaching, Scholarship and Service. Allyn and Bacon: Boston, MA. Anker Publishing. https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&noj=1&q=Wankat%2C+P.+%282002%29.+The+Effective+Efficient+Professor%3A+Teaching%2C+Scholarship+and+Service.++%09Allyn+and+Bacon%3A+Boston%2C+MA.&oq=Wankat%2C+P.+%282002%29.+The+Effective+Efficient+Professor%3A+Teaching%2C+Scholarship+and+Service.++%09Allyn+and+Bacon%3A+Boston%2C

This question has been answered.

Get Answer