Module Components

• Overview
• Assignments

Topics

• Planning a Test
• General Rules for Item Writing
• Selected Response Items
• Constructed Response Items
• Context-Dependent Items

Nurs 791 - Instructional Strategies and Assessment

Module 10: Test Planning to Item Development

Overview

“No one tests the depth of a river with both feet.”

(African Proverb quotes)

This is the tenth module in this course and third of a series of four modules focusing on assessment of learning outcomes. Whether you wish to compare the scores of a learner to those of other learners in the group (as in the norm-referenced framework) or to a pre-determined criterion or cut-score (as in the criterion-referenced framework), you will need to select a method to carry out the assessment. In Module 9, many ways to do this were overviewed. In this module, attention will focus on a major, and most widely used, method to assess learning: tests and the types of items they contain – the test. As you see in the quote above, the way one tests is crucial! Selected aspects of planning tests and various types of items are addressed in this module.

Objectives

At the conclusion of this module, the learner will be able to:

• describe the steps in developing tests;
• differentiate between advantages/disadvantages of types of items; and
• apply knowledge gained to development of selected types of items.

Required Readings

• Oermann, M.H. and Gaberson, K.B. (2017). Evaluation and testing in nursing education, Fifth Edition. New York: Springer Publishing Company. pp. pp. 107-114 and Chapters 4,5,6 and pp. 107-119.

OR

• Oermann, M.H. and Gaberson, K.B. (2014). Evaluation and testing in nursing education, Fourth Edition. New York: Springer Publishing Company. pp. 51-53, Chapters 4,5,6, and pp.125-135.

OR

• Oermann, M.H. and Gaberson, K.B. (2009). Evaluation and testing in nursing education, Third Edition. New York: Springer Publishing Company. pp. 57-60, Chapters 4,5,6, and pp.146-151.
• Readings contained in module.

Directions

Read the module and suggested readings within the module. Then complete the assignment for the module.