Assessment Strategies -- WHAT'S THE QUESTION?

FOUR ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES: COMPARING TO OTHERS

 Another form of summative evaluation, this approach is referred to as: "Norm Referencing Assessment" in the research literature.  Performance is judged in relation to that of an appropriate comparable group of students, departments, or institutions.  To address this question requires comparative ad relative measurement, usually using national or state instruments and norms.  A fairly centralized approach is normally required.  Examples might include the E.T.S. Major Field Achievement Tests, GRE scores, and reputational surveys.  The following advantages and disadvantages characterize this approach.
 

Advantages

• Gives opportunities for comparison with students and programs at similar institutions.
• Using national and state comparisons has more external legitimacy.
• Requires no consensus about performance standards.
• Like “grading on the curve,” this is perhaps a useful approach if one is forced to select or screen a reduced number of students due to limited resources or excess demand.

• Requires the identification of appropriate normative reference groups and raises the potential of their non-comparability.
• Nationally designed tests may or may not be congruent with local curricular objectives.
• Gives less information about trends and about levels of attainment, especially if the scores are relational (this is a serious deficiency of the GRE).

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