Validity and Reliability

1. Content validity evidence- is used to assess the validity of test items to determine if they resemble the learning objectives (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010, p.330). This is important because it helps teachers measure if their learning objectives are consistent to what is on the test.

2. Criterion-related validity evidence is developed by finding the relationship of test results to “an external criterion.” The criterion-related validity evidences are concurrent and predictive (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010, p.330). Criterion-related evidence is important to learning and assessment because it will help teachers make sure that their test stay focused to the class learning objectives.

3. Concurrent validity evidence is formed by comparing the results of a newly designed test and a test that had already been proven to be credible to discover the relationship among the scores (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010, p.330). This is useful because this will help teachers improve the development of tests because they can compare the results to previous formed tests. They can use concurrent validity evidence to cross reference their new test to see if it is valid.

4. Predictive validity evidence is developed by creating a test that assesses a group of test takers on an objective to predict their outcomes at a later time. These test takers are later evaluated to determine the accuracy of the predictions (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010, p.331). This can be useful in setting goals for the students to accomplish. The teacher can assess a student on content and then use that information to try to predict where a student will measure in the future. This can help the teacher be more prepared in giving the student the extra help they might need if it was predicted that they would fail in an academic area.

5. Construct validity evidence- is used to evaluate test outcomes to see if they match with what is being assessed. This means that an assessment has a correlation to material taught which matches a theory established (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010, p.332). Construct validity evidence is important to learning and assessment because it evaluates the consistency of a teacher’s instructional objectives to the test given.

6. Test-Retest or Stability- This means that students are required to take a test twice. Then the results are evaluated in order to find a connection among the scores and this is done to determine the reliability of the test (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010, p.342).

6.1. The importance of test-retest is that a teacher will be able to evaluate to a degree of how well the student learned the content on the tests. They can compare the results to evaluate if there is enough consistency to the tests.

7. Alternate forms or Equivalence- This means that there are two tests that are equally developed to assess a student on the same content. These tests are devised to determine the reliability of the results. This can be done by evaluating the results of the two tests and finding the connection among the test results (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010, p.343). This is important because the teacher can assess on whether the students comprehend the content. A teacher can compare the results to find out if the test was valid.

8. Internal Consistency- This requires that a test is to be broken up into two parts and they are to be administered with the same degree of difficulty. Then the results are evaluated to find a correlation among them (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010, p.343). Internal consistency is important because teachers will be able to evaluate the reliability of tests by comparing the results of the divided tests.