The Canadian Achievement Tests (CAT) is a test designed for students’ ages starting from 11 to 20-years old. This test consists largely of multiple-choice questions and some created response questions. The CAT is a standardized test of student achievement in areas of reading, language usage, vocabulary, mathematics, and calculation. CAT tests were at the start a derivative of the California Achievement Tests (Canadian Test Centre, 2002). Since CAT test for a level of areas it goes along the lines of Binet. Binet believed areas of testing could not be separate they in fact overlapped. Reading, vocabulary, and language usage all overlap so this is a good example of Binet’s suggestion that testing intelligence is a multifaceted measurement (Cohen & Swerdlik, 2010, pg 280).
The Primary Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (PTONI) this test is administered individually by asking the child to point to the object is a set of pictures or geometric designs, which would not go, belong in the picture. This test is for children three years, zero months to nine years, and eleven months. The PTONI was designed particularly to assess and measure the intellectual ability of young children when traditional assessments may not be feasible (Ehrler & McGhee, 2008). David Wechsler states in his assessment that working memory and processing speed. There are also non-intellective factors like personality traits that can affect data scoring. With children even using non-verbal can bring out their personality and contribute to their scoring on such test. (Cohen & Swerdlik, 2010, pg 280).
Evaluate the Measures of Intelligence
The Primary Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (PTONI) standardized sample included 1,010 children. The children ages were 0-3 to 9-11 years. Each child selected represented standard population of the nation. Test writers reported back appropriate means and standard deviations for both English and foreign language administration showed evidence language had not effect on overall results (Ehrler & McGhee, 2008). The reliability was based on a test-retest of 94 students who again were reassessed two weeks later. With both data combined it provided a good correlation of ample support for the tests reliability. The data to provide validity was included on the PTONI manual, which was content-description, criterion-prediction, and construct identification (Ehrler & McGhee, 2008).
The Canadian Achievement Test is designed for students ranging in age from 11 years to 20 years. CAT has eight different test booklets selected at levels. These test booklets are single documents that have all the questions for the specific test level. The time students have to take this test range from 140 minutes to 210 minutes. The answer sheets are either scored by the teacher’s answer key or can be sent to the test publisher for scanning and generate reports of students, class, and school reports. The CAT used 211 schools throughout Canada and 44,000 total students for the sampling. Content and structural characteristics’ of the CAT test made the validity of the test. The content validity evidence showed items matched the test specifications what was created by educators (Canadian Test Centre, 2002).
Compare and Contrast
All four test assessments dealt with children and adolescents devised to measure what children and adolescents learn and retain. All four of the assessments selected supplied specified material on how it was developed and intended for measuring abilities. Test of learning and memory was standardized to a sample of 1,961 individuals living in 28 different states. The test was administered like the others to individuals. This test only evaluated memory function. Ages were 5 through 59 years old. Evidence of validity was addressed by the response process involved in the assessment of task analyses for various subtests (Reynolds & Voress, 2007).
Ethical Considerations
Ethical considerations in assessment testing have its place in education because not all students learn the same way at the same pace. These assessment tests can see if there is an area of problem and student can receive the help needed. When using a large sampling it is important to make sure there is not a language barrier, wide arrays of students are used, and keep bias from happening.
Conclusion
As mentioned in the beginning we think of the terms intelligence and achievement as the same and in fact they are not. Achievement and intelligence testing have their places in an academic setting. These assessments help teachers and parents see exactly where their student is and where they might need areas of help. Out of the four assessments all things were considered and bias was not a problem.
References
Bardos, A. (2004). Basic achievement skills inventory. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Cohen, R. J., & Swerdlik, M. E. (2010). Psychological testing and assessment: An introduction to tests and measurement (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Canadian Test Centre, E. (2002). Canadian achievement test. (3rd ed.). Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Ehrler, D. J., & McGhee, R. (2008). Primary test of nonverbal intelligence. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Reynolds, C. R., & Voress, J. (2007). Test of memory and learning. (2nd ed.). Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
References
Achievement. (2011). Dictionary.com. Retrieved from
Cohen, R. J., & Swerdlik, M. E. (2010). Psychological testing and assessment: An introduction to tests and measurement (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Ehrler, D. J., & McGhee, R. (2008). Primary Test of Nonverbal Intelligence. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Facione, P., & Blohm, S. (2007). The Test of Everyday Reasoning. Retrieved from EBSCOhost
Northwest Evaluation, A. (2005). Measures of Academic Progress. Retrieved from EBSCOhost
Measures of academic progress
Robertson, A., Robertson, A., Fisher, J., Henderson, A., & Gibson, M. (1995). Quest, Second Edition. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
