Assessment Critique on Curriculum Based Measure ✓ Solved

Assessment Critique on Curriculum Based Measure

Choose one Curriculum Based Measure to review and critique. The purpose of this critique is to provide additional information to your colleagues in understanding whether, when, and how to use and interpret common assessments. The final product will be a user-friendly handout that addresses the following components. Be sure to include in-text citations and a complete reference list.

Introduction

  • Test Title, Publisher, Publication Date

  • Materials

  • Cost

  • Target Client Populations (e.g., age range, areas of concern)

  • Recommended Uses/Purposes

Psychometric Properties

  • Norms

  • Reliability

  • Validity

  • Special Issues/Other Research

Test Administration

  • Procedures for Administering Test(s)

  • Recording Responses

  • Scoring Responses

Test Interpretation

  • Theoretical Foundation

  • Types of Scores

  • Score Meaning/Interpretation

Test Uses/Abuses/Evaluation

  • Recommended Uses

  • Uses to Avoid

  • Your Evaluation of Strengths & Weaknesses

  • Additional Resources (e.g., test reviews, articles, web sites)

Critique: A one-page narrative critique is included that provides the following:

  • A. Rationale for the recommendations uses and what to avoid

  • B. Rationale for the strengths and weaknesses

Paper For Above Instructions

For this assignment, I will critique the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessment. This curriculum-based measure has been widely utilized in elementary schools across the United States to assess early literacy skills.

Introduction

Test Title: DIBELS

Publisher: University of Oregon

Publication Date: 2015 (latest edition)

Materials: The DIBELS assessment includes standardized test materials for various early literacy skills including phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, and reading fluency.

Cost: The cost structure varies based on the school district's agreement with the publisher but typically includes an initial fee for materials and ongoing costs for updates, training, and support.

Target Client Populations: DIBELS is primarily designed for students in grades K-6, focusing on those who are at risk for reading difficulties.

Recommended Uses/Purposes: It is recommended for screening, progress monitoring, and outcome evaluation.

Psycometric Properties

Norms: DIBELS uses national norms to compare individual student scores against representative samples.

Reliability: DIBELS demonstrates high reliability, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients showing strong internal consistency across various sub-tests.

Validity: Research supports that DIBELS is a valid predictor of later reading achievement, aligning well with outcomes in major reading assessments.

Special Issues/Other Research: Some critiques suggest that while DIBELS is effective for screening, it cannot capture the full complexity of literacy development.

Test Administration

Procedures for Administering Test(s): DIBELS assessments can be administered individually or in small groups by trained educators. Initial training ensures teacher administration reliability.

Recording Responses: Educators record students’ responses during the assessment, allowing for immediate feedback on student performance.

Scoring Responses: Scores are determined based on the correct answers within a set time limit, providing quantitative data on each student’s fluency and comprehension.

Test Interpretation

Theoretical Foundation: DIBELS is based on the Simple View of Reading which posits that reading comprehension depends on both word recognition and language comprehension.

Types of Scores: The primary scores include raw scores, percentile ranks, and instructional recommendations based on cutoff scores.

Score Meaning/Interpretation: Scores can indicate a student’s reading level, identify areas for intervention, and track progress over time.

Test Uses/Abuses/Evaluation

Recommended Uses: DIBELS is recommended for identifying students who need interventions, measuring progress, and informing instructional decisions.

Uses to Avoid: It should not be relied upon as the sole indicator for high-stakes decisions such as retention or special education placement.

Your Evaluation of Strengths & Weaknesses: The strengths of DIBELS include its efficiency, ease of use, and strong psychometric support. However, its weaknesses lie in potential overemphasis on fluency over comprehension and a narrow focus on early literacy skills.

Additional Resources: For further information on DIBELS and its applications, refer to the National Center for Intensive Intervention website, as well as various educational journals focused on literacy assessments.

Critique

The DIBELS assessment provides substantial benefits in early literacy assessment with valid and reliable measurements. However, educators should employ this tool as part of a broader spectrum of assessments, keeping in mind its limitations. The recommendations for use include consistent implementation and professional development for staff to prevent misinterpretation of results. Strengths include its effectiveness in identifying at-risk students quickly, while weaknesses primarily revolve around its narrower focus that may overlook students’ holistic literacy needs.

References

  • Good, R. H., & Kaminski, R. A. (2011). DIBELS next technical manual. Dynamic Measurement Group.

  • National Center on Intensive Intervention. (2016). Reading and literacy interventions. Retrieved from https://intensiveintervention.org

  • Shapiro, E. S. (2011). Academic assessment tools: a review. Psychology in the Schools.

  • Kame'enui, E. J., & Simmons, D. C. (1999). Designing high-quality formative assessments. Educational Leadership.

  • Fuchs, L. S., & Fuchs, D. (2006). Curriculum-based assessment for instructional design. The Handbook of Adaptive Learning Technologies.

  • McCoach, D. B., & O'Connell, A. A. (2006). The effects of assessment on literacy instruction. Intervention in School and Clinic.

  • Allington, R. L. (2001). What really matters in response to intervention. The Education Digest.

  • Perfetti, C. A. (2007). Reading ability: lexical quality to comprehension. Scientific Studies of Reading.

  • Wechsler, D. (2014). Wechsler Individual Achievement Test. Pearson.

  • Torgesen, J. K. (2004). Preventing and correcting reading difficulties. Report from the National Reading Panel.