Sunday, October 21, 2007

Validity and reliability - issues and discussion

Topic: Validity and reliability - issues and discussion Date: 22 November 2006 1:35 PM
Subject: Usefulness??? Author: Mondy, Steven View PeopleLink Options for this User
It should be understood that validity and reliability are but two categories within the general notion of understanding a test’s usefulness. According to Bachman & Palmer, we need to understand a test’s usefulness ~ encompassing reliability, construct validity, authenticity, interactiveness, impact, and practicality (Bachman & Palmer, 1996, Language Testing in Practice, Oxford University Press, p. 18).
They go on to talk about how reliability is a necessary aspect of validity, but it does not necessarily meet the needs of validity, in all cases. What does this mean? Well, it may have something to do with a test being able to fulfill the requirements of getting consistent results over time, however, using the same test in varying situations (such as a proven grammar test, being used to test someone’s speaking ability) may be inappropriate as it does not address all the other aspects to a students speaking ability. It is, as a solitary test for speaking ability, invalid. What is to be learned from this? One thing is that we have to understand the aspects of the skill area that we are testing, to design not only a reliable test, but also a test that retrieves the results that we should be looking for.
We need to also understand that we should to be careful about using tests or test items that we know have worked in the past, with our existing students. There could be many things that invalidate the test. If we aren’t careful of what it is we need to test (our objectives), what we have actually taught in our classes, and our student’s needs, we may end up with results that are actually more harmful, because of bad backwash. Do I make any sense?
Steven Mondy

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