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Commentary: Understanding What We Measure and Measuring What We Understand

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Changing Assessments

Part of the book series: Evaluation in Education and Human Services ((EEHS,volume 30))

Abstract

This volume has several goals, one of which is to consider some of the ways that contemporary views of intelligence and contemporary research in cognitive science can contribute to new approaches to assessment and instruction. On the positive side, the chapters represent excellent summaries of historical and contemporary issues relating to the uses, functions and limitations of traditional standardized testing procedures. They also provide important insights into new ways of approaching the task of assessment. Unfortunately, I must agree with Shepard (this volume) that the goal of making this information transparent to policy makers has probably not been met. It may well be the case that such a goal is unattainable for various reasons, one of which is the typical “rules” of academic discourse. It is highly likely that the present comments will suffer from the same academic opaqueness. Nonetheless, I will try to focus on some of the key issues facing educational researchers, teachers, test developers and policy makers regarding the whole enterprise of assessment.

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Authors
  1. James W. Pellegrino
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of California, Berkeley, USA

    Bernard R. Gifford

  2. Boston University, USA

    Mary Catherine O’Connor

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© 1992 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Pellegrino, J.W. (1992). Commentary: Understanding What We Measure and Measuring What We Understand. In: Gifford, B.R., O’Connor, M.C. (eds) Changing Assessments. Evaluation in Education and Human Services, vol 30. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2968-8_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2968-8_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5318-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-2968-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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