Norm-Referenced Assessment
Norm-Referenced Assessment
Norm-referenced assessment is a mode of evaluation that is done through comparing the performance of an individual to that of the group norm or average. This kind of assessment is crucial for realizing how a student ranks in comparison with his/her peer group, which can thus help the authorities in making educational decisions and recommending other types of intervention.
What is the primary purpose of norm-referenced assessments?
Assessments that rely on norms primarily serve the function of determining a student's level of performance in contrast to that of a specified peer group which is usually determined by age or grade level. Thus, teachers can have the advantage of being able to locate a learner's position with respect to that of their classmates, use this information in planning appropriate educational strategies, and accordingly identify the ones who need extra assistance. To illustrate, when a student has a score of 75th percentile on the reading assessment, it suggests that their result was higher than that of 75% of their peers.
How do norm-referenced assessments differ from criterion-referenced assessments?
Norm-referenced tests are those that emphasize the comparison of individual performance with a norm group, while criterion-referenced tests demonstrate the student performance against the particular standards or conditions. For example, a norm-referenced examination could reveal the position of a student among the colleagues, while a criterion-referenced examination measures whether the student has mastered certain learning goals, like, for instance, the math test with a score of 70% or more.
What are some advantages of using norm-referenced assessments?
Norm-referenced assessments are beneficial for a number of reasons, such as (i) the finding of relative strengths and weaknesses of students in order to help with their placement in appropriate programs, (ii) their value in terms of accountability, as they create a foundation for performance comparisons across need schools and districts, and (iii) using standardized tests, such as SAT, to assess students& college readiness against a national sample.
What are some limitations of norm-referenced assessments?
Norm-referenced assessments have one drawback being that they may stir up a sort of competitive atmosphere in which only a few, those ranking the highest, are given the due recognition vieing with the other ones who are ordinary or problematic. Furthermore, the extent to which the assessments measure personal year's individual stat can be almost non-existent as they measure just relative standing. To put it in perspective, a student who works hard and achieves significant improvement yet is still in the lower percentile of ranking might not be awarded the recognition they deserve.