What is Criterion-Referenced Test? (CRT)

 

Criterion referenced test was introduced by an American psychologist Robert Glaser in 1963. A criterion-referenced test is a style of test which uses test scores to generate a statement about the behavior that can be expected of a person with that score. Most tests and quizzes that are written by school teachers can be considered as criterion-referenced tests. In this case, the objective is simply to see whether the student has learned the material. A criterion-referenced test is designed to measure a students’ academic performance against some standard or criteria. Criterion-referenced tests compare a students’ knowledge and skills against a predetermined standard, learning goal, performance level or other criteria. In criterion-referenced tests, the performance of other students does not affect a students’ scores. Mostly, schools use criterion-referenced tests to assess the specific knowledge and skills students have most likely learned in order to assess how close a student is to mastering a specific standard. We can say that criterion-referenced tests are designed to assess whether an individual has a particular set of competencies and skills. The measurement by which the real knowledge of student in a subject is measured is called as criterion-referenced test. With criterion-referenced tests, each person’s performance is compared directly to the standard, without considering how other students perform on the test. Criterion-referenced tests have been compared to driver’s-license exams, which require would-be drivers to achieve a minimum passing score to earn a license.

Characteristics

·         Its main objective is to measure student’s achievement of curriculum based skills.

·         It is balanced representation of goals and objectives.

·         It is used to evaluate the curriculum plan instruction progress and group student’s interaction.

·         It can be administered before and after instruction.

·         It is generally reported in the form of minimum scores, number of correct items and derived score based on correct items and other factors.

·         Students are assessed independently, their performance is not compared to that of another student.

·         The focus is student learning rather than scoring well.

·         The assessment criteria are fixed.

·         It usually deliver quick results.

Advantages

·         Students are not competing with each other.

·         Students are thus more likely to actively help each other learn.

·         A students’ grade is not influenced by the caliber of the class.

·         Specificity.

·         Topic expertise.

·         Controlled on a local level.

Disadvantages

·         Most experienced faculty set criteria based on their knowledge of how students usually perform.

·         Some tests can be time-consuming and expensive.

·         It is difficult to set a reasonable standard for students.

·         Students may take undue advantage by gaining prior access.

·         Criterion-referenced systems often become fairly similar to norm-referenced tests.

·         Many instructors and administrators are undertrained, so they can’t maximize on test results.

·         They cannot be generalized beyond a certain point. 

Types of criterion-referenced type tests

Criterion-referenced tests are mainly of the following types:

(1) Questionnaires and Surveys

These could be about the following:

·         The number of children served.

·         The number of children handled by their Respective Language Groups.

·         The usual level of schooling of parents.

Expected replies are on a scale of 1 to 5 on an observation form or survey etc. This information can be scored and examined.

(2) True or false questions

In this format, a given sentence can either be true or false. The student might be asked to select the correct statement or the false statement or state whether the given statement is true or false.

 

(3) Multiple choice questions

In this type of criterion-referenced tests, multiple choices follow a single question. There is only one answer and the scores depend on the number of correct answers chosen.

 

(4) Open-ended questions

In this, the student may be asked to write a short answer or an essay or summarize a passage. It may also include a combination of different question types.

 

Use of CRT in Education

In elementary and secondary education, criterion-referenced tests are used to evaluate whether students have learned a specific body of knowledge or acquired a specific skill set. For example, the curriculum taught in a course, academic program, or content area.

If students perform at or above the established expectations for example by answering a certain percentage of questions correctly, they will pass the test, meet the expected standards. On a criterion-referenced test, every student taking the exam could theoretically fail if they don’t meet the expected standard, alternatively, every student could earn the highest possible score. On criterion-referenced test, it is not possible but desirable for every student to pass the test to earn a perfect score.