TABLE OF CONTENTS Testing is important for measuring learning in program evaluations. Pre- and postcourse comparisons using tests are very common. An improvement in test scores shows the change in skill, knowledge, or attitude attributed to the program. The principles of test development are similar to those for the design and development of questionnaires and attitude surveys. This section presents additional information on types of tests and test construction (Westgaard, 1999).
Several types of tests, which can be classified in three ways, are used in HRD. The first is based upon the medium used for administering the test.
Norm-referenced tests compare participants with each other or to other groups rather than to specific instructional objectives. They are characterized by using data to compare the participants to the "norm" or average. Although norm-referenced tests have only limited use in some HRD evaluations, they may be useful in programs involving large numbers of participants in which average scores and relative rankings are important. In some situations, participants who score highest on the exams are given special recognition or awards or made eligible for other special activities.
The criterion-referenced test (CRT) is an objective test with a predetermined cut-off score. The CRT is a measure against carefully written objectives for the HRD program. In a CRT, the interest lies in whether or not participants meet the desired minimum standards, not how that participants ranks with others. The primary concern is to measure, report, and analyze participant performance as...
