In 2001, Jim Tognolini visited Ngee Ann Polytechnic and assisted in a study into the Polytechnic’s assessment practices. At the time, Tognolini was the Director, Educational Testing Centre, University of New South Wales, Australia.

In the following paper, Tognolini points out that when assessment is not valid, or not appropriate for the situation, problems are bound to occur. He quotes Jerold Zacharias:

“I feel emotionally toward the testing industry as I would toward any other merchant of death. I feel that way because of what they do to the kids. I’m not saying they murder every child – only 20 percent of them. Testing has distorted their ambitions, distorted their careers.”

Tognolini goes on to outline the differences between

• Norm-referenced assessment
• Criterion-referenced Assessment
• Standards-referenced Assessment

For the full paper:

» Assessment, by Jim Tognolini
(PDF, 20 kB, 5 pages.)