[Edu-sig] Python Programming: Procedural Online Test

[damon bryant]

>Could it be argued that the goal be for all students to score 100% on the
>desired content?
>

I would argue that it should be one of the goals in designing and 
implementing a training program. The test could have a different purpose. 
What we all have experienced in teaching students is that ability is 
distributed; more than likely that distribution is normal for whatever 
reason, and the variation of scores within the distribution can be tight 
(e.g., SAT quantitative scores at Rice) or loose (e.g., SAT quantitative 
scores at a junior college, assuming that the SAT is a requirement).

Psychological tests and measures can give us an indication of where students 
stand in a distribution (norm-referenced testing) or where each student's 
achievement level is relative to some absolute performance criterion 
(criterion-referenced testing) before, during, or after training. In other 
words, it depends on the purpose of testing, which is determined before it 
is designed and is a major evaluation point of its validity or accuracy in 
doing what it purports to do.

Damon