FTCE Physical Education K-12 Practice Test

What type of test is characterized by established validity and reliability?

1. Teacher-made Tests

2. Standardized Tests

3. Criterion-Referenced Tests

4. Essay Tests

The correct answer is: Standardized Tests

Standardized tests are designed to assess the performance of individuals against a uniform set of criteria and are administered in a consistent manner across various populations. One of the key features of standardized tests is their established validity and reliability. Validity refers to the extent to which a test measures what it is intended to measure, while reliability indicates the consistency of the test results over time or across different populations. These tests undergo rigorous development processes to ensure that they yield accurate and uniform results that can be compared across different demographics. Because of this systematic approach, standardized tests are widely accepted in educational settings for both formative and summative assessments, as they provide a reliable gauge of student performance and knowledge levels. In contrast, teacher-made tests may vary in quality, as they are created by individual educators and may not have undergone the same level of scrutiny for validity and reliability. Criterion-referenced tests are designed to measure specific skills or knowledge against a set standard but may not have the same broader applicability as standardized tests. Essay tests, while useful for assessing higher-order thinking skills, can introduce subjectivity into the grading process, which can affect their reliability. Therefore, standardized tests stand out for their established criteria in both validity and reliability, making them a preferred choice in assessments.