Assessing Aptitude

Types of Abilities Each Test Appears To Measure

Culture-Fair IQTest

This test is primarily designed to test non-verbal intelligence while minimizing cultural and educational biases. It attempts to measure intelligence without the influence of an individual’s oralskills, culturalbackdrop, and educational background (Mitterer & Coon, 2014). It minimizes the importance of skills and knowledge that may be more common in some cultures than in others.

Verbal-Linguistic IntelligenceTest

Verbal linguistic intelligence test involves testing the ease in producing language and sensitivity to the nuances, order, and rhythm of words. Individuals who are strong in verbal-linguistic intelligence love to read, write, tell stories, and think in words.They have flairwith words and learn best by reading taking notes, listening to lecture and through discussion.

Visual-Spatial Intelligence Tests

Visual-spatial intelligence tests test the ability to create visual-spatial representations of the world and to transfer them mentally or concretely. Individuals who exhibit spatial intelligence need a mental or physical picture to best understand new information.

A Brief Summary and Interpretation of the Results

The results showed that my performance was fairlygood. The results of the Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence Test showed I had above average vocabulary, but it could be improved through practice and expanding my reading materials and making effort to learn new words. The culture-fair IQ test showed that my performance was reasonably good, implying I had some basic ability. Under the visual-spatial intelligence test, my results reflected that I had an average score.These test results were to a large extent consistent with my own understanding of myself.

Factors That Might Have Influenced My Performance

Research reveals several possible sources of bias in intelligence testing scores(Nash & Bernstein, 2006). First, non-cognitive factors can influence a person’s performance on IQ tests and may put certain groups at a disadvantage. Second, many intelligence test items are drawn from the vocabulary and experiences of the dominant middle class culture in the United States. As a result, these tests often measure achievement in acquiring knowledge valued by that culture. Third, some tests may reward those who interpret questions as expected by the test designer.

Additionally, although intelligence tests try to eliminate the effects of schooling, school attendance influences performance on these tests. Gender differences can also be a factor. According to Nash and Bernstein (2006), male do better in visual-spatial ability tests, while females have  the advantage in terms of  verbal tests.Family environment and ethnic group differences can also have an influence

Advantages and Disadvantages of Separate IQ Tests Instead of Comprehensive IQ Test

Advantages

The taking of separate IQ test has the advantage of enabling an individual be aware of intelligences he is most endowed with. That is, with separate IQ tests, the individual will be able to identify which among Gardner’s Nine Multiple Intelligences, namely, Linguistic, Existential, Interpersonal Social, Visual Spatial, Naturalistic, Musical, Bodily Kinesthetic, Intrapersonal, Logical Mathematical, and Visual Spatial Intelligences, he or she is most gifted in. This will in turn allow the individual to know which countenances of his intelligence he can improve on.

The scale of a Comprehensive IQ test is determined by scoring the responses to the test questions to achieve a single number that corresponds to the individual’saptitude. Unfortunately, this one number cannot particularize the extensiveness of a person’s intelligence. However, this is catered for through the use of individual IQ tests that try to break down an individuals’ intelligence into different components.

Individual IQ tests encourage an individual to be motivated and confident when using an intelligence they know is one of their strength. Additionally, through the use of individual IQ tests, an individual is able to know his strength and weaknesses.

Disadvantages

The disadvantage of taking separate IQ tests lies in the tiresomeness of its administration. To measure intelligence using separate IQ tests will be tiresome as it will involve administering different tests for the different intelligences. This will be tedious as opposed to the use of comprehensive IQ test which only involves the administration of one inclusive intelligence test.

Additionally, individual intelligence tests have the disadvantage that they try to measure some intelligence which according to some studies cannot be measured. For instance, constructs such as morality and spirituality cannot be considered as measurable intelligences yet some individual tests have been constructed to measure them. However, comprehensive IQ test measure IQ in general terms, evading this weakness.

Limitationsof Using Aptitude Tests over Other Forms of Measurement

First, aptitude test for any task consists of anassemblageof factors. An adequate aptitude test measures all the factors that would be necessary for success; this goal is impractical for it is unattainable. Secondly, aptitude tests that are valid for one job may not be valid for another and the estimates of accuracy of the aptitude tests vary with the person. Therefore the use of aptitude test may not be accurate in testing aintelligence. Thirdly, most tests of aptitude do not measure all factors important for success and do not consider the relationships between the several factors or the patters of factors, also many Aptitude tests have not been sufficiently validated. Finally, importance or weight attached to different factors may differ with each investigator.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Utilizing Online Assessments over Traditional Assessments

E-assessmentcovers the use of technology for a broad range of assessments.

Strengths

Setting up online assessments such as multiple-choice questions tests can initially be expensive in time and software, but when it is set up there is a saving since the assessments can be used time and again. Additionally, the process of administering paper-based assessments is lengthy and may require a lot of time to complete as opposed to online assessment.

Online assessments provide instant feedback to the student, as opposed to paper-pen assessments in a traditional learning setting. Students can know immediately how they performed in a test and thus modify their schema on a given topic currently under study.Test can also be programmed to become progressively harder based on correct answers, thus testing to the level of the student’s knowledge base (Sharma & Sharma, 2006).Other advantages include; it eliminates the possibility of human errors during grading, Cheating can be overcome by programming the assessment to pull randomized questions by having tests proctored.

Weakness

The weaknesses of online assessment include; not all students have an apt knowledge on how to use computers very well, and the use of online assessments does not give the instructors the option of seeing a student’s threadof thinking to get the answers. Additionally,online assessments also have the disadvantage that technology is not always reliable, materialcan be lost if the supporting systemstops working. In some cases, the instructors may also need technical assistance or expertise to create examinations, something that might not always be available. Finally, Students may need training in how to create or use authentic assessments such as online portfolios (Dawley, 2007).

 

References

Dawley, L. (2007). The Tools for Successful Online Teaching. Idea Group Inc (IGI).

Mitterer, J., & Coon, D. (2014). Psychology: Modules for Active Learning. Cengage Learning.

Nash, P. W., & Bernstein, D. (2006). Essentials of Psychology. Cengage Learning.

Sharma, R. K., & Sharma, R. N. (2006). Advanced Educational Psychology. Atlantic Publishers & Dist.

 
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