EXAMINATION

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xamination: Just like in the case of any physical examination, for example medical examination; in education, examination involves several testing’s’’. Examination is a close and an in-depth scheduled investigation of an individual as a learner with a series of testings in several areas or subjects as determined by the intention of the examination. The result of an examination is an aggregation of the results of several tests that make up the examination. The product of a test is always a score, which can be transformed into a grade, but the results of an examination, is always an aggregated grade. An examination involves a detailed, advanced and extended schedule and notification.                                                                      

Classical Test Theory: A test-based model that underlies the traditional practices in testing. But for an unestimateable error of measurement, it claims the observed sum of the scores on the items answered correctly during a testing situation as an estimate of the true ability that underlies performance in the test.

Item Response Theory: An item-level model that underlies modern testing practices. The probability             that a testee answers an item correctly is governed by the extent to which an item cognitive demand or cognitive resistant (item difficulty) differs from the ability of the item taker. During a testee-by-item interaction the ability of the person is pitched against the cognitive resistance of the item and the result of the encounter depends on the size of the difference between the two.  Hence, that which underlies a testee’s performance on an item is the extent to which an item cognitive demand differs from the ability of the item taker. The ability of the item taker or testee could be estimated not by the sum of the number of items he/she answers correctly but by the estimate of the cognitive demand of the item he/she has overcome. A testee has a higher probability of overcoming a less-demanding than a more- demanding item, and vice versa. Similarly, a testee with a high ability is more likely to overcome an item than a testee with low level of ability. Hence, for this model in the case of ability or achievement test, the probability of a correct response to an item is a function of the difference between ability and the level of an item cognitive demand.     

(c) ERMIC 2016