Guidance from Iowa Testing Program (August 2005)
| Q: |
Is it ever appropriate to develop practice tests locally that are similar in content or format to the actual test forms currently in use? |
No, when practice materials that essentially “clone” the operational test that is in use are developed, the situation is somewhat akin to using a previous form of the test, .... Limiting the focus of instruction to such materials, even for a brief but intense time period just before testing, creates limits on the generalizability of the test scores. Furthermore, such “practice tests” move the focus of instruction to isolated bits of content instead of the broader skills that should be the target of student learning. (pp. 5-6)
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