Explanation of Test Items

Any type of measurements created in the classroom needs to meet the objectives presented otherwise both the measurements and objectives will prove to be useless.  Multiple choice questions allow for a higher level of measurement in the taxonomy levels of education meaning that higher order thinking can be assessed when using these types of questions (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010).  Although many may feel that using multiple choice questions are not effective with younger students, but in this case it might prove to be useful because each objective attempts to build on clearly understanding the previous objective (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010).  Because the first objective focuses on understanding the numbers between ten and twenty, students must first know their numbers to be able to add and subtract within that range.  There will only be one answer and using the fill in the blanks option requires students to be able to recall this information and meet the first object while the multiple choice questions require the students to build on top of their previous knowledge of number order and how numbers function within the context of one another.  Having students be able to select from a set of choices allows them to use deduction and reasoning to decide on the correct answer after working the problems.  It is important to ensure that the multiple choice problem is written well so as to address any flaws that can come about such as grammatical or not clearly stating what is being asked (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010).  Using fill in the blank and multiple choice to assess the outcomes can prove to be simple enough for first graders to understand what is being asked of them as well as show higher order thinking building on basic knowledge that was taught previously.

Kubiszyn, T. & Borich, G. D. (2010), Educational testing and measurement: Classroom application and practice (9th ed.). United States: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.