The ABCs of Educational Testing

Demystifying the Tools That Shape Our Schools

“In the wonderful The ABCs of Educational Testing, Jim Popham says, “Too few folks who should know something about educational testing do not,” and sadly, he is right. If people in his five target audiences (teachers, educational administrators, educational policymakers, parents of school-age children, and everyday citizens) read this entertaining  (yes, “entertaining,” a word not often associated with educational testing!) and informative book it would go a long way toward correcting this unfortunate reality.

With his unique phrases and word choices (e.g., “I find myself magnetically drawn to a textbook that I wrote myself.”) Jim Popham clearly describes and explains the critical aspects of educational testing that need widespread understanding. He stresses the importance of tests being used and interpreted for the purpose for which they are intended, and shows why many of the tests used to evaluate schools, teachers and students are inappropriate. He does this through 10 short chapters that illuminate his 9 assessment-related understandings and his concerns about the lack of assessment literacy. In particular, he provides clarity to often confusing concepts such as validity and reliability and fairness in testing.

Popham says that “hands down” the chapter on validity is the most important, but for me the most important chapter is the one on formative assessment, which he identifies as “inexcusably underused.” I consider this to be the most important because my major involvement is with K-12 teachers and administrators and until recently most teachers and administrators, through no fault of their own, have not understood the instructional uses of assessment. This is changing because of the influence of people like Jim Popham, Rick Stiggins and Dylan Wiliam. Jim provides a definition of formative assessment that stresses that it is a process (not an event) that provides evidence, which enables teachers to adjust their teaching and students to adjust their learning strategies so that greater learning takes place. Traditionally teachers have put a number on everything students do and every number has been part of student grades regardless of the purpose of the assessment, but the research shows that it is descriptive feedback and identifying student understandings and misconceptions while the learning is going on that makes the greatest contribution to improving student achievement. Jim Popham understands this and makes the case that it is “remarkably effective” and “seriously underutilized.” 

To sum up, this book is a must read for the five audiences that Popham identifies because it is critical that everyone has the 9 assessment related understandings that he so eloquently and clearly explains and describes.”

“With The ABC’s of Educational Testing, Jim Popham continues his quest to support and enlighten all who have a stake in improving our educational systems. This short but immensely powerful instrument is in the form of a 10-chapter “chat” about the often-inscrutable business of student testing in our schools.

Popham’s book explains the sometimes impenetrable language of educational testing in a way that is easy to comprehend and appreciate. Each chapter illuminates a specific issue that that affords the reader a clear translation of the understanding, meaning, and important role of that particular issue in student assessment.

The book is precisely directed at five audiences who would have a clear impact on testing in schools: classroom teachers, educational administrators, educational policymakers, parents of school-aged children, and everyday citizens. It has the lofty yet simple aim of assuring that educational testing is understood and used as a potent tool for student learning rather than in other more pejorative and inappropriate ways.

Popham’s inimitable style is sure to capture the interest and engagement of any reader with an interest in student assessment. This book will be an indispensable guide for individuals and groups who want to help understand, monitor, and provide guidance for educational testing in their schools.”   

"This is a wonderfully entertaining book about a most serious matter—what teachers and other educators need to know about testing—written by one of our nation's finest educators and most engaging writers. The ABCs of Educational Testing is a highly readable, engaging, and authoritative book that allows teachers to design, use, and interpret educational tests in an appropriate way. 

It ensures that educational tests will reflect the purpose they were intended to fulfill, making the data obtained useful to educators instead of alien to them. It provides the basics of test design and interpretation in a lucid and engaging manner and is highly recommended for educators, particularly teachers and school board members. It provides them with everything they need to know about test construction and interpretation—and it does so in a lively manner. 

The ABCs of Educational Testing will help correct the inappropriate and misleading use of educational testing, one of our nation's growth industries.”

In this wonderfully entertaining book, Jim Popham provides us with a concise and readable summary of the absolute essentials of educational assessment. With the sure touch of someone who really understands his subject, he makes complex, abstract ideas accessible to everyone. Anyone who is interested in how to improve education—teachers, administrators, policymakers, parents—needs to read this book.

“Jim Popham has done it again! He has found the topic that educators must understand in this quantitative age—testing and accountability—and once more writes with clarity, grace, and a little levity about technical matters. I can’t think of a better way to communicate the essential information that on its face may look daunting. Jim’s book is approachable and helpful.”