7 Measurement Training in Nebraska Teacher Education Programs

One of the most common activities in which teachers engage is assessment of students. Stiggins and Conklin (1988) estimated that teachers spend as much as a third of their professional time in assessment-related activities. Although teachers need a variety of observational and problem-solving skills for effective classroom as-sessment (see chapter 2 by Richard Stiggins in this volume), a substantial portion of classroom assessment activities draws upon teachers ' skills in testing and measurement. If they do not have a firm understanding of basic principles of measurement, teachers are more likely to engage in unsatisfactory assessment practices. Hence, a necessary (though by no means sufficient) requirement for effective classroom assessment is that teachers be skilled in measurement. By and large, the measurement demands being placed on the classroom teacher appear to be increasing, both in amount and sophistication. Curriculum-based assessment, which requires fre