Major Field Test Education Test Description

MAJOR FIELD TESTS

Colleges and universities use the Major Field Tests to Test Length measure student academic achievement and growth and to assess the educational outcomes of their major All Major Field Tests are multiple-choice exams programs. In addition, academic departments use the lasting two hours (three hours for MBA), and Major Field Tests to evaluate their curricula and to administered in a proctored environment. However, measure the progress of their students. The tests also the addition of optional locally developed questions provide students with an assessment of their own level may result in a longer testing period. of achievement within a field of study compared to that of students in their program and to national Test Administration comparative data. Departments or schools choose when and where to give Background the tests; however, the tests are normally administered during the senior year when students have completed Development of the Major Field Tests began in 1989, the majority of courses in the major. Many institutions modeled on the development of the Graduate Record administer the tests as part of the requirements of a ® ® Examinations (GRE ) Subject Tests. However, capstone course. unlike the GRE Subject Tests, the Major Field Tests do not serve as a predictor of graduate school success, but National Comparative Data are designed to measure the basic knowledge and understanding achieved by senior undergraduates in A Comparative Data Guide, published each year, their major field of study. Each test is revised contains tables of scale scores and percentiles for approximately every five years. Experienced teaching individual student scores, departmental mean scores, faculty members representing all the relevant areas of a and any subscores or group assessment indicators that discipline participate in determining test specifications, the tests may support. The tables of data are drawn questions, and types of scores reported. ETS from senior-level test takers at a large number of assessment experts subject each question to rigorous diverse institutions. More than 500 colleges and tests of sensitivity and reliability. In addition, every universities employ one or more of the Major Field effort is made to include questions that assess the most Tests for student achievement and curriculum common and most important topics and skills within evaluation each year. each major field of study.

Scores Test Content Major Field Test score reports are sent directly to the The Major Field Tests are designed to assess mastery office within an institution that purchases them, such as of concepts, principles, and knowledge expected a department chairperson, dean, or director of testing. of students at the conclusion of an academic major Results of the tests are reported for the entire group of in specific subject areas. In addition to factual test takers, as well as for individual students. Overall knowledge, the tests evaluate students’ abilities to student scores are reported on a scale of 120–200; analyze and solve problems, understand relationships, subscores (which many of the tests include) are and interpret material. The tests may contain questions reported on a scale of 20–100. Another score reported that require interpretation of graphs, diagrams, and for most of the tests is based on group-level charts based on material related to the field. Academic achievement in subfields of the discipline. These departments may add up to 50 additional locally “assessment indicators” report the average percent of written questions to test areas of a discipline that may a subset of test questions answered correctly by all be unique to the department or institution. students tested. On Major Field Tests, only correct answers are scored, so students are not penalized for omissions or guesses.

EDUCATION (Current form introduced in January 2003)

The Major Field Test in Education contains 150 E. The evolution and methodology of multiple-choice questions, some of which are grouped measurement in education, including in sets and based on such materials as test-scores, data, analysis of crucial concepts related to and descriptions of pupil behavior. Questions are testing and measurement, assessment of drawn from courses that are generally available to all student growth, including basic concepts initial licensure undergraduate education majors. The in measurement and statistics, assessment test covers basic knowledge and skills needed by any methods (such as standardized and prospective teacher, regardless of the person’s teacher-made tests, criterion- and norm- particular training, grade-level interest, or subject- referenced tests, and alternative means), matter specialty. and measurement of personal-social adjustment, affective outcomes, and The perspectives from which the substantive content of biases in assessment. education is generally drawn include, historical and philosophical foundations, learning and development, II. Curriculum and Instruction (30 to 35 percent curriculum, instructional methods, and measurement of the questions) and assessment. These areas are the focus of the questions on the test. Content from specific subject- A. Evolution of the curriculum in the matter courses such as mathematics or literature is not schools, future trends, and philosophical included. The test is designed to emphasize the dimensions of curriculum issues. relationships among content dimensions of education. Therefore, the particular pattern of courses students B. Curriculum as related to stages of growth, have taken is likely to be less critical than their ability development and learning factors to integrate the knowledge and skills they have gained (including diversity of cultures, language, from their courses. and ability and adaptations for needs of learners), and best practices. The approximate distribution of questions according to content categories is as follows: C. Current curriculum as related to societal demands on education I. Learning and Development (40 to 45 percent of the questions) D. Sociocultural considerations such as the role of evaluation in instruction, the uses A. The theories of teaching-learning and and implications of standardized testing, their relationship to curriculum types and uses of student records and data, and teaching style. evaluation of educational programs.

B. Logical aspects of teaching including E. Using assessment data to plan defining, explaining, questioning, and class/individual instruction. evaluating claims. F. Text selection, use (abuse), adaptation, C. The nature of the learner, including accommodations, etc. Integration of intellectual, emotional-social, cognitive, technology into plans and strategies for moral, cultural, atypical and physical teaching and learning. development. III. Contexts of Education (20 to 25 percent of the D. The teaching-learning process, including questions) kinds of learning, basic concepts and principles of learning, guidance of A. The aims of education and their learning in the classroom, models of proponents and justifications, viewed teaching, classroom organization and philosophically and historically. The role management, and metacognition. of education as related to community goals, a pluralistic society, and various

social and political systems. Global issues, immigration, and mobile populations.

B. The aims of education in relation to the physical, emotional, social, and Scores on the Education II Test are reported as intellectual development of the child. follows:

C. Sociocultural considerations, such as the Total Score: influences of social class stratification in Reported for each student and summarized for the working and learning, styles of teaching group. and patterns of social control, and the

teacher’s role as a member of the social Subscores: system. Reported for each student and summarized for the

group. D. Collaboration with family, community,

and other professionals to promote Learning and Development (60-67) student learning. The parent’s role in Curriculum and Instruction (45-52) education. Contexts of Education (30-37)

______E. Professionalism and students rights & ethical issues; such as invasion of Numbers in parentheses are approximate number of questions privacy, informal consent, risk, code of in each category. ethics, reflective practice and self- assessment, collaboration, knowledge of laws including IDEA, child abuse, etc., and professional organizations.

Levels of Cognition

The test questions address levels of cognition in the following proportions:

• Knowledge (about 25-40 percent of the questions) Remembering or recognizing appropriate terminology, facts, ideas, materials, trends, sequences, methodology, principles, and generalizations.

• Comprehension (about 25-40 percent of the questions) Understanding written communication, reports, tables, diagrams, directions, regulations, etc.

• Application (about 30-50 percent of the questions) Applying ideas, rules of procedure, methods, formulae, principles, and theories in job-related situations.

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