Setting performance standards, known also as "cut-off scores," is one of the most important practice in test construction and practice. A number of standard-setting methods have been proposed and employed in testing and measurement practice over the p ...
Setting performance standards, known also as "cut-off scores," is one of the most important practice in test construction and practice. A number of standard-setting methods have been proposed and employed in testing and measurement practice over the past 30 years (Cizek, 2001; Looney, 1989; Safrit, 1989).
In educational testing practice, Extended Angoff method (Livingston & Zieky, 1982; Plake, 1998) has often been used to set standards for performance tasks. It has the following advantages: It is more holistic; can reduce the standard setting participant’s cognitive burden; can be used in variety kind of item and task formats (Cizek, Bunch, & Koons, 2004). Therefore, it is recommended for setting standards for complex performance assessment tasks (Cizek, Bunch, & Koons, 2004; James & Plake, 2000). Although the Angoff method has been introduced to the field of physical education (Yong et al., 2000), it has not been applied in practice.
Although no performance standard has been set up for the NASPE standard assessment tasks being developed, the competence level has been set as "3 = usually 75%" all grades (i.e., Kindergarten, 2nd, 5th, 8th grades and High school). Standard setting based on a percentage is no longer accepted, according to the Standards of Educational and Psychological Testing (AERA, APA, & NCME, 1999). The performance standards of NASPE assessment tasks should be set up using more appropriate methods.
The purposes of this study is to apply an appropriate methods, Extended Angoff method, to NASPE assessment tasks for their performance standard setting and evaluate its application utility.
Three elementary school teachers and two university faculty are recruited as the panel. The rating was consisted of round 1 and round 2. In round 1, panel members are asked to estimate the possible scores that students with a minimal competence level will likely to achieve at 32 subtasks which scored 0-4, in 11 tasks (Basketball: Dribble/ Pass/ Receive, Basketball: Defense, Basketball: Offense, Dance, Floor Hockey: Dribble & Shoot, Gymnastics, Inline skating, Soccer: Dribble/ Pass/ Receive, Soccer: Offense, Striking with a paddle, Overhand throw) in grade 5.
For round 2, panels are provided the result of other panel members’ judgment in round 1, and the summary of student’s actual performance data (e.g., % at each competence level), and asked to repeat their judging in round 1. After all ratings, the cut-off score are determined from the median of 5 panel members’ judgment scores based on the result of round 2.
In results, the cut-off score (level) are obtained at level 2 in 19 subtasks (60% of subtasks) and at level 3 in 13 subtasks (40% of subtasks).