Reich Article

The author of this article is taking a look at the reasoning and deductive skills involved in multiple choice test taking. He then weighs the results against the guidelines the test makers included the questions for. Essentially, the author is testing the quality of the state adminstered test against the state standard education by using not only the results of the tests themselves but the individual thought processes of each student taking the test in regard to how they produced each answer. All in all, the article represents a fairly complicated but understandibly important test of validity that has the potential of influincing and shaping how we educate and test students going forward.

If I had the opportunity to ask questions to the researcher the first question I would ask is if he plans to do this test on a larger scale? More studetns? Across multiple states? etc.

I would then ask if he expects to see similar results?

I would then ask what considerations should be made to future history curriculums and tests?

I would then ask what forms of test taking represent "best practices" in regard to using the proper reasoning to produce the correct answer? Essay? Short answer? etc.

How effective of a measure are the "think aloud" sessions? What I mean is as an observer in the think aloud 1:1 setting, how reliant is that method of really letting the student think-aloud? Would an empty, microphoned room elicit different responses?