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Selecting an assessment tool
Good formal assessment is valid (based on what students have learned) and reliable (results can be replicated), and should provide information on what students have learned, what they need to learn and, where appropriate, how they measure up against expectations for their cohort.
It is the responsibility of teachers and schools to choose formal assessment tools that will provide the most valid and reliable information on student learning.
There are a number of questions that schools and teachers will want to ask when selecting an assessment tool for their purposes. These include:
- Is the tool of New Zealand origin?
- Is it standardised?
- What is the purpose of the assessment tool?
- How should it be administered?
The Assessment Tool Selector allows users to select and compare tools within these parameters and more. For detailed information on what to look for when seeking an appropriate assessment tool go to Considerations when choosing an assessment tool.
To learn how to select a tool using the Assessment Tool Selector, view this video tutorial: Selecting an assessment tool using the Assessment Tool Selector.
Related concepts
Reliability and validity
The reliability of an assessment tool is the extent to which it consistently and accurately measures learning. The validity of an assessment tool is the extent by which it measures what it was designed to measure.