Commercial Versus Internally Developed Standardized Tests: Lessons From a Small Regional School

Abstract

The author compares the efficacy of commercially available and internally developed standardized tests and evaluates their strengths and weakness in assessing student learning outcomes. The author shares the experience of a regional school in developing a standardized test to assess business knowledge. Data from a sample of 268 students were used to assess the reliability and validity of the test. The author explains how test results can be used for program improvements and concludes with a discussion of the overall benefits of that endeavor. The lessons learned may be useful to other schools seeking to develop their own test.

Keywords:

• AACSB accreditation
• assessment
• assurance of learning
• standardized tests