Essay Question # 2
Johnathan Oney
Essay Question # 2
Liberty University
It is indeed a fair conclusion that clinicians are ultimately responsible for the appropriate use of a test, if the clinician is the person administering or using the test to evaluate or measure a specific aspect of the client. It is my opinion that the professional or test user, whether a mental health clinician, school district, or hospital administrator, is responsible for the use of the test. The test user should possess a knowledge and/or skills of different aspects of the assessment which include testing material, scoring, administering, and reporting test scores, as well as the ability to obtain and evaluate information about the quality, reliability, and validity of the instrument. The Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education (1999) defines a test user as “people and agencies that select tests, administer tests, commission test development and services, or make decisions on the basis of test scores” (pg. 2). According to the Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education (1999), the role and primary responsibility of the test user is to “select tasks that meet the intended purpose and that are appropriate for the intended test taker” (pg. 5).
The responsibility of choosing the correct test is a process which includes considering “the purpose for testing, the content and skills to be tested, and the intended test takers, as well as the ability to “select and use the most appropriate test based on a through review of available information” (pg. 5). Whitson (2009) defines a qualified test user by his or her ability to “understand legal and ethical principles regarding test security, demonstrate an acute understanding of the paramount importance of the well being of the client and confidentiality of test scores, as well as “seeking ongoing educational and training opportunities to maintain competence” (pg. 13). The American Counseling Association deems the clinician totally responsible
Essay Question # 2
Liberty University
It is indeed a fair conclusion that clinicians are ultimately responsible for the appropriate use of a test, if the clinician is the person administering or using the test to evaluate or measure a specific aspect of the client. It is my opinion that the professional or test user, whether a mental health clinician, school district, or hospital administrator, is responsible for the use of the test. The test user should possess a knowledge and/or skills of different aspects of the assessment which include testing material, scoring, administering, and reporting test scores, as well as the ability to obtain and evaluate information about the quality, reliability, and validity of the instrument. The Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education (1999) defines a test user as “people and agencies that select tests, administer tests, commission test development and services, or make decisions on the basis of test scores” (pg. 2). According to the Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education (1999), the role and primary responsibility of the test user is to “select tasks that meet the intended purpose and that are appropriate for the intended test taker” (pg. 5).
The responsibility of choosing the correct test is a process which includes considering “the purpose for testing, the content and skills to be tested, and the intended test takers, as well as the ability to “select and use the most appropriate test based on a through review of available information” (pg. 5). Whitson (2009) defines a qualified test user by his or her ability to “understand legal and ethical principles regarding test security, demonstrate an acute understanding of the paramount importance of the well being of the client and confidentiality of test scores, as well as “seeking ongoing educational and training opportunities to maintain competence” (pg. 13). The American Counseling Association deems the clinician totally responsible
Bibliography: American Counseling Association. Code of ethics. (2005). Retrieved from www.counseling.org/ resources/codeofethics/TP/home/ct2.aspx National Council on Measurement in Education. Code of fair testing practices in education. (1999). Retrieved from www.ncme.org/resources/fairtesting.cfm Whitson, S.C. (2009). Principles and applications of assessment in counseling. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.