Document Type : Research Paper
Author
Faculty member of Department of Educational Sciences, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
Abstract
The principle of the classical test theory (CCT) have long been used by test developers to construct educational and psychological tests and scales. In recent years, however, it has been found that the CTT is not capable of offering solution for certain problems that the test developer is facing with. For example, it is said that the CCT is unable to provide a clear indication of the relationship between test items and the examinee's ability that test items are to measure.
In other words, classical item analyses statistics don't provide information about how examinees at different ability levels on the trait have performed on the item. Having discovered the limitations of the CCT, psychometricians have tried to introduce new test theory.
This article will briefly discuss the basic assumptions of the CCT on which most of the educational and psychological tests and scales are built. Next the test reliability, one of the most powerful and they're lying concepts in the CCT, which was first introduced by the British psychologist, Spearman, in early 20th century, will be reviewed. Finally, the limitations of CCT will be pointed out and the common views of the critics regarding the shortcomings of the CCT will be discussed. Proponents of the new theory believe that any psychological and educational test or scale should provide a clear indication of the true estimation of what is intended to be measured. Therefore the need for new test theories has to be satisfied.
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