Assessing Heterogeneous Populations in an Era of Population Diversification

• In Event: Vice Presidential Invited Centennial Session: Issues and Challenges in the Fair and Valid Assessment of Diverse Populations in the 21st Century

Abstract

This presentation will address the challenges of assessing culturally and linguistically diverse populations in an era of globalization, international test comparisons, and increasing numbers of international migrants in the world. More specifically, the presentation will address the fact that recent, important conceptual developments concerning the assessment of skills relevant to life in the 21st century have not been corresponded with substantial advances in assessment practices concerning diversity. While necessary, existing approaches to addressing fairness in large-scale testing programs may not be sufficient to address the challenges that stem from this diversification. The presentation will contend that, to a large extent, these challenges stem from the lack of proper methodologies for examining and characterizing different forms of cultural and linguistic heterogeneity and are aggravated by high costs and tight time lines for assessment development, review, and adaptation. The presentation will discuss how proper population specification and more rigorous student population sampling methodologies can contribute to improved ways of addressing these challenges. The presentation also will examine sociolinguistic theory as critical to informing these sampling methodologies.

Author

• Guillermo Solano-Flores, Stanford University