18.021 - The Challenges of Assessing Across Languages and Cultures

Session Type: Invited Speaker Session

Abstract

The assessment field faces increasing challenges as local populations become more diverse and nations become more interconnected. Using the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing and the International Test Commission Guidelines for Translating and Adapting Tests as guides, test developers and users must address validity and fairness issues when assessing examinees that come from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Topics covered in this session will include language barriers faced by indigenous students and immigrant students; the adaptation of a career readiness assessment for international usage; the process of translating a licensure examination from English to French; and testing for equivalence of measurement across multicultural groups and the basic causes of noninvariance across groups.

Sub Unit

• Division D - Measurement and Research Methodologies / Division D - Measurement and Research Methodology

Chair

• Paul A. Westrick, ACT, Inc.

Speakers

• Gregory Camilli, Rutgers University - New Brunswick/Piscataway

• Kurt F. Geisinger, University of Nebraska

• Xiao Luo, National Council of State Boards of Nursing

• Stanley N. Rabinowitz, WestEd

• Changhua S. Rich, ACT, Inc.