Educational Testing – a Competence–Based Approach

Educational Testing provides support for those undertaking training in, and for training providers of, the Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing (CCET) (Level A). Developed by the British Psychological Society (BPS) the CCET aims to meet a need for standards for the use of tests in education in the UK, to encourage responsible test use by psychologists and non-psychologists alike. Written by the designers of the certificate and endorsed by the BPS's Steering Committee on Test Standards, Educational Testing is the only book of its kind available: * Covers the 71 elements of the CCET in detail and acts as a 'course text' for those in training * Describes each core competence * Provides model answers and examples * Offers an indication of the range of ways in which the core competences may be assessed by the Assessor, based upon the existing BPS Guidance for Assessors document * Appendices offer guidance on BPS Standards, a glossary of technical terms, useful web-sites and on-line resources and Test Publishers Addresses.

Table of Contents:
Preface. Part I: From Dualism to Common-sense Functionalism. 1. The Flight from Dualism. The Issue Between Dualism and Materialism. Supervenience. Possible Worlds: An Introduction. Annotated Reading. 2. Behaviourism and Beyond. The Case for Behaviourism. Methodological and Revisionary Behaviourism. Problems for Behaviourism. The Path to Functionalism via a Causal Theory. The Causal Theory of Mind. Annotated Reading. 3. Common-sense Functionalism. Multiple Realizability. Common-sense Functionalism Expounded. Interconnections without Circularity. Behaviour Characterized in Terms of Environmental Impact. What Does Common Sense Say about the Mind?. Annotated Reading. Part II: Rivals and Objections. 4. Theory of Reference. The Description Theory of Reference. The Causal Theory. The Necessary A Posteriori. Annotated Reading. 5. Empirical Functionalisms. Common-sense Functional Roles as a Reference-fixing Device. Chauvinism and Empirical Functionalism. Annotated Reading. 6. The Identity Theory. The Identity Theory and Functionalism. Some Early Objections to the Identity Theory. Token-Token versus Type-Type Identity Theories. Essentialism about Psychological States. Annotated Reading. 7. Four Challenges to Functionalism. The China Brain. The Chinese Room. Blockhead. The Zombie Objection. Annotated Reading. 8. Phenomenal Qualities and Consciousness. The Question of Qualia. Consciousness. Representationalism and Perceptual Experience. Annotated Reading. 9. Instrumentalism and Interpretationism. Instrumentalism. Interpretationism. Annotated Reading. Part III: About Content. 10. The Language of Thought. The Language of Thought Hypothesis. The Map Alternative. Annotated Reading. 11. Content. What is the Problem of Content?. The Map Theory. The Internal Sentence Theory. Problems for the Map-system Theory. Problems and Questions for the Internal Sentence Theory. Annotated Reading. 12. Connectionism. Connectionism and the Map-system Theory. Annotated Reading. 13. Broad and Narrow Content. Narrow Content. Broad Content. Deflationism about Broad Content versus Scepticism about Narrow Content. Annotated Reading. Part IV: Explaining Behaviour: Eliminativism and Realism. 14. Eliminative Materialism. The Case for Eliminativism. The Functionalist Reply to Eliminativism. Natural Kinds and Scientific Reductions. Annotated Reading. 15. Psychological Explanation and Common-sense Functionalism. Three Questions for Common-sense Functionalism. Annotated Reading. Glossary. Bibliography. Index

About the Author :
James Boyle is Reader in Educational Psychology at the University of Strathclyde, and is chair of the group that put together the CCET. Stephen Fisher is Senior Lecturer in Occupational Psychology at the University of Strathclyde.

Review :
"James Boyle and Stephen Fisher have done an excellent job in providing a single text for those seeking the BPS's Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing (Level A). In addition to covering the knowledge requirements for the qualification, the book also reprints the full BPS information pack relating to the qualification (Appendix 1) and includes information about how competence is assessed (Appendix 2). These are very useful additions for those undergoing training as they provide them with a clear view of what they will be expected to know and do if they are to be regarded as competent and how that knowledge and skills will be assessed . The book contains a number of other useful appendices. In short, this provides not only an accessible and comprehensive source text for the Certificate, but also a useful reference set of materials. " Dave Bartram, Chair of the BPS Steering Committee on Test Standards. 'This is a very significant text in psychological and educational testing. It provides a very clear guide to the Certificate of Competencies in Educational Testing (British Psychological Society, Level A). It will be invaluable to those seeking the Level A Certificate or those who just want to gain more insight into educational testing.' Katherine Fingleton, National Association of Principal Educational Psychologists "This comprehensive book provides excellent coverage of the knowledge underpinning competence in educational testing. It will be a useful resource for professionals working in education who are looking for a key reference to support the development of good practice in test administration, scoring and interpretation. Its accessible style and structure means that this book will be an indispensable manual for anyone undertaking the British Psychological Society's Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing." Dr Sandra Dunsmuir, University College London "This book fills a major gap for those wishing easy access to information required by the BPS's CCET (Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing) Level A, or those simply wishing to update their knowledge. The emphasis on qualitative and ethical issues (as well as quantitative scores) are strong points. This book is a thorough, valuable and accessible reference for all those involved in educational testing." Irvine S. Gersch, University of East London "Educational Testing: A Competence-Based Approach is clear and concise, offering just what those who use tests in educational settings need to understand ... Boyle and Fisher clearly took the time to plan well, and they included just what is necessary to adequately understand, select, administer, and interpret tests for use in educational settings. I highly recommend that all those who do so add this little volume to their collection of useful references." PsycCRITIQUES, American Psychological Association