Abstract

Educational tests are used for a wide variety of purposes, including placing students in appropriate educational programs, diagnosing students’ strengths and weaknesses, certifying competence in specific knowledge and skill areas, selecting students for admission, and testing for the knowledge and skills required in licensure and certification testing. This chapter describes the use of educational tests in both national and international settings, focusing on the use of tests in two countries: the United States and Chile. Highlighting the educational testing practices in these two countries illustrates many of the similarities involved in educational testing, but also illustrates political differences that affect the use and evaluation of tests. International testing activities are described, such as those that compare the educational achievement of students across countries. The chapter also discusses the key issues in educational testing, such as technical quality and validity, as well as current trends and future directions.