A survey of the educational system of the Philippine islands by the Board of educational survey, created under acts 3162 and 3196 of the Philippine Legislature.

MEASUREMENT OF INSTRUCTION

195

of the design of tests and of marking systems has been studied scientifically by many trained specialists. As a result the technique of constructing examinations has been thoroughly standardized.
The Commission, therefore, believes that one of two courses should
be followed by the central Bureau with respect to its final examinations.
Either they should be constructed in accordance with the most improved
practices in the design of "standardized" tests or, they should be abolished. We believe they should be abolished.
For this conclusion there are two reasons; First, if the Bureau checks
up each division by a sample administrative measurement annually; it
will be unnecessary to measure individual children; second, the cost of
examining individual children by valid tests is prohibitive.
First, let us consider the point that it is really unnecessary to examine
individual children. The central Bureau is definitely obligated to
check up periodically the instructional work of the schools. This can
be done by inspection of the schools by traveling agents, and by
objective measurement of the work of pupils. The former method
is discussed elsewhere in the report. The most valid check is the actual
examination of pupils. It has already been shown that if examinations
are given they must be objective, valid, and reliable measures of the
work of the schools. This will necessitate three sweeping changes in
the character of the examinations.
(I) A careful inventory of the curriculum must be made and group
agreement upon a set of questions and problems thoroughly inclusive of
all important matters must be secured. Hence examinations must be
constructed in close cooperation with the specialists who are working
in the constant revision of the curriculum. The examinations must be
very long, consisting of a large enough number of items to cover the
total range of the work of the curriculum. At a conservative estimate
the present amount of printing would have to be increased five to tenfold.
(2) Their form must be changed so that ratings will be perfectly
objective; that is, so that the marks of one examiner will be comparable to those of another. The marking of "standardized" tests
can be done by clerks and depends in no way upon the judgment of
the examiner. This change in the examinations will not only make
school marks valid but will also take off of the teachers and administrators
a tremendous routine load. It will compel, however, an increase in
the volume of printing, because questions of the kind recommended
require more space than the traditional "essay" type of examination.
(3) The difficulty of the elements of the tests would have to be
determined. This would mean (a) the tentative construction of tests;
(b) preparation of a temporary mimeographed form; (c) trial with