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    Core Academic Skills Test

    ​The Qatar University Testing Center, in cooperation with the College of Education, developed the Core Academic Skills (CAST) for teachers in reading, writing, and mathematics. The required tests are one of the accreditation requirements for the College of Education by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). That action was taken to meet Standard No. 3, especially Component (3.2), to obtain academic accreditation for the programs of the College of Education at Qatar University.


    Since there is no standardized test available internationally that measures students' skills in the three skills in the Arabic language, the College of Education contacted the Testing Center to develop standardized tests after the approval of the international institution. The project began in the Fall of 2019 when taskforces were formed from the University (Colleges: Arts and Sciences – College of Education – Foundation Program) and outside (Ministry of Education and Higher Education - international universities in the Educational City-Qatar). The Center has completed preparing the assessment frameworks for the three tests, which international experts reviewed. The items for the three tests were written in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and the items were reviewed scientifically and linguistically by trained item writers under the academic supervision of the University's subject matters.

    CAST Description

    The framework of each test and the sub-skills it measures were determined in the light of international standards (such as the Praxis test standards ) and the Qatari National Curriculum Standards, including the academic skills required of a student teacher. Each test can be described as follows:

    1. CAST Reading Test: This test focuses on measuring the reading comprehension skills that the student studied in the secondary stage, which are related to the Arabic language in general and reading skills in particular, through passages that measure five levels of reading comprehension: direct, deductive, critical, appreciative, and creative reading comprehension. Items were also developed based on Webb's taxonomy of cognitive depth.
    2. CAST Writing Test: Writing is one of the core skills used in language teaching, so the writing test focuses on measuring students' proficiency in the College of Education in the writing skills required to prepare them for the pre-service program. The test has three skills: (1) linguistic production of two written texts, one persuasive and the other explanatory; (2) language skills, including grammar, structures, and the integrity of the linguistic and syntactic structure; and (3) the skills of searching and investigating information and how to employ it. Items were also developed based on Webb's taxonomy of cognitive depth.
    3. CAST Mathematics Test: The mathematics test measures the general academic skills in mathematics necessary to prepare teachers for the teaching profession successfully. The test covers significant areas of mathematical content: numbers and quantities, algebra and geometry, data interpretation and representation, statistics, and probability, which align with the standards of the Qatari mathematics curricula from the eighth to the twelfth grade. Items were also developed based on TIMSS cognitive classification (knowledge, application, mathematical thinking).

    Importance of CAST

    CAST is a test of high importance for the following reasons:

    1. It is the only standardized test available (as far as the Testing Center is aware) that measures reading, writing, and mathematics skills in Arabic.
    2. In the Qatari educational context, no national standardized test measures the same skills that College of Education students can pass to meet the minimum requirements for academic accreditation.
    1. Since the Arabic language is the language of instruction in the College of Education at Qatar University, it has become challenging to meet the requirements for academic accreditation without a standardized test that measures core academic skills, as its use will benefit the college because of its importance in developing appropriate remedial and development plans to raise students' skills in the Arabic language and mathematics and qualify them to work as educators.

     

    Methodology for Developing CAST

    The Testing Center followed the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing 2014, focusing on test validity, reliability/precision, measurement errors, and fairness in testing. The testing development process that took place went through the following steps:

    • Defining the assessment framework and the test blueprint.
    • Writing and reviewing questions.
    • Assembling pilot test forms.
    • Administrating pilot test forms.
    • Detecting and removing misfit and unfair questions.
    • Developing scoring rubrics for the writing questions.
    • Scoring each student's response by two trained and certified raters.
    • Conducting statistical analysis and scaling of test questions using the Item Response Theory.
    • Assembling equivalent and equated operational test forms to ensure assessment of the student's ability on the three components.
    • Administrating operational test forms.
    • Producing test takers' scores using the most recent statistical procedures.
    • Determining performance levels and setting cut-offs using scientific methods such as the modified Angoff procedure.
    • Review of technical reports internationally.
    photo of Qatar University buildings - right side
    photo of Qatar University buildings - right side