Psychometric Testing of Students
– a work in progress
“All of us do not have equal talent, but all of us should have equal
opportunity to develop our talent.”
John. F . Kennedy
Andy Watts
February 2011
 Year 10 Case Study
 What is Psychometric Testing?
 How can this help students?
 Where are we now?
 Questions
Year 10 Case Study
• Confident, precocious, intelligent child who never
showed any signs of problems, pressures or
frustrations until her personal circumstances changed
• Initially tested at 13 due to a mother’s intuition about
possible depression – nobody involved in her
education seemed to be able to do anything to help
• Following results from EI and PPA, which alerted the
fact there was a problem, she was taken to an
educational psychologist who identified her to be
exceptionally bright but diagnosed her with
Dysgraphia; a form of dyslexia.
• Before being diagnosed with this condition, the child
exhibited anger and frustration thinking she was
stupid, resulting in her withdrawing and disengaging
from lessons. She now understands her own problem
and with the help of the school has put strategies in
place to deal with this.
• Following her diagnosis and work with the educational
psychologist, she was tested again and has dramatically
improved on areas of her EI which initially indicated
depression.
• Her parents now consider her to be back on track but
fortunate that they were lucky enough to have access to
something extra to help their daughter.
Extension after representation
• 3 workshops were held in July involving
18 year 10 students.
• The workshops covered
communications and self awareness,
preparation for and practice of job
interviews and a Thomas ‘PPA’
psychometric test which was reported to
each student.
• All agreed that the pilot programme had
been successful and helpful.
What is Psychometric Testing?
• Psychometrics is the study and measurement of individual
differences in human beings to see how they are different
from each other. Tests include the measurement of
knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and traits.
• It has a 100 year history and tests sell over $2 billion per
year internationally.
• Thomas offers three different assessments to look at the
various aspects which make up an individual:
• Behaviour Personal Profile Analysis (PPA)
• Aptitude
General Intelligence Assessment (GIA)
• Emotion
Emotional Intelligence (EI)
Thomas Assessments
Behaviours
Aptitude & Ability
Personality &
Awareness
Hard Skills
Competency
Thomas Assessments
Behaviours
Personality &
Awareness
PPA
GIA
Aptitude & Ability
EIQ
Skills
Competency
360
Hard Skills
Personal Profile Analysis (PPA)
Provides an insight into how people behave.
• Understand Strengths and Limitations?
• What can an individual bring to the
team?
• Communication Styles.
• Fears, Motivators & Values.
Marston’s Theory
PERCIEVED SITUATION
Hostile, unfriendly, antagonistic
DOMINANCE
COMPLIANCE
(POWER)
(POLICY)
ACTIVE
BEHAVIOURS
------------------------------
PASSIVE
BEHAVIOURS
INFLUENCE
STEADINESS
(PEOPLE)
(PACE)
Friendly, favourable
Personal Profile Analysis (PPA)
Dominance
Working Strength -
Driving
Competitive
Forceful
Inquisitive
Direct
Efficiency Factor
Mild Mannered
Self-Starting
Assertive
Low Decision Need
Non demanding
Accommodating
Hesitant
Influence
Working Strength - Influential
Persuasive
Friendly
Verbal
Efficiency Factor
Reserved
Reflective
Probing
Serious
Suspicious
Self-Conscious
Communicative
Positive
Steadiness
Working Strength - Dependable
Deliberate
Amiable
Persistent
Good Listener
Efficiency Factor
Mobile
Alert
Active
Restless
Demonstrative
Kind
Compliance
Working Strength -
Compliant
Careful
Systematic
Precise
Efficiency Factor
Firm
Persistent
Stubborn
Strong-Willed
Independent
Accurate
Perfectionist
Logical
Self
Awareness
General Intelligence Assessment (GIA)
•Provides an insight into
an individual’s fluid
intelligence and speed of
learning
•Do they prefer to do
things quickly and
accurately; slowly and
accurately; quickly and
inaccurately or slowly and
accurately
•Looks at 5 cognitive
areas; reasoning,
perceptual speed,
number, speed and
accuracy, word meaning
and spatial visualisation
Emotional Intelligence (EI)
•Provides an insight into how
people get on with each other
and it is critical to successful
work
•An index of an individuals
perceived ability to
understand process and utilise
emotion related information in
every day life.
•Looks at how well they
manage their own emotions
and the emotions of others
•Individual facets looked at
include self esteem, self
motivation, adaptability, stress
management
How can this help students?
Rather than a broad brush approach, gives each individual
increased self awareness regarding their own:
• behaviour including strengths and limitations and
preferred style of working/learning
• their level of emotional intelligence and can highlight
issues such as self esteem and confidence which may
prevent a small problem spiralling out of control
• cognitive skills; are they more literate or numerate?; do
they prefer data and spreadsheets or graphics?; do they
solve problems quickly or prefer to take their time and
think about things?
Where are we now?
• Two distinct groups of student selected
(May/Jun)
• Students invited to undertake assessments
& Parental agreement sought with Parent’s
Information evening (Sept/Oct)
• Staff trained by Thomas to interpret
Assessments (Nov to Jan)
• Intervention strategies being formulated
(on-going)
• Feedback to individuals started (Feb)
Issues… and other stuff….
•
•
•
•
•
•
Involvement of parents
Time to feedback
EI
Intervention strategies to be employed
Working with other agencies
Informing staff and integrating into
classroom practice
• How to measure Impact
Questions?