Blueprint

Dr Sulakshana B. Varpe
• A blueprint is a reproduction of a technical
drawing, documenting an architecture or an
engineering design, using a contact print process
on light-sensitive sheets.
• Introduced in the 19th century, the process allowed
rapid and accurate reproduction of documents used in
construction and industry.

• The blue-print process was characterized by light

colored lines on a blue background, a negative of the
original.
• The term blueprint is also used less formally to refer
to any plan.

• The assessment blueprint is a detailed outline

that explains the knowledge and skills that the test
measures.
Defination
• An outline of the test that lists the learning goals
that students are to demonstrate. The results
reveal if you are testing what you claim is the
most important.

• blueprinting as “the process of linking tests to

learning goals.”
Use
• Basically, it is used at those areas where we
want a detailed plan of action before executing
finally.
In education
• In education, by the teachers, researchers,
administrators,etc
• It enables faculty to map results of test items
back to student learning objectives (SLO)
identified for program level or general education
outcomes assessment.
• When we talk to undergraduate Medical Students after
the examinations, not infrequently we hear them
complaining,
• · “Too Lengthy paper……. Time was not enough to write”,
(Theory Examinations)
• · “All Questions from few Systems only! No Question
from……”, (Theory Examinations)
• · “Questions were too vague, What to write ? What to
cut?”, (Theory Examinations)
• · “Long Questions were Bouncers! I have not been taught
these” (Theory Examinations)
• · “I had never seen this case before” ( Practical
Examinations)
• · “ Most of the theory questions, long case , short case
and viva questions, all from one/few systems
only”(Practical Examinations)
• This happens because, in the traditional
assessment system in most Medical Colleges in
India, question paper is set by one
teacher/Examiner and Practical examinations
are conducted by some other teacher, without
any Co-ordination (most of the times).
• Often,the content of what to assess is left to the
decision of the Examiners. Moreover, the
Examiner/ Teacher imparts instruction
according to what 'she/he thinks is appropriate
or important'.
• The intended learning outcomes are not stated
clearly and therefore overlooked
• Students get confused as they are unaware of
what is actually expected out of them and they
suffer.
• Blueprinting in Assessment, can overcome these
issues,if not completely, to a large extent and
hence make the assessment more valid!
Advantages
• Affords an opportunity to reflect upon whether
or not your test is measuring course learning
goals.
• Ensures that you have written or selected test
items that “give appropriate emphasis to
thinking skills.
• Facilitates reporting outcomes assessment
results.
• A test blueprint sample follows these
instructions
• 1. List the student learning objectives (SLOs)
that the test will cover.
• 2.Decide what percentage of the entire exam will
be dedicated to measuring each objective. The
percentages assigned should reflect their
importance to the learning objectives.
• 3.Determine what types of test items will most
effectively measure the student learning
objectives (multiple-choice, true-false, matching,
fill-in-the-blank, ordering, Likert scale, etc).
• Be sure to consider whether the type of test item
will create an appropriate cognitive challenge.
• 4.Determine how many test items you want to
include in order to measure the learning
objectives.
• Make certain that the number of items is
proportional to the importance of the learning
objectives.
• 5.Then, determine how each test item will be
weighted.
• 6.Write the test questions or select from a test
bank and indicate the cognitive level.
• 7. List the question numbers that will measure
each SLO. Some test items may measure more
than one SLO.
 • 8. Before finalizing the test review the exam
with the following questions in mind-:
1. Do the items follow the test blueprint?
2. Are the formats and content appropriate for
the learning goals you are assessing?
3. Are the items at an appropriate reading level?
4. Are the items of appropriate difficulty?
• In this way no. of items for other lesson could be constructed (see
table below)

example
unit Sub-topic knowledg understanding appl Total
e icati items
on
Lesson-1 Topic 1.1 2 2 1 5 items
Topic 1.2 2 2 1 5 items
Topic 1.3 2 1 0 3 items
Lesson- 2 Topic 2.1 3 2 1 6 items
Topic2.2 2 1 1 4 items
Topic2.3 1 2 1 4 items
Topic 2.4 1 1 1 3 items
Lesson-3 Topic 3.1 2 1 1 4 items
Topic 3.2 2 1 0 3 items
total 17 items 13 items 7 37 items
item
s
BENEFITS OF BLUE PRINT
• Give feedback on student’s and teachers progress
delivering the curriculum
• From student’s point, how well they attain the
objectives
• Provides a guide to both students and teachers
• Determines the reliability and validity of the
examination
• Bloom’s taxonomy helps in developing the entire
written and some aspect of practical questions
 Every time the
question will change,
not the blue print