In an educational world that never seems to have enough resources, one is tempted to surmise that the services described above could be provided adequately without very intensive professional supervision. This notion is not correct. A good measurement service must constantly change to meet the needs of the particular institution where it is housed. Only under the direct charge of professionals competent to interpret and meet those needs will a service develop and grow. A good measurement service will be seen as an advocate for enhancing various aspects of the educational process.
Testing is an integral part of instruction.
All too often, large classes with evaluation based mainly on multiple-choice testing are viewed negatively from an educational standpoint. Actually, these classes may be the best way to deliver some types of instruction, especially lecturing. Then, an outstanding lecturer may be made available to all students. At the same time, multiple-choice tests are likely to be the best way to test learning of the wide range of material that is typically covered in such classes. Measurement services make it possible for large classes to function at a high level of effectiveness, providing not only accurate measures of achievement but detailed feedback to the instructor.