Assessment and Evaluation in Education

Assessment Overview

• Assessment is the process of gathering information about knowledge, skills, attitudes, and performance.
• The goal is to understand learner progress and identify areas needing improvement.
• Tools include tests, quizzes, projects, and observations.

Assessment vs. Evaluation

• Assessment is about gathering data; evaluation is about using that data to make judgments.
• Evaluation answers questions like: Are students meeting learning objectives? Is a training program effective?
• Evaluation improves instructional strategies based on assessment data.

Types of Assessment

Formative Assessment

• Happens throughout the learning process.
• Like checking a plant's growth regularly.
• Techniques include class discussions, exit tickets, observations, homework, and self-assessments.
• Purpose: to understand students' learning and guide adjustments.

Summative Assessment

• Happens at the end of a unit, program, or learning experience.
• Purpose: to evaluate overall learning
• Techniques include tests, quizzes, final projects, presentations, and essays.
• Product-oriented: looking at what learners have learned

Diagnostic Assessment

• Happens before instruction to identify what students already know and what they need support with.
• Techniques include pre-tests, placement tests, and KWL charts.
• Aims to understand learners' needs for effective instruction.

Performance Assessment

• Focuses on evaluating skills through practical tasks.
• Techniques include lab experiments, simulations, and portfolios.
• Measures practical application of skills.

Other Assessment Types

Student Surveys

• Gather feedback on learning experiences, classroom environment, and teacher effectiveness.
• Typically includes questions about instructional methods, clarity, engagement, and satisfaction.
• Advantages: provides insightful perceptions and attitudes about learning.

Peer Observations

• Colleagues observe and provide feedback on teaching practices and interactions.
• Advantages: offers an external perspective, promotes collaboration and professional growth.

Self-Reflection and Professional Development Plans

• Encourages reflection on teaching practices, goal setting, and tracking progress.
• Techniques include journaling, goal-setting exercises, action plans, and self-assessments.
• Advantages: fosters a culture of continuous improvement, empowerment of ownership.

Student Achievement Data Analysis

• Analyze student performance data to evaluate instructional strategies and implement changes for improvement.
• Techniques include reviewing standardized test scores, formative assessment data, and other relevant student data; identifying trends and patterns.

Discrete Assessment

• Focuses on specific, isolated skills or knowledge areas.
• Often used in CLIL settings to separately assess language proficiency or subject knowledge.
• Example tools: Vocabulary quizzes, grammar exercises, and short tests.

Integrated Assessment

• Evaluates multiple competencies simultaneously.
• Focuses on real-world scenarios and tasks.
• Tools for integrating assessment include research projects, presentations, debates, and reports.

Principles of Assessment

• Validity: Measures exactly what it's intended to measure; avoids irrelevant variables, relies on empirical evidence, involves objective performance, offers meaningful data about test-takers' ability, supported by a rationale.
• Reliability: Consistent across multiple administrations; clear directions and scoring; unambiguous for test-takers.
• Authenticity: Natural language; contextualized content; interesting topics; tasks that replicate real-world applications.

CLIL Assessment

• Accounts for the goals and objectives of two subjects.
• Assesses both content and language in context.
• Learners should be involved in self- and peer-assessment.
• Methods include portfolios, diaries, rubrics, tasks, and examinations.