Classroom Assessment Techniques

Assessment Instrument Development Process

• The process of developing an assessment instrument involves careful planning, aligning objectives, instruction, and assessment.
• A Table of Specifications (TOS) is a table that helps align objectives, instruction, and assessment. It's also sometimes called a test blueprint.
• The TOS details the content and level of cognitive skills assessed on a test, including the types and emphasis of test items.
• The TOS guides what topics to include and how many items to ask in each specific level.

Preparing a Table of Specifications

• Select learning outcomes to be measured.
• Outline the subject matter to be covered in the test.
• Determine the number of items per topic. Use a formula to calculate the number of items. (Number of items = Number of class sessions X Desired total number of items/Total number of class sessions)
• Create a two-way chart.

Format of Two-way Table of Specifications

• Organized as a two-way table with rows for objectives/competencies and columns for cognitive levels (Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, Creating).
• Each cell shows the number of items for each objective at each cognitive level. This is often formatted in a table, with % of days and number of items.

Two-way Table of Specifications - Additional Notes

• Objectives/competencies refer to the intended learning outcomes.
• Number of days refers to the number of class sessions (days) that taught each objective/competency. Show % of the total days allocated to a specific objective.
• Number of items is based on the percentage of time allotted to the objective and/or the expected number of questions needed to assess the related skills.

Tips in Preparing the TOS

• Avoid overly detailed tables.
• Focus on major ideas and skills rather than specific details.
• Use cognitive taxonomy appropriate for the subject.
• Balance the distribution of items with the student level, the importance of the test, and the time available.

Menu of Test Types

• Matching, Extended essay, Experimentation, True/false, Multiple choice, Yes/No, binary choice, Supply type, Short answer, Essay, Restricted-essay, extended-essay, Oral questioning, Identification, Enumerative, Right/wrong, paper and Pencil, Task simulation, Project

Relating Test Types with Levels of Learning Outcomes

• Includes declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge.
• Declarative knowledge involves remembering and recalling facts, information, symbols, details.
• Procedural knowledge involves remembering and recalling correct procedures or strategies.
• Simple understanding/comprehension levels involve converting, translating, or applying concepts and principles in new situations.

Low Level, Mid Level, and Higher Order Thinking Questions

• Lower order questions assess basic recall and understanding.
• Mid-level questions assess comprehension and application.
• Higher-order thinking questions analyze, evaluate, and create.

Measuring Deep Understanding, Learning Outcomes and Cognitive Levels

• Reflect more complex thinking processes than knowledge and understanding.
• Levels include remembering, comprehending, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

Constructed Response Items (Short Answer/Extended Essay)

• Measures higher-order thinking skills.
• Questions require the learner to provide explanation and synthesis of information
• Examples include asking learners to explain factors that contribute to climate change or write an article on how government and the community can mitigate environmental damage
• Also include questions about selecting factors that affect climate change that learners are able to control (e.g., Strong Earthquake, volcanic Eruptions.)

Types of Questions- Sample Item Stems (Table 8.6)

• Covers different types of cognitive processes (relating cause and effect, justifying, summarizing, inferring, classifying, creating).
• Provide a sample list of tasks to guide test development

Presentation of Data

• Data presentation is organizing information into logical categories and classifications so interpretation is easier.
• Three methods include: textual, tabular, and graphical.
• Textual data could be organized in paragraphs or sentences.
• Tabular presents organized data in a clear format using rows and columns.
• Graphical displays include bar graphs, line graphs, pie graphs, pictograms, statistical maps, and ratio charts.

Grades

• Grades are a valuable tool to understand a student's progress and knowledge of the subject material.
• It summarizes student work, outcomes, and tests.
• It communicates student's level of mastery of specific tasks and objectives.
• Grades provide an overview and should be interpreted alongside other forms of assessment data.

Grading and Reporting System Functions

• Includes functions such as clarifying instructional objectives, providing information on personal and social strengths and weaknesses.
• Reporting system can communicate the student's progress and achievement to parents or guardians.
• Useful for decisions on promotion, graduation, athletic eligibility, achievement reports, and for employer reporting purposes.
• Designed to help learners and educators effectively in the learning process.

Types of Grading/Reporting Systems

• Traditional letter grades (A - F), Pass/Fail, Checklist of objectives, Letters, portfolios, Parent-teacher conferences

Development of Grading and Reporting Systems

• Emphasizes collaboration among educators, parents, and students.
• Should be based on a clear statement of learning objectives that everyone agreed on.
• Must be consistent with the school's standards and expectations.
• Needs clear, specific assessment methods.
• The system also needs a manageable level of detail that prevents excessive workload for both teachers and pupils.

Assigning Letter Grades and Computing Grades

• Assign weights appropriately to components for a balanced overall grade (e.g. Written Work, Performance Tasks, and Quarterly Assessments)
• Convert percentage scores into weighted scores.
• Add the weighted scores for all components to obtain an initial grade.
• Use transmutation table to assign the final or letter grade.

Norm or Criterion Referenced Grading

• Norm-referenced grading compares a student's performance to other students in the class.
• Criterion-referenced grading compares the student's performance to a specific standard of skill or knowledge.

Distribution of Grades, Guidelines

• Provide guidelines for assigning grades, such as using valid evidence for assessment.
• Avoid bias, and ensure fairness in grading. Review evidence if unsure.
• Establish the criteria for both passing and failing, and maintain consistent standards.

Grading Systems for Promotion and Retention

• Provides criteria for grade level promotion and retention based on the student's performance for the entire year.
• Students are promoted if they achieve a grade of 75 or higher in all their subjects.
• Guidelines include passing all areas/subjects, including remedial classes if required.

Recomputed Final Grade

• It is the average of a student's final grade and remedial class mark
• It is used to determine the student's final grade.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

• Effective guidelines include preparation and using best practices to obtain meaningful and beneficial interactions.

Classroom Assessment

• It's a continual process of gathering data to understand students' learning and progress.
• Two types are formative and summative.
• Formative assessment gives information to improve teaching.
• Summative assessment gauges overall learning at the end of a period/unit.

Components of Summative Assessment

• Includes written work (WW), performance tasks (PT), and quarterly assessment (QA).

This quiz covers various aspects of classroom assessment, including types of tests, the purpose of test blueprints, and the application of performance tasks. It also examines foundational concepts such as the law of supply and demand and practical assessments for student understanding. Test your knowledge of effective strategies for developing assessments in education.