Assessment In Student Learning PDF

**[LESSON1]** What is assessment in learning? Assessment is generally defined as the process of gathering quantitative and/or qualitative data for the purpose of making decisions. What do you think is the importance of Assessment in learning? Assessment in learning is vital to the educational pr...

**[LESSON1]** What is assessment in learning? Assessment is generally defined as the process of gathering quantitative and/or qualitative data for the purpose of making decisions. What do you think is the importance of Assessment in learning? Assessment in learning is vital to the educational process similar to curriculum and instruction. Schools and teachers will not be able to determine the impact of curriculum and instruction on students or learners without assessing learning. Therefore, it is important that educators have knowledge and competence in assessing learners. **Assessment In Learning** It can be defined as the systematic and purpose-oriented collection, analysis, and interpretation of evidence of student learning in order to make informed decisions relevant to the learners. In essence, the aim of assessment is **to use evidence** on student learning to further. promote and manage learning. How is assessment in learning similar or different from measurement or evaluation of learning? - Assessment is the process of collecting various information needed to come up with an overall information that reflects the attainment of goals and purposes. **Measurement** - It can be defined as the process of quantifying the attributes or characteristics of an object - Measurement has the features of quantification, abstraction, and further analysis that is typically the process of science. **Evaluation** - refers to the process of making value judgments on the information collected from measurement based on specified criteria - Evaluation arrived when the necessary measurement and assessment have taken place. - It is "judging the worth or merit" of a case (ex. student), program, policies, processes, events, and activities. - The standards are applied to determine the value, quality, utility, effectiveness, or significance of the case evaluated. ***Assessment is integrated in all parts of the teaching and learning process. This means that it can take place before, during, and after instruction.*** The concept of assessment is broad that it involves other processes such as measurement and evaluation. Assessment involves several measurement processes in order to arrive with quantified results. When assessment results are used to make decisions and come up with judgments, then evaluation takes place. **Assessment And Testing** Testing is the most common form of assessment. In the educational context, it refers to the use of a test or battery of tests to collect information on student learning over a specific period of time. - A test is a form of assessment but not all assessments use tests or testing. **Table of Specifications (TOS)** a table that maps out the essential aspects of a test (e.g., test objectives, contents, topics covered by the test, item distribution) is used in the design and development of a test. **Descriptive Statistics** Descriptive statistics are typically used to describe and interpret the results of tests. How can you tell that a test is good and effective? A test is said to be good and effective if it has acceptable ***psychometric properties***. This means that a test should be ***valid, reliable, has acceptable level of difficulty.*** and can discriminate between learners with higher and lower ability. Teachers are expected to be competent in the design and development of classroom tests. **Assessment and Grading** Grading can be defined as the process of assigning value to the performance or achievement of a learner based on specified criteria or standards. - Aside from tests, other classroom tasks can serve as bases for grading learners. These may include a learner's performance in recitation, seat work, homework, and project. The final grade of a learner in a subject or course is the summation of information from multiple sources (i.e., several assessment tasks or requirements). - ***Grading is a form of evaluation*** which provides information on whether a learner passed or failed a subject or a particular assessment task. Teachers are expected to be competent in providing performance feedback and communicating the results of assessment tasks or activities to relevant stakeholders. What are the different measurement frameworks used in assessment? **Classical Test Theory** - a.k.a. True Score Theory - explains that variations in the performance of examinees on a given measure are due to variations in their abilities. All other potential sources of variation existing in the testing materials such as external conditions or internal conditions of examinees are assumed to be constant. - the frequency of correct responses (to indicate question difficulty); - frequency of responses (to examine distracters); and - reliability of the test and item-total correlation (to evaluate discrimination at the item level). **Item Response Theory** - a.k.a Latent Trait Theory - analyzes test items by estimating the probability that an examinee answers an item correctly or incorrectly. - - is a way of designing and analyzing tests based on how people respond to individual questions. - it is more applicable for tests with right and wrong (dichotomous) responses. It is an approach to testing based on item analysis considering the chance of getting particular items right or wrong. - In IRT, each item on a test has its own item characteristic curve that describes the probability of getting each particular item right or wrong given the ability of the test takers. **Types of Assessment in Learning** **Formative Assessment** This refers to assessment activities that provide information to both teachers and learners on how they can improve the teaching-learning process. Used at the beginning and during instruction allows teacher to make adjustments to their instructional process and strategies to facilitate learning inform learners about their strengths and weaknesses to enable them to take steps to learn better. **Summative Assessment** These assessment activities aim to determine learners\' mastery of content or attainment of learning outcomes. They provide information on the quantity or quality of what students have learned or achieved at the end of instruction. - These assessment activities aim to determine learners\' mastery of content or attainment of learning outcomes. - They provide information on the quantity or quality of what students have learned or achieved at the end of instruction. Through performance reports and teacher feedback, summative assessment can also inform learners about what they have done well and what they need to improve on in their future classes or subjects. **Diagnostic Assessment** This aims to detect the learning problems or difficulties of the learners so that corrective measures or interventions are done to ensure learning. Diagnostic assessment is usually done right after seeing signs of learning problems in the course of teaching. It can also be done at the beginning of the school year for spirally- designed curriculum so that corrective actions are applied if pre-requisite knowledge and skills for the targets of instruction have not been mastered yet. **Placement Assessment** It is usually done at the beginning of the school year to determine what the learners already know or what are their needs that could inform the design of instruction. Grouping of learners based on the results of placement assessment is usually done before instruction to make it relevant to address the needs or accommodate the entry performance of the learners. The entrance examination given in schools is an example of a placement assessment. **Types of Assessment** **Traditional Assessment** - It refers to the use of conventional strategies or tools to provide information about the learning of students. Typically, objective (e.g., multiple choice) and subjective (e.g., essay) paper-and-pencil tests are used. - Traditional assessments are often used as the **basis for evaluating and grading learners.** They are more commonly used in classrooms because they are easier to design and quicker to score. In general, traditional assessments are viewed as an inauthentic type of assessment.\\ **Authentic Assessment** - It refers to the use of assessment strategies or tools that allow learners to perform or create a product that is meaningful to the learners, as they are on **real-world contexts.** - The authenticity of assessment tasks is best described in terms of degree rather than the presence or absence of authenticity. Hence, an assessment can be more authentic or less authentic compared with other assessments. The ***most authentic assessments are those that allow performances that most closely resemble real-world tasks*** or applications in real-world settings or environments. **Principles in Assessing Learning** 1. **Assessment should have a clear purpose.** The methods used in collecting information should be based on this purpose. The interpretation of the data collected should also be aligned. 2. **Assessment is not an end in itself.** Assessment serves as a means to enhance student learning. Collecting information about student learning, whether formative or summative, should lead to decisions that allow improvement of the learners. 3. **Assessment is an ongoing and continuous process.** Assessment consists of a series of tasks and activities conducted over time. It is not a one-shot activity and should be cumulative. Continuous feedback is an important element of assessment. 4. **Assessment is learner-centered.** Assessment is not about what the teacher does but what the learner can do. Assessment of learners provides teachers with an understanding of how they can improve their teaching, which corresponds to the goal of improving student learning. 5. **Assessment is both process- and product- oriented** Assessment gives equal importance to learner performance or product and the process they engage in to perform or produce a product. 6. **Assessment must be comprehensive and holistic.** Assessment should be performed using a variety of strategies and tools designed to assess student learning in a holistic way. Assessment should be conducted in multiple periods to assess learning over time. 7. **Assessment requires the use of appropriate measures.** For assessment to be valid, the assessment tools or measures used must have sound psychometric properties, including, but not limited to, validity and reliability. Appropriate measures also mean that learners must be provided with challenging but age- and context-appropriate assessment tasks. 8. **Assessment should be as authentic as possible.** Assessment tasks or activities should closely if not fully, approximate real-life situations or experiences. Authenticity of assessment can be thought of as a continuum from least authentic to most authentic, with more authentic tasks expected to be more meaningful for learners. **Uses of Assessment** 1. **APPRAISING** Assessment is used for appraisal. Forms of appraisals are the grades, scores, ratings, and feedback. Appraisals are used to provide feedback on an individual's performance to determine how much improvement could be made. A low appraisal or negative feedback indicates that performance still needs room for improvement while a high appraisal or positive feedback means that performance needs to be maintained. 2. **Clarifying Instructional Objectives** Assessment results point out if objectives are met for a specific lesson. The outcome of the assessment results is used by teachers in their planning for the next lesson. If teachers find out that the majority of students failed a test or quiz, then the teacher assesses whether the objectives are too high or may not be appropriate for students' cognitive development. Objectives are then reformulated to approximate students' ability and performance that is within their developmental stage. Assessment results also have implications for the objectives of the succeeding lessons. Since the teacher can determine the students' performance and difficulties, the teacher improves the necessary intervention to address them. The teacher being able to address the deficiencies of students based on assessment results is reflective of effective teaching performance. 3. **Determining and Reporting Pupil Achievement of Education Objectives** The basic function of assessment is to determine students' grades and report their scores after major tests. The reported grade communicates students' performance to many stakeholders such as teachers, parents, guidance counselors, administrators, and other concerned personnel. The reported standing of students in their learning shows how much they have attained the instructional objectives set for them. ***The grade is a reflection of how much they have accomplished the learning goals.*** 4. **Planning, directing, and improving learning experiences** Assessment results are the basis for improvement in the implementation of instruction. Assessment results from students serve as feedback on the effectiveness of the instruction or the learning experience provided by the teacher. If the majority of students have not mastered the lesson, the teacher needs to come up with more effective instruction to target mastery for all the students. 5. **Accountability and program evaluation** Assessment results are used for evaluation and accountability. In making judgments about individuals or educational programs multiple assessment information is used. Results of evaluations make the administrators or the ones who implemented the program accountable for the stakeholders and other recipients of the program. This accountability ensures that the program implementation needs to be improved depending on the recommendations from evaluations conducted. Improvement takes place if assessment coincides with accountability. 6. **Counseling** Counseling also uses a variety of assessment results. The variables such as study habits, attention, personality, and dispositions, are assessed to help students improve them. Students who are assessed to be easily distracted inside the classroom can be helped by the school counselor by focusing the counseling session on devising ways to improve the attention of a student. A student who is assessed to have difficulties in classroom tasks is taught to self-regulate during the counseling session. Students' personality and vocational interests are also assessed to guide them in the future courses suitable for them to take. 7. **Selecting** Assessment is conducted to select students placed in the honor roll, pilot sections. Assessment is also conducted to select from among student enrollees who will be accepted in a school, college, or university. Recipients of scholarships and other grants are also \`based on assessment results.  **[Lesson 2: Assessment Purposes, Learning Targets, and Appropriate Methods]** What is the purpose of Classroom Assessment? 1.Assessment "of" Learning 2.Assessment "for" Learning 3.Assessment "as" Learning **Assessment "of" Learning** - refers to the use of assessment to determine learners\' acquired knowledge and skills from instruction and whether they were able to achieve the curriculum outcomes. - It is generally summative in nature. - This refers to the use of assessment to help learners become self-regulated. - It is formative in nature and meant to use assessment tasks, results, and feedback to help learners practice self-regulation and make adjustments to achieve the curriculum outcomes. Remember: **The Roles of Classroom Assessment in the Teaching-Learning Process** **Formative** Teachers conduct assessment because they want to acquire information on the current status and level of learners\' knowledge and skills or competencies. - information (e.g., prior knowledger strengths) about the learners prior to instruction, so they can design their instructional plan to better suit the needs of the learners. - information on learners during instruction to allow them to modify instruction or learning activities to help learners achieve the learning outcomes. **Diagnostic** Teachers can use this assessment to identify p specific learners\' weaknesses or difficulties that may affect their achievement of the intended learning outcomes. - This focus on specific learning needs and provide opportunities for instructional intervention or remediation inside or outside the classroom. - The diagnostic role of assessment may also lead to differentiated instruction or even individualized learning plans when deemed necessary. **Evaluative** - The learners\' placement or promotion to the next educational level is informed by assessment results. - Teachers conduct assessment to measure learners\' performance or achievement for the purposes of making judgment or grading in particular, Teachers need information on whether the learners have met the intended learning outcomes after the instruction is fully implemented. **Facilitative** - provides information on students\' learning and achievement that teachers can use to improve instruction and the learning experiences of learners. - It allows them to monitor, evaluate, and improve their own learning strategies. In both cases, student learning is facilitated. **Motivational** - Classroom assessment can serve as a mechanism for learners to be motivated and engaged in learning and achievement in the classroom - Focusing on progress, providing effective feedback, innovating assessment tasks, and using scaffolding during assessment activities provide opportunities for assessment to be motivating rather than demotivating. **What are learning targets?** **Institutional Outcomes** - Institutional outcomes are statements of what the graduates of an educational institution are supposed to be able to do beyond graduation **Program Outcomes** - These are statements of what graduates of particular educational programs or degrees are able to do at the completion of the degree or program **Goals** - Goals are general statements about desired learner outcomes in a given year or during the duration of a program. **Standards** - specific statements about what learners should know and are capable of doing at a particular grade level, subject, or course. McMillan (2014, p. 31) described four different types of educational 1. **Content** (desired outcomes in a content area) 2. **Performance** (what students do to demonstrate competence) 3. **Development** (sequence of growth and change over time) 4. **Grade -level** (outcomes for a specific grade) **Educational Objectives** specific statements of learner performance at the end of an instructional unit. sometimes referred to as behavioral objectives and are typically stated with the use **of verbs**. **The Revised Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (**Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001) **First Dimension: *Knowledge*** Includes: 1. Factual 2. Conceptual 3. Procedural 4. Metacognitive **Second Dimension: *Cognitive Process*** Includes 1. Remember 2. Understand 3. Apply 4. Analyze 5. Evaluate 6. Create *Example Objective*: An educational or learning objective formulated from this two-dimensional model contains a **noun (type of knowledge)** and a **verb (type of cognitive process)**. *Example Objective*: *Rationale*: differentiate is the verb that represents the type of cognitive process (in this case, analyze) while qualitative research and quantitative research is the noun phrase that represents the type of knowledge (in this case, conceptual). **Knowledge Dimensions in the Revised Bloom\'s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives** *(Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001)* Knowledge: **Factual** - basic in every discipline. - It tells the facts or bits of information one needs to know in a discipline. - answers questions that begins with \"who\", \"where\", \" - what\", and \"when\". - What is the capital city of the Philippines? Knowledge: **Conceptual** This type is: - also fundamental in every discipline. - It tells the concepts, generalizations, principles, theories, and models that one needs to know in a discipline. - usually answers questions that begin with \"what\". - What makes the Philippines the \"Pearl of the orient seas\"? Knowledge: **Procedural** This type is: - also fundamental in every discipline. - It tells the processes, steps, techniques, methodologies, or specific skills needed in performing a specific task that one needs to know and be able to do in a discipline. - usually answers questions that begin with \"how\". - How do we develop items for an achievement test? Knowledge: **Metacognitive** This type is: - makes the discipline relevant to one\'s life. - It makes one understand the value of learning on one\'s life. - It requires reflective knowledge and strategies on how to solve problems or perform a cognitive task through understanding of oneself and context. - usually answers questions that begin with \"why\" - Why is Psychology is the most suitable course for you? **Cognitive Process Dimensions in the Revised Bloom\'s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives** (Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001) **Learning Targets** Definition: **Guidelines** - Learning targets be stated from the learners\' point of view, typically using the phrase \"l can \....\" For example, \"l can differentiate between instructional objectives and learning targets.\" - Congruent with the standards prescribed by the program or level and aligned with the instructional or learning objectives of a subject or course. - Teachers must inform learners about the learning targets of lessons before classroom instruction. - The learning targets should be meaningful for the learners; hence, they must be as clear and as specific as possible. - Inform learners with what they should be able to do or demonstrate as evidence of their learning. Thus, learning targets specify both the content and criteria of learning. - Both classroom instruction and assessment should be aligned with the specified ***Five criteria in selecting learning targets:*** 1. Establish the right number of learning targets: Are there too many or too few targets? 2. Establish comprehensive learning targets: Are all important types of learning included? 3. Establish learning targets that reflect school goals and 21st century skills: Do the targets reflect school goals and 21st century knowledge, skills, and dispositions? 4. Establish learning targets that are challenging yet feasible: Will the targets challenge students to do their best work? 5. Establish learning targets that are consistent with current principles of learning and motivation: Are the targets consistent with research on learning and motivation? In Addition: Other experts consider a fifth type of learning target---affect, which refers to affective characteristics that students can develop and demonstrate because of instruction. This includes: - attitudes - beliefs - interests - values. Some experts use disposition as an alternative term for affect. The following is an example of an affect or disposition learning target: *I can appreciate the importance of addressing potential ethical issues in the conduct of thesis research.* *Application:* *Once the learning targets are identified, appropriate assessment methods can be selected to measure student learning. The match between a learning target and the assessment method used to measure if students have met the target is very critical.* ***Matching Learning Targets with Paper-and-Pencil Types of Assessment*** ***Matching Learning Targets with other types of Assessment*** ***Note: more checks mean better matches***