assessment in learning lesson 1 basic concepts

What Is Assessment of Learning? Assessment of learning refers to strategies designed to confirm what students know, demonstrate whether or not they have met curriculum outcomes or the goals of their individualized programs, or to certify proficiency and make decisions about students' future programs or placements. Assessment is the process of gathering information about student learning and performance. · Evaluation is the process of interpreting that information and making judgments about what has been learned. · Measurement is assigning numbers to represent how much of a particular quality a student has demonstrated. Assessment is the process of gathering information about student learning and performance. · Evaluation is the process of interpreting that information and making judgments about what has been learned. · Measurement is assigning numbers to represent how much of a particular quality a student has demonstrated. Assessment is the process of gathering information about student learning and performance. · Evaluation is the process of interpreting that information and making judgments about what has been learned. · Measurement is assigning numbers to represent how much of a particular quality a student has demonstrated. Assessment is the process of gathering information about student learning and performance. · Evaluation is the process of interpreting that information and making judgments about what has been learned. · Measurement is assigning numbers to represent how much of a particular quality a student has demonstrated.Assessment is the process of gathering information about student learning and performance. · Evaluation is the process of interpreting that information and making judgments about what has been learned. · Measurement is assigning numbers to represent how much of a particular quality a student has demonstrated.Assessment is the process of gathering information about student learning and performance. · Evaluation is the process of interpreting that information and making judgments about what has been learned. · Measurement is assigning numbers to represent how much of a particular quality a student has demonstrated.Assessment is the process of gathering information about student learning and performance. · Evaluation is the process of interpreting that information and making judgments about what has been learned. · Measurement is assigning numbers to represent how much of a particular quality a student has demonstrated.Assessment is the process of gathering information about student learning and performance. · Evaluation is the process of interpreting that information and making judgments about what has been learned. · Measurement is assigning numbers to represent how much of a particular quality a student has demonstrated.Assessment is the process of gathering information about student learning and performance. · Evaluation is the process of interpreting that information and making judgments about what has been learned.

1. Lesson 1: Basic Concepts and Principles in Assessing Learning

2. In this lesson, you are expected to: Describe assessment in learning and related concepts and Demonstrate understanding of the different principles in assessing learning through the preparation of an assessment plan.

3. Assessment in Learning The word assessment is rooted in the Latin word assidere , which means “ to sit beside another ”. Assessment is generally defined as the process of gathering quantitative and/or qualitative data for the purpose of making decisions. Assessment in learning is vital to the educational process similar to curriculum and instruction on students or learners without assessing learning. Therefore, it is important that educators have knowledge and competence in assessing learners.

4. Assessment in Learning Assessment in learning 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. Assessment in learning can be characterized as (a) a process , (b) based on specific objectives , and (c) from multiple sources.

5. Measurement and Evaluation Measurement can be defined as the process of quantifying the attributes of an object. Evaluation may refer to the process of making value judgements on the information collected from measurement based on specified criteria.

6. Measurement and Evaluation In context of assessment in learning, measurement refers to the actual collection of information on student learning through the use of various strategies and tools . W hile evaluation refers to the actual process of making a decision or judgement on student learning based on the information collected from measurement. Therefore, assessment can be considered as an umbrella term consisting a measurement and evaluation. However, there are some authors who consider assessment as distinct and separate from evaluation (e.g., Huba and Freed 2000, Popham 1998).

7. Assessment and Testing The most common form of assessment is testing. In educational context, testing refers to the use a test or battery of test to collect information of student learning over a short period of time. A test is a form of assessment but not all assessments use test or testing

8. Assessment and Testing A test can be categorized as either selected response (e.g., matching - type of test) or constructed response (e.g., essay test, short answer test). A test can make use of objective format (e.g., multiple choice, enumeration) or subjective format (e.g., essay).

9. Assessment and Testing The objective format provides for a more bias-free scoring as the test items have exact correct answers. On the other hand, the subjective format allows for less objective means of scoring, especially if no rubric is used. A table of specification (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.

10. Assessment and Testing Descriptive statistics are typically used to described and interpret the results of tests. 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.

11. Assessment and Grading A related concept to assessment in learning is grading , which 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 test, other classroom tasks can serve as bases for grading learners. These may include a learner’s performance in recitation, seatwork, homework, and project.

12. Assessment and Grading 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 assessment tasks or activities to relevant stakeholders.

13. What are the different measurement framework used in assessment? The two most common psychometric theories that serve as frameworks for assessment and measurement, especially in the determination of the psychometric characteristics of a measure (e.g., tests, scale) The classical test theory (CCT) and the item response theory (IRT).

14. Classical Test Theory (CTT) The CTT , also known as the true score theory , explains that variations in the performance of examinees on a given measure is due to variations in their abilities. The CTT assumes that an examinee’s observed score in a given measure is the sum of the examinee’s true score and some degree of error in the measurement caused by some internal and external conditions.

15. Classical Test Theory (CTT) Hence, the CTT also assumes that all measures are imperfect, and the scores obtained from a measure could differ from the true score (i.e., true ability) of an examinee. The CTT provides an estimation of the item difficulty based on the frequency or number of examinees who correctly answer a particular item; items with fewer number of examinees with correct answers are considered more difficult.

16. Classical Test Theory (CTT) The CTT also provides an estimation of item discrimination based on the number of examinees with higher or lower ability to answer a particular item. If an item is able to distinguish between examinees with higher ability (i.e., higher total test score) and lower ability (i.e., lower total test score), then an item is considered to have good discrimination.

17. Classical Test Theory Test reliability can also be estimated using approaches from CTT (e.g., Kunder-Richardson 20, Cronbach’s alpha). Item analysis based on CTT has been the dominant approach because of the simplicity of calculating the statistics (e.g., item difficulty index, item discrimination index, item-total correlation).

18. Item Response Theory (IRT) The IRT , on the other hand, analyzes test items by estimating the probability that an examinee answers an item correctly or incorrectly. One of the central differences of IRT from CTT is that IRT, it is assumed that the characteristic of an item can be estimated independently of the character or ability of the examinee and vice-versa.

19. Item Response Theory (IRT) Aside from item difficulty and item discrimination indices, IRT analysis can provided significantly more information on items and test, such as fit statistics , item characteristic curve (ICC) , and test characteristic curve (TCC) . There are also different IRT models (e.g., one-parameter model, three-parameter model) which can provide different item and test information that cannot be estimated using the CTT.

20. Item Response Theory (IRT) In previous years, there have been an increase in the use of IRT analysis as measurement framework despite the complexity of the analysis involved due to the availability of IRT software .

21. What are the different types of assessment in learning? Assessment in learning could be of different types. The most common types are formative , summative , diagnostic , and placement . Other experts would describe the types of assessment as traditional and authentic .

22. Formative Assessment The information collected on student learning allows teachers to make adjustment to their instructional process and strategies to facilitate learning. Through performance reports the teacher feedback, formative assessment can also inform learners about their strength and weakness to enable them to take steps to learn better and improve their performance as the class progresses.

23. Formative Assessment Formative Assessment refers to assessment activities that provide information to both teachers and learners on how they can improve the teaching-learning process. This type of assessment is formative because it is used at the beginning and during instruction for teachers to assess learner’s understanding.

24. Summative Assessments Summative Assessment are assessment activities that aim to determine learner’s mastery of content or attainment of learning outcomes. They are summative, as they are supposed to provide information on the quantity or quality of what students have learned or achieve at the end of instruction.

25. Summative Assessments While data from summative assessment are typically used for evaluating learners’ performance in class, there data also provide teachers with information about the effectiveness of their teaching strategies and how they improve their instruction in the future. Through performance reports the teacher feedback summative assessment can also inform learners about what they have done well and what they need to improve on their future classes or subjects.

26. Diagnostic Assessment Diagnostic Assessment aims to detect the learning problems of 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.

27. Placement Assessment Placement Assessment is usually done at the beginning of the school year to determine what learners already know or what are their needs that could inform 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.

28. Traditional Assessment Traditional Assessment 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 test are used.

29. Traditional Assessment Traditional assessment are often used as basis for evaluating and grading learners. They are more commonly used in classrooms because they are easier to design and quicker to be scored. In general, traditional assessment are viewed as an inauthentic type of assessment.

30. Authentic Assessment Authentic Assessment refers to the use of assessment strategies or tools that allow learners to perform or create a product that are meaningful to the learners, as they are based on the real- world contexts. The authenticity of assessment task is best described in terms of degree rather that the presence or absence of authenticity.

31. Authentic Assessment Hence, an assessment can be more authentic or less authentic compared to other assessments. The most authentic assessments are those that allow performances that most closely resemble real-world task or applications in real-world settings or environments.

32. The Different Principles in Assessing Learning

33. 1. Assessment should have a clear purpose Assessment starts with a clear purpose. The methods used in collecting information should be based on this purpose. The interpretation of data collected should be aligned with the purpose that has been set. This assessment principle is congruent with the outcome-based education (OBE) principles of clarity of focus and design down .

34. 2. Assessment is not an end in itself Assessment serves as a means to enhance student learning. It is not a simple recording or documentation of what learners know and do not know. Collecting information about student learning, whether formative or summative, should lead to decisions that will allow improvement of the learners.

35. 3. Assessment is an ongoing, continuous and a formative process. Assessment consist 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. This assessment principle is congruent with the OBE principle of expanded opportunity .

36. 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 on how they can improve their teaching, which corresponds to the goal of improving student learning.

37. 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.

38. 6. Assessment must be comprehensive and holistic. Assessment should be performed using a variety of strategies and tools designed to assess student learning in holistic way. Assessment should be conducted in multiple periods to assess learning over time. This assessment principle is also congruent with the OBE principle of expanded opportunity .

39. 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. This assessment principle is consistent with the OBE principle of high expectations .

40. 8. Assessment should be 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.

41. Develop Let us check what ideas you have acquired about the basic concepts and principles in assessing learning. 1. What is assessment in learning? 2. How similar or different is assessment from measurement, evaluation, testing, and grading?

42. 3. What is the main difference between classical test theory and item-response theory? 4. What are the different types of assessment? 5. Give three core principles in assessing learning.

43. Apply Based on the lessons on the basic concepts and principles in assessment in learning, select five core principles in assessing learning and explain them in relation to your experience with a previous or current teacher in one of your courses/subjects.

44. Transfer Prepare a plan on how you will conduct assessment based on the core principles you have learned. Refer to K to 12 curriculum in identifying the competencies targeted by instruction and how you intend to assess your future students while following the principles in assessing learning.