What is assessment?
“Assessment is the systematic collection, review and use of information about educational programs
undertaken for the purpose of improving student learning and development.”
a. Evaluation: Assessment gives us evaluation. Evaluation values our ability. A student can evaluate
herself after exam that she could not perform well this time. b. Motivation for students as well as for
teachers:
What is an Aptitude test?
A test intended to measure the test-taker's innate ability to learn, given before receiving instruction.
What is Authentic assessment?
Evaluating by asking for the behaviour the learning is intended to produce. The concept of model,
practice, feedback in which students know what excellent performance is and are guided to practice an
entire concept rather than bits and pieces in preparation for eventual understanding. A variety of
techniques can be employed in authentic assessment.
What is Benchmark?
Student performance standards (the level(s) of student competence in a content area.)
What is concept?
An abstract, general notion -- a heading that characterizes a set of behaviours and beliefs.
What is criterion reference test?
A test in which the results can be used to determine a student's progress toward mastery of a content
area.
What is curriculum alignment?
The degree to which a curriculum's scope and sequence matches a testing program's evaluation
measures, thus ensuring that teachers will use successful completion of the test as a goal of classroom
instruction.
What is evaluation?
Both qualitative and quantitative descriptions of student behaviour plus value judgments concerning the
desirability of that behaviour. Using collected information (assessments) to make informed decisions
about continued instruction, programs, activities. Exemplar Model of excellence.
What is formative assessment? Formative assessment is a type of evaluation used by educators to
monitor student learning and provide ongoing feedback that can be used to improve teaching and
learning processes. Unlike summative assessments, which evaluate student learning at the end of an
instructional unit,
Observations which allow one to determine the degree to which students know or are able to do a given
learning task, and which identifies the part of the task that the student does not know or is unable to do.
Outcomes suggest future steps for teaching and learning.
What is item analysis?
Analyzing each item on a test to determine the proportions of students selecting each answer. Can be
used to evaluate student strengths and weaknesses; may point to problems with the test's validity and
to possible bias.
What is objective test?
A test for which the scoring procedure is completely specified enabling agreement among different
scorers. A correct-answer test.
What is outcome?
An operationally defined educational goal, usually a culminating activity, product, or performance that
can be measured.
What is performance criteria?
The standards by which student performance is evaluated. Performance criteria help assessors maintain
objectivity and provide students with important information about expectations, giving them a target or
goal to strive for.
What is profile?
A graphic compilation of the performance of an individual on a series of assessments
Assessment is about judgment and judgments is about improvement
edu405: Lecture 4
what is test?
a test is a formal or informal tool used to assess a student’s knowledge, understanding, skills, or
competencies in a specific subject or area. Tests provide feedback to both students and instructors,
helping measure how well students have grasped the material and identifying areas that may need
further reinforcement.
link and loop of assessment ?
The “link and loop” refers to a cyclical process used in various contexts (such as learning,
assessment, or healthcare) to ensure continuous improvement and alignment between actions,
outcomes, and feedback.
The link and loop of assessment in learning refers to an ongoing cycle of evaluating students'
knowledge, providing feedback, and adjusting teaching strategies to enhance learning
outcomes. This approach ensures continuous improvement, where assessments are integrated
throughout the learning process rather than treated as isolated events.
Classroom Assessment: Link between Instruction and Assessment
The link between instruction and assessment ensures that teaching strategies and evaluation
methods work together to enhance student learning. When instruction and assessment are aligned,
assessments reflect what was taught, and teaching addresses the skills and knowledge that students
need to demonstrate in assessments. This connection creates a cohesive educational experience
that promotes both learning and continuous improvement.
How Stakeholders Interact in the Assessment Process
Teachers and Students: Work together through formative assessments to guide learning.
Parents and Teachers: Collaborate during parent-teacher meetings to support students.
Administrators and Teachers: Use assessment data to improve teaching practices and align with
school goals.
Policy Makers and Schools: Evaluate standardized test scores to measure school performance
and develop new policies.
Loop of Assessment
Design
Develop –
Implement -
Assess
Classroom Assessment: Assessment Techniques and their Links with each other
Classroom assessment is a crucial component of the educational process, enabling teachers to
evaluate student learning, inform instruction, and improve educational outcomes.
Lesson 25 : Classroom Management
Classroom management refers to the strategies and techniques teachers use to create a positive
learning environment that promotes effective teaching and learning. It involves organizing activities,
managing student behavior, maintaining discipline, and building relationships to ensure the smooth
functioning of the class. Learners and learning are linked
Topic 26
Classroom Assessment: Reliability and related concepts
Reliability is a critical concept in classroom assessment that ensures the consistency and dependability
of evaluation results. Understanding and applying related concepts—such as validity, fairness, item
analysis, standardization, and reliability coefficients—can help educators create more effective and
equitable assessments. By focusing on improving reliability, teachers can better support student learning
and accurately assess their knowledge and skills.
Reliability in classroom assessment refers to the consistency and stability of assessment results over
time and across different contexts.
The test-retest procedure,
The Test-Retest Procedure is a method used to assess the reliability of a test by administering the same
test to the same group of individuals on two different occasions.
Advantages of using ‘Test-Retest Procedure’: -
This procedure has strong logical appeal, one is measuring more than once with the identical test. - One
avoids the problem of developing more than one test.
Disadvantages of using ‘Test-Retest Procedure’: - Events taking place - Persons might change - Students
become more practiced second time
the alternative –test form procedure,
Alternative-test form procedures refer to methods that allow educators to assess student knowledge
and skills through various formats beyond traditional assessments, such as multiple-choice tests or
standardized exams. These alternative assessments can include projects, portfolios, performances, and
open-ended questions, among others. The goal is to provide a more comprehensive evaluation of
student learning and abilities, accommodating diverse learning styles and fostering deeper
understanding.
Advantages: - As tests differ though slightly, students cannot apply their guess work
Disadvantages: - One has to develop two tests
the split halves procedure
The Split Halves Procedure assesses the internal consistency of a test by comparing scores from two
halves of the same test. This helps ensure that the test items are measuring the same construct reliably.
Q: split halves procedure reliability
The Split Halves Procedure is a method used to assess the reliability of a test by comparing the scores of
two halves of the same test.
Dividing the test into halves effectively reduces the amount of data being analyzed. A shorter length
may not provide a comprehensive assessment of reliability.
What is Internal Consistency?
Internal consistency checks how well different questions or tasks in a test measure the same thing. If a
test is consistent, it means that similar questions give similar results.
Advantages - Need to develop just one test. - No maturation. - No cueing. Disadvantages - Scholars do
not agree on the formula applied to calculate internal consistency
In classroom assessment, coefficients are statistical measures that indicate the reliability
and validity of assessments. One of the most common coefficients used is Cronbach’s Alpha, which
measures internal consistency. Here's a breakdown of the coefficients and their ranges, particularly
focusing on Cronbach’s Alpha and other relevant reliability coefficients:
0.00 to 0.59: Poor agreement between raters.
0.60 to 0.79: Moderate agreement.
0.80 and above: Good to excellent agreement, indicating that different raters are evaluating
consistently.
Topic 32 Some other types of Assessments
Authentic Assessment (for instance alternative assessment or direct
assessment.)
Purpose: To evaluate students' abilities in real-world contexts, focusing on the application of
knowledge and skills.
Examples:
o Projects that solve real-world problems
o Case studies
o Research papers
Performance Assessment –
Performance assessments call upon the examinee to demonstrate specific skills and competencies, that
is, to apply the skills and knowledge they have mastered. (Stiggins, 1987)
Topic 33 - Authentic versus Traditional Assessment
Authentic assessment and traditional assessment are two different approaches to evaluating student
learning and performance
Traditional assessment
Traditional assessment targets a response like answering a question whereas Authentic assessment
asks for meaningful performance like group discussion.
Selecting a Response vs Performing a tsk.
Recalling vs construction of Knowledge
Indirect evidence vs Direct evidence
Topic 34 Diagnostic Assessment
Diagnostic assessment is a type of evaluation designed to assess students' prior knowledge, skills, and
understanding before instruction begins. It helps educators identify individual student strengths and
weaknesses, guiding instructional planning and strategies.
Topic 35 Norm-Referenced Assessment
A norm referenced assessment makes judgments about people, on the basis of sources and
distributions of scores. For instance, the top 10 percent of the class are awarded first class and
the next 15 percent are awarded second class.
Though norm referenced assessment is very common, but does not give accurate and exact
assessment. For example, a student who fails in one year may well have passed in others.
Similarly getting higher grades does not mean higher capabilities
Topic 36 Criterion-Referenced Assessment
Criterion-referenced assessment is an essential tool for evaluating student learning based on specific
standards and objectives. It focuses on mastery of content and skills, providing clear expectations and
targeted feedback. When used alongside other assessment types, such as norm-referenced
assessments, it offers a comprehensive view of student learning and progress, supporting more effective
teaching and learning practices.
Topic 37 Norm vs Criterion Referenced Assessment
Norm-referenced assessment and criterion-referenced assessment are two distinct approaches to
evaluating student performance. Here’s a detailed comparison of the two:
Norm referenced focuses more on scores whereas criterion referenced targets the performance of
students.
Topic 38 Validity and Related Concepts
What is Validity ?
Validity means how well a test measures what it is supposed to measure?
Validity is a crucial concept in research, assessment, and evaluation, referring to the extent to which a
tool, test, or measure accurately reflects the concept it is intended to asses
Topic 39 Face Validity –
Does the test appear to test what it is supposed to be tested? –
A drawing test must be related to figures, so the question paper should appear with figures.
A test that asks for filling some blanks must have blanks on paper.
A multiple-choice question must have options along with
Topic 40 Content Validity –
1. Content validity is crucial for ensuring that assessments are meaningful and effective in
measuring what they are designed to measure-
2. Construct validity refers to the construction of a test.
3. Content validity refers to the contents a test is suppose to measure. –
4. For instance, a book has ten chapters; these chapters are the contents of the book.
Types of Validity
1. Content Validity:
o Ensures the test covers the entire domain of the construct.
o Example: A math test covering various topics in the curriculum.
o Topic 41 Construct Validity
o Measures whether a test accurately reflects the theoretical construct.
o Includes convergent (correlates with similar measures) and discriminant (does not
correlate with unrelated measures) validity.
Topic 42 Criterion and Predictive Validity
Types of Criterion-Related Validity
1. Concurrent Validity:
o Explanation: This measures how well a new test compares to an established test at the
same time.
o Example: If a new math test gives similar scores to a well-known math test taken by the
same students, it has good concurrent validity.
2. Predictive Validity:
o Explanation: This assesses how well a test predicts future performance or outcomes.
o Example: If a college entrance exam can accurately predict a student’s future college
grades, it demonstrates strong predictive validity.
3. Topic 43 Link between Reliability and Validity
Reliability refers to the consistency of a test or measurement. If you take the same test multiple
times, a reliable test will give you similar results each time.
Validity refers to whether the test actually measures what it claims to measure. It asks if the
test is accurate and meaningful.
The Relationship
1. Reliability is Necessary for Validity:
o A test can be reliable (consistent) but not valid (accurate). For example, if a ruler
consistently measures 10 inches when it should measure 12 inches, it's reliable but not
valid.
2. Validity Requires Reliability:
o For a test to be valid, it must first be reliable. If a test gives wildly different results each
time, it can't accurately measure anything.
Topic 44 Free from Bias
Being "free from bias" means that something (like a test or assessment) is fair and does not favor one
group of people over another. It ensures that everyone has the same chance to succeed, no matter their
background.
Key Points
1. Fairness: Everyone should have an equal opportunity to do well.
2. Accuracy: The results should truly reflect what someone knows or can do, not just how they
relate to the test.
3. Avoiding Stereotypes: The language and content of the test should not assume certain
knowledge based on culture, gender, or socioeconomic status.
Q:types of questionnaires
Q: what is portfolio
Q: project or portfolio
Q1 types of test
q2 Note on types of questions
q3 advantages of questionnaire.
q4 One similarity between evaluative and motivational feedback.
q5 what to write in feedback
q.6 Differentiate between test-retest and alternative test
q7 Differentiate between achievement and growth portfolio
2. Assessment which is used in summing up is............
3. --------------- is used to evaluate performance.
