ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING

“If the proof of the pudding is in the eating, then the proof of learning is results obtained from assessing.”

FOCUS:

• Guiding principles in the assessment of learning;• Implications of these principles in the teaching-learning process;• Appropriate assessment tools prior, during and after instruction.

Without the assessment of

learning, the teaching cycle

would never be complete.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN

THE ASSESSMENT OF

LEARNING

1.Assessment of learning is an

integral part of the teaching-learning

process.• Assessment is a sine qua non of teaching. •Without assessment the teaching cycle is not complete.

• We teach with certain objectives to attain.• After we have taught, it is logical to find out how well we have attained our lesson objectives, thus we engaged in the process of assessment.• What we do after we taught is determined by the assessment results.

The formative evaluation

must be done frequently

to determine learning that early for us to be

able to make adjustments to our

lessons in accordance with

the information gathered.

With assessment or evaluation built into the teaching learning process, students are made to understand that the purpose of

assessment is to check on learning.

2. Assessment tool should match with the performance objective.• A valid assessment tool matches with our lesson objective.• Which assessment tool to use, which test to formulate must be based on our performance objective.

Example:• [Learning how to dance cha-

cha]• [Find out in the end if they

learned]• Simply play the music and see

them dance [valid]• Make use of written test and

ask students to write down the steps of cha-cha from the first to the last step to measure their ability to dance it as explicitly stated in the performance objective[far from being valid]

To write down the steps of cha-cha in order is one

thing. To dance it is another thing.• Other than written and performance tests as assessment methodologies is “product assessment” classified into written and physical. (Danielson, 2002)

Examples of written products shared by Danielson -term papers, short play, laboratory report, newspaper articles, and letters to public officials.. physical products are dioramas, sculptures or photographs..

3. The results of assessment must be fed back to the learners.• Return corrected quizzes, tests,

seatworks, assignments, and evaluated projects ASAP;

• How will the students know that they are progressing towards the benchmark set at the beginning of the class by way of the performance objectives?

4. In assessing learning, teachers must consider learners’ learning styles and multiple intelligences and so must come up with a variety of ways of assessing learning.

•Most tests are written, except for some performance tests conducted in PE and Science Lab classes.•With written tests, our ‘language smart’ students are always at an advantage.

•However, that would be at the disadvantage of the kinesthetically, intelligent, musically intelligent, the spatially intelligent…

[Howard Gardner’s MI theory]

•The traditional assessment practice of giving written test is quite inadequate.•We need to introduce other techniques like portfolio assessment and other authentic assessment tools.

Principles of Teaching, Brenda B, Corpuz, Gloria G. Salandanan, Lorimar Publishing Inc., 2007, page 117

On Figure 15 49 M I Assessment Contexts (Thomas Armstrong, 1994) shared a variety of assessment or evaluation techniques. Take note that he presented only seven intelligences then. There are now an eighth and a ninth intelligence, the naturalist intelligence and the existentialist intelligence, respectively.

5. To contribute to the building of the culture of success in the school, it is pedagogically sound that in our assessment techniques we give some positive feedback along with not so good ones.

6. Emphasize on self-assessment• If ever assessment results are

used for comparison, it is comparison against one’s standard and never against another’s performance or standard.

• “Assessment should not force students to compete against one another; any competition should be between students and their own prior performance.” (Danielson, 2002)

7. All learners can achieve. Therefore, it is not “normal” that students fail.• If we believe that our task as

teachers is to teach all students, and that it is possible that they, even those from limited backgrounds, will have access to opportunities and therefore can achieve, then the bell curve mentality must be abandoned.

• Remember, we wish to build the culture of success in the classroom because success breeds success. • Concentrate on the thought that all can learn.

8.Assessment of learning should never be used as punishment or as a disciplinary measure.

• Unscheduled quiz when the class is noisy;

• Very difficult test to punish students who do not study;

• Minus points for the less disciplined group…

9. Results of learning assessment must be

communicated regularly and clearly

to parents.

10. Emphasize on real world application that

favors realistic performances over out-of-

context drill items.

• This requires students to generate responses, not choose; to actively accomplish complex tasks while bringing to bear prior knowledge new learning and relevant skills.

ASSESSMENT in the DIFFERENT PHASES of INSTRUCTION

• Prior to Instruction- pre-teaching assessment to determine where your students are in relation to your lesson such as written pre-test, KWL technique, or by simply asking questions to diagnose entry knowledge and skills.

• During Instruction- pose oral questions, observe them as they perform classroom activities or exercises, giving quizzes is popular.When we engage ourselves in the evaluation activity in the process of our teaching, it is what we call formative evaluation.Summative evaluation is engaged when we have waited until the end of the lesson before we evaluate/assess.

• After Instruction- post-test after instruction if you gave pre-test; if you used KWL technique, then go back to it and ask your students to share what they learned (L). • If you discover that your

lesson objectives were not achieved, find out why and employ remedial measures like re-teaching, peer tutoring, and the like.

APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENT TOOLS

• Teacher-made Test/ Paper-and-pencil test- most common tool used to assess learning;

• Authentic tools of assessment such as performance tests/practical tests in skill subjects like PE, lab subjects and computer (hands-on);

• Portfolio assessment (showing the development in the child’s writing skill through display of a collection of his written work for the past three to four months.

If performance test is for the assessment of skills learned, what about the assessment

of values learned?• For assessment of learning in the

affective domain: observation of the students’ behavior, interviews with the students, reading of journal entries or students’ personal narratives, rating scales are most appropriate.

REFERENCES:

• Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory are creative assessment techniques. Refer to Figure 15 for assessment techniques for the multiple intelligences, page 117.

• Source: Thomas Armstrong. Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom. Virginia: Association for supervision and Curricular Development, 1994, p 126.

For elaborative learning• 1. What if:

a. We remove evaluation as part of the lesson plan?

b. We only practice summative evaluation/

c. We limit ourselves only to written test for evaluation purposes? Explain your answer.

2. What is a more authentic way of testing whether the students have learned to:

d. Compose and deliver an inspirational message for graduates?

e. Teach a lesson inductively?

• 3. Can homework be a tool for assessing learning? Explain your answer.

• 4. Each one must interview at least 3 students on their perception and feeling of testing by asking them these questions:a. Do you like tests?b. Are tests necessary? Why or why not?c. Suggest ways to improve teachers’ testing practices.

Collate the interviewees’ responses. Interpret them in the light of assessment principles.

• 5. Conduct a survey of the evaluation techniques used by teachers in the college. Formulate your conclusions.

For Research:• 1. Between norm-referenced and

criterion-referenced evaluation, which one is more appropriate for mastery learning or outcome based education model?• 2. Can I do criterion-referenced

and norm-referenced evaluation at the same time? Explain your answer.