CHAPTER 1 BASIC CONCEPTS IN ASSESSMENT

KEY TERMS:

ASSESSMENT:
-is the systematic basis for making inference about the learning and
development of students. It is the process of defining, selecting, designing,
collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and using information to increase students
learning and development.
-assessment for learning is an approach to teaching and learning that creates
feedback which is then improved student’s performance. Students become more
involved in the learning process and from this gain confidence in what they are
expected to learn and to what standard.

EVALUATION:
-is a process that critically examines a program. It involves collecting and
analyzing information about a programs activities, characteristics and outcomes.
Its purpose is to make judgements about program, to improve its effectiveness,
and/ or to inform programming decisions (patton1987).
-"Evaluation is the collection of, analysis and interpretation of information
about any aspect of a programme of education or training as part of a
recognised process of judging its effectiveness, its efficiency and any other
outcomes it may have."
- is a systematic determination of a subject's merit, worth and significance,
using criteria governed by a set of standards. ... The primary purpose of
 evaluation, in addition to gaining insight into prior or existing initiatives, is to
enable reflection and assist in the identification of future change.

MEASUREMENT:
-“Measurement” is the act of determining a target's size, length, weight,
capacity, or other aspect. ... To use measurement tools as necessary. It is also
appropriate to say that measurement is done by a worker using a measurement
system, and instrumentation is done by a technician.
-Measurement, the process of associating numbers with physical quantities
and phenomena. Measurement is fundamental to the sciences; to engineering,
construction, and other technical fields; and to almost all everyday activities.

TEST:
-a procedure intended to establish the quality, performance, or reliability of
something, especially before it is taken into widespread use.

-Simply put, a test refers to a tool, technique or a method that is intended to

measure student’s knowledge or their ability to complete a particular task. In this
sense, testing can be considered as a form of assessment. Tests should meet
some basic requirements, such as validity and reliability.

o Validity refers to the extent to which a test measures what it is supposed

to measure.
o Reliability refers to the consistency of test scores when administered on
different occasions.
There are different types of tests:
o Placement tests: It is designed to help educators place a student into a
particular level or section of a language curriculum or school
o Diagnostic tests: they help teachers and learners to identify strengths and
weaknesses.
o Proficiency tests: they measure a learner’s level of language.
o Achievement tests: they are intended to measure the skills and knowledge
learned after some kind of instruction.

TESTING:
-take measures to check the quality, performance, or reliability of (something),
especially before putting it into widespread use or practice.
-1a : a means of testing: such as.(1) : something (such as a series of questions
or exercises) for measuring the skill, knowledge, intelligence, capacities, or
aptitudes of an individual or group. (2): a procedure, reaction, or reagent used to
identify or characterize a substance or constituent.

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT:
-The goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning to provide
ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and
by students to improve their learning. More specifically, formative
assessments: help students identify their strengths and weaknesses and target
areas that need work
-formative assessment refers to a low-stakes assessment that does not normally
contribute towards a student’s final grade. A formative assessment may include
summarizing the main points in a lecture or a weekly quiz to test comprehension
of the reviewed content. Students’ feedback on these assessments is used to
improve their learning while they’re still learning. These assessments are used
to inform in-process teaching and allow instructors to personalize their course to
meet students’ needs. 

Formative assessment is also used to provide ongoing feedback to both

teachers and students. Teachers can then improve their teaching while students
can improve their learning based on their achievement. These assessments
help students identify their strengths and weaknesses in specific areas and help
faculty address students’ struggles immediately.

PLACEMENT ASSESSMENT:
-Placement assessments are used to “place” students into a course, course
level, or academic program. ... For this reason, placement assessments are
administered before a course or program begins, and the basic intent is to
match students with appropriate learning experiences that address their distinct
learning needs.

DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT:
-Diagnostic assessments are sets of written questions (multiple choice or short
answer) that assess a learner's current knowledge base or current views on a
topic/issue to be studied in the course. ... This method allows instructors and
students to chart their learning progress by comparing pre- and post-tests
results.
-In simple terms, diagnostic evaluation means to diagnose or discover the
students' difficulties while learning and assess the problem accurately. A
diagnostic test is performed to disclose weaknesses and strengths to
themselves. This evaluation helps the student in knowing their personality, their
weak points.
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT:
-The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of
an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark.
Summative assessments are often high stakes, which means that they have a
high point value. Examples of summative assessments include: a midterm
exam. a final project.
-are designed to determine whether or not a module's learning objectives have
been achieved. This strategy is also an essential part of the e-learning process,
as it can help you determine whether or not the learner is ready to move onto
the next section.

TRADITIONAL ASSESSMENT:
-Traditional assessments are “tests” taken with paper and pencil that are usually
true/false, matching, or multiple choice. These assessments are easy to grade,
but only test isolated application, facts, or memorized data at lower-level thinking
skills. ... Learners must use more complex, higher-order thinking skills.
-Traditional assessments are most frequently used to evaluate students, rank
them, and assign a final grade. Traditional assessments generally involve the
use tests, quizzes, and homework as the means for evaluation

PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT:
-A portfolio assessment can be an examination of student-selected samples of
work experiences and documents related to outcomes being assessed, and it
can address and support progress toward achieving academic goals, including
student efficacy.
-
Portfolio assessment enables students to reflect their real performance, to show
their weak and strong domain and to observe student's progress during the
learning process, and encourages students to take responsibilities for their own
learning.

PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
-Performance assessment, also known as alternative or authentic assessment,
is a form of testing that requires students to perform a task rather than select an
answer from a ready-made list.
-
Performance assessment: This assessment measures how well students apply
their knowledge, skills, and abilities to authentic problems. The key feature is
that it requires the student to produce something, such as a report, experiment,
or performance, which is scored against specific criteria.