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STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 1

PRELIMINARY CONCEPTS AND RECENT TRENDS

MODULE OVERVIEW

Classroom Assessment is a systematic approach to formative evaluation, used by instructors to determine

how much and how well students are learning. "The central purpose of Classroom Assessment is to empower
both teachers and their students to improve the quality of learning in the classroom" through an approach that is
"learner-centered, teacher-directed, mutually beneficial, formative, context-specific, and firmly rooted in good
practice" (Angelo & Cross, 1993, p. 4).

The advent of technology caused a change of perspective in education, nationally and internationally. The
teacher ceased to be the sole source of knowledge. With knowledge explosion, students are surrounded with
various sources of facts and information accessible through user-friendly technology. The teacher has become
a facilitator of knowledge who assists in the organization, interpretation and validation of acquired facts and
information.

On this learning module, you will understand more the concepts and be aware on the trends of educational
assessment that affect the teaching and learning process.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this Module, you should be able to

1. Explain the basic concepts and principles in educational assessment.
2. Discuss on the role of assessment in making instructional decisions to improve teaching and learning.
3. Reflect on and discuss the applications and implications of assessment to teaching and learning.

WHAT IS EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT?

INTRODUCTION:

There is more to assessment than seeing if the requirements for achieving a qualification have been
met. Assessment as part of classroom activities is a fundamental process required to promote learning and
ultimately achievement.

Educational Assessment – is the systematic process of documenting and using empirical data on the
knowledge, skill, attitudes, and beliefs to refine programs and improve student learning. Assessment
data can be obtained from directly examining student work to assess the achievement of learning outcomes
or can be based on data from which one can make inferences about learning. As a continuous process,
assessment establishes measurable and clear student learning outcomes for learning, provisioning a
sufficient amount of learning opportunities to achieve these outcomes, implementing a systematic way
of gathering, analyzing and interpreting evidence to determine how well student learning matches
expectations, and using the collected information to inform improvement in student learning.

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT

All assessments must meet all the following principles, regardless of the method of assessment used to
evidence learners’ attainment.
 Valid: the assessment evidence meets all assessment criteria and all learning outcomes

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 Authentic: all the work is the learner’s own

 Reliable: assessment evidence is consistent and generates outcomes that would be replicated were the
assessment repeated
 Current: assessment evidence is up-to-date
 Sufficient: enough work is available to justify the credit value, and to enable a consistent and reliable
judgement about the learner’s achievement
 Comparable: all assessment evidence is comparable in standard between assessments within a
unit/qualification, and between learners of the same level
 Manageable: all assessment places reasonable demands on all learners
 Fair and minimize bias: assessments are fair to all learners irrespective of their characteristics (for
example, age, gender, etc)

TYPES OF EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT

Ongoing assessment of student learning in the classroom is an essential aspect of effective teaching.
Teachers can use a variety of assessment methods to diagnose students' strengths and needs, plan and adjust
instruction, and provide feedback to students and parents regarding progress and achievement. While the
choice of particular assessment methods will vary according to the purpose of the assessment, the content of
the curriculum, and the age levels of students, a set of common principles underlies effective classroom
assessment.

Assessment is integral to the teaching-learning process, facilitating student learning and improving
instruction, and can take a variety of forms. Classroom assessment is generally divided into three types:
assessment for learning, assessment of learning and assessment as learning.

Assessment for Learning

Assessment for learning is ongoing assessment that allows teachers to monitor students on a day-to-
day basis and modify their teaching on what the students need to be successful. This assessment provides
students with the timely, specific feedback that they need to make adjustments to their learning.

Assessment of Learning

Assessment of learning is the snapshot in time that lets the teacher, students and their parents know
how well each student has completed the learning tasks and activities. It provides information about student
achievement. While it provides useful reporting information, it often has little effect on learning.

Assessment as Learning

Assessment as learning develops and supports students’ metacognitive skills. This form of assessment
is crucial in helping students become lifelong learners. As students engage in peer and self-assessment, they
learn to make sense of information, relate it to prior knowledge and use it for new learning. Students develop a
sense of ownership and efficacy when they use teacher, peer and self-assessment feedback to make
adjustments, improvements and changes to what they understand.

USES/PURPOSES OF EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT

The purpose of assessment is to gather relevant information about student performance or progress, or
to determine student interests to make judgments about their learning process. After receiving this information,

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teachers can reflect on each student’s level of achievement, as well as on specific inclinations of the group, to
customize their teaching plans.

Continuous assessment provides day-to-day feedback about the learning and teaching process.
Assessment can reinforce the efficacy of teaching and learning. It also encourages the understanding of
teaching as a formative process that evolves over time with feedback and input from students. This creates
good classroom rapport. Student assessments are necessary because:

 Throughout a lesson or unit, the teacher might want to check for understanding by using a formative
assessment.
 Students who are experiencing difficulties in learning may benefit from the administration of a
diagnostic test, which will be able to detect learning issues such as reading comprehension problems,
an inability to remember written or spoken words, hearing or speech difficulties, and problems with
hand–eye coordination.
 Students generally complete a summative assessment after completing the study of a topic. The
teacher can determine their level of achievement and provide them with feedback on their strengths
and weaknesses. For students who didn’t master the topic or skill, teachers can use data from the
assessment to create a plan for remediation.
 Teachers may also want to use informal assessment techniques. Using self-assessment, students
express what they think about their learning process and what they should work on. Using peer
assessment, students get information from their classmates about what areas they should revise and
what areas they’re good at.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1: KWL CHART

KWL chart may be used to organize class discussion. This activity allows you call to mind various
concepts about educational assessment. You should note what do you KNOW, what do you WANT TO KNOW,
and what have you LEARNED.

COMMON TERMINOLOGIES IN EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT

INTRODUCTION:

With the change of focus in instruction from content to learning outcomes came the need to redefine
and clarify the terms used to determine the progress of students towards attainment of the desired learning
outcomes. These are measurement, testing, evaluation, and the different types of tests.

COMMON TERMS IN EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT

 Measurement

Measurement is the process of determining or describing the attributes or dimensions of an object, skill
or knowledge. To measure is to apply a standard measuring device to an object, group of objects,
events or situations according to procedure determined by one who is skilled in the use of such device.

The word measurement, as it applies to education, is not substantially different from when it is used in
any other field. We use common objects in the physical world to measure, such as tape measures,

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scales and meters. These measurement tools are held to standards and can be used to obtain reliable
results. When used properly, they accurately gather data for educators and administrators. Some
standard measurements in education are raw scores, percentile ranks and standard scores.

 Testing

A test is used to examine someone’s knowledge of something to determine what that person knows or
has learned. It measures the level of skill or knowledge that has been reached. An evaluative device or
procedure in which a sample of an examinee’s behavior in a specified domain is obtained and
subsequently evaluated and scored using a standardized process (The Standards for Educational and
Psychological Testing, 1999)

Tests generally utilize a paper-and pencil format, are administered and taken within established time
limits, restrict test takers' access to resources (e.g., reference materials), and yield a limited range of
acceptable responses.

Standardized Testing

A standardized test is any form of test that requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or a
selection of questions from common bank of questions, in the same way, and that is scored in a
“standard” or consistent manner, which makes it possible to compare the relative performance of
individual students or groups of students. 

High-Stakes Testing

A high-stakes test is any test used to make important decisions about students, educators, schools, or
districts, most commonly for the purpose of accountability—i.e., the attempt by federal, state, or local
government agencies and school administrators to ensure that students are enrolled in effective
schools and being taught by effective teachers. In general, “high stakes” means that test scores are
used to determine punishments (such as sanctions, penalties, funding reductions, negative publicity),
accolades (awards, public celebration, positive publicity), advancement (grade promotion or graduation
for students), or compensation (salary increases or bonuses for administrators and teachers).

 Evaluation

Evaluation is the process of using the measurements gathered in the assessments. Teachers use this
information to judge the relationship between what was intended by the instruction and what was
learned. They evaluate the information gathered to determine what students know and understand, how
far they have progressed and how fast, and how their scores and progress compare to those of other
students.

TYPES OF TESTS
(Mc Graw Hill Education)

1. Diagnostic Test
Assesses student’s strengths, weaknesses, knowledge, and skill prior to instruction.
2. Formative Test
Assesses student’s performance during instruction, and usually occurs regularly throughout the
instruction process.

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3. Summative Test
Measures a student’s achievement at the end of instruction
4. Norm-referenced Test
Compares a student’s performance against a national or other norm group.

5. Criterion-referenced Test
Measures a student’s performance against a goal, specific objective, or standard.
6. Interim/Benchmark
Evaluates student performance at periodic intervals, frequently at the end of a grading period. Can
predict student performance on end-of-year summative tests.

Different types of assessments address different information needs. The purposes and audiences for
assessment information influence what is assessed, how it is assessed, and how the results are communicated
and used. At the classroom level, teachers have different assessment needs diagnosing student strengths and
weaknesses, informing students and parents about progress, planning and adjusting instruction, and motivating
students to focus on valued knowledge and skills. With these purposes in mind, classroom assessments may
be tailored directly to the curriculum and to the information needs of individual teachers, students, and parents.
Assessments designed to promote learning in the classroom are more likely to be used over time, include an
array of methods, focus on elements of quality, offer a more personalized picture of student achievement, and
provide timely and specific feedback.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 2: LIST ME DOWN

List down five (5) activities or processes involved in measurement, testing and evaluation.

HIGH QUALITY ASSESSMENT COMPONENTS

INTRODUCTION:

As an essential aspect of K-12 instruction, assessment impacts everything from district level decisions
about resources and training to classroom level decisions that differentiate instruction and personalize learning.
From the district perspective, it affects instructional needs, curriculum, and school funding while helping to
answer the following critical questions: Are our students learning what they need to learn and at the right pace?
And if not, what can we be doing better to create a roadmap for student success?

High-quality assessments are balanced to provide instructors with ongoing feedback about student
progress. In particular, data gathered from assessments given throughout the learning process give educators
the information they need to adjust their instruction. Assessment, then, isn't the final word; rather, it should be
part of an ongoing conversation that helps all students get exactly what they need to meet learning standards.

FIVE COMPONENTS OF HIGH-QUALITY ASSESSMENTS

WITH CLASSROOM COMPETENCIES

1. Clear Purpose
Assessment processes and results serve clear and appropriate purposes.

Competencies:

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a. Identify the key users of classroom assessment information and know what their information needs
are.
b. Understand formative and summative assessment uses and know when to use each.

2. Clear Targets
Assessments reflect clear student learning targets.

Competencies:
a. Know how to identify the five kinds of learning targets. (Knowledge, Reasoning, Skill, Product,
Disposition)
b. Know how to turn broad statements of content standards into classroom-level learning targets.
c. Begin instructional planning with clear learning targets.
d. Translate learning targets into student-friendly language.

3. Sound Design/ Appropriate Method

Learning targets are translated into assessments that yield accurate results.

Competencies:
a. Design assessments to serve intended formative and summative purposes.
b. Select assessment methods to match intended learning targets.
c. Understand and apply principles of sampling learning appropriately.
d. Write and/or select assessment items, tasks, scoring guides, and rubrics that meet standards of
quality.
e. Know and avoid sources of bias that distort results.

4. Effective Communication
Assessment results function to increase student achievement. Results are managed well, combined
appropriately, and communicated effectively.

Competencies:
a. Use assessment information to plan instruction.
b. Offer effective feedback to students during the learning.
c. Record formative and summative assessment information accurately.
d. Combine and summarize information appropriately to accurately reflect current level of student
learning.

5. Student Involvement
Students are active participants in the assessment process.

Competencies:
a. Identify students as important users of assessment information.
b. Share learning targets and standards of quality with students.
c. Design assessments so students can offer peer feedback, self-assess, and set goals for further
learning on the basis of the results.
d. Involve students in tracking, reflecting on, and sharing their own learning progress.

Though much attention is placed on how schools and districts use data from various assessment
systems, individual students also directly benefit from carefully crafted assessment. For one thing, they gain

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confidence in their own skills and in their relationships with their teachers when the assessments they must
complete are aligned to the work they've done in class.

If you've ever had the experience of sitting down to a test filled with questions about topics that weren't
discussed in class, you know just how frustrating it can feel. Because high-quality assessments are designed to
be relevant, they eliminate anxiety about being unprepared and help maintain strong student-teacher
relationships.

A high-quality assessment also provides second chances for students to succeed. Great assessments
aren’t just about a one-time exam. Instead, frequent, formative assessments are given throughout the learning
process, and students know that they will be allowed the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and show
growth. This takes some of the anxiety out of testing and encourages a more growth-oriented mindset in the
classroom.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3: THINK-PAIR-SHARE

Exchange ideas with your partner on commonly encountered terms on assessment and create an
appropriate graphic organizer to capture the main idea of what educational assessment is.

RECENT TRENDS AND FOCUS IN EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT

INTRODUCTION:

For many, the word “assessment” translates into multiple choice questions or writing for hours in a
crowded exam hall – it is something very defined and has a certain place in our education or career. The huge
advancements in computer-based testing are now redefining the possibilities of assessment, particularly in
terms of what can be tested, how and when. These advancements mean that there are many more applications
for both summative and formative testing, applications that even a couple of years ago would not have been
possible.

RECENT TRENDS AND FOCUS IN EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT

1. Accountability and Fairness

Accountability. One of the most prominent issues in education policy today, accountability is a key
element in the success of education improvement systems. Literally the process by which students,
teachers, and administrators give an account of their progress, accountability is a means by which
policy makers at the state and district levels—and parents and taxpayers—monitor the performance of
students and schools. Accountability systems include a range of mechanisms, from simply requiring
schools and districts to report on progress to policy makers and the public, to placing consequences—
rewards for high performance and sanctions for poor performance—on the results of performance
measures.

Fairness. Fairness in classroom assessment refers to giving all students an equal chance to show what
they know and can do. Fairness is compromised when teachers assess something that has not been
taught or use assessment methods that are incongruent with instruction (e.g., asking for recall of facts
when the emphasis has been on reasoning and problem solving). The fairness of teacher judgments is
also challenged by the "halo" and "pitchfork" effects, where expectations based on a student's past
attitude, behavior, or previous performance influence the evaluation of his or her current performance.

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2. Standards-based Education

Standards-based education is a system of teaching and learning that focuses all elements of the
educational experience, including teaching, assessment, grading, and reporting on standards that span
all throughout a student's schooling. But what is a standard? A standard is a succinct, clearly written
description of what a student should know and be able to demonstrate at a particular point in his or her
education. Standards-based education uses a comprehensive set of standards spanning across grade
levels to guide instruction and determine where students are as they move through their education. We
most commonly see standards-based education in the form of state learning standards and
measures. These standards are used to determine a student's proficiency, or level of mastery, at a
particular point in his or her education.

3. Outcomes-based Education

Outcome-based education is a model of education that rejects the traditional focus on what the school
provides to students, in favor of making students demonstrate that they "know and are able to do"
whatever the required outcomes are.

The emphasis in an OBE education system is on measured outcomes rather than "inputs," such as how
many hours students spend in class, or what textbooks are provided. Outcomes may include a range of
skills and knowledge. Generally, outcomes are expected to be concretely measurable, that is, "Student
can run 50 meters in less than one minute" instead of "Student enjoys physical education class." A
complete system of outcomes for a subject area normally includes everything from mere recitation of
fact ("Students will name three tragedies written by Shakespeare") to complex analysis and
interpretation ("Student will analyze the social context of a Shakespearean tragedy in an essay").
Writing appropriate and measurable outcomes can be very difficult, and the choice of specific outcomes
is often a source of local controversies.

4. Item-Response Theory

Item response theory (IRT) (also known as latent trait theory, strong true score theory, or modern
mental test theory) is a paradigm for the design, analysis, and scoring of tests, questionnaires, and
similar instruments measuring abilities, attitudes, or other variables. It is a theory of testing based on
the relationship between individuals' performances on a test item and the test takers' levels of
performance on an overall measure of the ability that item was designed to measure. Several different
statistical models are used to represent both item and test taker characteristics. Unlike simpler
alternatives for creating scales and evaluating questionnaire responses, it does not assume that each
item is equally difficult. This distinguishes IRT from, for instance, Likert scaling, in which "All items are
assumed to be replications of each other or in other words items are considered to be parallel
instruments”. By contrast, item response theory treats the difficulty of each item (the item characteristic
curves, or ICCs) as information to be incorporated in scaling items.

Assessments should be an integrated part of learning and development and demonstrate an individual’s
ability to apply knowledge - rather than just a measure of knowledge at a given time. The trends towards flexible
delivery, engaging assessments, automation and a candidate-centric focus are helping organizations move to a
model where assessments are far more effective, and where the candidate experience is both positive and
engaging.

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REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Answer the following questions:

1. What are the roles of assessment in making instructional decisions to improve teaching and learning?
2. Reflect on and discuss the applications and implications of assessment to teaching and learning.

SUMMARY

Here are some pointers to remember:

 Educational Assessment is the systematic process of documenting and using empirical data on the
knowledge, skill, attitudes, and beliefs to refine programs and improve student learning.
 Educational assessment is composed of 8 basic principles – valid, authentic, reliable, current,
sufficient, comparable, manageable, and fair and minimize bias – in achieving and improving student
learning.
 Educational assessment has 3 types that are integral to the teaching-learning process: Assessment
for Learning ensures that learning is going on while teacher is in the process of teaching; Assessment
of Learning is meant to assess learning for grading purposes; and Assessment as Learning is
associated with self-assessment.
 The purpose of assessment is to gather relevant information about student performance or progress, or
to determine student interests to make judgments about their learning process.
 When defined within an educational setting, measurement, testing and evaluation are all used to
measure how much of the assigned materials students are mastering, how well students are learning
the materials and how well students are meeting the stated goals and objectives.
 Measurement is the process of determining or describing the attributes or dimensions of an object, skill
or knowledge.
 A test is used to examine someone’s knowledge of something to determine what that person knows or
has learned. It measures the level of skill or knowledge that has been reached.
 Evaluation is the process of using the measurements gathered in the assessments.
 According to Mc Graw Hill Education, there are 6 types of tests: diagnostic test, formative test,
summative test, norm-referenced test, criterion-referenced test, and interim/benchmark.
 High-quality assessments are used to provide instructors with ongoing feedback about student
progress. It has 5 components – clear purpose, clear targets, appropriate methods, effective
communication and student involvement.
 Accountability and fairness, standards-based education, outcomes-based education, and item-
response theory are the recent trends and focus in educational assessment.

REFERENCES

 Navarro, R.L. & Santos, R.G. (2012) Authentic Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes
(Assessment 1), 2e. Lorimar Publishing, Inc., Quezon City, Philippines.
 Jones, C. A. (2005). Assessment for Learning, London: Learning and Skills Development Agency.
Retrieved from https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/7800/1/AssessmentforLearning.pdf
 Chappuis, J., R. Stiggins, S. Chappuis, & J. Arter. 2012. Classroom Assessment for Student Learning:
Doing It Right—Using It Well, 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, p. 11.
 McTighe, J. & Ferrera S. (1998) Assessing Learning in the Classroom. Retrieved from
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED429989.pdf
 http://www.agored.cymru/Centres/Assessment/Principles-of-Assessment
 https://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mewa/html/assessment/types.html

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 https://www.schoology.com/blog/role-high-quality-assessment-enhancing-curriculum-and-instruction

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