Republic of the Philippines

Cotabato State University

College of Teacher Education
Sinsuat Avenue, Cotabato City

ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING 1

Unit 1 – Preliminary Concepts and Recent Trends

Learning targets:
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; and
3. Reflect on and discuss the applications and implications of assessment to teaching and learning.

A. What is educational assessment?

Wiggins (1993)
 The term assessment is derived from the Latin assidere which means “to sit beside”

Corpuz, Navarro, & Santos (2017)

 Assessment is the process of gathering evidence of students’ performance over a period
of time to determine learning and mastery of skills (Ex. Journal, written works,
portfolios, tests and the like)

de Guzman & Adamos (2015)

 Assessment is a vital element in the curriculum development process.
 It is used to determine students’ learning needs, monitor their progress and examine their
performance against identified student learning outcomes
Buendicho (2013)
 Assessment is the systematic collection, review, and use of information about educational
programs undertaken for the purpose of improving student learning and development
 It is a formative process that focuses on student learning
Oosterhof (2001)
 Assessment as a related series of measures used to determine complex attribute of an
individual or group of individuals.
 It is a process of observing and measuring learning

The overall goal of assessment is to improve student learning and provide students, parents
and teachers with reliable information regarding student progress and extent of attainment of the
expected learning outcomes. Assessment results show the more permanent learning and clearer
picture of the student’s ability.

A.1. Basic principles

Principle 1: The Primary Purpose of Assessment is to Improve Student Learning.

Assessment systems provide useful information about whether students have

reached important learning goals and about the progress of each student. They employ
 practices and methods that are consistent with the learning goals, curriculum, instruction,
and current knowledge of how students learn

Principle 2: Assessment for Others Purposes Student Learning

Assessment systems report on and certify student learning and provide

information for school improvement and accountability by using practices that support
important learning

Principle 3: Assessment Systems are Fair to All Students 

Assessment systems, including instruments, policies, practices and uses, are fair
to all students. Assessment systems ensure that all students receive fair treatment so as
not to limit students’ present and future opportunities

Principle 4: Professional Collaboration and Development Support Assessment 

Knowledgeable and fair educators are essential for high quality assessment.
Assessment systems depend on educators who understand the full range of assessment
purposes, use appropriately a variety of suitable methods, work collaboratively, and
engage in ongoing professional development to improve their capability as assessors

Principle 5: The Broad Community Participates in Assessment Development

Assessment systems draw on the community’s knowledge and ensure support by

including parents, community members, and student, together with educators and
professionals with particular expertise, in the development of the system

Principle 6: Communication about Assessment is Regular and Clear

Educators, schools, districts, and states clearly and regularly discuss assessment
system practices and student and program progress with students, families, and the
community

Principle 7: Assessment Systems are Regularly Reviewed and Improved

Assessment systems are regularly reviewed and improved to ensure that the
systems are educationally beneficial to all students.

A. 2. Types of assessment
A.2.1. Assessment for Learning (Formative Assessment)
 Assessment for learning pertains to diagnostic and formative assessment tasks
which is are used to determine learning needs, monitor academic progress of
students during a unit or block of instruction and guide instruction.
 Students are given on-going and immediate descriptive feedback concerning their
performance.
 Based on assessment results, teachers can make adjustments, when necessary, in
their teaching methods and strategies to support learning
  They can decide whether there is a need to differentiate instruction or design
more appropriate learning activities to clarify and consolidate students’
knowledge, understanding and skills.
Examples: Pre-tests, post-test, written assignments, quizzes, concept maps, focused
questions, among others.
A.2.2. Assessment as Learning (Summative Assessment)
 Is associated with self-assessment.
 Assessment as learning employs tasks or activities that provide students with an
opportunity to monitor and further their own learning – to think about their
personal learning habits and how they can adjust their learning strategies to
achieve their goals
 It involves metacognitive process like reflection and self-regulation to allow
students to utilize their strengths and work on their weaknesses by directing and
regulating their learning

Comparing Assessment for Learning and Assessment of Learning

Assessment for Learning Assessment of Learning

(Formative Assessment)
Checks learning to determine what to
do next and then provides suggestions
of what to do – teaching and learning
are indistinguishable from assessment
Is designed to assist educators and
students in improving learning
Is used continually by providing
descriptive feedback
Usually uses detailed, specific, and
descriptive feedback – in a formal or
informal report
Is not reported as part of an
achievement grade
Usually focuses on improvement,
compared with student’s previous best
(making learning more personal)
Involves the students
Adapted from Ruth Sutton, unpublished document, 2001, in Alberta Assessment Consortium, Refocus:
Looking at Assessment for Learning
(Summative Assessment)
Checks what have been learned to
date
Is designed for the information of
those not directly in daily teaching
and learning in addition to educators
and students
Is presented in a periodic report
Usually complies data into a single
number, score or mark as part of a
formal report
Is reported as part of an achievement
grade.
Usually compares student’s learning
either with other student’s learning
(norm-referenced, making highly
competitive) or the standard for a
grade level (criterion-referenced,
making learning more collaborative
and individually focused)
Does not involve the students

A.2.3. Assessment of learning

 Assessment of learning is summative and done at the end of a unit, task, process
or period
 Its purpose is to provide evidence of a student’s level of achievement in relation
to curricular outcomes.
 Used for grading, evaluation and reporting purposes
 It provides the foundation for decisions on student’s placement and promotion
 Examples: unit tests and final projects
B. Common Terminologies

B.1. Measurement
 Thorndike and Hagen (1986) define measurement as the process of quantifying
observations and/or description about quality or attribute of a thing or a person.
The process of measurement involves three steps: identifying and defining the
quality or attribute that is to be measured; determining a set of operations by
which the attribute may be made manifest and perceivable; and establish a set of
procedures or definitions for translating observations into quantitative statement
or degree or amount.
 McMillan (1997) stated that measurement involves using observation, rating
scales, or any other non-test device that secures information in quantitative form.
The term measurement can refer to both the score obtained and the process used.
 Gredler (1997) define measurement as the process of making empirical
observations of some attribute, characteristics, or phenomenon and translating
those observations into quantifiable or categorical form according to clearly
specified procedures or rules.
 Educational measurement refers to the process of determining a quantitative and
qualitative academic attribute of an individual or groups of individuals.

B.2. Testing
 Test is a formal and systematic instrument, usually paper and pencil procedures
designed to assess the quality, ability, skill or knowledge of the students by
giving a set of question in uniform manner
 A test is one of the many types of assessment procedure used to gather
information about the performance of the students
 A test refers to a tool, technique or a method that is intended to measure students’
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.
 Testing is one of the different methods used to measure the level of performance
or achievement of the learners
 Testing also refers to the administration, scoring and interpretation of the
procedures designed to get information about the extent of the performance of the
students

B.2.1. Standardized Testing

 Standardization is the process of trying out the test on a group of people
to see the scores which are typically obtained
 A standardized test is a test administered and scored in a consistent
manner. The tests are designed in such a way that the questions,
conditions for administering, scoring procedures, and interpretations are
consistent and are administered and scored in a predetermined and
standard manner (Popham, 2003)
 Standardized tests also determine the student’s academic level. They
become the basis for early tracking then ongoing trucking, reflecting the
belief that homogeneous achievement groups facilitate more efficient and
effective teaching and learning (Perrone, 1991).
 Standardized tests are tools designed to allow measure of student
performance relative to all others taking the same test.
 Types of Standardized Testing

1. Norm-referenced testing. It measures performance relative to all

other students taking same test. This is a type of test you can use if
you want to know how a student is compared to the rest. This type of
testing is the commonly found among standardized testing. For
example, if a student is ranked in the 86th percentile, that means
he/she is better than 86 percent of the others who took the test.
2. Criterion-referenced testing. It measured factual knowledge of a
defined body of material. Multiple-choice tests that people take to
get their license or a test in fractions are both examples of this type
of testing.

Comparison of Norm-referenced Test and Criterion-referenced

Test

Dimension Norm-referenced Test Criterion-referenced

Test
Purpose - to rank each student - to determine whether
with respect to the each student has
achievement of others achieved specific skills
in broad areas of or concepts
knowledge - to find out how much
- to discriminate students know before
between high and low instruction begins and
achievers after it has finished.
Content - Measures broad skill - measures specific
areas sampled from a skills which make up
variety of textbooks, the designated
syllabi, and the curriculum
judgment of curriculum - these skills are
expert. identified by teachers
and curriculum experts
- each skill is expressed
as an instructional
objective
Item - each skill is usually - each skill is tested by
Characteristics tested by less than four at least four items in
items order to obtain an
- items vary in adequate sample of
difficulty student performance
- items a reselected that and to minimize the
discriminate between effect of guessing
high and low achievers - the items which test
any given skill are
parallel in difficulty
Score - each individual is - each individual is
interpretation compared with other compared with preset
examines and assigned standard for acceptable
a score - usually achievement. The
expressed as a performance of other
percentile rank, a grade examinees is irrelevant
equivalent score, and a - a student’s score is
stanine usually expressed as a
- students achievement percentage
is reported for broad - student achievement is
skills areas, although reported for individual
some norm-referenced skills.
tests do report student
 achievement for
individual skills

B.2.2. High Stake Testing

 is any test used to make important decisions about students, educators,
schools, or districts, most commonly for the purpose of accountability
 High-stakes testing is an evaluation process whereby a major
consequence is attached to a standardized test. “High stakes” refers to the
outcome or consequence of the process, which for the student can be a
grade or the potential to fail a course. While any test can be perceived by
the test taker as high stakes if a grade is associated with it, high stakes
here refer to standardized tests developed specifically to evaluate student
achievement and school effectiveness

Four major theories underlie our current reliance on high-stakes

tests

1. Motivational theory is the predominant theory underlying test-based

accountability. According to this concept, the extrinsic rewards and
sanctions associated with the high-stakes test serve to motivate
teachers to improve their performance. This presumes that educators
require external pressure to improve their teaching. For those
educators who already have a strong internal sense of responsibility to
their profession, the research is inconclusive about the effects of
external pressure. Some researchers have found that reward does not
decrease intrinsic motivation (Cameron and Pierce, 1994), while others
have concluded that tangible rewards often undermine internal
motivations (Deci et al.1999).

2. The theory of alignment holds that system-wide improvement is most

likely to occur if educators align the major components of the
educational system (standards, curriculum, and assessments)
surrounding schools so that they reinforce each other. Alignment is
usually thought of in terms of synchronizing the surrounding system,
but can also be thought of as alignment between the external
accountability of schools and schools' sense of internal accountability
(Abelmann and Elmore, 2004).

3. Information theory maintains that student performance data are useful

for teachers and administrators to make decisions about students and
programs and that providing such data to local educators and giving
them incentives to improve their performance will guide classroom
and organizational decision-making
 4. Symbolism theory has also contributed to the growth and prevalence of
high-stakes testing. In this model, the accountability system is seen to
signal important values to stakeholders and, in particular, the public.
This particular theory is manifested in the notion of "public
answerability" — that is, the idea that the public has a right to expect
its resources to be used responsibly and that public institutions are
accountable for care-taking the public trust. High-stakes assessments
thus serve as evidence that public education is, in essence, responsible
and rigorous and further provide symbolic of the system.

Research shows that high-stakes assessments can and do motivate

change in teachers’ instruction. But that these changes tend to be
superficial adjustments of practice that are often focused on modifications
in content coverage and test preparation practices rather than deep
improvements to instruction efforts.

Effects according to the four theories of testing policy

1. 1) High-stakes testing does motivate educators, but responses are

often superficial. In the best cases, high-stakes testing has focused
instruction toward important and developmentally appropriate literacy
and numeracy skills — but at the expense of a narrower curricular
experience for students and a steadier diet of test preparation activities
in the classroom.
2. 2) Test-based accountability fosters alignment of the central
components of the educational system. The evidence does suggest that
high-stakes testing encourages educators to align curriculum,
standards, and assessments.

3. 3) High-stakes testing regimes have limits as information tools. The

data from high stakes tests are useful to policymakers for assessing
school and system-level performance but insufficient for individual-
level accountability and provide meager information for instructional
guidance.

4. 4) Test-based accountability is an appealing political strategy. High-

stakes testing answers a real need for the education system to
demonstrate that it is spending public dollars judiciously.

B.3. Evaluation
  Evaluation originates from the root word “value” and so when we evaluate, we
except our process to give information regarding the worth, appropriateness,
goodness, validity or legality of something for which a reliable measurement has
been made.
 Evaluation is a broader term than the Measurement.
 It is more comprehensive than mere inclusive than the term Measurement.
 It goes ahead of measurement which simply indicates the numerical
value.
 It gives the value judgement to the numerical value.
 It includes both tangible and intangible qualities
 Is a process designed to provide information that will help us to make a judgment
about a particular situation
 Involves data collection and analysis and quantitative and qualitative methods
 Often divided into broad categories: formative and summative

 James M. Bradfield defined evaluation as the assignment of symbols to

phenomenon, in order to characterize the worth or value of a phenomenon,
usually with reference to some cultural or scientific standards.
 Thorndike and Hegan said that the term evaluation is closely related to
measurement. It is in some respect, inclusive including informal and
intuitive judgement of pupil’s progress. Evaluation is describing
something in term of selected attributes and judging the degree of
acceptability or suitability of that which has been described.
 Norman E. Gronlund and Robert L. Linn stressed evaluation as a
systematic process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting information to
determine the extent to which pupil’s are achievement instructional
objectives.

Principles of Evaluation
Evaluation is a systematic process of determining to what extent
instructional objectives has been achieved. Therefore, evaluation process
must be carried out with effective techniques.

The following principles will help to make the evaluation process an

effective one:

1. It must be clearly stated what is to be evaluated

A teacher must be clear about the purpose of evaluation. He must
formulate the instructional objectives and define them clearly in terms of
student’s observable behavior. Before selecting the achievement measures
the intended learning out comes must be specified clearly.

2.  A variety of evaluation techniques should be used for a comprehensive

evaluation
It is not possible to evaluate all the aspect of achievement with the
help of a single technique. For the better evaluation the techniques like
objective tests, essay tests, observational techniques etc. should be used.
So that a complete’ picture of the student achievement and development
can be assessed.

3.  An evaluator should know the limitations of different evaluation

techniques
 Evaluation can be done with the help of simple observation or
highly developed standardized tests. But whatever the instrument or
technique maybe it has its own limitation. There may be measurement
errors. Sampling error is a common factor in educational and
psychological measurements. An achievement test may not include the
whole course content. Error in measurement can also be found due to
students guessing on objective tests. Error is also found due to incorrect
interpretation of test scores.

4.  The technique of evaluation must be appropriate for the characteristics

or performance to be measured
Every evaluation technique is appropriate for some uses and inap-
propriate for another. Therefore, while selecting an evaluation technique,
one must be well aware of the strength and limitations of the techniques.

5. Evaluation is a means to an end but not an end in itself.

The evaluation technique is used to take decisions about the
learner. It is not merely gathering data about the learner. Because blind
collection of data is wastage of both time and effort. But the evaluation is
meant for some useful purpose.

Functions of Evaluation

The main aim of teaching learning process is 0tb0le the pupil to

achieve intended learning outcomes. In this process the learning objectives
are fixed then after the instruction learning progress is periodically
evaluated by tests and other evaluation devices.

1.  Evaluation helps in preparing instructional objectives

Learning outcomes expected from class-room discussion can be
fixed by using evaluation results.

2.  Evaluation process helps in assessing the learner’s needs

In the teaching learning process, it is very much necessary to know
the needs of the learners. The instructor must know the knowledge and
skills to be mastered by the students. Evaluation helps to know whether
the students possess required knowledge and skills to proceed with the
instruction.

3.  Evaluation help in providing feed back to the students

An evaluation process helps the teacher to know the learning
difficulties of the students. It helps to bring about an improvement in
different school practices. It also ensures an appropriate follow-up service.

4.  Evaluation helps in preparing programmed materials

Programmed instruction is a continuous series of learning
sequences. First the instructional material is presented in a limited amount
then a test is given to response the instructional material. Next feedback is
provided on the basis of correctness of response made. So that without an
effective evaluation process the programmed learning is not possible.

5.  Evaluation helps in curriculum development

Curriculum development is an important aspect of the instructional
process. Evaluation data enable the curriculum development, to determine
the effectiveness of new procedures, identify areas where revision is
needed. Evaluation also helps to determine the degree to what extent an
existing curriculum is effective. Thus, evaluation data are helpful in
constructing the new curriculum and evaluating the existing curriculum.

6.  Evaluation helps in reporting pupil’s progress to parents

A systematic evaluation procedure provides an objective and
comprehensive picture of each pupil’s progress. This comprehensive
nature of the evaluation process helps the teacher to report on the total
development of the pupil to the parents. This type of objective information
about the pupil provides the foundation for the most effective co-operation
between the parents and teachers.

7.  Evaluation data are very much useful in guidance and counselling
Evaluation procedures are very much necessary for educational,
vocational and personal guidance. In order to assist the pupils to solve
their problems in the educational, vocational and personal fields the
counsellor must have an objective knowledge of the student’s abilities,
interests, attitudes and other personal characteristics. An effective
evaluation procedure helps in getting a comprehensive picture of the pupil
which leads to effective guidance and of counselling.

8.  Evaluation helps in effective school administration

Evaluation data helps the administrators to judge the extent to
which the objectives of the school are being achieved, to find out strengths
and weaknesses of the curriculum and arranging special school programs.
It also helps in decisions concerning admission, grouping and promotion
of the students.

9.  Evaluation data are helpful in school research

In order to make the school program more effective, researches are
necessary. Evaluation data help in research areas like comparative study of
different curricula, effectiveness of different methods, effectiveness of
different organizational plans, etc.

Most Influential Theories in Learning

1. Behaviorism.

 The basic idea of behaviourism is that learning consists of a

change in behaviour due to the acquisition, reinforcement and
application of associations between stimuli from the
environment and observable responses of the individual.
 Behaviourists are interested in measurable changes in
behaviour. Thorndike, one major behaviourist theorist, put
forward that (1) a response to a stimulus is reinforced when
followed by a positive rewarding effect, and (2) a response to a
stimulus becomes stronger by exercise and repetition.
 This view of learning is akin to the “drill-and-practice”
programmes. Skinner, another influential behaviourist,
proposed his variant of behaviourism called “operant
conditioning”. In his view, rewarding the right parts of the
more complex behaviour reinforces it, and encourages its
 recurrence. Therefore, reinforcers control the occurrence of the
desired partial behaviours.
 Learning is understood as the step-by-step or successive
approximation of the intended partial behaviours through the
use of reward and punishment.
 The best-known application of Skinner’s theory is
“programmed instruction” whereby the right sequence of the
partial behaviours to be learned is specified by elaborated task
analysis.

2. Constructivism
 Constructivism emerged in the 1970s and 1980s, giving rise to
the idea that learners are not passive recipients of information,
but that they actively construct their knowledge in interaction
with the environment and through the reorganization of their
mental structures.
 Learners are therefore viewed as sense-makers, not simply
recording given information but interpreting it.
 This view of learning led to the shift from the “knowledge-
acquisition” to “knowledge-construction” metaphor.
 The growing evidence in support of the constructive nature of
learning was also in line with and backed by the earlier work of
influential theorists such as Jean Piaget and Jerome Bruner.
 While there are different versions of constructivism, what is
found in common is the learner-centered approach whereby the
teacher becomes a cognitive guide of learner’s learning and not
a knowledge transmitter.

3. Cognitive psychology
 was initiated in the late 1950s, and contributed to the move away
from behaviourism.
 People are no longer viewed as collections of responses to external
stimuli, as understood by behaviourists, but information
processors.
 Cognitive psychology paid attention to complex mental
phenomena, ignored by behaviourists, and was influenced by the
emergence of the computer as an information-processing device,
which became analogous to the human mind.
 In cognitive psychology, learning is understood as the acquisition
of knowledge: the learner is an information-processor who absorbs
information, undertakes cognitive operations on it, and stocks it in
memory.
 Therefore, its preferred methods of instruction are lecturing and
reading textbooks; and, at its most extreme, the learner is a passive
recipient of knowledge by the teacher.

4. Social learning theory

 A well-known social learning theory has been developed by
Albert Bandura, who works within both cognitive and
behavioural frameworks that embrace attention, memory and
motivation.
 His theory of learning suggests that people learn within a social
context, and that learning is facilitated through concepts such
as modeling, observational learning and imitation.
 Bandura put forward “reciprocal determininsm” that holds the
view that a person’s behavior, environment and personal
qualities all reciprocally influence each others.
  He argues that children learn from observing others as well as
from “model” behaviour, which are processes involving
attention, retention, reproduction and motivation.
 The importance of positive role modeling on learning is well
documented.
5. Experiential learning
 Experiential learning theories build on social and constructivist
theories of learning, but situate experience at the core of the
learning process.
 They aim to understand the manners in which experiences –
whether first or second hand – motivate learners and promote
their learning.
 Therefore, learning is about meaningful experiences – in
everyday life – that lead to a change in an individual’s
knowledge and behaviours.
 Carl Rogers is an influential proponent of these theories,
suggesting that experiential learning is “self-initiated learning”
as people have a natural inclination to learn; and that they learn
when they are fully involved in the learning process.
 Rogers put forward the following insight: (1) “learning can
only be facilitated: we cannot teach another person directly”,
(2) “learners become more rigid under threat”, (3) “significant
learning occurs in an environment where threat to the learner is
reduced to a minimum”, (4) “learning is most likely to occur
and to last when it is self-initiated” (Office of Learning and
Teaching, 2005, p. 9). He supports a dynamic, continuous
process of change where new learning results in and affects
learning environments. This dynamic process of change is
often considered in literatures on organizational learning.
 
6. Multiple intelligences
 Challenging the assumption in many of the learning theories
that learning is a universal human process that all individuals
experience according to the same principles, Howard Gardner
elaborated his theory of ‘multiple intelligences’ in 1983.
 His theory also challenges the understanding of intelligence as
dominated by a single general ability.
 Gardner argues that every person’s level of intelligence
actually consists of many distinct “intelligences”.
 These intelligences include: (1) logical-mathematical, (2)
linguistic, (3) spatial, (4) musical, (5) bodily-kinesthetic, (6)
interpersonal, and (7) intrapersonal.
 Although his work is speculative, his theory is appreciated by
teachers in broadening their conceptual framework beyond the
traditional confines of skilling, curriculum and testing.
 The recognition of multiple intelligences, for Gardner, is a
means to achieving educational goals rather than an
educational goal in and of itself.

7. Situated learning theory and community of practice

 “Situated learning theory” and “community of practice” draw
many of the ideas of the learning theories considered above.
 They are developed by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger.
Situated learning theory recognizes that there is no learning
which is not situated, and emphasizes the relational and
negotiated character of knowledge and learning as well as the
 engaged nature of learning activity for the individuals
involved.
 According to the theory, it is within communities that learning
occurs most effectively.
 Interactions taking place within a community of practice – e.g.
cooperation, problem solving, building trust, understanding and
relations – have the potential to foster community social capital
that enhances the community members’ wellbeing.
 Thomas Sergiovanni reinforces the idea that learning is most
effective when it takes place in communities. He argues that
academic and social outcomes will improve only when
classrooms become learning communities, and teaching
becomes learner-centered.
 Communities of practice are of course not confined to schools
but cover other settings such as workplace and organizations.

8. 21st century learning or skills

 Exploration of 21st century learning or skills has emerged from
the concern about transforming the goals and daily practice of
learning to meet the new demands of the 21st century, which is
characterized as knowledge- and technologically driven.
 The current discussion about 21st century skills leads
classrooms and other learning environments to encourage the
development of core subject knowledge as well as new media
literacies, critical and systems thinking, interpersonal and self-
directional skills.
 For example, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21)
defines the following as key: core subjects (e.g. English, math,
geography, history, civics) and 21st century themes (global
awareness, civic literacy, health literacy, environmental
literacy, financial, business and entrepreneurial literacy);
learning and innovation skills (creativity and innovation,
critical thinking and problem solving, communication and
collaboration); information, media and technology skills (e.g.
ICT literacy, media literacy); and life and career skills
(flexibility and adaptability, initiative and self-direction, social
and cross-cultural skills, productivity and accountability,
leadership and responsibility).
 One main learning method that supports the learning of such
skills and knowledge is group learning or thematic projects,
which involves an inquiry-based collaborative work that
addresses real-world issues and question.

B.4. Types and distinctions of test

B.4.1. Intelligence Test
 Test which measures the intelligence quotient (IQ) of an individual as
genius, very superior, high average, average, low average, borderline or
mentally defective
B.4.2. Personality Test

 This test measures the ways in which the individual’s interest with other
individuals or items of the roles an individual has assigned to himself and
how he adopts in the society
B.4.3. Aptitude Test

 This kind of test is a predictive measure of a person’s likelihood of

benefits from instruction or experience in a given field such as the arts,
music, clerical work, mechanical tasks, or academic studies

B.4.4. Prognostic Test

 This kind forecasts how well a person may do in a certain school subject
or work.

B.4.5. Performance Test

 It is a measure which often makes use of accomplishing the learning task

involving minimum accomplishment or none at all.

B.4.6. Diagnostic Test

 This test identifies the weaknesses of an individual’s achievement in any

field which serves as basis for remedial instruction. Ex. Iowa Silent
Reading Test

B.4.7. Achievement Test

 This test measures how much the students attain the learning tasks

B.4.8. Preference Test

 This test measures of vocational or academic interest of an individual or

aesthetic decision by forcing the examinee to make force options
between members of paired or group items.

B.4.9. Scale Test

 This test is a series of items arranged in the order of difficulty

B.4.10. Speed Test

 This test measures the speed and accuracy of the examinee within the
time imposed. It is also called the alertness test. It consists of items of
uniform difficulty

B.4.11. Power Test

 This test is made up of series of items arranged from easiest to the most
difficulty

B.4.12. Standardized Test

 This test provides exact procedures in controlling the method of

administration and scoring with norms and data concerning the reliability
and validity of the test.

B.4.13. Teacher-made Test

 This test is prepared by classroom teachers based on the contents stated

in the syllabi and the lessons taken by the students
 B.4.14. Placement Test

 This test is used to measure the job an applicant should fill in the school
setting and the grade or year level the student/s should be enrolled after
quitting from school

C. High Quality Assessment Components

Key 1: Clear Purpose Key 2: Clear Targets

Who will use the information? Are learning targets clear to the
How will they use it? teacher?
What information, in what detail What kind of achievement are to
is required? be assessed?
Are these learning targets the
focus of instruction

Key 3: Sound Design

Do assessment methods match the learning targets?
Does the sample represent learning appropriately?
Are items, tasks, and scoring rubrics of high quality
Does the assessment control of bias?

Key 4: Effective Communication

Can assessment results be used to guide instruction?
Do formative assessment functions as effective feedback?
Is achievement tracked by learning target and reported by
standard?
Do grades communicate achievement accurately?

Key 5: Student Involvement

Do assessment practices meet students’ information need?
Are learning targets clear to students?
Will the assessment yield information that students can
use to self-assess and set goals?
Are students tracking and communicating their evolving
learning?
D. Recent trends and focus

D.1. Accountability and Fairness

 Accountability means the quality or state of being accountable; an obligation or

willingness to accept responsibility for one’s action – Meriam Dictionary
 Accountability in assessment means informing parents and the public how well a school
is educating its students and about the quality of the social and learning environment
 Fairness refers to the consideration of learner’s needs and characteristics, and any
reasonable adjustments that need to be applied to take account of them. It is
important to ensure that the learner is informed about, understands and is able to
participate in the assessment process, and agrees that the process is appropriate. It
also includes an opportunity for the person being assessed to challenge the result
of the assessment and to be reassessed if necessary. Ideally an assessment should
not discriminate between learners except on grounds of the ability being assessed.

D.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. 
 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.
 Standards-based education is a style of education that measures students’ proficiency
based on a set of standards to determine mastery. The standards are developed by the
state or determined by a national curriculum
 Standards-based education is important as the process helps teachers design and deliver
specific content that students need to know before they leave K-12 public schools. By
teaching through the standards, all students will have equitable core foundational skills

D.3. Outcomes-based education

 Outcome-based education (OBE) is education in which an emphasis is placed on a

clearly articulated idea of what students are expected to know and be able to do,
that is, what skills and knowledge they need to have, when they leave the school
system.
 It is sometimes also called performance-based education and is an attempt to
measure educational effectiveness based on results rather than on inputs such as
time students spend in class.
 The student learning outcomes constitute the criteria by which curriculum is
developed or redesigned, instructional materials are selected, teaching methods
are adopted, and evaluation is conducted.

D.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

 Item response Theory(IRT) is a way to analyze responses to tests or questionnaires with

the goal of improving measurement accuracy and reliability