2018

Submitted To: Prof. Usman Hayat Submitted by:

Aroosa Aslam

[ Educational Assessment ]
Topic: Nature and scope of assessment, measurement and
evaluation. Characteristics of classroom assessment.
Assignment No. 1
Assessment

Assessment can be defined as the process of gathering the data and fashioning them into
interpretable form for decision-making. It involves collecting data with a view of making valve
judgment about the quality of a person, object, group or event. Educational assessment provides
the necessary feedback that is required in order to maximize the outcome of educational effort.
An assessment may include a test, but, also includes methods such as observations, interviews,
behaviors, monitoring, etc. Assessment is a broad term that includes testing. A test is a special
form of assessment. Tests are assessments made under contrived circumstances especially so that
they may be administered. In other words, all tests are assessments, but not all assessments are
tests. We test at the end of a lesson or unit. We assess progress at the end of a school year
through testing, and we assess verbal and quantitative skills through assessment instruments
whether implicit or explicit, assessment is most usefully connected to some goal or objective for
which the assessment is designed. Assessment yields information relative to an objective or he
knows.

Objectives of Educational Assessment

(1) To prepare students for the new pattern of competency-based teaching and
competency- based assessment.
(2) To make evaluation an integral part of teaching-learning process.
(3) To collect more valid and reliable evidences about total development of the
learners.
(4) To form sound judgments and take timely decisions about learners’ instructions
and learning environments.

Measurement

Measurement refers to the set of procedures and the principles for how to use the procedures in
educational tests and assessments. Some of the basic principles of measurement in educational
evaluations would be raw scores, percentile ranks, derived scores, standard scores, etc.

The needs of measurement are as follows:

(1) For Measure the ability of students, finding out their interest sand aptitude at the time
of admission, and admit than on its basis.
(2) For measure their intelligence and personality after admission and accordingly divide
them into specific classes, and to assist in their personality development.
(3) For find out from time to time the effect of teaching on the students (educational
achievements or change of behavior), and to guide the students on its basis and to
inspire them to learn.
1
 (4) For measure and evaluate the educational achievements of students from time to time
and to provide them feedback.
(5) For find out the hindrances in the educational progress of the students and remedy
them.

Evaluation

Procedures used to determine whether the subject (i.e. student) meets preset criteria, such as
qualifying for special education services. This uses assessment (remember that an assessment
may be a test) to make a determination of qualification in accordance with a predetermined
criteria.

The Need of the Evaluation is as follows:

(1) For test the educational importance of the activities of educational administrators,
other personnel and guardians from time to time, and to suggest for improvement.
(2) For analyse the educational objectives, to test their utility, and to suggest for timely
change.
(3) For find out the effect of the curriculum at different levels in the achievement of
educational objectives, to give suggestions for improvement and to enlighten for
research.
(4) For study the effect of teaching methods being used from time to time, to find out
useful/ useless methods, to suggest for improvement and to enlighten the field for
research.
(5) For study the effect of the use of various means in teaching as to their place and kind
of use, and to suggest measures for improvement.

2
 Table: Comparison between Assessment, Measurement and Evaluation.

Characteristics of Classroom Assessment

Learner-Centered

 The primary attention of teachers is focused on observing and improving learning.

Teacher-Directed

 Individual teachers decide what to assess, how to assess, and how to respond to the
information gained through the assessment
 Teachers do not need to share results with anyone outside of the class.

Mutually Beneficial

 Students are active participants.

 Students are motivated by the increased interest of faculty in their success as learners.
 Teachers improve their teaching skills and gain new insights.

Formative

 Assessments are almost never "graded".

3
  Assessments are almost always anonymous in the classroom and often anonymous
online.
 Assessments do not provide evidence for evaluating or grading students.

Context-Specific

 Assessments respond to the particular needs and characteristics of the teachers,

students, and disciplines to which they are applied.
 Customize to meet the needs of your students and course.

Ongoing

 Classroom assessment is a continuous process.

 Part of the process is creating and maintaining a classroom "feedback loop"
 Each classroom assessment event is of short duration.

Rooted in Good Teaching Practice

 Classroom assessment builds on good practices by making feedback on students'

learning more systematic, more flexible, and more effective.

4
Assessment in Science Education
Assessment can be defined as the process of gathering the data and fashioning them
into interpretable form for decision-making. It involves collecting data with a view of making
valve judgment about the quality of a person, object, group or event (Ajuonnma, 2006).
Assessment in science education can be defined as the use of various measurement
techniques to determine the extent to which learners’ programme to which they have
been
exposed. Educational assessment provides the necessary feedback that is required in order to
maximize the outcome of educational effort.
Assessment is the process of gathering information to monitor progress and make
educational decisions if necessary. An assessment may include a test, but, also includes
methods such as observations, interviews, behaviours, monitoring, etc. Assessment is a
process by which information is obtained relative to some known objective or goal.
Assessment is a broad term that includes testing. A test is a special form of assessment. Tests
are assessments made under contrived circumstances especially so that they may be
administered. In other words, all tests are assessments, but not all assessments are tests. We
test at the end of a lesson or unit. We assess progress at the end of a school year
through
testing, and we assess verbal and quantitative skills through assessment instruments whether
implicit or explicit, assessment is most usefully connected to some goal or objective for
which the assessment is designed. Assessment yields information relative to an objective or
goal. In that sense, we test or assess to determine whether or not an objective or goal has been
obtained. Assessment of skill attainment is rather straightforward. Either the skill exists at
some acceptable level or it doesn’t. Skills are readily demonstrable. Assessment of
understanding is much more difficult and complex. Skills can be practiced;
understandings
cannot. We can assess a person’s knowledge in a variety of ways, but there is always a leap,
an inference that we make about what a person does in relation to what it signifies about what
3|Page

he knows. In the section on this site on behavioral verbs, to assess means to stipulate the
conditions by which the behavior specified in an objective may be ascertained. Such
stipulations are usually in the form of written descriptions.
Ajayi (2016) Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and
improving student learning. It involves making expectations explicit and public; setting
appropriate criteria and high standards for learning quality; systematically gathering,
analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those
expectations and standards, and using the resulting information to document, explain, and
improve performance.
Objectives of Educational Assessment

(a) To prepare students for the new pattern of competency-based teaching and competency-
based assessment.
(b) To make evaluation an integral part of teaching-learning process.
(c) To make evaluation a cooperative and democratic process, involving various stake-
holders of evaluation programme.
(d) To collect more valid and reliable evidences about total development of the learners.
5
(e) To form sound judgments and take timely decisions about learners’ instructions and
learning environments.
Modes of Assessment
Three modes of assessment are:
1. Rational mode: It will be used at planning stage for planning any programme or activity
using participative methodology to get experts’ opinion for arriving at consensus.
2. Formative mode: It will be used at the implementation stage to identify inadequacies and
weaknesses in the programmes, strategies and development of materials.
4|Page

3. Summative mode: It will be used at the review stage to judge the efficacy and
effectiveness of the materials, strategies, programmes, outputs and collateral effects.
Assessment in Science Education
Assessment can be defined as the process of gathering the data and fashioning them
into interpretable form for decision-making. It involves collecting data with a view of making
valve judgment about the quality of a person, object, group or event (Ajuonnma, 2006).
Assessment in science education can be defined as the use of various measurement
techniques to determine the extent to which learners’ programme to which they have
been
exposed. Educational assessment provides the necessary feedback that is required in order to
maximize the outcome of educational effort.
Assessment is the process of gathering information to monitor progress and make
educational decisions if necessary. An assessment may include a test, but, also includes
methods such as observations, interviews, behaviours, monitoring, etc. Assessment is a
process by which information is obtained relative to some known objective or goal.
Assessment is a broad term that includes testing. A test is a special form of assessment. Tests
are assessments made under contrived circumstances especially so that they may be
administered. In other words, all tests are assessments, but not all assessments are tests. We
test at the end of a lesson or unit. We assess progress at the end of a school year
through
testing, and we assess verbal and quantitative skills through assessment instruments whether
implicit or explicit, assessment is most usefully connected to some goal or objective for
which the assessment is designed. Assessment yields information relative to an objective or
goal. In that sense, we test or assess to determine whether or not an objective or goal has been
obtained. Assessment of skill attainment is rather straightforward. Either the skill exists at
some acceptable level or it doesn’t. Skills are readily demonstrable. Assessment of
understanding is much more difficult and complex. Skills can be practiced;
understandings
cannot. We can assess a person’s knowledge in a variety of ways, but there is always a leap,
an inference that we make about what a person does in relation to what it signifies about what
3|Page

he knows. In the section on this site on behavioral verbs, to assess means to stipulate the
conditions by which the behavior specified in an objective may be ascertained. Such
stipulations are usually in the form of written descriptions.
Ajayi (2016) Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and
improving student learning. It involves making expectations explicit and public; setting
6
appropriate criteria and high standards for learning quality; systematically gathering,
analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those
expectations and standards, and using the resulting information to document, explain, and
improve performance.
Objectives of Educational Assessment

(a) To prepare students for the new pattern of competency-based teaching and competency-
based assessment.
(b) To make evaluation an integral part of teaching-learning process.
(c) To make evaluation a cooperative and democratic process, involving various stake-
holders of evaluation programme.
(d) To collect more valid and reliable evidences about total development of the learners.
(e) To form sound judgments and take timely decisions about learners’ instructions and
learning environments.
Modes of Assessment
Three modes of assessment are:
1. Rational mode: It will be used at planning stage for planning any programme or activity
using participative methodology to get experts’ opinion for arriving at consensus.
2. Formative mode: It will be used at the implementation stage to identify inadequacies and
weaknesses in the programmes, strategies and development of materials.
4|Page

3. Summative mode: It will be used at the review stage to judge the efficacy and
effectiveness of the materials, strategies, programmes, outputs and collateral effects.
Assessment in Science Education
Assessment can be defined as the process of gathering the data and fashioning them
into interpretable form for decision-making. It involves collecting data with a view of making
valve judgment about the quality of a person, object, group or event (Ajuonnma, 2006).
Assessment in science education can be defined as the use of various measurement
techniques to determine the extent to which learners’ programme to which they have
been
exposed. Educational assessment provides the necessary feedback that is required in order to
maximize the outcome of educational effort.
Assessment is the process of gathering information to monitor progress and make
educational decisions if necessary. An assessment may include a test, but, also includes
methods such as observations, interviews, behaviours, monitoring, etc. Assessment is a
process by which information is obtained relative to some known objective or goal.
Assessment is a broad term that includes testing. A test is a special form of assessment. Tests
are assessments made under contrived circumstances especially so that they may be
administered. In other words, all tests are assessments, but not all assessments are tests. We
test at the end of a lesson or unit. We assess progress at the end of a school year
through
testing, and we assess verbal and quantitative skills through assessment instruments whether
implicit or explicit, assessment is most usefully connected to some goal or objective for
which the assessment is designed. Assessment yields information relative to an objective or
goal. In that sense, we test or assess to determine whether or not an objective or goal has been
obtained. Assessment of skill attainment is rather straightforward. Either the skill exists at
7
some acceptable level or it doesn’t. Skills are readily demonstrable. Assessment of
understanding is much more difficult and complex. Skills can be practiced;
understandings
cannot. We can assess a person’s knowledge in a variety of ways, but there is always a leap,
an inference that we make about what a person does in relation to what it signifies about what
3|Page

he knows. In the section on this site on behavioral verbs, to assess means to stipulate the
conditions by which the behavior specified in an objective may be ascertained. Such
stipulations are usually in the form of written descriptions.
Ajayi (2016) Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and
improving student learning. It involves making expectations explicit and public; setting
appropriate criteria and high standards for learning quality; systematically gathering,
analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those
expectations and standards, and using the resulting information to document, explain, and
improve performance.
Objectives of Educational Assessment

(a) To prepare students for the new pattern of competency-based teaching and competency-
based assessment.
(b) To make evaluation an integral part of teaching-learning process.
(c) To make evaluation a cooperative and democratic process, involving various stake-
holders of evaluation programme.
(d) To collect more valid and reliable evidences about total development of the learners.
(e) To form sound judgments and take timely decisions about learners’ instructions and
learning environments.
Modes of Assessment
Three modes of assessment are:
1. Rational mode: It will be used at planning stage for planning any programme or activity
using participative methodology to get experts’ opinion for arriving at consensus.
2. Formative mode: It will be used at the implementation stage to identify inadequacies and
weaknesses in the programmes, strategies and development of materials.
4|Page

3. Summative mode: It will be used at the review stage to judge the efficacy and
effectiveness of the materials, strategies, programmes, outputs and collateral effects.
Assessment in Science Education
Assessment can be defined as the process of gathering the data and fashioning them
into interpretable form for decision-making. It involves collecting data with a view of making
valve judgment about the quality of a person, object, group or event (Ajuonnma, 2006).
Assessment in science education can be defined as the use of various measurement
techniques to determine the extent to which learners’ programme to which they have
been
exposed. Educational assessment provides the necessary feedback that is required in order to
maximize the outcome of educational effort.
Assessment is the process of gathering information to monitor progress and make
educational decisions if necessary. An assessment may include a test, but, also includes
8
methods such as observations, interviews, behaviours, monitoring, etc. Assessment is a
process by which information is obtained relative to some known objective or goal.
Assessment is a broad term that includes testing. A test is a special form of assessment. Tests
are assessments made under contrived circumstances especially so that they may be
administered. In other words, all tests are assessments, but not all assessments are tests. We
test at the end of a lesson or unit. We assess progress at the end of a school year
through
testing, and we assess verbal and quantitative skills through assessment instruments whether
implicit or explicit, assessment is most usefully connected to some goal or objective for
which the assessment is designed. Assessment yields information relative to an objective or
goal. In that sense, we test or assess to determine whether or not an objective or goal has been
obtained. Assessment of skill attainment is rather straightforward. Either the skill exists at
some acceptable level or it doesn’t. Skills are readily demonstrable. Assessment of
understanding is much more difficult and complex. Skills can be practiced;
understandings
cannot. We can assess a person’s knowledge in a variety of ways, but there is always a leap,
an inference that we make about what a person does in relation to what it signifies about what
3|Page

he knows. In the section on this site on behavioral verbs, to assess means to stipulate the
conditions by which the behavior specified in an objective may be ascertained. Such
stipulations are usually in the form of written descriptions.
Ajayi (2016) Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and
improving student learning. It involves making expectations explicit and public; setting
appropriate criteria and high standards for learning quality; systematically gathering,
analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those
expectations and standards, and using the resulting information to document, explain, and
improve performance.
Objectives of Educational Assessment

(a) To prepare students for the new pattern of competency-based teaching and competency-
based assessment.
(b) To make evaluation an integral part of teaching-learning process.
(c) To make evaluation a cooperative and democratic process, involving various stake-
holders of evaluation programme.
(d) To collect more valid and reliable evidences about total development of the learners.
(e) To form sound judgments and take timely decisions about learners’ instructions and
learning environments.
Modes of Assessment
Three modes of assessment are:
1. Rational mode: It will be used at planning stage for planning any programme or activity
using participative methodology to get experts’ opinion for arriving at consensus.
2. Formative mode: It will be used at the implementation stage to identify inadequacies and
weaknesses in the programmes, strategies and development of materials.
4|Page

3. Summative mode: It will be used at the review stage to judge the efficacy and
9
 effectiveness of the materials, strategies, programmes, outputs and collateral effects.
Assessment in Science Education
Assessment can be defined as the process of gathering the data and fashioning them
into interpretable form for decision-making. It involves collecting data with a view of making
valve judgment about the quality of a person, object, group or event (Ajuonnma, 2006).
Assessment in science education can be defined as the use of various measurement
techniques to determine the extent to which learners’ programme to which they have
been
exposed. Educational assessment provides the necessary feedback that is required in order to
maximize the outcome of educational effort.
Assessment is the process of gathering information to monitor progress and make
educational decisions if necessary. An assessment may include a test, but, also includes
methods such as observations, interviews, behaviours, monitoring, etc. Assessment is a
process by which information is obtained relative to some known objective or goal.
Assessment is a broad term that includes testing. A test is a special form of assessment. Tests
are assessments made under contrived circumstances especially so that they may be
administered. In other words, all tests are assessments, but not all assessments are tests. We
test at the end of a lesson or unit. We assess progress at the end of a school year
through
testing, and we assess verbal and quantitative skills through assessment instruments whether
implicit or explicit, assessment is most usefully connected to some goal or objective for
which the assessment is designed. Assessment yields information relative to an objective or
goal. In that sense, we test or assess to determine whether or not an objective or goal has been
obtained. Assessment of skill attainment is rather straightforward. Either the skill exists at
some acceptable level or it doesn’t. Skills are readily demonstrable. Assessment of
understanding is much more difficult and complex. Skills can be practiced;
understandings
cannot. We can assess a person’s knowledge in a variety of ways, but there is always a leap,
an inference that we make about what a person does in relation to what it signifies about what
3|Page

he knows. In the section on this site on behavioral verbs, to assess means to stipulate the
conditions by which the behavior specified in an objective may be ascertained. Such
stipulations are usually in the form of written descriptions.
Ajayi (2016) Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and
improving student learning. It involves making expectations explicit and public; setting
appropriate criteria and high standards for learning quality; systematically gathering,
analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those
expectations and standards, and using the resulting information to document, explain, and
improve performance.
Objectives of Educational Assessment

(a) To prepare students for the new pattern of competency-based teaching and competency-
based assessment.
(b) To make evaluation an integral part of teaching-learning process.
(c) To make evaluation a cooperative and democratic process, involving various stake-
holders of evaluation programme.
10
(d) To collect more valid and reliable evidences about total development of the learners.
(e) To form sound judgments and take timely decisions about learners’ instructions and
learning environments.
Modes of Assessment
Three modes of assessment are:
1. Rational mode: It will be used at planning stage for planning any programme or activity
using participative methodology to get experts’ opinion for arriving at consensus.
2. Formative mode: It will be used at the implementation stage to identify inadequacies and
weaknesses in the programmes, strategies and development of materials.
4|Page

3. Summative mode: It will be used at the review stage to judge the efficacy and
effectiveness of the materials, strategies, programmes, outputs and collateral effects.
Assessment in Science Education
Assessment can be defined as the process of gathering the data and fashioning them
into interpretable form for decision-making. It involves collecting data with a view of making
valve judgment about the quality of a person, object, group or event (Ajuonnma, 2006).
Assessment in science education can be defined as the use of various measurement
techniques to determine the extent to which learners’ programme to which they have
been
exposed. Educational assessment provides the necessary feedback that is required in order to
maximize the outcome of educational effort.
Assessment is the process of gathering information to monitor progress and make
educational decisions if necessary. An assessment may include a test, but, also includes
methods such as observations, interviews, behaviours, monitoring, etc. Assessment is a
process by which information is obtained relative to some known objective or goal.
Assessment is a broad term that includes testing. A test is a special form of assessment. Tests
are assessments made under contrived circumstances especially so that they may be
administered. In other words, all tests are assessments, but not all assessments are tests. We
test at the end of a lesson or unit. We assess progress at the end of a school year
through
testing, and we assess verbal and quantitative skills through assessment instruments whether
implicit or explicit, assessment is most usefully connected to some goal or objective for
which the assessment is designed. Assessment yields information relative to an objective or
goal. In that sense, we test or assess to determine whether or not an objective or goal has been
obtained. Assessment of skill attainment is rather straightforward. Either the skill exists at
some acceptable level or it doesn’t. Skills are readily demonstrable. Assessment of
understanding is much more difficult and complex. Skills can be practiced;
understandings
cannot. We can assess a person’s knowledge in a variety of ways, but there is always a leap,
an inference that we make about what a person does in relation to what it signifies about what
3|Page

he knows. In the section on this site on behavioral verbs, to assess means to stipulate the
conditions by which the behavior specified in an objective may be ascertained. Such
stipulations are usually in the form of written descriptions.
Ajayi (2016) Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and
11
improving student learning. It involves making expectations explicit and public; setting
appropriate criteria and high standards for learning quality; systematically gathering,
analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those
expectations and standards, and using the resulting information to document, explain, and
improve performance.
Objectives of Educational Assessment

(a) To prepare students for the new pattern of competency-based teaching and competency-
based assessment.
(b) To make evaluation an integral part of teaching-learning process.
(c) To make evaluation a cooperative and democratic process, involving various stake-
holders of evaluation programme.
(d) To collect more valid and reliable evidences about total development of the learners.
(e) To form sound judgments and take timely decisions about learners’ instructions and
learning environments.
Modes of Assessment
Three modes of assessment are:
1. Rational mode: It will be used at planning stage for planning any programme or activity
using participative methodology to get experts’ opinion for arriving at consensus.
2. Formative mode: It will be used at the implementation stage to identify inadequacies and
weaknesses in the programmes, strategies and development of materials.
4|Page

3. Summative mode: It will be used at the review stage to judge the efficacy and
effectiveness of the materials, strategies, programmes, outputs and collateral effects.
Assessment in Science Education
Assessment can be defined as the process of gathering the data and fashioning them
into interpretable form for decision-making. It involves collecting data with a view of making
valve judgment about the quality of a person, object, group or event (Ajuonnma, 2006).
Assessment in science education can be defined as the use of various measurement
techniques to determine the extent to which learners’ programme to which they have
been
exposed. Educational assessment provides the necessary feedback that is required in order to
maximize the outcome of educational effort.
Assessment is the process of gathering information to monitor progress and make
educational decisions if necessary. An assessment may include a test, but, also includes
methods such as observations, interviews, behaviours, monitoring, etc. Assessment is a
process by which information is obtained relative to some known objective or goal.
Assessment is a broad term that includes testing. A test is a special form of assessment. Tests
are assessments made under contrived circumstances especially so that they may be
administered. In other words, all tests are assessments, but not all assessments are tests. We
test at the end of a lesson or unit. We assess progress at the end of a school year
through
testing, and we assess verbal and quantitative skills through assessment instruments whether
implicit or explicit, assessment is most usefully connected to some goal or objective for
which the assessment is designed. Assessment yields information relative to an objective or
goal. In that sense, we test or assess to determine whether or not an objective or goal has been
12
obtained. Assessment of skill attainment is rather straightforward. Either the skill exists at
some acceptable level or it doesn’t. Skills are readily demonstrable. Assessment of
understanding is much more difficult and complex. Skills can be practiced;
understandings
cannot. We can assess a person’s knowledge in a variety of ways, but there is always a leap,
an inference that we make about what a person does in relation to what it signifies about what
3|Page

he knows. In the section on this site on behavioral verbs, to assess means to stipulate the
conditions by which the behavior specified in an objective may be ascertained. Such
stipulations are usually in the form of written descriptions.
Ajayi (2016) Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and
improving student learning. It involves making expectations explicit and public; setting
appropriate criteria and high standards for learning quality; systematically gathering,
analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those
expectations and standards, and using the resulting information to document, explain, and
improve performance.
Objectives of Educational Assessment

(a) To prepare students for the new pattern of competency-based teaching and competency-
based assessment.
(b) To make evaluation an integral part of teaching-learning process.
(c) To make evaluation a cooperative and democratic process, involving various stake-
holders of evaluation programme.
(d) To collect more valid and reliable evidences about total development of the learners.
(e) To form sound judgments and take timely decisions about learners’ instructions and
learning environments.
Modes of Assessment
Three modes of assessment are:
1. Rational mode: It will be used at planning stage for planning any programme or activity
using participative methodology to get experts’ opinion for arriving at consensus.
2. Formative mode: It will be used at the implementation stage to identify inadequacies and
weaknesses in the programmes, strategies and development of materials.
4|Page

3. Summative mode: It will be used at the review stage to judge the efficacy and
effectiveness of the materials, strategies, programmes, outputs and collateral effects.
Assessment in Science Education
Assessment can be defined as the process of gathering the data and fashioning them
into interpretable form for decision-making. It involves collecting data with a view of making
valve judgment about the quality of a person, object, group or event (Ajuonnma, 2006).
Assessment in science education can be defined as the use of various measurement
techniques to determine the extent to which learners’ programme to which they have
been
exposed. Educational assessment provides the necessary feedback that is required in order to
maximize the outcome of educational effort.
Assessment is the process of gathering information to monitor progress and make
13
educational decisions if necessary. An assessment may include a test, but, also includes
methods such as observations, interviews, behaviours, monitoring, etc. Assessment is a
process by which information is obtained relative to some known objective or goal.
Assessment is a broad term that includes testing. A test is a special form of assessment. Tests
are assessments made under contrived circumstances especially so that they may be
administered. In other words, all tests are assessments, but not all assessments are tests. We
test at the end of a lesson or unit. We assess progress at the end of a school year
through
testing, and we assess verbal and quantitative skills through assessment instruments whether
implicit or explicit, assessment is most usefully connected to some goal or objective for
which the assessment is designed. Assessment yields information relative to an objective or
goal. In that sense, we test or assess to determine whether or not an objective or goal has been
obtained. Assessment of skill attainment is rather straightforward. Either the skill exists at
some acceptable level or it doesn’t. Skills are readily demonstrable. Assessment of
understanding is much more difficult and complex. Skills can be practiced;
understandings
cannot. We can assess a person’s knowledge in a variety of ways, but there is always a leap,
an inference that we make about what a person does in relation to what it signifies about what
3|Page

he knows. In the section on this site on behavioral verbs, to assess means to stipulate the
conditions by which the behavior specified in an objective may be ascertained. Such
stipulations are usually in the form of written descriptions.
Ajayi (2016) Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and
improving student learning. It involves making expectations explicit and public; setting
appropriate criteria and high standards for learning quality; systematically gathering,
analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those
expectations and standards, and using the resulting information to document, explain, and
improve performance.
Objectives of Educational Assessment

(a) To prepare students for the new pattern of competency-based teaching and competency-
based assessment.
(b) To make evaluation an integral part of teaching-learning process.
(c) To make evaluation a cooperative and democratic process, involving various stake-
holders of evaluation programme.
(d) To collect more valid and reliable evidences about total development of the learners.
(e) To form sound judgments and take timely decisions about learners’ instructions and
learning environments.
Modes of Assessment
Three modes of assessment are:
1. Rational mode: It will be used at planning stage for planning any programme or activity
using participative methodology to get experts’ opinion for arriving at consensus.
2. Formative mode: It will be used at the implementation stage to identify inadequacies and
weaknesses in the programmes, strategies and development of materials.
4|Page

14
3. Summative mode: It will be used at the review stage to judge the efficacy and
effectiveness of the materials, strategies, programmes, outputs and collateral effects.
Assessment in Science Education
Assessment can be defined as the process of gathering the data and fashioning them
into interpretable form for decision-making. It involves collecting data with a view of making
valve judgment about the quality of a person, object, group or event (Ajuonnma, 2006).
Assessment in science education can be defined as the use of various measurement
techniques to determine the extent to which learners’ programme to which they have
been
exposed. Educational assessment provides the necessary feedback that is required in order to
maximize the outcome of educational effort.
Assessment is the process of gathering information to monitor progress and make
educational decisions if necessary. An assessment may include a test, but, also includes
methods such as observations, interviews, behaviours, monitoring, etc. Assessment is a
process by which information is obtained relative to some known objective or goal.
Assessment is a broad term that includes testing. A test is a special form of assessment. Tests
are assessments made under contrived circumstances especially so that they may be
administered. In other words, all tests are assessments, but not all assessments are tests. We
test at the end of a lesson or unit. We assess progress at the end of a school year
through
testing, and we assess verbal and quantitative skills through assessment instruments whether
implicit or explicit, assessment is most usefully connected to some goal or objective for
which the assessment is designed. Assessment yields information relative to an objective or
goal. In that sense, we test or assess to determine whether or not an objective or goal has been
obtained. Assessment of skill attainment is rather straightforward. Either the skill exists at
some acceptable level or it doesn’t. Skills are readily demonstrable. Assessment of
understanding is much more difficult and complex. Skills can be practiced;
understandings
cannot. We can assess a person’s knowledge in a variety of ways, but there is always a leap,
an inference that we make about what a person does in relation to what it signifies about what
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he knows. In the section on this site on behavioral verbs, to assess means to stipulate the
conditions by which the behavior specified in an objective may be ascertained. Such
stipulations are usually in the form of written descriptions.
Ajayi (2016) Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and
improving student learning. It involves making expectations explicit and public; setting
appropriate criteria and high standards for learning quality; systematically gathering,
analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those
expectations and standards, and using the resulting information to document, explain, and
improve performance.
Objectives of Educational Assessment

(a) To prepare students for the new pattern of competency-based teaching and competency-
based assessment.
(b) To make evaluation an integral part of teaching-learning process.
(c) To make evaluation a cooperative and democratic process, involving various stake-
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 holders of evaluation programme.
(d) To collect more valid and reliable evidences about total development of the learners.
(e) To form sound judgments and take timely decisions about learners’ instructions and
learning environments.
Modes of Assessment
Three modes of assessment are:
1. Rational mode: It will be used at planning stage for planning any programme or activity
using participative methodology to get experts’ opinion for arriving at consensus.
2. Formative mode: It will be used at the implementation stage to identify inadequacies and
weaknesses in the programmes, strategies and development of materials.
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3. Summative mode: It will be used at the review stage to judge the efficacy and
effectiveness of the materials, strategies, programmes, outputs and collateral e

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