Republic of the Philippines

ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY

SEd Prof 212: Assessment in Learning 1

MODULE 2
Roles of Assessment
INTRODUCTION
Assessment is a cyclic process. As illustrated in the figure below, program-level
learning outcomes are developed from research and input from stakeholders. These are
aligned with the institutional outcomes and mapped to the courses within the program
through curriculum mapping. Course learning outcomes are assessed using appropriate
tools and criteria. Assessment data are gathered, analyzed, and interpreted. Gaps are
identified between desired learning outcomes and actual results. Data-driven action plans
are then developed for program improvement. Changes in assessment tools, course
materials, instructional methods, course prerequisites, or learning outcomes are affected.
Goals and objectives are reviewed and refined following evaluation findings. This is
referred to as the feedback loop and the cycle begins anew.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
After completing this module, you should be able to:
a. give examples of how classroom assessment of, for, and as learning can be
integrated with instruction; and
b. explain the various roles of assessment to learners, teachers, parents, and
other stakeholders.
LEARNING CONTENT
Teachers need continuous feedback to plan, monitor, and evaluate their instruction.
Obtaining this feedback may take any of the following:

Lesson: Roles of Assessment

Assessment FOR Learning
The preposition “for” in assessment FOR learning implies that assessment is done to
improve and ensure learning. This is an assessment that is given while the teacher is in
the process of student formation (learning). It ensures that learning is going on while a
teacher is in the process of teaching.
This includes three types of assessment done before and during instruction. These are
placement, formative and diagnostic.
a. Placement Assessment

This assessment is done prior to instruction. Its purpose is to assess the needs of
the learners to have a basis for planning for relevant instruction. Teachers use this
assessment to know what their students are bringing into the learning situation
and use this as a starting point for instruction. If pre-requisite skills are insufficient,
then the teacher can provide learning experiences to help them develop those
skills. If students are ready, then the teacher can proceed with instruction as
planned. The results of this assessment place students in specific learning groups
to facilitate teaching and learning.

Placement assessment is also used to determine if students have already acquired

the intended outcomes. A placement pre-test contains items that measure the
knowledge and skills of students about the learning targets. If students do not fare
well, the teacher can proceed with the planned instruction. However, if students
have already achieved the learning outcomes, then the teacher may advance the
students to a higher cognitive level. This suggests that the teacher designs more
complex problems or activities for the students.
b. Formative Assessment
This is usually administered during the instructional process to provide feedback
to students and teachers on how well the former is learning the lesson being
taught. This is where teachers continuously monitor the students’ level of
attainment of the learning objectives. The results of this assessment are
communicated clearly and promptly to the students for them to know their
strengths and weaknesses and the progress of their learning. The results also
permit teachers to modify instruction as needed. Remedial work is normally done
to remedy deficiencies noted and bring the slow learners to the level of their
classmates or peers.

Attributes of an Effective Formative Assessment

Melmer, Burmaster & James (200)delineated five key attributes of an effective
formative assessment. For formative assessment to be effective, it requires the
active involvement of students in the learning process through self and peer
assessment. Through immediate constructive dialogue and feedback, instructional
adjustments are made as appropriate and necessary. Learning opportunities are
provided to help students in bridging the gap between their current performance
and the articulated learning goals or standards. As partners in the teaching and
learning process, a collaborative environment is produced- one that is
characterized by transparency, respect, and appreciation of differences.

1. Learning progressions. Learning progressions should communicate the

subgoals of the ultimate learning goal.
2. Learning Goals and Criteria for Success . Learning goals and criteria for
success should be identified and communicated to students.
3. Descriptive Feedback. Students should be provided with evidence-based
feedback that is linked to the intended instructional outcomes and criteria for
success. Hattie & Timperley (2007) constructed a model of feedback to enhance
learning as seen in the figure below. Discrepancies (or gaps) in the students’
current actual performance and desired goal attainment can be reduced by
both teacher and students through effective feedback that answers three vital
questions: Where am I going? How am I going? Where to next? To discourage
students from rote and superficial learning and incite them to do more,
assessment feedback must address all three questions previously mentioned.
Effective feedback can operate on any of four levels: task, process, self-
regulation and self-level.
4. Self-and-Peer Assessment. Both self-and-peer assessment are important
for providing students an opportunity to think metacognitively about their
learning.
 5. Collaboration. A classroom culture in which teachers and students are
partners in learning should be established.

Hattie and Timperley’s (2007)model of Feedback to Enhance Learning

c. Diagnostic Assessment
This assessment is done during instruction. This is used to determine students’
recurring or persistent difficulties. It searches for underlying causes of students’
learning problems that do not respond to first aid treatment. It helps formulate a
plan for detailed remedial instruction. Diagnostic assessment can be based on
teacher-made tests, standardized tests, or observational techniques.
Assessment OF Learning
This is usually given at the end of a unit, grading period or a term like a semester.
This is usually referred to as the summative assessment. It is used to certify what
students know and can do and the level of their proficiency and competency. Its results
reveal whether or not instructions have successfully achieved the curriculum outcomes.
The information from the assessment of learning is usually expressed as marks or letter
grades. Grades provide the teachers the rationale for passing or failing students, based
on a wide range of accumulated behaviors, skills, and knowledge. Through this type of
assessment, students’ accomplishments during a particular marking term are summarized
or summed up. The results of which are communicated to the students, parents, and
other stakeholders’ decision-making. It is also a powerful factor that could pave the way
for educational reforms.
Assessment AS Learning
This is done for teachers to understand and perform well their role of assessing
FOR and OF learning. It requires teachers to undergo training on how to assess learning
and be equipped with the competencies needed in performing their work as assessors.
Assessment AS Learning is associated with self-assessment. As the term implies,
assessment by itself is already a form of learning for students.
As students assess their own work and/or with their peers with the use of creative
rubrics, they learn on their own what a good paragraph is. At the same time, as they are
engaged in self-assessment, they learn about themselves as learners and become aware
of how they learn. In short, assessment AS learning enables students to set their targets,
and actively monitor and evaluate their own learning in relation to their set target. As a
consequence, they become self-directed or independent learners. By assessing their own
learning, they are learning at the same time.

TEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Activity 1. ASSESSMENT SCENARIO
What is the purpose of assessment shown in the following assessment settings? Select
from the options below. Write a short explanation of why it is so.
a. Assessment as selection or placement
b. Assessment as instruction and providing feedback
c. Assessment as determining what learners need to learn next
d. Assessment as diagnosing learner’s difficulties and misconceptions
e. Assessment as determining progress along a developmental continuum
f. Assessment as program evaluation or accountability
1. A twelve-year-old out-of-school youth who stopped during the fourth grade took a
test given by the Department of Education to go back to formal schooling. The test
determines the grade or year level appropriate for the learner.
2. Every year, a nationally normed assessment is given to grade 3 pupils in English,
Math, and Science.
3. The teacher returned a student’s Math worksheet with written comments. The
teacher’s remarks consist of a complement and a correction. An explanation was provided
concerning what the student did correctly and incorrectly, and what was accurate and
inaccurate in the student’s work.
4. A Math teacher gives a test toward the end of the unit. He/she will use the test items
as a starting point for discussion of conceptual problems revealed by the test.
5. An English teacher regularly assesses students’ skills by using probes which are brief,
easily-administered measures. The teacher then graphs changes in the number of correct
words per minute (reading) and compares each student’s growth to the rate of
improvement needed to meet learning goals.

Activity 2.
A. CONCEPT MAP
Synthesize and integrate information and ideas you have obtained about
the topic. Create a concept map that would show the relationship between and
among early assessment, formative instructional assessment and summative
assessment. Provide an explanation.
B. MEME
Your goal is to think of analogies or metaphors for the roles of assessment;
placement, formative, diagnostic, summative. Use them and create your own
memes. Give a brief explanation for each meme (3-5 sentences).

The word meme was coined by Richard Dawkins to explain how cultural
information spreads. Now, it pertains to an idea that spreads from person to
person within a culture, commonly taking the form of an image or photo with an
accompanying word or phrase.
ASSESSMENT TASKS
TASK 1: ASSESSMENT SCENARIOS
Determine the role of assessment in the given scenarios. Was the assessment used
for placement, formative, diagnostic or summative purpose? How was the information
used? Explain your answer:
1. A group of Science teachers analyzed the results of the National Achievement Tests
given to Grade six pupils. Most of their students obtained low scores in science. They
learned further that their students had difficulty with items about physical and chemical
changes, forms and uses of energy, and motion. They thought of a professional
development project that focuses on introducing pedagogical innovations particularly in
teaching the said topics. After two years, they saw a marked improvement in the
performance of their students in the national test, particularly on Science items about
forms of matter, energy and motion.
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2. For the entire session, a Social Studies teacher emphasized the importance of human
rights in nation building. Towards the end of the period, he handed each student a
piece of paper and posted a question: “What happens if human rights violations go
unchecked?” The teacher made use of the “exit ticket” strategy to see what the
students have learned at the end of the lesson. The students wrote their answer to the
question and submitted them to the teacher at the of the period upon leaving. After
reading the students’ responses, he starts planning for the next session.
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3. Ms. Jimenez suspected that one of her pupils has limited reading skills. To help the
learner, she needed to identify the specific areas with which the child struggles. Is the
child impaired in one or more of the following components: phonemic awareness,
phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension? To answer her question, she gave the
learner an assessment. Upon ascertaining that the child has difficulty in phonics, the
teacher thought of using an analogic approach to teach phonics.
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4. Every month, teachers in a private high school give an interim Math test to check on
student progress. Any student who obtains a score below the cut score of 75 is invited
to attend a special class for additional instruction. However, if the student obtains a
“fail” score in two or more occasion, the student is enjoined to attend the special class.
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TASK 2: INTERVIEW
The goal is to present in class the relevance of assessment particularly on
classroom decision-making and in aiding students to attain the learning outcomes.
Suppose you are a new teacher in a public or private high school. Interview a
seasoned teacher in the secondary level. Ask him/her about the kind of information
he/she needs and how he/she utilizes the information to make decisions concerning
his/her instruction and preparation of teaching and learning activities. Below is an
interview guide.
Preliminaries
• What is your name?
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• How long have you been teaching?
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• What subjects are you teaching?
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• What classes are you handling this school year?
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Guide Questions
• How do you gather information about students in terms of their knowledge, skills
and values? What assessment tools do you use?
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• When do you conduct assessments?
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• How do you utilize the information in your profession?

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• How does assessment help you become a more effective teacher?
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REFERENCES
Airasian, Peter W. & Michael K. Russel(2012). Classroom Assessment: Concepts and
Applications. 7th Edition. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New
York, NY 10020.
De Guzman, Estefania S & Adamos, Joel L (2015). Assessment of Learning. Adriana
Publishing Company, QC.
McMillan, James H. (2018). Classroom Assessment Principles and Practice that Enhance
Student Learning and Motivation. Pearson Education Inc. 330 Hudson Street, NY, NY
10013
Navarro, Rosita L., Rosita G. Santos, and Brenda B. Corpuz (201).Assessment of Learning
OBE & PPST-Based Fourth Edition. Lorimar Publishing, Inc., 10-B Boston Street, Brgy.
Kaunlaran, Cubao, Quezon City, Metro Manila.
Popham, W. James (2017). Classroom Assessment Eighth Edition. Pearson Education,
Inc. United States of America.