MEASUREMENT IN OUTCOMES-BASED

EDUCATION
Learning Outcomes:
Distinguish among measurement

Explain the meaning of measuremet

Identify the types of measurement

Measurement
It is the process of determining or describing the attributes or
characteristics of physical objects generally in terms of
quantity
When we measure, we are actually collecting quantitative
information relative to some established standards. To measure is
to apply a standard measuring device to an object, group of
objects, events or situations according to procedure determined
by one who is skilled in the use of such device.
Measurement
It is a process of quantifying or assigning number to the individual’s
intelligence, personality, attitudes and values, and achievement of the
students.

Example:
Learner A got 23 correct answers of 25 items in Mathematics test.
Learner B got 95% in English first grading periodic test.
Learner C’s score 85% in his laboratory test in Chemistry.
TYPES OF MEASUREMENT
Objective Measurement and Subjective Measurement

Measurement can therefore be objective or subjective.

Objective Measurement are more stable than Subjective Measurement in the

sense that repeated measurements of the same quantity or quality of interest will
produce more or less the same outcome.
Whether one uses an objective or subjective assessment procedure, the
underlying principle in educational measurement is summarized by the
following formula.

Measurement of Quantity and Quality of Interest = True value

plus random error.

Each measurement of the quantity of interest has two components: a

true value of the quantity and a random error component. The objective in
educational measurement is to estimate or approximatem as closely as
possible, the true value of the quantity of interest, e.g. true knowledge of the
subject matter. This is a tall order and one which will occupy most of our time
in this particualr course.
Objective Measurement
are measurements that do not depend on the person or individual
taking the measurements. Regardless of who is taking the
measurement, the same measurement values should be obtained
when using an objective assessment procedure. In contrast,
subjective measurements often differ from one assessor to the next
even if the same quantity or quality is being measured.
Measuring Indicators, Variables, and Factors
An educational variable (denoted by an English alphabet, like X) is a measurable
characteristic of a student. Variables may be directly measurable as in X=age or
X=height of a student. However, many times a variable cannot be directly measured
like when we want to measure “class participation” of a student. For those variables
where direct measurements are not feasible, we introduce the concept of
indicators.

An indicator, I, denote the presence or absence of a measured characteristic.

Thus:

I=I, if the characteristic is present.

= 0, if the characteristic is absent
For the variable X= class participation, we can let I1, I2…, I10,
denote the participation of a student in n class participation and
let X = sum of the I’s divided by n recitations. Thus, if there were n
= 10 recitations and the student participated in 5 of these 10, then
X = 5/10 or 50%.

Indicators are the building blocks of educational measurement

upon which all other forms of measurement are built. A group of
indicators constitute a variable. A group of variables form a
construct or a factor. The variable which form with variables in
another group.
Example: The following variables were measured in a battery of tests:

X1 = computational skills
X2 = reading skills
X3 = vocabulary
X4 = logic and reasoning
X5 = sequence and series
X6 = manual dexterity
These variables can be grouped as follows:

Group 1 : (X1, X4, X5) mathematical ability factor

Group 2 : (X2, x3) = language ability factor
Group 3 : (x6) = psychomotor ability factor

The first group is called a “mathematical ability” factor, the second

group is called a “language ability” factor, while the third group (with only
one variable) is called a “psychomotor ability” factor.

In educational measurement, we shall be concerned with indicators,

variables and factors of interest in the field of education.
THANK YOU