Principles of High
Quality Assessment
Clarity of Learning Targets
Assessment can be made precise, accurate and
dependable only if what are to be achieved are
clearly stated and feasible. To this end, we
consider learning targets involving knowledge,
reasoning, skills products and effects.
Thus the objective “to understand the concept of
buoyancy” is not stated in behavioral terms. It is not clear
how one measures “understanding”. On the other hand,
if we restate the targets as “to determines the volume of
water displaced by a given object submerged” then we
can easily measure the extent to which a student
understands “buoyancy”
Learning targets are statements about what
students are expected to learn or achieve in
a lesson or a course. They are often used
by teachers to guide their instruction and by
students to guide their learning.
Here are some things you might want to
clarify about learning targets:
Specificity
Measurable
Alignment with Standard
Student-Friendly Language
Relevance
Progression
Types of Learning Targets
One way to determine if your targets are clear and usable
is to determine what kind of learning is being called for.
Learning targets are classified into a framework that
identifies five kinds of learning targets: knowledge,
reasoning, skill, product, and disposition.
Knowledge Targets
Knowledge targets represent the factual
information, procedural knowledge, and
conceptual understandings that underpin each
discipline or subject matter.
Reasoning Targets
Reasoning targets specify thought processes students are
to learn to apply effectively (do well) within a range of
subjects; e.g., solve problems, make inferences, draw
conclusions, form, and defend judgment.
Students should develop the ability to apply knowledge in
authentic contexts - that is, in contexts that transfer to work
and life beyond school. This target requires students to
engage in reasoning using their knowledge.
Six Patterns of Reasoning
Inference: Making a reasonable guess based on
information or clues
Analysis: Examining the components or structure of
something
Comparison: Describing similarities and differences
between two or more items.
Classification: Sorting things into categories based on
certain characteristics
Evaluation: Expressing and defending an opinion, a point of
view, a judgment, or a decision
Synthesis: Combining discrete elements to create something
new
Skill Targets
Skill targets are those learning targets where a real-time
demonstration or physical performance is the heart of
learning.
Subjects such as physical education, fine arts, performing
arts, and world languages, have skill development as the
core of their discipline.
Product Targets
Product targets specification for qualities of a
good product are the focus.
Product examples include " creates tables,
graphs, scatter plots, and box plots to display
data effectively.
Affective learning is the process of acquiring
knowledge, skills and attitudes through
emotional engagement. It recognizes that
emotions play a pivotal role in shaping cognitive
processes, memory retention and decision-
making.
A “skill” is an individual’s ability to perform a specific task or
solve a problem at a high level of proficiency.
They are acquired through:
Education. Formal instruction from an educational or
technical institute. Often, education is more theory-based
Training. Targeted instruction or practice that is focused on a
specific skill or skill set. Training is usually more practical than
education
Experience. The practical application of both training and
education. Experience involves hand-on participation in real-
world situations related to the skill or skill set
A competency target is a structured rating schema that
relates to a team or role that provides an expectation from
the organization for those people to apply those specific
skills.
Skillscan be clustered together to form
specific competencies. Cognitive
Psychomotor; and Affective abilities
Product targets specification for qualities of a good
product are the focus. Product examples include "
creates tables, graphs, scatter plots, and box plots to
display data effectively. Curricula generally include far
fewer product targets than knowledge and reasoning
targets
A output means the total number of students that finally
acquire educational success in their school life as it is
considered to be the end product of the educational inputs
that is realized by a thorough process of evaluation and it
ensures the desired goals of output have been achieved.
It also refers to some long run optimal sustainable yield
defined by the objectives of the management plan.
Project Targets refer to a set of fixed goals or objectives
that determine how a given project is expected to be done
and what result or effect is supposed to be produced by the
project. They identify project purpose while ensuring that
there is no conflict between project goals and project
deliverables.
