Assessment: Core Context

1. Assessment: Core Context RICHARD S. TUTANES Acting Principal DCF, Marawi City May 11, 2010

2. Library is the of the school. Assessment is the of learning.

3. Paradigm shift . . . Assessment & Evaluation Old paradigm – evaluation for marks - all assessment was evaluated (marked & counted) - focus was on “making the judgment”, deciding the mark - not considered for student learning New paradigm – assessment for learning - multiple assessment opportunities - focus on student and teacher gauging the learning, and the gaps in learning - teacher can adjust practice to ensure success

4. The overall goal of assessment is to improve student learning. Assessment provides students, parents/guardians, and teachers with valid information concerning student progress and their attainment of the expected curriculum

5. What is the purpose of Assessment? Kellough et al (p.418-419) characterizes seven purposes of assessment: • To assist student learning • To identify students' strengths and weaknesses • To assess the effectiveness of a particular instructional strategy • To assess and improve the effectiveness of curriculum programs • To assess and improve teaching effectiveness • To provide data that assist in decision making • To communicate with and involve parents

6. Assessment should always be viewed as information to improve student achievement. Assessments are based on the levels of achievement and standards developed for those curricular goals appropriate for the grade.

7. Assessment requires the gathering of evidence of student performance over a period of time to measure learning and understanding.

8. Principles on Assessment • The American Association for Higher Education (AAHE) has established the following nine principles to guide assessment's implementation (Pausch & Popp, 1997, Assessment in Higher Education, ¶ 1): • The assessment of student learning begins with educational values. • Assessment is most effective when it reflects an understanding of learning as multidimensional, integrated, and revealed in performance over time. • Assessment works best when the programs it seeks to improve have clear, explicitly stated purposes.

9. Principles on Assessment • Assessment requires attention to outcomes but also and equally to the experiences that lead to those outcomes. • Assessment works best when it's ongoing, not episodic. • Assessment fosters wider improvement when representatives from across the educational community are involved. • Assessment makes a difference when it begins with issues of use and illuminates questions that people really care about [sic]. • Assessment is most likely to lead to improvement when it is part of a larger set of conditions that promote change. • Through assessment [sic] educators meet responsibilities to students.

10. The most important element of assessment and evaluation is to provide information for improved student performance

11. What is the difference between assessment and evaluation? • Assessment focuses on learning, teaching and outcomes. It provides information for improving learning and teaching. Assessment is an interactive process between students and faculty that informs faculty how well their students are learning what they are teaching. The information is used by faculty to make changes in the learning environment, and is shared with students to assist them in improving their learning and study habits. This information is learner-centered, course based, frequently anonymous, and not graded. • Evaluation focuses on grades and may reflect classroom components other than course content and mastery level. These could include discussion, cooperation, attendance, and verbal ability.

12. Assessment VS Evaluation • Assessment and evaluation are two terms that are not interchangeable, each has its own purpose within the world of education for both the student and teacher. Assessment is: • formative - a self-reflective process to promote student attainment (Crooks, 2001) the systematic gathering of information about what students know, are able to do, and working towards (Physical Education Appendix D: Assessment and Evaluation, 1999) • the process by which information is obtained relative to some known objective (Kizlik, 2010) • To summarize, assessment is meant to improve student learning, and provide valid information about progress (Watson).  This process can be facilitated by assessing a students skill attainment, and understanding of content (however one must remember that some forms of assessment are easier than others (Kizlik, 2010)), through formal and informal means, with exams, quizzes, observations, and even rating scales.

13. Assessment vs. Evaluation In almost all aspects of a scientific inquiry or study, clinicians and professionals use their own methods to help them arrive at their solution. Doctors, nurses, scientists and many others all agree, that a step by step approach to problem solving, is the key to finding the best answer. In the said process, the steps often include assessments, goal setting, plans, implementations and evaluations. The two sections that are the most worthy to mention, are the assessment phase and the evaluation phase. In an assessment, you are going to clearly note all data, which includes the objective and subjective claims of your subject. Everything that has transpired, and has been observed by you, for a certain period of time, is included in this preliminary step. Thus, an assessment is obviously the first step in a scientific process or inquiry. This forms the basis for future evaluations, whether there has been a change or not, and is considered to be the preliminary evidences of the study. It is also important to note, that the main purpose of assessment is to bring about improvement in the subject under study. This subject can be of any type, may it be a happening or event, a place, a condition or an individual.

14. Assessment vs. Evaluation On the contrary, an evaluation, or evaluations, are a set of statements or activities that seek to point out whether the objectives were met. It is the last part of the inquiry, and involves telling the people whether the solution or the goal has been realized or not. Evaluation can result in three things: One is that there has been a positive change, the second being a negative change, and the last being no change or development at all. By comparing the outcomes with the preliminary data noted in the assessment, clinicians can easily form the basis of their evaluation. In the case of teachers, for example, when they give certain marks (scores) to their students, they are already giving an evaluation. It is through this process that they can gauge the performance and overall learning of their students.

15. Assessment vs. Evaluation In summary, assessment and evaluation are the terminal ends of all scientific inquiries. They need each other, and they support one another. They are also essential for the improvement of the subject or the person. 1. Assessment is done at the beginning of the inquiry, whereas evaluation is usually done at the end. 2. Assessment seeks to note down all data, both subjective and objective, while evaluation notes down whether there has been changes or improvements in the data. Read more: Difference Between Assessment and Evaluation | Difference Betweenhttp://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/difference-between-assessment-and-evaluation/#ixzz0nQE9GS6r

16. Assessment vs. Evaluation Both assessment and evaluation are vital for many educational communities, but what tools can we utilize to help us facilitate these two approaches?  It is in my opinion that all digital applications that produce a learning artifact can be utilized to help an instructor assess their students, for each will provide a glimpse either synchronously or asynchronously into the mind and potentially the understanding of the student.  Below is a short list of the digital tools that have been effectively utilized within distributed learning to assess students (the tools below can also be used for evaluation purposes as well):

17. Assessment vs. Evaluation The assessment process is not concerned with the level of quality; only with how to improve the level of quality. Evaluation is the term used to describe the determination of the level of quality. The evaluation process focuses only on the actual level of quality with no interest in why that level was attained.

18. Assessment vs. Evaluation In assessment, the locus of control rests with the performer. In evaluation, it rests with the observer.

19. Assessment vs. Evaluation Although assessment and evaluation are used for different reasons, they do have some similar steps. Both involve specifying criteria to observe in a performance or outcome. Both require the collection of data and other evidence by observing the performance or by looking at the outcome or product. Both require a performer and a person who collects information about the performance. Both processes also conclude with a report of the findings which include all the similarities and at least as many differences. The relationship between the people involved is different in the assessment and evaluation processes. In both cases a person (either evaluator or assessor) observes or collects evidence about a performance or outcome; another person (either assessee or evaluatee) performs or develops an outcome. In both cases a person (either the assesseeor client) requests the process (either evaluation or assessment).

20. Differences Between Processes ofAssessment and Evaluation

21. Differences Between Processes ofAssessment and Evaluation

22. Differences Between Processes ofAssessment and Evaluation

23. Types of Assessment Assessments can be classified in many different ways. The most important distinctions are: (1) formative and summative; (2) objective and subjective; (3) referencing (criterion-referenced, norm-referenced, and ipsative); and (4) informal and formal. Formative and summativeThere are two main types of assessment:Summative assessment - Summative assessment is generally carried out at the end of a course or project. In an educational setting, summative assessments are typically used to assign students a course grade. Formative assessment - Formative assessment is generally carried out throughout a course or project. Formative assessment, also referred to as educative assessment, is used to aid learning. In an educational setting, formative assessment might be a teacher (or peer) or the learner, providing feedback on a student's work, and would not necessarily be used for grading purposes.

24. Types of Assessment Summative and formative assessment are referred to in a learning context as "assessment of learning" and "assessment for learning" respectively.A common form of formative assessment is diagnostic assessment. Diagnostic assessment measures a student's current knowledge and skills for the purpose of identifying a suitable program of learning. Self-assessment is a form of diagnostic assessment which involves students assessing themselves. Forward-looking assessment asks those being assessed to consider themselves in hypothetical future situations. Assessments can also be done on pieces of legislation.

25. Types of Assessment Performance-based assessment is similar to summative assessment, as it focuses on achievement. It is often aligned with the standards-based education reform and outcomes-based education movement. Though ideally they are significantly different from a traditional multiple choice test, they are most commonly associated with standards-based assessment which use free-form responses to standard questions scored by human scorers on a standards-based scale, meeting, falling below, or exceeding a performance standard rather than being ranked on a curve.

26. Types of Assessment A well-defined task is identified and students are asked to create, produce, or do something, often in settings that involve real-world application of knowledge and skills. Proficiency is demonstrated by providing an extended response. Performance formats are further differentiated into products and performances. The performance may result in a product, such as a painting, portfolio, paper, or exhibition, or it may consist of a performance, such as a speech, athletic skill, musical recital, or reading.

27. Methods of Assessments Pre-testing • You might find it helpful to find out whether your students meet the basic knowledge and skill levels required to learn your materials. Use a pre-test to find out. Pre-tests are often paired with remedial materials. • Some instructors offer self-assessment pre-tests prior to the beginning day of class and offer students ways to catch up before the first day. Others provide time during the first week for students to do such things. Alternatively, you could pre-test prior to each module, week or topic.

28. Methods of Assessments Objective assessment • Objective assessments (usually multiple choice, true false, short answer) have correct answers. These are good for testing recall of facts and can be automated. Objective tests assume that there are true answers and assume that all students should learn the same things.

29. Methods of Assessments Subjective assessment • In subjective assessments the teacher's judgment determines the grade. These include essay tests. Essay tests take longer to answer and they take longer to grade than objective questions and therefore only include a small number of questions, focusing on complex concepts.

30. Methods of Assessments Self-assessment Self assessment types of assignments are provided for quick student feedback. Self assessments: • help the learner check if they have mastered a topic • provide opportunity to measure learning progress • are usually voluntary and may allow multiple attempts • inform the learner, but not the teacher • can occur whenever a performance activity is linked with feedback about that performance.

31. Methods of Assessments Self-assessment • Self assessment examples: • practice quizzes • games, simulations, and other interactive exercises • practice written assignments • peer reviews • true-false questions

32. Methods of Assessments Interactive assessments • Interactive experiences can be designed as spaces within which learner's can perform a task. These experiences can be graded or not. Interactive software can administer quizzes and give instant, usually fun, right-wrong feedback and perhaps explanations of right answers. Examples of interactive assessment: • a simulator that lets learners virtually drive, facing the full range of driving challenges along the way. Simulators can be used both to teach and to test through performance in the simulation.

33. Methods of Assessments Examples of interactive assessment: • students could conduct a virtual experiment rather than an experiment in a physical laboratory • language software might have sophisticated speech recognition software to provide feedback about pronunciation • creation of an online tool, such as a virtual instrument. Students could perform a song, and the software provides feedback about accuracy and timing. • a game where the goal is to find life in other solar systems. Making sound decisions about where to search, how to get there, and what to look for earns points but also shows that you are learning.

34. Methods of Assessments Practice exams • Practice exams and problem set homework are popular with students in courses which use exams for grading. Students who complete a practice exam usually encounter fewer problems on the official exam. Technical problems have been worked out, and the student knows what to expect in terms of types of questions. • It's important to let the student know that practice exam questions will be similar to what they will find on their exams. However, the specifics will differ based on course content. For example, a nursing case study will be presented and students will need to identify specifics relating to the case. In exam, they will view case studies, but the details will differ. Students are very likely to complete a practice exam which parallels the real exam even though it does not count toward their grade.

35. Methods of Assessments Group projects • Group projects are more challenging in a fully online course because the online tools often must handle all collaboration. Students do not necessarily live in the same time zone or even on the same continent, there is no set class meeting time, and they may have vastly different schedules. Some online students do their classwork during the week, others work only on weekends. Some like the idea of meeting in-person with their group, others prefer asynchronous collaboration. A majority prefer not to do group work at all. Some students start and finish projects early (they always turn things in first) and others wait until the last minute. Invariably there will be complaints about group members who are not participating.

36. Methods of Assessments Group Project • In real life many projects are team efforts. There is a great deal of learning value in discussion and collaboration. Tools which can faciliate group collaboration include asynchronous discussion tools for group communication, file sharing to share and revise documents, and chat tools for real-time discussion.

37. Methods of Assessments Group Project Smaller groups are more manageable. Teams of two are easier to coordinate than larger teams, although some courses do groups of 5 or 6. It is important to carefully assign the groups based on when they like to work and how they prefer to collaborate. Define clear roles, and include peer review of group participation as part of the grade. You can ask students to keep a log of their process and procedures. Provide a "panic button" for students whose team members have disappeared, so you can help them either decide to work alone or connect with another group.

38. Methods of Assessments Students as audience and peer review • In the classroom, time constraints prevent students from being able to review each others projects in detail. It is easy to post projects online where everyone can see them. The work is thus a public performance, a potential source of pride or embarrassment. It is helpful for other students to see the scope of work produced by others. They may be motivated on the next assignment by seeing other outstanding projects. • Peer review can be an effective learning technique. Taking on the role of judge is a different mode of understanding the goals of an assignment.

39. Methods of Assessments Participation • Class participation can be an alternative method of assessing the student. A good way to encourage class participation is to make it part of the overall course grade. Class participation may include answering reflective questions in a course module, taking part in weekly class discussions, providing peer review critiques of fellow students' assignments, or locating and contributing online resources to a class-created knowledgebase. • The quality and quantity of submissions can be used to determine the grade. Some LMSs can track the number of posts a student makes to a discussion forum or live chat.