Contemporary Educational Assessment Concepts and Applications

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Functions of Assessment

Why do we assess students?

Discuss in your group and suggest at least three most important reasons

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Functions of Assessment

To facilitate learning: . Measure the extent a student has achieved the set objectives . Motivate students to learn . Monitor, assist and improve learning through constructive feedback

To facilitate teaching: . Provide feedback to assist and improve teaching

For institutional / professional requirements: . Grade, rank or select students . Maintain standard

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Assessing Student Learning Outcomes

Problems with assessing student learning outcomes

Discuss and share in your group any problems you have encountered or concerns that you have in assessing the learning outcomes of your students

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Processes Involved in Assessment

1. Setting the assessment criteria

2. Providing evidence in relation to those criteria

3. Making a judgment on the evidence provided

4. Communicating the results of the judgment

5. Making use of the results of the assessment

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Principles of Assessment . Clear purpose – central purpose is to improve student learning . An integral part of the curriculum design and planning . Relevant criteria . Appropriate methods . Clear communication and transparent . Consistent procedures . Valid and practicable tasks . Realistic workload . Provision of constructive feedback to facilitate

and improve learning and teaching . Regular review and improvement of the system

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Approaches and Models of Assessment

Formative / Summative

Criterion-referenced / Norm-referenced

Contextualized / Decontextualized (authentic) (unauthentic)

Measurement model / Standards model

Teacher-centred / Student-centred

Teacher- / Peer- / Self-assessment

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Formative Assessment

. ContinuousOn-going during learning / teaching

. DiagnosticProvides feedback to students and teachers on - strengths and weaknesses - difficulties

- misconceptions

. Remedial Provides opportunities for modification / improvement

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Summative Assessment

. TerminalAt the end of learning / teaching

. DescriptiveHow well materials / knowledge / skills have been learned

. For ranking and selection No provision for modification / improvement

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Criterion-referenced Assessment

. Assesses against pre-set criteria If the criteria have been achieved, and how well they have been achieved

. Operates within the formative model

Norm-referenced Assessment . Assesses and compares performance amongst students . Relative scoring / grading For ranking and selection of students . Operates within the summative model

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Contextualized (authentic) Assessment

. Assessment tasks reflect the goal of learning . Focuses on

- students’ construction of functioning knowledge - students’ performance in application of knowledge in the real work context of the discipline area

Decontextualized (unauthentic) Assessment . Focuses on declarative knowledge and /or

procedural knowledge in artificial situations detached from the real work context

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Measurement Model of Assessment

. Based on the theory of individual differences . Assumes that the learning being measured is stable

over time . Student performances are reduced to quantifiable

scores for comparison purpose . Focuses on

- reliability of scores - discriminating and ranking of students

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Standards Model of Assessment . Based on the assumption that

- standards can be achieved by most students, and reflected in their performance - student performance can be fairly assessed against the set standards

. Concerns with the quality of the learning outcomes . Focuses on

- identifying the essential performances in the given discipline - establishing clear criteria defining the quality of the standards of student performance - obtaining evidence of the achievement of the standards - validity

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Teacher-centred / Student-centred Model of Assessment

Depends on who is involved in the various processes involved in assessment

1. Setting the assessment criteria 2. Providing evidence in relation to those criteria 3. Making a judgment on the evidence provided 4. Communicating the results of the judgment 5. Making use of the results of the assessment

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Teacher / Peer / Self Assessment

Depends on who is involved in making

a judgment on the evidence provided

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Assessing Student Learning Outcomes

Assessment should not be labelled as “good” or “bad”, but rather “appropriate” or “inappropriate”. The important issue is how the assessment is designed and implemented to appropriately address the learning objectives

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Portfolio Assessment

Based on Constructivist Theory

Meaning is created by the learner rather than being imposed or transmitted by direct instruction

Students are required to provide evidence to convince the teacher that the best kind of learning in relation to the objectives has been achieved

A move towards a more student-centred approach to assessment

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Portfolio Assessment

Essential characteristics:

. Collection of work produced by the student

. Assembled for a particular purpose

. Includes students’ reflection on their work in relation to the achievement of objectives

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Portfolio Assessment

Students’ responsibility is to:

. provide evidence that learning relevant to

course objectives has taken place . choose and justify the portfolio items. provide a holistic case of an integrated and usable body of knowledge

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Portfolio Assessment

Teachers’ responsibility is to: . acquaint students with course objectives . provide guidance for preparation of the portfolio e.g. philosophy of portfolio assessment implementation procedures examples of some possible portfolio items . provide on-going support and formative feedback . make a holistic assessment of the portfolio . provide feedback

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Portfolio Assessment

Focus of evaluation of the portfolio:

. Relevance to the subject . Accuracy against acceptable scholarly standards . Coverage of the subject content and objectives . Making an integrated case or argument . Is important to the students’ own academic / professional purposes

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Portfolio Assessment

Assessment includes the following aspects:

. Each item in its own right relevance, accuracy and quality

. The student’s justification of each item in relation to the objective(s) being addressed

. The coherence of all the items in providing a holistic view on the subject

. An overall grade of the portfolio

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Portfolio Assessment

Selection of Portfolio items

. Based on the subject objectives . Avoid repetitive items in terms of content and / or objective(s) being addressed . Select a balanced collection of items that address the full range of subject objectives, rather than focusing on excellence of any particular individual items

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Backwash Effect of Assessment

Teacher’s and student’s perspectives on assessment  

Teacher’s perspective: Objectives Teaching activities Assessment

Student’s perspective: Assessment Learning activities Outcomes

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Application of the 3P model to Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Presage Process Product

Student Characteristics: Prior experience of assessment Conceptions of assessment Language competence

Assessment Context:

CurriculumAssessment methodsStudents’ perceptions of assessment requirements

Preparation for Assessment Surface Deep

Assessment Performance

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Assessment is the contextual factor which most strongly affects student learning.

It is the students’ perception of the assessment requirements that constitutes the hidden curriculum, and drives how students learn.

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Constructive AlignmentBiggs (1999)

Curriculum in the form of clear objectives stating level of understanding required

Teaching/ chosen to facilitate achievement of the learning objectives activities

Assessment chosen to test if students have achieved tasks the objectives and the level of

achievement

Thank you.

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