Aurora F. Fernandez, Ed. D.

National Education Testing and Research Center

Department of Education

Defining a Standard (Webster, 1994)

basis of comparison in measuring or judging capacity, quality, etc.

a measure of adequacy; if meeting the requirements of, a standard or role model

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Assessment

It is the gathering of information and evidence about the performance of individuals in tests and other measures.

It facilitates broad communication and dialogue focused on outcomes or qualitative and quantitative data.

On the national scale, results of assessment are means to assess fulfillment of goals and serve as bases for formulating and implementing policies that lead to upgrading performance standards of education in general.

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Broadly, the objectives of assessment in education are to:

1. assess readiness of learners for subsequent grade/year levels in the education ladder

2. ensure that quality learning is being effected by the system

3. assess the appropriateness, adequacy and timeliness of inputs and processes at each stage/phase of the system

4. continuously monitor progress or positive change and improvement in a program

5. identify strengths and weaknesses of a program, with focus on its components – inputs, processes and transactions

6. identify gaps and/or duplications in processes, activities and efforts toward attaining the program goals

6. reduce duplication of efforts and investments in material and human resource inputs and processes in the implementation of the program

7. provide basis for decisions and policy toward sustenance and/or improvement to adapt to emerging needs of the program

8. provide basis for feedback to all the stakeholders – policy makers, educators, teachers, et. al.

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Proposed Assessment Framework for K to 12 National Level

FLO*

Post Grade 12 – University Admission Exam, COC-TESDA

End of Stage 4 Assessment: National Basic Education Competency Assessment (NBECA);

Senior High School Diploma SY 2017 - 2018

End of Stage 3 Assessment: National Achievement Test (NAT);

Junior High School Certificate SY 2015 - 2016

National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE)

End of Stage 2 Assessment: National Achievement Test (NAT);

Elementary School Certificate (will commence on SY 2017 – 2018)

End of Stage 1 Assessment:

National Achievement Test (NAT) (will commence on SY 2014 – 2015)

Placement / Diagnostic Test Assessment Alternative

Delivery System (ALS)

Formal

Delivery System

Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT)/ Philippine Validating Test (PVT)

Grade 12

Senior Level

Junior Level

Elementary Level

Grade 10

Grade 9

Grade 6

Grade 3

Grade 1

Kindergarten

*FLO is the acronym for Flexible Learning Options

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Post Grade 12 – University Admission Exam, COC-TESDA

End of Stage 1 Assessment: Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) in Filipino &English

and Early Grade Math Assessment (EGMA); (will commence on SY 2014 – 2015)

Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) in the Mother Tongue

School Readiness Yearend Assessment (SReYA) in the Mother Tongue

Placement / Diagnostic Test Assessment Alternative

Delivery System (ALS)

Formal

Delivery System

Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT)/ Philippine Validating Test (PVT)

Grade 12

Senior Level

Junior Level

Elementary Level

Grade 10

Grade 9

Grade 6

Grade 3

Grade 1

Kindergarten

Proposed Assessment Framework for K to 12 School-Based Level

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Planning the Test

Developing the Table of Test Specifications

Item Writing

Test Assembly and Review of Test Items

Pilot Testing or Try Out of the Test

(at least 2 forms of the final test)

Item Analysis

Items

Useful Reject

No

Validity/Reliability

Organize final form of the Test

Yes

Norming

Preparation of the Test Manual

An example of a Table of Specifications for Grade III – Science

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Behavior Content

Knowledge of Specific

Fact

Understanding of Basic

Concepts and Principles

Observing and

Describing Objects

Comparing, Classifying

Objects based on Observable

Characteristics

Making Inferences

from Observation

Total Number of Items

Item Placement

Percent of

Items

People 2 3 3 3 2 13 1 – 13 32.5%

Animals 2 3 3 3 3 14 14 – 27 35%

Plants 2 3 3 3 2 13 28 – 40 32.5%

Number of Items

6 9 9 9 7 40

Percent of Items

15% 22.5% 22.5% 22.5% 17.5% 100%

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TAXONOMY OF THINKING SKILLS

DEFINITION TEST # &

TEST ITEM #

% RANK OF USE

1. Knowledge Remember or recall facts, concepts, method, procedures

2. Comprehension

Understand facts and principles Interpret charts and graphs and verbal materials Translate verbal materials to mathematical formula Estimate future consequences implied in the data

3. Application

Use of materials learned in actual context Apply concepts/principles to new situation Solve mathematical problems Demonstrate correct usage of a method or process

4. Analysis

Understand different elements and how they fit together Divide whole into different component elements Distinguish facts from inference Identify organizational structure of work (art, music, writing)

5. Synthesis Combine separate knowledge into one whole Putting bits of information together Relate and integrate information

6. Evaluation Judge the worth of an event, object or idea of a given principle using definite criteria Express and defend a point of view

ENGLISH

1. Use verbs in the simple present tense

2. Use reflexive pronouns

3. Predict outcome based on the selection

4. Sequence events in the selection

5. Determine cause and effect relationship in a given selection

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Grammar/ Language Skills

Reading Comprehension Skills

SCIENCE

1. Differentiate physical from chemical changes/processes by giving examples

2. Identify major parts of the circulatory system/and their functions

3. Illustrate the interdependence of plants and animals for gases through the oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle

4. Explain the effects of change in materials on health and the environment

5. Describe characteristics of stars and how group of stars are useful to people

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1. Congruency of the item with the competency/skill tested is of prime importance.

2. The applicability of the variety of multiple choice test type in item writing should always be considered.

3. Textbooks are used as refreshers for concepts, principles, etc., but a good item is free from textbook jargon. Any item, even nicely stated concept/examples and illustrations but obviously taken from the book is categorized as a knowledge item.

4. Cite the source of the text when lifting a paragraph or even capturing an essential part from a story.

5. In choosing your selection material, pick topics which can impart great virtues or higher values in both levels: Elementary and Secondary levels. Values education is integrated into the curriculum.

6. Adapt your vocabulary or the phrasing of stem to the level of the group you will test.

7. Avoid changing the names and places in an old item because this does not create a new item.

8. Maximize the use of graphs, illustrations, tables used in the stem by developing two or three items out of it.

9. Avoid unnecessary words/sentences in the stem. A simple and direct question is preferable.

10. Formulate the distracters skillfully where homogeneity of options is seen.

11. Always avoid irrelevant clues to the correct answer such as:

a. Repeating clue words found in both the stem and in the options

b. The longest option that explains the answer

12. When an item calls for the BEST answer, see to it that the wrong options are partially correct. 12

1. Raw Scores

The pupils’ raw scores are transformed into mean raw scores. For instance, for standard setting purposes, measures of central tendencies are used in computing the NAT performance:

Mean Raw Score (MRS). This refers to the average number of items correctly answered by pupils in each school structure using the formula:

X = ∑ X

N

Where: X = this refers to the Mean (Average)

∑ X = it is the summation of individual scores

N = the total number of examinees

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2. Mean Percentage Score (MPS)

The pupils’ raw scores are transformed into Mean Percentage Scores (MPS). This indicates the ratio between the number of correctly answered items in a test and the total number of items.

a. Subject Area MPS

Subject Mean Score Obtained

MPS = x 100

Subject Total Number of Items

b. Aggregate or Total Score

Mean Aggregate or Total Test Score Obtained

MPS = x 100

NAT Total of Items (G6) 200

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A 50 MPS in one subject area, for instance, would mean that an examinee correctly answered 20 of the 40 test items (NAT G6). Further, a 60 MPS in the total test would mean that an examinee correctly answered 6 out of 10 questions in the test.

A mean percentage score of 75 in a 40-item test would mean that 30 items were answered correctly.

The NAT scores are both Normative-Referenced type where the performance is gauged against the average performance of a group (e.g. national, regional and division levels); and as Criterion-Referenced type when there is a prescribed competency level which should be attained.

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1. Normal Curve Distribution

This is a statistical distribution wherein the top 16 percent of the continuum is considered high; the middle 68% as average and the extreme end 16 percent of the same continuum is taken into account as low performance.

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2. The Mastery Level

Percentage Descriptive Equivalent

96% - 100% Mastered

86% - 95% Closely Approximating Mastery

66% - 85% Moving Towards Mastery

35% - 65% Average

16% - 34% Low

5% - 15% Very Low

0% - 4% Absolutely No Mastery

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NAT Standards

3. Quartile Distribution

This is a distribution of scores into four equal percentage points. The 1st quarter or uppermost/superior (25%); 2nd quarter, upper average (25%); 3rd quarter, lower average (25%) and 4th quarter, poor (25%).

Quartile Distribution Descriptive Equivalent

76 – 100 51 – 75 26 – 50 0 – 25

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Superior Upper Average Lower Average Poor

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4. Proposed Standards of Achievement

Standards of Achievement

Descriptive Equivalent

90% - 100% 75% - 89%

35% - 74% 0% - 34%

Superior Meeting the Standard Below Standard Poor

(DECS Order No. 46, s. 1983)

75 passing score/cut-off score set by the Department of Education

Based on the Mastery Levels of the NAT

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1. Percentile Rank (PR) Standard Scores

NCAE Standards

PR Descriptive Rating

PR 99+ Excellent (E)

PR 98 – 99 Very High (VH)

PR 86 – 97 Above Average (AA)

PR 51 – 85 Average (A)

PR 15 – 50 Low Average (LA)

PR 3 – 14 Below Average (BA)

PR 1 – 2 Poor (P)

PR 0 - .99 Very Poor (VP)

Descriptive Rating

800 700

High

600 500 400

Average

300 200

Low

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OIISSS* Level

Levels of Preference for the Occupational Interest

76% - 100% High Preference (HP)

51% - 75% Moderate Preference (MP)

26% - 50% Low Preference (LP)

0% - 25% Very Low Preference (VLP)

* Occupational Interest Inventory for Secondary Schools Students

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The Normal Curve as the

Point of Reference for the Standards in Assessment

0-4 5-15 16-34 35-65 66-85 86-95 96-100

0 – 25

Poor 26 – 50

Below Average

51 - 75

Above Average

76 – 100

Excellent/ Superior

b. Quartile Distribution

c. Standards of Achievement

0 – 34%

Poor

35 – 74% 75 – 89% 90 – 100%

Below Average

Meeting Standard

Superior

0-2 3-14 15-50 51-85 86-97 98-99 99+

NCAE Percentile Rank (PR)

NCAE

a. Mastery Level

NAT

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DepED Order No. 71, s. 2010

DECS Order No. 46, s. 1983 Revised System of Rating and Reporting of Pupil Progress

NETRC – The NAT Performance of Grade 6 Pupils Over the Years (2006-2012)

Bloom, Benjamin (Editor), et. al. Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, David Mckay Company, Inc. New York, 1956

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Thank You!

24 TDPU-pjdc-5/22/13