Assessment in

Open and Distance Learning

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Assessment???
• What ideas, concepts and experiences
come to your mind when you think of
Assessment/evaluation?
• Write down some of them? (2 Minutes)

Assessment has direct relationships

with Objectives that you set for the
learners

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Definition

It is a process of obtaining information

about learners progress and achievement in
learning

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Why Assessment?
• Selecting learners
• Certification
• Motivating learners
• Improve the practice of teaching

Primarily assessment serves two purposes

• To provide support and feedback to learners to
improve their ongoing learning
• To report on what they have already achieved,
whether this be a grade or written comment

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Types of Assessment
• Formative – that are continuous, designed
to motivate learners, help them to
understand how they are progressing
• Summative – that are used as end of
course test and give a total report on
learners achievement of objectives

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How assessment is done in ODL?
• Non-assessable activities and feedback in
study materials
• Self-assessment questions with feedback
in the learning materials
• Assignments (TMAs and CMAs)
• Dialogue with tutors and peer groups
• Practicals
• Project work, seminars, field work, etc.
• Formal examinations

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Types of Tests
• Objective
 Matching
 Multiple Choice
 True-False
 Sequencing
 Fill in the Blanks
 Sentence completion

• Short Answer (50-150 words)

• Long Answer (600-1200 words)

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The Blueprint

Objectives
Content areas K C U A S E
Area 1

Area 2

Area 3

Area 4

Area 5

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Assignments at IGNOU
• TMAs and CMAs depending on the
requirements and decision of the School
Board and Academic Council
• Used as 2-way communication through
tutor comments (academic and personal)
and supplemental communication

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Why Tutor Comments?
• Remove the isolation of students at ODL
• Support them in their learning process to
identify areas which they should further
develop
• Create a dialogue between teacher and
learner
• Promote reflective and self-evaluative
thinking

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Inside Tutor Comments?
• Drawing attention to facts they have overlooked
or misinterpreted
• Suggesting alternative approaches or
interpretations
• Drawing attention to gaps in learning
• Suggesting how the learners might improve
• Identify relationships with student’s present
response and previous learning
• Appreciate special efforts or improvements in
competence
• Suggest new sources of information
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Your comments should/may…
• Always be Positive
• Always be Constructive
• Rarely be Negative
• Sometimes be Null
• Never be Hollow
• Never be Misleading
• Never be Harmful

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Examples
• Positive Comment: Your explanation with regard to ----
is very good. I appreciate the diagrammatic representation of the
concepts.

• Constructive Comment: You could have discussed the

following three parts:
(i)…
(ii)…
(iii)…
Use of more examples and illustrations are welcome

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Examples…
• Negative Comment: The example given is not correct
• Null Comment: ?? ‗ ‗ ‗ X  ( ) ~ ~ ~
• Hollow Comment: Your answer is so so. You can improve
your presentation. You may spend some more time in writing this
answer.

• Misleading Comment: Where the student is right, but

teacher indicates it as wrong.

• Harmful Comment: Really bad/ Horrible language/ This

is nonsense/ Are you writing english for the first time?

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Global Comments
• Specified Format of Global Comment
Sheet
• Give Grade:
A = Excellent
B = Very Good
C= Good
D = Satisfactory
E = Unsatisfactory

• Provide an overview of the comments

• Explain grade
• The grade and comments should be
matching
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My Global Comments
• In this session we have covered:
 What is assessment?
 Why is it important?
 What are various forms of assessment and
test?
 How it is done in ODL?
 What is the practice at IGNOU?
 How to write tutor comments?

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Thank You…
• Now it is your turn for
questions/comments, if any?

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