MODULE 4 Assessment in the Affective Domain

Module Overview Hi, student. Welcome to Module 4. In this module, you will acquaint yourself in
the concepts of Assessment in the Affective Domain. This module describes a
number of non-cognitive variables such as person’s attitude, interests, and values.
The importance of affective targets, affective traits, and learning targets as well as
affective domain of the taxonomy of educational objectives will be discussed.

Module At the end of this module, you should be able to:

Objectives/Outcomes
a. recognize the affective taxonomy in the educational objectives;

b. craft affective learning outcomes for the different levels in the affective
domain; and

c. develop instruments for assessing affective learning.

Lessons in the module This module contains the following lessons: Lesson 1: The
Taxonomy in the Affective Domain Lesson 2: Affective
Learning Competencies
Lesson 3: Development of Affective Assessment Tools
 LESSON 1 The Taxonomy in the Affective Domain

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

a. recognize the affective taxonomy in the educational objectives; and

b. construct measurable affective objectives.

Time Frame This session is intended for 1 session (1 hour).

Hi, student! Welcome to Module 4 - Lesson 1: The Taxonomy in the Affective

Domain. As a starting point of our discussion in the assessment in the affective
domain, we shall first discuss the taxonomy developed in the affective domain.
This will guide us as we learn how to assess the students in the affective domain.

Activity 1 Situational Analysis

In this activity, you are tasked to think of a solution that will help you as a teacher
to understand your students and how will you improve the situation if not totally
solve the problem.

1. Carlos is an intelligent kid but never makes it to the top ten of his class
because of his attitude towards some of his teachers.
(Activity)
2. Because she found out that her teacher has a favorite student, in which the
teacher adjusts the grades of her favorite student for her to become the top
student, Maria became unmotivated and became an average performing
student.

Let us now check how you examined the situations presented above.
QUESTIONS ANSWERS
1. What are the factors you have
considered in the solutions you have
come up?
2. Why is it important to consider the
factors you have mentioned above?
3. Do you think that the learner’s
{Analysis} aptitude and attitude is related to his or
her academic achievement? Why or
why not?
 Now, let us have the discussion about the taxonomy in the affective domain.

In 1964, David R. Krathwohl, together with his colleagues, extended Bloom’s

Taxonomy of Educational Objectives by publishing the second taxonomy of
objectives, this time giving emphasis on the affective domain. The affective
domain refers to the way in which we deal with situations emotionally such as
(Abstraction) feelings, appreciation, enthusiasm, motivation, values, and attitudes.

The categories/levels, definition, and example are given as follow:

Category/ Definition Example
Level
Receiving Concerned with student’s sensitivity to Student does
the existence of certain phenomena mathematics
and stimuli, that is, with student’s activities for grade.
willingness to receive or to attend to
the stimuli.
It is categorized in 3 subdivision that
shows the different levels of attending
the phenomena:
1. Awareness of the phenomena
2. Willingness to receive the
phenomena
3. Controlled or selected attention to
phenomena
Responding Concerned with responses that go Student gives
beyond merely attending to special attention to
phenomena. Students are sufficiently the discussion of
motivated that they are not just mathematics lesson
“willing to attend” but are actively to be able to
attending. answer the
activities.
Valuing Reflects the student’s holding of a Student actively
particular importance or value. and consistently
Students display behavior with participated in the
sufficient consistency in appropriate discussion.
situations that are perceived as holding
this value.
Organizing Students successively internalize Student integrates
values; they encounter situations in the lessons learned
which more than one value is in math with
relevant. This requires the necessity of science.
organizing their values into a system
such that certain values exercise
greater control.
Characterization Internalization has taken place in an Student applies the
by Value individual’s value hierarchy to the lessons learned in
extent that he or she can be mathematics in
 characterized as holding a particular daily
value or set of values. activities/real-life
scenario.

Moreover, given below are the sample behavioral verbs appropriate for the
affective domain.

Category/Level Behavioral Verbs

Receiving attend, accept, develop, recognize
Responding complete, comply, cooperate, discuss, examine,
obey, respond
Valuing accept, defend, devote, pursue, seek

Organization codify, discriminate, display, order, organize,

systematize, weigh
Characterization by a Value internalize, verify

If we are desirous to apply the continuum of Krathwohl et.al to our teaching,

then we are encouraging students to not just receive information at the bottom of
the affective hierarchy, instead, as teachers, we would like them to respond to what
they learn, to value it, to organize it, and even to characterize it.

The affective domain is the least studies and most often overlooked domain
in educational literature despite the fact that almost every researcher or author
begins with a premise on the importance of the affective domain in the teaching-
learning process. The reson, perhaps, is the fact that affective domain is the most
nebulous and the hardest to evaluate among Bloom’s three domains. Traditional
assessment procedures, for instance, concentrate on the cognitive aspects of
learning and as teachers majority of us typically focus our efforts on the
development of tasks and instruments for measuring cognitive learning. However,
it is important to realize that by tapping the potentials of the affective domain in
enhancing learning, we increase the likelihood of real and authentic learning among
our students.

Similarly, students may experience affective roadblocks to learning that can

neither be recognized nor solved with using a purely cognitive approach.
 Activity 2 Learning Objective Construction

Now that you have recognized and understood the taxonomy in the affective
domain, you are tasked to apply the concepts in the given situation by crafting
affective objectives correctly. The affective objectives must be measurable. Use
the template provided for your answer.

Situation:
(Application)
The school, being sectarian, wants to ensure that their graduates will embody the
character traist that are expected of their graduates. As such, the president gave
an instruction that religion must be integrated in all subjects and not just during
religion class.

As a teacher, what and how will you support this direction of the school president
so that it will be realized, focusing on the affective domain of the students?
Category/Level Measurable Affective Objective
Receiving

Responding

Valuing

Organizing

Characterizing by
a Value

Congratulations! You have successfully completed the first lesson of the Module
4. Always remember that the aforementioned affective taxonomy serves as a
valuable part of assessment of affect. Through them, standard or level of affect that
is part of the target is determined. In addition, it also provides good suggestions for
using student behaviors as indicators of affect at each of the levels.
(Closure)
You are now ready for Lesson 2, the Affective Learning Competencies. Good luck!

LESSON 2 Affective Learning Competencies

 At the end of this module, you should be able to:

a. identify the different affective traits and learning targets; and

b. craft affective learning outcomes for the different levels in the affective
domain.
Time Frame This session is intended for 2 sessions (2 hours).

Hi, student! Welcome to Module 4 - Lesson 2: Affective Learning Competencies.

In this lesson, we will look at how learners’ attitudes towards academic tasks
influence their achievements. We will look at the affect side of the learners on how
it helped the students like the activities and do the activities better.

Activity 1 Situational Analysis

In this activity, you are tasked to analyze and identify the characteristics of
classroom environment is/are present in the situation. You need to propose what
action/s must be done to improve the situation. Discuss your answers and give your
comments and suggestions in our big group discussion.

Activity Situation Classroom Improve the

Environment Situation

VP for Linkages complained to

the Office of Student Affairs that
Section A was so noisy and
unruly, that their office
operation was affected, as the
Linkages Office is adjacent to
the classroom of Section A.
As per complaint, a group of
students are quarreling and
others are playing. The
complaint was brought to the
attention of the adviser of
Section A. But the adviser
dialed to extricate what
happened since no one among
the class wants to tell the true
story.
 Let us now check how you examined the situations presented above.
QUESTIONS ANSWERS
1. Why did you come up with
that action plan?

2. What are the factors you have

considered in the decision you
have made?

Analysis 3. What do you think is/are the

reason/s why the adviser of
Section A failed to
extricate what happened?
4. Do you think that the
environment and attitudes of the
learners affect their learning?
Why or why not?

Now, let us have the discussion about the affective learning competencies.

Affective desired learning competencies are often stated in the form of instructional
objectives.
 Instructional objectives are specific, measurable, short- term, observable
student behaviors.
 Objectives are the foundation upon which you can build lessons and
assessments that you can prove meet your overall course or lesson goals.
 Think of objectives as tools you use to make sure you reach your goals.
They are the arrows you shoot towards your target (goal).
Abstraction
 The purpose of objectives is not to restrict spontaneity or constraint the
vision of education in the discipline; but to ensure that learning is focused
clearly enough that both students and teacher know what is going on, and
so learning can be objectively measured. Different archers have different
styles, so do different teachers. Thus, you can shoot your arrows
(objectives) in many ways. The important thing is that they reach your target
(goals) score the bulls eye!

In the affective domain, and in particular, when we consider learning competencies,

we also consider the following concepts:
 Attitudes- are defined as a mental predisposition to act that is expressed by
evaluating a particular entity with some degree of favor or disfavor.
Individuals generally have attitudes that focus on objects, people, or
institutions. Attitudes are also attached to mental categories. Mental
orientations towards concepts are generally referred to as values. Attitudes
are comprised of four components:
- Cognitions Affect Behavioral Evaluation
Intentions
- beliefs, theories, - refers to - refers to - central component of
expectancies, our feelings with goals, attitudes.
cause-and- effect respect to the aspirations, and - consists of the
beliefs, and focal object such our expected imputation of some
perceptions as fear, liking, or response to the degree of goodness or
relative to the focal anger. attitude object. badness to an attitude
object. object.
- not the same as - function of cognitive,
“feelings” affect and behavioral
intentions of the
object.

Why study attitudes?

 Can influence the way we act and think in the social communities.
 Can function as frameworks and references for forming conclusions and
interpreting or acting for or against an individual.

Motivation. A reason or set of reasons for engaging in a particular behavior,

especially human behavior as studied in psychology and neuropsychology.
According to Geen (1995), motivation refers to the initiation, direction, intensity,
and persistence of human behavior.

The Need Theory (Abraham Maslow Hierarchy of Human Needs). One of the
theories that explain human motivation. It can be summarized as follows:
 Human beings have wants and desires which influence their behavior; only
unsatisfied needs can influence behavior, satisfied needs cannot.
 Arranged in order of importance, from the basic to the complex.
 The person advances to the next level of needs only after the lower need is
at least minimally satisfied.
The further the progress up the hierarchy, the more individuality,
humanness and psychological health a person will show.
The Two-Factor Theory by Frederick Herzberg. One of the theories that explain
human motivation. He stated that certain factors in the workplace result in job
satisfaction while others do not, but if absent lead to dissatisfaction. He
distinguished between:
 Motivators (challenging work, recognition, responsibility- positive
satisfaction
 Hygiene factors (status, job security, salary and fringe benefits) which do
not motivate if present, but if absent will result in demotivation.

The ERG Theory (Existence, Relatedness, and Growth) by Clayton Alderfer.

He expanded the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

Self-efficacy. An impression that one is capable of performing in a certain

manner or attaining certain goals. It is a belief that one has the capabilities
to execute the courses of actions required to manage prospective situations.

Affective Traits and Learning Targets

The word affective refers to a variety of tarits and dispositions that are
different from knowledge, reasoning, and skills. This term means the
emotions or feelings that one has toward someone or something. Shown in
the table below are the different affective traits and its corresponding
description:

Trait Description
Attitudes Predisposition to respond favorably or unfavorably to specific
situations, concepts, objects, institutions, or persons
Interests Personal preference for certain kinds of activities
Values Importance, worth, or usefulness of modes or conduct and end
states of existence
Opinions Beliefs about specific occurrences and situations
Preferences Desire to select one object over another
Motivation Desire and willingness to be engaged in behavior including
intensity of involvement

Academic self- Self-perception of competence in school and learning

concept
Self-esteem Attitudes toward oneself; degree of self-respect, worthiness,
or desirability of self-concept
Locus of control Self-perception of whether success and failure is controlled by
the student or by external influences
Emotional Growth, change, and awareness of emotions and ability to
development regulate emotional expression
Social Nature of interpersonal interactions and functioning in group
relationships setting
Altruism Willingness and propensity to help others
Moral Attainment of ethical principles that guide decision-making
development and behavior
Classroom Nature of feeling tones and interpersonal relationship in a
development class

Congratulations! You have successfully completed the second lesson of the Module
4. Always remember that positive affective traits influence motivation,
involvement, and cognitive learning. Moreover, the affective domain defines
different levels of affect in hierarchical manner, from attending to something to
using something as a factor in determining one’s life.

You are now ready for Lesson 3, the Assessment in the Affective Domain. Good
luck!
LESSON 3 Development of Affective Assessment Tools

Time Frame This session is intended for 3 sessions (3 hours).

Hi, student! Welcome to Module 4 - Lesson 3: Development of Affective
Assessment Tools. In this lesson, you are expected to be equipped with knowledge
about developing affective assessment tools since the practice of routinely
assessing the affective learning constructs are often left behind.

Activity 1 Concept Mapping

To start off our discussion, you are tasked to construct a concept map showing the
use or purpose of using affective assessment tools.

Activity

AFFECTIVE
ASSESSMENT TOOLS

Let us now check how you constructed your concept map.

QUESTIONS ANSWERS
1. What is the purpose of affective
assessment tools?

Analysis
2. How did you come up with those
ideas?

3. What makes the affective

assessment tools different from the
cognitive and psychomotor
assessment tools?

4. How will the affective

assessment tools help in the
development of the learner?
 Now, let us have the discussion about the affective assessment tools.

Assessment tools in the affective domain, in particular, those which are used to
assess attitudes, interests, motivations, and self- efficacy, have been developed.

Three feasible methods of assessing affective traits and dispositions:

1. teacher observation
2. student self-report
Abstraction 3. peer ratings

Three considerations in assessing affect:

1. Emotions and feelings change quickly most especially for young children
and during early adolescence.
2. Use varied approaches in measuring the same affective trait as possible.
3. Decide what type of data or results are needed: individual or group data.

Teacher Observation
This is often used when the teacher wants to observe the approach behaviors
(positive) and avoidance behaviors (negative). There are two types of this kind
of observation: the unstructured and structured observation.
 Unstructured observation- normally open-ended, no checklists or rating
scale is used. Everything that is observed is just simply recorded.
 Structured observation- checklist or rating forms are to be made since it
will be used to record observations.

Student self-report
 Student interview- there is an opportunity that teachers may have
direct involvement with the students wherein teachers can probe and
respond for better understanding.
 Surveys and questionnaires- there are two types of using survey and
questionnaires: the constructed response, in which it I straightforward
approach asking the students about their affect by responding to simple
statement of question; the selected-response, in which students can
choose from options and this assures anonymity.

Peer ratings
 Least common method in assessing affect because students may not take
this seriously. However, the teachers can accurately observed what is
being assessed in peer ratings since teachers also engage with the
students.

Sample of Affective Assessment Tools

a. Checklists
- contain criteria that focus on the intended outcome or target. It
helps students in organizing the tasks assigned to them into
logically sequenced steps that will lead to successful completion of
the task.
 Sample Observation Checklist

Name: Subject: Date:

Type of Assignment
Not Yet Some- Fre-
times quently
Gets work done on time
Organizes work
Works well with others

Comments:

b. Rating Scale
- helps students understand th learning target/outcomes and to focus
students’ attention to performance. It gives feedback to students as far as
their strengths and weaknesses with respect to the targets to which they
are measured. Students not only learn the standards but also may
internalize the set standards. In addition, ratings help to show each
student’s growth and progress.

Sample Rating Scale

Directions: Put the score on the column for each of the statement as it applies
to you. Use 1 to 5, 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest possible score.

SCORE
1. I am happy during Mathematics class.
2. I get tired doing board work and drills.
3. I enjoy solving word problems.
c. Likert Scale
- It is a list of clearly favorable and unfavorable attitude statements.
The students are tasked to respond to each of the statement that
usually uses a five-point scale: Strongly Agree, Agree, Undecided,
Disagree, Strongly Disagree.

Sample of Likert Scale

Direction: Put a check on the column for each of the statement that applies to
you.
 Legend:
Strongly Agree (SA)
Agree (A)
Undecided (U)
Disagree (D)
Strongly Disagree (SD)
(SA) (A) (U) (D) (SD)
5 4 3 2 1
1. I am happy during
Mathematics class.
2. I get tired doing board work
and drills.

d. Semantic Differential Scale

- This uses adjective pairs that provide anchors for feelings or beliefs
that are opposite in direction and intensity. Students would place a
check between each pair of adjectives that describes positive or
negative aspects of the trait.

Sample of Semantic Differential Scale

Traits/attitude toward Mathematics subject

Boring

I
nteresting
Important

Useless
e. Sentence Completion
- It captures whatever comes to mind from each student.

Sample of Sentence Completion

1. I think Mathematics as a subject is_______________.

 2. I like my Mathematics teacher the most because _____________.

Activity 2 Learning Objective Construction

Now that you have recognized and understood the affective assessment tools, it is
not your turn to construct tools that would help teachers assessing and measuring
the affective domain of the learner. Your task is to craft one affective assessment
tool of each of the following:

a. Checklist
Application b. Rating Scale
c. Likert Scale
d. Semantic Differential Scale
e. Sentence Completion
 Congratulations! You have successfully completed the third lesson of the Module
4. Always remember that proper, on-going assessment of the affective domain
(students’ attitudes, values, dispositions, and ethical perspectives) is essential in
any efforts to improve academic achievement and quality of the educational
experience provided.

Hats-off! You have just finished the Module 4. You are now ready for Module 5.
Good luck!

MODULE SUMMARY

MODULE 4 LEARNING KEY POINTS

 Positive affective traits influence motivation, involvement, and cognitive learning.

 The term affect refers to emotions and feelings, yet affective targets include cognitive and
behavioral traits.
 Attitudes refer to predispositions to respond favorably or unfavorably. They include cognitive,
affective, and behavioral components.
 Motivation is the purposeful commitment to learn.
 Motivation is determined by self-efficacy and the value of learning.
 The affective domain of Bloom’s taxonomy defines different levels of affect in hierarchical manner,
from attending to something to using something as a factor in determining one’s life.
 The three methods to assess student affect are: teacher observation, student self-report, and peer
ratings.
 Students affect can be measured through checklist, rating scale, likert scale, semantic differential
scale, and sentence completion..
 A holistic approach is required so as to have a meaningful evaluation of student learning.

REFERENCES

Cajigal, R. and Mantuano, M.L. (2014). Assessment of Learning 2. Quezon City: Adriana
Publishing Co. Inc.
Navarro, R. and Santos, R. (2013). Authentic Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes
Assessment 2 (2nd Edition). Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing