ASSESSING STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

AL 1
4.1 PRINCIPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE IN ASSESSING LEARNING OUTCOMES

Introduction:
Outcomes assessment is the process of gathering information on whether the instruction, services and
activities that the program provide are producing the desired student learning outcomes.

A. The assessment of student learning starts with the institution’s mission and core values. There should
be a clear statement on the kinds of learning that the institution values most for its students.

B. Assessment works best when the program has clear statement of objectives aligned with the
institutional mission and core values. Such alignment ensures clear, shared and implementable objectives.

C. Outcomes-based assessment focuses on the student activities that will still be relevant after formal
schooling concludes. The approach is to design assessment activities which are observable and less abstract
such as “to determine the student’s ability to write a paragraph” which is more observable than to
determine the student’s verbal ability.”
D. Assessment requires attention not only to outcomes but also and equally to the activities and
experiences that lead to the attainment of learning outcomes. These are supporting student activities.
E. Assessment works best when it is continuous, ongoing and not episodic (occurring occasionally and
at irregular intervals). Assessment should be cumulative because improvement is best achieved through a
linked series of activities done over time in an instructional cycle.

F. Begin by specifying clearly and exactly what you want to assess. What you want to assess is / are
stated in your learning outcomes/lesson objectives.

G. The intended learning outcome / lesson objective NOT CONTENT is the basis of the assessment task.
You use content in the development of the assessment tool and task but it is the attainment not your
learning outcome NOT content that you want to asses. This is Outcomes–Based Teaching and Learning.
OBTL is focused not on what the teacher intends to teach but rather the emphasis is on what is the
outcome from the learner of that teaching is intended to be.
H.) Set your criterion of success or acceptable standard of success. It is against this established standard
that you will interpret your assessment results.
Example: Is a score of 7 out of 10 (the highest score possible) acceptable or considered success?

H. ) Make use of varied tools for assessment data-gathering and multiple sources of assessment data. It
is not pedagogically sound to rely on just one source of data gathered by only one assessment tool.
Consider multiple intelligences and learning styles. DepED Order No. 73, s. 2012 cites the use of multiple
measures as one assessment guideline.

J.) Learners must be given feedback about their performance. Feedback must be specific. “Good Work!” is
positive feedback and is welcome but actually not a very good feedback since it’s not specific. A more
specific better feedback is “You observed rules on subject-verb agreement and variety of sentences. Three
of your commas were misplaced.”

K.) Assessment should be on real-world application and not on out-of-context drills.

L.)  Emphasize on the assessment of higher-order thinking.

Ex. concept formation, concept connection, getting the big picture, visualization, problem solving

Ex. concept formation, concept connection, getting the big picture, visualization, problem solving ,
questioning, idea generation, analytical (critical) thinking, practical thinking/application, and
synthesizing/creative thinking
M. )  Provide opportunities for self-assessment. It’s like knowing or understanding what are the things
that needs to improve.

4.2 SAMPLES OF SUPPORTING STUDENT ACTIVITIES

Student Learning Outcome #1: Students can organize information from secondary sources as basis of a
research topic.

Supporting Student Activities

 practise differentiating source material and one’s opinion

 reading articles and formulating an original paragraph from quotes, paraphrases and summaries
 writing of essays to develop the topic
 integrating bibliographic entries in appropriate format

Student Learning Outcome #2: Students apply principles of logical thinking and persuasive argument in
writing.

Supporting Student Activities

 forming opinion about the topic

 researching and writing about a variety of perspectives
 adapting style to the identified audience
 employing clear argument in writing

Student Learning Outcome #3: Students write multiple page essays complying with standard format and
style.

Supporting Student Activities

 analyzing and evaluating texts

 writing about a variety of perspectives on single topic
 adapting tone and style to address one’s audience
 reviewing grammar and essay format in readings
 holding group discussion about various topics

4.3 THE OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT PHASES IN THE INSTRUCTIONAL CYCLE

Phase 1: Institutional Mission

Statements provide various constituencies – student, faculty, legislator, etc. with the institution's
educational goal and guidance concerning the achievement of these goals.

Example: THE DEPED MISSION

 To protect and promote the right of every Filipino to quality, equitable, culture-based, and complete
basic education where:
 Students learn in a child-friendly, gender-sensitive, safe, and motivating environment.
Teachers facilitate learning and constantly nurture every learner.
 Administrators and staff, as stewards of the institution, ensure an enabling and supportive
environment for effective learning to happen.
Family, community, and other stakeholders are actively engaged and share responsibility for
developing life-long learners.

Phase 2: Programs goals

 Are broad statements of the kinds of learning we hope students will achieve – they describe learning
outcomes an concepts (what you want students to learn) 
Example: Clear communication, Problem solving etc.

Phase 3: Subject Objectives

Are brief statements that describe what students will be expected to learn by the end to learn by the end
of school year, course, unit, lesson, project, or class period.

Phase 4: Described student Learning Outcomes

Are statements that describe significant and essential learning that learners have achieved, and can reliably
demonstrate at the end of the course or program.

Phase 5: Diagnostic Assessment 

Is a type of assessment which examines what a student knows and can do prior to a learning program being
implemented.
Example: Journal, Performance task etc.

Phase 6: Deciding on Lesson Focus

This is the time when the teacher is demonstrating, modeling, and sharing his or her thinking with the
students. Although this segment may be brief (5-15 mins), however it is powerful.

Phase 7: Supporting student Activities

Students apply principles of logical thinking and persuasive argument in writing.

 

Phase 8: Formative Assessment Outcomes

Refers to a wide variety of methods that teachers use to conduct in-process evaluations of student
comprehension, learning needs, and academic progress during a lesson, unit, or course.
Example: draw a concept map in class to represent their understanding of a topic. submit one or two
sentences identifying the main point of a lecture.etc

Phase 9: Review/ Reteach

Examine or assess (something) formally with the possibility or intention of instituting change if necessary.

Phase 10: Mastery Learning

Is a method of instruction where the focus is on the role of feedback n learning. Furthermore, mastery
learning refers to a category of instructional methods which establishes a level of performance that all
students must master before moving on the next unit.

Phase 11: Summative Assessment of Outcomes

Or defines as summative evaluation refers to the assessment of participants where the focus is on the
outcome of a program. 
Example: Reporting, in a form essay etc.