Basic Concepts, Theories and

Principles in Assessing learning

using Alternative Methods
 Basic Concepts, Theories and
Principles in Assessing learning
using Alternative Methods
A Group 2 Presentation
 What we need to
know in this lesson?
 What we need to
know in this lesson?
 This lesson helps us understand the basic
concepts, theories and principles in assessing
learning using alternative methods.
What is Alternative
Assessment ?
What is Alternative
Assessment ?
 Alternative assessment refers to the
use of alternative or Non-Traditional
assessment strategies or tools to
collect information on student learning.
Examples of alternative forms of
assessment are performance-
oriented and Product-oriented
assessment methods.
The core of alternative assessment is the need to
design and implement assessment tasks or
activities that refrain from using traditional
paper-and-pencil tests, which typically assess
cognitive learning outcomes and thus have
right or wrong answers.
Alternative assessment is also a form
of student performance grading that
allows for a more holistic approach
to student assessment.
"The Traditional form of student assessment involves the average
grading of a cumulative set of work for a given time period.”
"The Traditional form of student assessment involves the average
grading of a cumulative set of work for a given time period.”

"While alternative assessment can make the students enabled to

provide their own responses rather than simply selecting from a
given list of options.”
Alternative assessment can also encompass a
portfolio of work to represent an entire use of
concepts, similar to the way a traditional nal
examination is intended to be a cumulative
demonstration of material learned over a given
time period.

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 Characteristics/
Features of alternative
assessment
 Characteristics/
Features of alternative
assessment
Alternative assessment is also known as formative
assessment and portfolio assessment. the characteristics
of alternative assessment may include:
Alternative assessment is also known as formative
assessment and portfolio assessment. the characteristics
of alternative assessment may include:
• usually teacher-generated, as opposed to being passed down from an
administration, government or third party organization.

• Takes into account the individual background and needs of every unique
learner.

• Considers the big picture of individual student progress over an

extended period of time.

• Flexible, responsive, and continually developing according to curricular

objectives.

• Takes into consideration different learning styles and preferences.

• Allows language learners to demonstrate content knowledge and skills

mastery without language barrier dif culties.

• Highly effective for use with students who are entitled to

accommodations and/or modi cations.

• Normally documented with qualitative data, such as performance

descriptors, comparisons with previous work, and skills demonstration.
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Advantages of
Alternative
assessments
Advantages of
Alternative
assessments
• They provide a means of assessing valued skills that cannot be directly
assessed with traditional tests.

• They provide a more realistic setting for student performance than traditional
tests.

• They focus on student performance and the quality of work performed by

students.

• They can be easily aligned with established learning outcomes.

• Process can be costly in terms of time, effort, equipment, materials, facilities,

or funds.

Disadvantages of
Alternative
assessments
Disadvantages of
Alternative
assessments
• Process can be costly in terms of time, effort, equipment, materials, facilities,
or funds.

• Rating process is sometimes more subjective than traditional exams.

 Guidelines for
Constructing Alternative
Assessments
 Guidelines for
Constructing Alternative
Assessments
De ne the instructional outcome you want to assess as clearly
and unambiguously as possible in terms of both the subject-
matter content and the set of skills or operations that a skillful
performer would exhibit.
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De ne the instructional outcome you want to assess as clearly
and unambiguously as possible in terms of both the subject-
matter content and the set of skills or operations that a skillful
performer would exhibit.

Example: Students will perform ve types of Cha Cha steps in

correct dance position without error.
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Distinguish between those outcomes that can validly be
assessed solely by performance assessments and those that can
be assessed just as effectively by objective measures.
Distinguish between those outcomes that can validly be
assessed solely by performance assessments and those that can
be assessed just as effectively by objective measures.

Example: Students would have a dif cult time demonstrating

dance steps on paper.
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Create tasks that elicit evidence of the student’s ability to perform
the targeted skill.
Create tasks that elicit evidence of the student’s ability to perform
the targeted skill.

Example Task: Set aside a block of classroom time for students to

dance with a partner, two or three couples at a time. Allow students
to dance for at least 2 minutes so they have time to demonstrate
all the steps they know. Students should have suf cient time
to practice the steps before they are assessed.

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Decide what kinds of teacher guidance can be used while
still allowing students the freedom to learn and do it their own
way.
Decide what kinds of teacher guidance can be used while
still allowing students the freedom to learn and do it their own
way.

"Students may do the steps in whatever order they would like.

Teacher may put the names of the different steps on the board
to help students remember them if needed."
Try out the assessment and make revisions as necessary.
 Try out the assessment and make revisions as necessary.

"Revisions could include giving more detailed instructions and

expectations to the students or inviting an assistant to write
down dictated comments while the teacher keeps his or her
attention on the dancers."
Thank you for listening :)