MODULE 1: BASIC CONCEPTS AND DEFINITION

LESSON 2: MODES OF ASSESSMENT

Introduction
There are several good reasons to consider offering a variety of assessment methods. Students need
to understand concepts deeply, as opposed to memorize information and reproduce it on an exam, so they can
handle advanced course work and later work effectively in their chosen field. Students have diverse abilities,
backgrounds, interests, and learning styles, so assessment variety puts all students on a level playing field in
terms of demonstrating what they know and can do Students need to be able to apply knowledge in authentic
learning and assessment activities to develop the skills necessary for work in their chosen field. Thus, there is
no best single assessment method that will capsulize all competencies.

Course Outcome: explain the basic concepts and principles in educational assessment;

Objectives: At the end of the lesson, students are expected to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of Traditional Assessments, Alternative Assessments and Portfolio
Assessments;
2. Classify assessment tools as Traditional Assessment or Performance-based Assessment; and
3. Verify the characteristics of Traditional Assessments compared to Authentic Assessments.

THE MODES OF ASSESSMENT

1. Traditional Assessment (Objective Paper and Pencil Assessment)
 it refers to the use of objective paper and pencil test
 Either selecting an answer or supplying information

1. OBJECTIVE SUPPLY (Free Response)

Examples: Identification, Completion Test, Enumeration, Labelling Test, Cloze Test
2. OBJECTIVE SELECTION (Limited Response)
Examples: Multiple Choice, Matching Type, True or False, Rearrangement of objects

Strengths:
a) Can cover a lot of material,
b) Fair – they will answer same sets of questions,
c) Effective in assessing declarative knowledge of content,
d.) Easier to score/ administer than performance assessments
Weaknesses:
a) Time consuming to prepare,
b) Easy for students to cheat, guess or bluff,
c) Encourages rote memory than deep understanding,
d) Less effective in assessing procedural knowledge and creative thinking,
e) Construction of good higher level recognition items is difficult

2. ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT (All Methods except Objective Paper and Pencil test)
 It require to create/perform a response and this measures the skills or competence directly
 Also known as performance test
Performance-Based Assessment
-It requires actual demonstration of skills or creation of products or both.
-Either Process/Performance base or Product base or both
-Used if specific behavioral outcome are to be observed

Strengths
a) - It can assess complex learning targets that CANNOT be measured by OBJECTIVE test,
b) - It elicits HOTS and other domains of learning,
c) - Effective for assessing application of knowledge, skill and procedural learning, creative learning,
d) - it can evaluate both the process and the product,
e) - Focuses also in doing, not only knowing and
f) May utilize group dynamics
 Weaknesses
a) - Time consuming to administer and to score,
b) - Hard to score fairly, scoring may be bias,
c) - Availability of resources/facilities/materials,
d) - Additional Cost is inevitable,
d) - Learners may not create their own products/projects,
e) - Effectivity of Group dynamics is crucial and
f) - It is burdensome to create/prepare for students

3. PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT (A PURPOSEFUL collection of student’s work)

 A process of gathering multiple indicators of student progress to support course goals
 An exhibit of student’s efforts, creativity, progress, merits and achievements in one or more areas.
 It shows the cumulative achievement over time and it highlights performance-based activities over year
Portfolio is not…. A storage device, A mass of fill-in-the- blank, A pile of graded paper:
Portfolio is… A representative of the student’s best effort, regularly culled, Creative, dynamic and exploratory
Portfolio Process: Collect, Select, Reflect
Strengths of Portfolio Assessment
- Showcases an ongoing curriculum and what has been done inside the class
- An evidence that school goals are being met and proof of teachers accomplishments across the curriculum
- It shows student’s accomplishments, strengths and weaknesses, talents, skills, involvement, participation
- It promotes student self-evaluation, reflection, critical thinking, and flexibility
- Parents are given an opportunity to react and will gain insight to what their child is doing in school

Weaknesses of Portfolio Assessment

- It is Time consuming and burdensome to make,
- May require storage space
- Hard and Time Consuming to score fairly

4. AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT (A Special Feature in all Modes of Assessment)

- It refers to the use of methods that stimulate/reflect true-to-life situations.
- This could be objective tests that reflect real life situations or alternative methods that are parallel to what we
experience in real life.
- Assess students’ ability to use what they’ve learning in tasks similar to those in the outside world.
- It is considered as BEST ASSESSMENT if it can assess authentic skills but there is NO best single
assessment technique
“All authentic assessments are performance-based but not all Performance based are authentic assessment”

Balance of Assessment between Traditional and Alternative Assessment

More on Test of Knowledge More on Application of Knowledge

Content Base Exam Competency Base Performance

Development of Universal Values