ASSESSMENT EDUCATION
Criterion-referenced evaluation – performance is
Measurement – quantification; numbers
Assessment – gathered information
Evaluation – judgments
Test – tool; instrument
----------------------------------------------------------------------
3 GENERAL TYPES OF CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT
1. Official assessment – graded; mainly cognitive
2. Sizing up assessment – social, academic, and
behavioral; personality profile; beginning
3. Instructional assessment – teaching & learning; daily;
lessons to teach, strategy and instructional materials.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
2 BASIC METHODS OF COLLECTING ASSESSMENT DATA
1. Paper-and-pencil technique
a. Supply type – students provide the answer; Book
report, essay question, class project, and journal
entry.
b. Selection type – students choose correct answer;
Multiple choice, matching test, alternate response test
2. Observation – students perform
SOURCES OF EVALUATIVE INFORMATION
1. Cumulative Record – all info collected on students
over years; stored in principal's or guidance office; vital
statistics, academic records, health records, family data;
aptitude tests, intelligence, and achievement; anecdotal
and behavioral comments from-previous teachers.
2.-Personal Contact – teacher's daily interactions,
observation, conversation; Oral Reading; Answering
Questions; Following Directions; Seatwork; Interest in the
Subject
3.-Analysis – student errors; learning difficulties; file
samples of students' work for discussion during parent-
teacher conferences.
4. Open-ended Themes and Diaries – students write
about their ideas, concerns, and feelings; Analysis of
students' diaries gives valuable evaluative information.
5. Conferences – w/ parents, previous teachers &
Guidance counselors; info why students are experiencing
academic problems, difficulties; techniques in correcting
them.
6. Testing – measure cognitive achievement, attitudes,
values, feelings, and motor skills; most common
measurement technique
2 APPROACHES TO EVALUATION
1.-Norm-referenced evaluation – compared w/
performance of others students who took the same
examination.
2.
compared against a standard/criteria
TYPES OF EVALUATION
1. Diagnostic evaluation (Pre-assessment) – before
instruction to assess prior knowledge of a particular topic
or lesson.
2. Formative evaluation – during instructional process to
provide feedback to students and teachers on how well
students are learning the lesson being taught; pretests,
homework, seatwork, and classroom questions.
Results are neither recorded, nor graded but are used for
modifying or adjusting instruction.
3._Summative evaluation – after instruction;
achievement for grading purposes; mostly based on
cognitive knowledge, as expressed through test scores and
written outputs.
Ex: chapter/unit/periodical/achievement tests, and graded
homework/project; Results is not only for judging student
achievement but also for judging the effectiveness of the
teacher and the curriculum.
Test – formal and systematic procedure for measuring
knowledge, skills, and values;
USES OF TESTS
1. School administrators - promotion or retention of
students; curriculum improvement;
2. Supervisors - identifying teachers' weaknesses and
learning competencies not mastered by students;
baseline data on curriculum revision.
3. Teachers - effectiveness of instruction; give feedback
to students about their progress; and assign grades.
4. Parents - how well their children are faring in school
and how well the school is doing its share in educating
their children.
TYPES OF TESTS
1. As to mode of response
a. Oral Test
b. Written Test
c. Performance Test
2. As to ease of quantification of response
a. Objective Test — paper and pencil test; requires
specific response: convergent
b. Subjective Test — is a paper-and-pencil test; not
easily quantified; freedom to write their answer;
such as an essay test: divergent.
3. As to mode of administration
a. Individual Test — one student at a time.
b. Group Test — group of students simultaneously.

4. As to test constructor
a. Standardized Test — prepared by an expert or
specialist; uniformed procedures/time limits.
Results are interpreted based on specified norms
or standards.
b. Unstandardized Test — prepared by teachers for
use in the classroom.
5. As to the mode of interpreting results
a. Norm-referenced Test — compares to
performance of group on the same test.
b. Criterion-referenced Test — measures
performance against an agreed upon or pre-
established level of performance.
6. As to the nature of the answer
a. Personality Test — emotional and social
adjustment; dominance and submission; value
orientation; disposition; emotional stability;
frustration level; and degree of introversion or
extroversion.
b. Intelligence Test — mental ability
c. Aptitude Test — likelihood of an 'individual's
success in a learning area or field.
d. Achievement Test — what has learned
e. Diagnostic Test — specific strengths and
weaknesses in past and present learning.
f. Formative Test — given to improve teaching and
learning while it is going on; ex: test after
teaching the lesson for the day
g. Summative Test — given at the end of instruction
to determine learning and assign grades.
h. Socio-metric Test — likes and dislikes,
preferences, social acceptance, social
relationships existing in a group.
i. Trade Test — skill or competence in an
occupation or vocation.
ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING IN THE COGNITIVE
DOMAIN
Benjamin Bloom’s Taxonomy
1. Knowledge: recognizing and remembering - Lowest
2. Comprehension: understanding
3. Application Level: do or apply what have learned
4. Analysis Level: Critical thinking; Pagsusuri
5. Synthesis Level: Creative thinking; combining;
building
6. Evaluation Level: judging the value or worth -
Highest
PREPARING FOR ASSESSMENT OF COGNITIVE LEARNING
1. What Should Be Tested.
2. How to Gather Information About What to Test.
3. How Long the Test. Should Be.
4. How Best to Prepare Students For Testing.
ASSESSING COGNITIVE LEARNING
A. OBJECTIVE TEST - only one answer to each item.
1. Supply Types of Objective Test - student constructs
his/her own answer to each question.
a. Completion Drawing Type - incomplete drawing; to
be completed
b. Completion Statement Type - incomplete sentence to
be completed by filling in the blank.
c. Correction Type - sentence w/ underlined word or
phrase; has to replace to make it right.
d. Identification Type - brief description; has to identify
what it is.
e. Simple Recall Type - direct question; answer using a
word or phrase.
f. Short Explanation Type - similar to an essay test but
requires a shorter answer.
2. Selection Types of Objective Test
a. Arrangement Type — terms or objects; to be arranged
in a specified order.
b. Matching Type — list of numbered items related to a
list of lettered choices.
c. Multiple Choice Type — question, problem or
unfinished sentence followed by several responses.
d. Alternate Response Type — only two possible
answers to the question; true-false, agree-disagree.
e. Key List Test — concepts based on a specified set of
criteria
f. Interpretive Exercise — a form of multiple choice
type; provides some information or data followed by a
series of questions on that information; students have
to analyze, interpret, or apply the material provided,
like a map, excerpt of a story, passage of a poem, data
matrix, table or cartoon.
B. ESSAY TEST – presents a problem or question; student
has to compose a response in paragraph form, using own
words, and ideas.
a. Brief or Restricted Essay Test — requires limited
writing; given problem be solved in a few sentences
b. Extended Essay Test —requires to present answer in
several paragraphs or pages of writing; more freedom
to express ideas and opinions
ATTRIBUTES OF A GOOD TEST AS AN ASSESSMENT TOOL
1. Validity — a test measures what it seeks to measure.
2. Reliability — accuracy/consistently; A test is reliable
if it produces similar results when used repeatedly.
A test may be reliable but not necessarily valid. On
the other hand, a valid test is always a reliable one.
3. Objectivity — extent to w/c personal biases or
subjective judgment is eliminated.
4. Scorability — easy to score or check as answer key
and answer sheet are provided.
5. Administrability — easy to administer; clear
instructions are provided to students, proctors, and
scorers.
6. Relevance —test item should be directly related to
course objectives and actual instruction. Relevance is
considered a major contributor to test validity.
7. Balance — degree to w/c the proportion of items
testing particular outcomes corresponds to the ideal
test. The framework of the test is outlined by a table
of specifications.
8. Efficiency — number of meaningful responses per
unit of time. Compromise has to be made among the
available time for testing, scoring, and relevance.
9. Difficulty — appropriate level to the group being
tested; norm-referenced - reliable if each item is
passed by half of the students; criterion-referenced -
difficulty can be judged relative to the percentage
passing before and after instruction.
10. Discrimination — norm-referenced - ability of an
item to discriminate is generally indexed by the
difference between the proportion of good and poor
students who respond correctly; criterion-referenced -
pretest and posttest differences of the ability of the test
or item to distinguish competent from less competent
students.
11. Fairness —equal chance to demonstrate their
knowledge or skills
TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS (TOS) - teacher's blueprint
in constructing a test; valuable to teachers for 2 reasons:
First, it helps teachers decide on what to include/leave-out
in a test. Second, it helps them determine how much
weight to give for each topic covered and objective to be
tested.
TEST ITEMS
MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS
most widely used form of the test item; composed of:
stem - problem or question
alternative responses – options; one is correct answer,
other alternatives are distractors or foils.
ALTERNATE-RESPONSE ITEMS
only two possible answers to the stem; True-False / Yes-
No / Wright-Wrong, and agree-disagree items.
MATCHING ITEMS
pairs of matching phrases, words or other related facts
from separate lists; arrangement of a set of multiple-
choice items with all stems, called premises, having the
same set of possible alternative answers.
COMPLETION ITEMS
contains a blank, w/c must fill in correctly with one word
or a short phrase; blank should be placed near or at the end
of the sentence.
ARRANGEMENT ITEMS
used for testing knowledge of sequence and order;
alphabetical arrangement, chronological events, steps,
jumbled words , letters in a word, ect.
COMPLETION-DRAWING ITEMS
incomplete drawing is presented w/c has to be
completed.
CORRECTION ITEMS
similar to the completion item, except that some words or
phrases have to be changed to make the sentence correct.
IDENTIFICATION ITEMS
an unknown specimen is to be identified by name or other
criterion.
ENUMERATION ITEMS
has to list down parts or elements/ components of a given
concept or topic.
ANALOGY ITEMS
consists of a pair of words, which are related to each
other; measuring the skill in sensing association between
paired words or concepts.
INTERPRETIVE TEST ITEM
often used in testing higher cognitive behavior; may
involve analysis of maps, figures, or charts or even
comprehension of written passages.
SHORT EXPLANATION ITEMS
similar to essay test but requires a short response, usually
a sentence or two.
GENERAL TYPES OF ESSAY ITEMS
1. Extended Response Essay Item – allows in-depth
sampling of students knowledge, thinking processes, and
problem-solving behavior relative to a specific fact.
2. Restricted Response Essay Item – required to provide
limited response based on a specified criterion for
answering the question.
2 WAYS OF SCORING ESSAY TESTS
1. Holistic Scoring
graded based on teacher’s general impression or over-all
assessment; classified into: outstanding; very satisfactory;
fair; and poor.
2. Analytic Scoring
scored in terms of each components; separate points for
organization of idea, grammar and spelling; and
supporting arguments or proofs
ADMINISTERING THE TEST
Test administration is concerned w/ the physical and
psychological setting in which students take the test.
1. Provide a quiet and comfortable setting.
2. Anticipate questions that students may ask.
3. Set a proper atmosphere for testing
4. Discourage cheating
3 MAIN ELEMENTS IN AN ITEM ANALYSIS
1. examination of the difficulty level of the items
2. determination of the discriminating power of each
item,
3. examination of the effectiveness of distractors in a
multiple choice or matching items.
index of difficulty – difficulty level of an item;
percentage of students answering correctly each item in
the test.
index of discrimination – percentage of high-scoring
individuals responding correctly versus the number of low
scoring individuals responding correctly to an item.
numerical index indicates how effectively an item
differentiates between the students who did well and those
who did poorly on the test.
ITEM ANALYSIS
Involves counting the number of students in high and low-
scoring groups responding correctly; can be done by
asking students to raise their hands-on items they correctly
answered.
The difficulty index - represents the percentage of the
total number of students answering an item correctly.
The higher the value of the difficulty index, the easier is
the item.
For an item to be considered a good item, its difficulty
index should be 50%. An item with 50% difficulty index
is neither easy nor difficult.
Range Difficulty Level
20 & below Very Difficult Rejected
21 – 40 Difficult Revise
41 – 60 Average Retain
61 – 80 Easy Revise
81 & Above Very Easy Rejected
Using Information About Index of Discrimination
An item has a positive discriminating power when more
students from the upper group got the right answer than
those from the lower group.
When more students from the lower group got the correct
answer on an item than those from the upper group, the
item has a negative discriminating power.
zero discriminating power - happens when equal number
from upper and lower groups got the right answer to an
item; Items w/ negative and zero discriminating powers -
discared
Average Difficulty + Positive Discriminating power = Retained
Easy / Difficult = Revise/modify
Very Easy / Very Difficult = Rejected
Negative or 0 DP = Rejected
Examining Distractor Effectiveness
Ideal item - all students in the upper group answer
correctly and all students in the low group answer
wrongly; responses of the lower group have to be evenly
distributed among the incorrect alternatives.
Good distractors - chosen more frequently by the lower
group. When a particular distractor is selected more
frequently by those from the upper group, the teacher has
to revise it; have lower mean scores than those related to
the correct response
distractors chosen by no one in either of the two groups of
students should be revised to make them more useful.
PURPOSES OF GRADING TEST SCORES
1. Informational - students' subject matter achievement
2. Administrative - decisions regarding class standing
3. Motivational -encourage to exert academic effort
4. Guidance - identify who needs special services,
tutoring and remedial instruction
METHODS OF DETERMINING GRADES
1. Absolute Grading
graded based on the mean or average of the test scores;
often used in colleges and universities; letters A-F, or
numbers1- 5.
major assumption for the use of this method is that the majority
of students are typically of average ability. Conversely only a
few are above average and below average.
2. Relative Grading
also called criterion-referenced grading; scores are to
percentage rating based on minimum requirements or
predetermined standard, based on the teacher's judgment.
A transmutation table is prepared for converting scores into
marks or grades. This type of grading is premised on the
assumption student's performance is independent of the
performance students in a class.
FORM OF GRADES This coefficient can be identified by either the letter r or
the Greek letter rho, or other symbols, depending on the
1. Letter grade – A, B, C, D, F manner the coefficient has been computed.
2. Qualitative rating - excellent, very good, good, fair,
and needs improvement. It can range from a - 1.00 or a + 1.00 toward zero
3. Numerical grade - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; commonly used in
colleges and universities. (+/-) sign indicates the direction of the relationship and
4. Percentage rating - Grades of 70%, 75%, 85% ;based the numerical value of its strength:
on criteria for grading set by the teacher. Correlation Coefficient Degree of Relationship
.00 – .20 Negligible
.21 –.40 Low
CONVERTING SCORES TO PERCENTAGE RATING .41 –.60 Moderate
.61 –.80 Substantial
.81 –1.00 High to Very High
There are three formulas that can be used in converting
raw scores into percentage rating.
Positive correlation means one variable (X) are associated
Formula 1: R = 50
TS
TI( )
+50 with high scores
Where: R = rating in percentage
TS = Total Score
Negative correlation means that high are associated with
TI = Total Number of items low scores in another variable or vice-versa
student has to answer correctly 50% of the total number of
MEASURE OF RELATIONSHIP
test items; highest possible rating that can obtain is 100%.
PEARSON'S PRODUCT-MOMENT CORRELATION
Formula 2: R = ( )
TS
TI
+55+ 45 measure of relationship used when factors to be correlated
are both metric data; metric data – measurements, w/c can
be subjected to the four fundamental operations.
used when the teacher sets the lowest rating at 55%
instead of 50%, student has to answer correctly at least SPEARMAN RHO
45% of the test items in order to get a passing grade; used when test scores are ordinal or rank-ordered.

Formula 3: R = 40 ( TSTI )+ 60 ORGANIZING TEST SCORES

student has to answer correctly 40% of the test items
To consider in deciding on the lowest base grade scores to
percentage rating. These factors are as:
• Difficulty of the test;
• The standard of the teacher; and
• The standard of the school
ROUGH METHOD OF GRADING TEST SCORES
alternative method based of test scores when many
students’scores are not within the desired percentage of
correct answers (50%, 45%, or 40%)
Get the highest and lowest scores; Determine the: grade you will
give the highest score and the levels of ratings to be used.
CORRELATING TEST SCORES
Correlation - relationship between two or more paired
factors or two or more sets of test scores.
Correlation coefficient - numerical measure
correlation
1. Ordering - numerical arrangement of numerical
observations or measurements.
a. ascending order - lowest to highest.
b. descending order - highest to lowest.
Organizing Test Scores By Ranking
2. Ranking is a process of determining the relative
position of scores, measures or values based on
magnitude, worth, quality, or importance.
3. Stem-and-leaf plot is a method of graphically sorting
and arranging data to reveal its distribution.
4. Frequency Distribution a table showing the number of
times a score occurs.
single value frequency distribution - number of scores (N) is 30
or less; grouped frequency distribution - N is more than 30.
Setting Class Boundaries and Class Marks
of
class boundary - integral limit of a class. These integral
limits can either be apparent or real.
a. apparent limits of a class are comprised of an upper
and lower limit; in the class 36-40, the lower limit is
36 and the upper limit is 40.
b. real or exact limits of scores in a class extend from
one-half of the smallest unit of measurement below
the value of the score to one-half unit above.
Class mark is the midpoint of a class in a grouped
frequency distribution. It is used when the potential score
is to be represented by one value if other measures are to
be calculated.
( ¿+UL )
CM =
2 test score in relation to the other scores obtained by a
DERIVED FREQUENCIES FROM GROUPED
FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION
1. Relative frequency distribution indicates what percent
of scores falls within each of the classes. Relative
frequency is calculated following the formula: RF =
( FN ) 100
2. Cumulative frequency distribution indicates the
number of scores that lie above or below a class boundary.
a. Less than cumulative frequencies - adding the
successive frequencies bottom to the top of the
distribution.
b. greater than cumulative frequencies are calculated
by adding the successive frequencies from the top to
the bottom of the distribution.
MEASURES OF CENTRAL TENDENCY
provide a single summary figure that best describes the
central location of an entire distribution of test scores
1. MEAN – arithmetic average. M
2. MEDIAN – middle value; not affected by extremes Md
3. MODE - most common/recurring Mo
crude mode is an ungrouped occurring score in an array.
True mode of both grouped and ungrouped test scores is
obtained by using: Mo = 3Md – 2M
Where: Mo = mode Md = median M = mean
MEASURES OF VARIATION
1. RANGE - distance between highest and lowest score in
a can either be total or absolute; most unreliable measure
of variation because it is affected by extreme scores; ideal
when precision is not an important requirement.
2. VARIANCE - square of standard deviation or simply
mean square.
3. STANDARD DEVIATION - square root variance or
s2; most reliable measure of estimating variability in test
scores, when average used is the mean.
3. QUARTILE DEVIATION or semi-interquartile range
- specifically used when median is used as a measure of
central tendency
MEASURES OF RELATIVE STANDING
descriptive measures that locate the relative position of a
group of students or test takers.
1. QUARTILE (Q) - point measure that divides
distribution into four equal parts.
Q1 - The first or lower quartile separates the bottom 25%
from the top 75% of the scores. Thus, 25% of scores fall
below Q1.
Q2 - is the equivalent to the median,
Q3 - the third or upper quartile separates the top 25% from
the bottom 75% of the scores. It follows that 25% of
scores fall above Q3 and 75% below it.
2. DECILE (D) is a point measure that divides a
distribution of into 10 equal parts with about 10% of
scores into each part. Conceptually, the median is
equivalent to D5
the locator of the nth decile has to be changed. For D6 the
6N
locator is
10
3. PERCENTILE (P) - divides a distribution of scores into
100 equal parts. The median of test scores corresponds to
P50 while the lower and upper quartiles are equal to P25
and P75 respectively. DS which is equivalent to the
median is also equal to P50.
The steps in computing are applicable in calculating other
percentiles. Only the locator has to be changed; ex: when
78 N
computing P78 the locator to be used is
10
4. PERCENTILE RANK (PR) - percentage of scores at
and below a given score point .
To describe a student's performance in relation to how
other students performed in the same test can be done
through his percentile rank
5. Z SCORE or standard score - used in differentiating
between typical and unusual scores/ values.
In determining whether an individual score is within the
realm of the typical or is unusual, we have to consider the
difference between the score (x) and the mean (M). The
difference has to be divided by the standard deviation (s).
x−M
This is what z score is. Z =
s
Values with standard scores between z = - 2.00 and z =
2.00 are typical.
values with standard scores less than z = - 2.00 or greater
than z = 2.00 are unusual.
Standard scores are also useful for comparing the scores
of different groups with different means and standard
deviations.
DEFINING AND ASSESSING TEST
Reliability – consistency; test will yield similar results for
the same students when administered at different times.
Reliability coefficient - measure reliability of a test w/c
can range from 0 to 1.00.
0.80 indicates high reliability;
0.40 to 0.79 fair reliability;
less than 0.40 low reliability
METHODS OF DETERMINING TEST RELIABILITY
1. Test-Retest Method – repetition of the same test.
2. Parallel Form Method – 2 equivalent forms; modified
3. Split-Ralf Method – divided into two equivalent
halves
IMPROVING TEST RELIABILITY
1. Increasing the number of test items.
2. Making the test of average difficulty.
3. Scoring a test objectively.
4. Setting time limits for answering the test.
VALIDITY - a test measures what it is supposed to
measure; most important characteristic of a test.
A test may be reliable, but it does not mean that it
measures what it is supposed to measure.
FOUR FUNDAMENTAL APPROACHES TO THE
VALIDITY OF TESTS
1. Content Validity - test items match appropriate content
2. Construct Validity - test measures an skills/abilities it
is supposed to measure.
3. Predictive Validity - scores on a test can predict later
behavior or test scores.
4. Concurrent Validity - relationship between scores on a
test or scale and scores on another measure of established
validity given at the same time.
LEVELS OF LEARNING IN THE PSYCHOMOTOR DOMAIN
3 LEVELS OF PSYCHOMOTOR LEARNING:
1. Imitation is the ability to carry out a basic rudiment of
a skill when given directions and under supervision. At
this level the total act is not performed skillfully. Timing
and coordination of the act are not yet refined.
2. Manipulation is the ability to perform entire skill in
sequence. Conscious effort is no longer needed to perform
the skill, but complete accuracy has not been achieved yet.
3. Precision is the ability to perform an act accurately,
efficiently, and harmoniously. Complete coordination of
the skill has been acquired; the skill has been internalized
to such extent that it can be performed unconsciously.
Based on the foregoing list of objectives, it can be noted
that these objectives range from simple reflex reactions to
complex actions, which communicate ideas or emotions to
others.
MEASURING THE ACQUISITION OF MOTOR AND ORAL
SKILLS
1. Observation of Student Performance
a. Holistic observation - score or feedback based on
pre-established prototypes of how an outstanding,
average, or deficient performance looks; A student
whose presentation closely matches the ideal described
by the teacher would receive a perfect mark.
b. Atomistic or analytic - requires that a task analysis
be conducted in order to identify the major subtasks
involved in the student performance; criteria/checklist
2. Evaluation of Student Products - projects
TOOLS FOR MEASURING ACQUISITION OF SKILLS
1. Rating scale - series of categories that is arranged in
order of quality.
2. Checklist - indicates the presence or absence of
specified characteristics.
LEVELS OF LEARNING IN THE AFFECTIVE DOMAIN
4 LEVELS OF LEARNING IN THE AFFECTIVE
DOMAIN.
1. Receiving involves being aware of and being willing to
freely attend to a stimulus.
2. Responding involves active participation. It involves
not only freely attending to a stimulus but also voluntarily
reacting to it in some way. It requires physical, active
behavior.
3. Valuing refers to voluntarily giving worth to an object,
phenomenon or stimulus. Behaviors at this level reflect a
belief, appreciation, or attitude.
4. Commitment involves building an internally consistent
value system and freely living by it. A set of criteria is
established and applied in making choices.
TOOLS TO ASSESS LEARNING IN AFFECTIVE DOMAIN
1. Attitude Scale - rating scale containing statements
designed to gauge Students' feelings on an attitude or
behavior.
2. Questionnaire - requires students to examine
themselves and react to a series of statements about their
attitudes, feelings, and opinions.
a. Checklist type - list of adjectives for describing or
evaluating something and requires them to check those that
apply; subtract the number of statements checked from the
number of positive statements—checked to get the score
b. Semantic differential - usually a five-point scale showing
polar or opposite objectives designed so that attitudes,
feelings, and opinions can be measured by degrees from very
favorable to very unfavorable; composite score is determined
by averaging the values
c. Likert scale - oftentimes a five-point scale that links the
options “strongly agree" and "strongly disagree."; scoring is
similar to the scoring of an attitude scale.
3. Simple projective techniques - used to probe deeper
into the students' feelings and attitudes.
a. word association - asked to mention what comes to his/her
mind upon hearing the given word.
b. unfinished sentence - partial sentences are presented and
asked to complete them with words that best express their
feeling.
c. unfinished story - a story w/ no ending is presented w/c
have to finish or complete.
4. self-expression techniques - students are provided the
opportunity to express their emotions and views about
issues, themselves, and others. It may take any of the
following forms:
a. log book of daily routines or activities
b. diaries
c. essays and other written compositions or themes
d. autobiographies.
Rubric - a scoring tool that lists the criteria for a piece of
work, or "what counts" (for example, purpose,
organization, details, voice, and mechanics are often what
count in a piece of writing).
It is usually a one—or two-page document that describes
different levels of quality, from excellent to poor, for a
specific assignment. It is usually used with a relatively
complex assignment, such as a long-term project, an
essay, or a research paper. Its purposes are to give students
informative feedback about their works in progress and to
give detailed evaluations of their final products.
SOME APPROACHES TO THE ASSESSMENT OF
AFFECTIVE DOMAIN
1. FORCED-CHOICE SELECTION METHODS
A forced-choice item requires the respondent to select
among choices that differ in content, rather than the
degree of favorableness or intensity; format is similar to
multiple-choice item or it may be a description of a
situation with associated questions, or a pair of choice
statements.
You have just taken a multiple-choice test in Social Studies.
Your teacher asked you to exchange papers so that you can
check each other's papers as she reads the answers aloud. Your
friend slips you a note which reads. "Please change a few of my
answers when they are wrong. I need to pass this test.
What Do You Think You Ought to Do?
A. Help your friend for him to pass the test.
B. Check his paper in the same way you would check the paper
of any of your classmates
2. THE METHOD OF SUMMATED RATINGS OR LIKERT
SCALES
students respond to statements by choosing the options
that most closely represent their feelings about the
statements.
usual response categories are: strongly agree; agree;
uncertain or undecided; disagree; and strongly disagree.
Numerical weights are assigned for each of these response
categories as follows: 5 for strongly agree; 4 for agree; 3
for undecided or uncertain; 2 for disagree; and 1 for
strongly disagree.
The composite score is divided; the higher the numerical
score the more positive the attitude.
3. THE SEMANTIC DIFFERENTIAL TECHNIQUE
This technique is not a test procedure but a general
method of obtaining ratings of concepts on a series of
bipolar adjective scales.
It is designed so that attitudes, feelings, and opinions can
be measured by degrees, from very favorable to highly
unfavorable. Shown below is an example of a semantic
differential scale.
4. FREE RESPONSE AND OPINIONNAIRE METHODS
The opinionnaire is used frequently in the polling method
of gathering opinion and attitude data. The use of a well-
constructed opinionnaire can systematize the data-
gathering process and help ensure that relevant questions
are asked and all-important aspects of a problem surveyed.
Opinionnaires are of two types: close or pre-categorized
type; open or free-response type. The former is very
closely related to the forced choice methods earlier
mentioned in this chapter. Even rating scales are
frequently associated with the structured opinionnaire. It is
recommended that the open-ended form of opinionnaire
be adopted for classroom use.
5. SIMPLE PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUES
used when there is a need to explore students' feelings and
attitudes in order to get their covert reactions to a
phenomenon.
a. word association
b. unfinished sentence
c. unfinished story
6. SELF-EXPRESSION TECHNIQUES
These techniques provide the students opportunities to
express their own ideas or feelings about themselves and
others. An analysis of the log book of activities, diaries,
autobiographies, and compositions written in class can
reveal many things about an individual's attitudes and
beliefs. Teachers, however, should remember that they
have to keep confidential information gathered through
self-expression techniques.
Developing and Using Anecdotal Records
Anecdotal record is a description of what an individual
does or says. It describes in concrete detail the situation in
which the action or comment occurs, and what others
present do or say. It is a record of some significant item of
conduct, a record or an episode in the life of the student, a
word picture of the student in action; the teacher's best
effort at taking a snapshot at the moment of the incident;
any narrative of events in which the student takes part as
to reveal something that may be significant about his
personality.
The main thrust of the anecdotal record is to document
social and emotional aspects of a learner’s growth and
adjustment. Records can also be made of other dimensions
of relevant or classroom standing of each student. As it is
collected over a period of time, the anecdotal record can
provide a longitudinal view of a student's growth and
patterns of change.
 to increase teacher's insights into new students'
strengths and weaknesses; and to provide counselors
relevant data concerning students' behaviors
Major Types of Simulation Tests
Type Characteristics
Situation Examinee role-plays in lifelike settings, which may
Tests be social or involve apparatus
In-Basket Examinee is presented data, like letters, records
Tests and memoranda and asked to simulate decision-
making or administrative behavior. Simulates job
performance.
Work-Sample A standardized job-relevant task is presented, and
Tests performance is observed. Task is usually a
duplicate of actual criterion performance, for
example, operating a key punch or data encoding
Problem- Such games are frequently used in business,
Solving industry, and the military to assess problem-
Games solving skills. Competition with a standard is
usually involved.
Assessing Products
While it is true that many products have physical
dimensions that may be measured, like size, weight,
number of errors and color, a number of qualitative
dimensions also needs to be assessed. Such dimensions
may include flavor of the cake, the composition of
painting or the neatness of handwriting. Thus, judging the
aesthetic qualities of a product is more difficult than
assessing its physical properties or attributes.
Assessing the Quality of an Artistic Product.
Assessment in the artistic and aesthetic areas of human
activity is quite difficult. The problem posed by the wide
variety of relevant factors is compounded by the
subjective nature of aesthetic standards approached
systematically and directly through the use of a rating
chart.

Assessing Food Products. In assessing food products,
there is a need to consider both the physical and aesthetic
qualities w/c will be rated. Through the use of a rating
scale, a teacher can gather qualitative data w/c can be used
in confirming more traditional information derived from
test scores.
Oral Exams are similar to an oral supply or completion
items where the test taker completes or supplies an answer
for a question or series of questions posed by a test giver.
The oral exam is a potentially useful technique.
The value of oral exams is obvious. While written exams
assume that the examinee understands the questions, the
oral examiner can see if his question is understood.
Moreover, the examiner can probe the depth of student's
understanding of a topic. Such probing can give some
indication of the thought processes used by the student.
Not to overlooked is the advantage of flexibility, which
simply means that a variety of behaviors can be sampled
using an oral exam. The technique of oral examination
allows for the testing of both generalization and specific
fact. More so, the examiner can observe a wide range of
reactions to different stimulus questions. If the student
hesitates in answering and manifests signs of stress, these
may be considered in assessing his degree of competence.
Despite their potential advantages, several serious
weaknesses of oral exams inhibit their use. One of the
most documented weakness of the oral examination is its
unreliability. The difficulty of maintaining comparable
standards of judgment, selective perceptions, and
interpretation on the part of different examiners, and the
limited sampling of the breadth of student's knowledge,
potentially contribute to both unreliability and invalidity.
Another disadvantage of oral exams is the amount of time
necessary to conduct a thorough oral exam.
Some principles of oral examinations
1. Use oral examinations only for the purposes for which
they are best suited.
2. Prepare in advance a detailed outline of materials to be
sampled in the examination event to the extent of writing
questions which will be asked.
3. Determine in advance how records of student
performance will be kept and what weights will be
assigned to various factors.
4. Keep questioning relevant to the purposes of the course
or program.
5. Word questions in such a way that the students can see
the point of the question with minimum difficulty.
6. Where several examiners are involved, make each one
responsible for questions on a specified part of the full
examination.
7. Judge students on the basis of their performance
precisely defined —not in terms of a generalized
impression of their total appearance.
8. Use both general and specific questions but do so in
some logical order.
9. Pose questions which students with the training which
has preceded a particular examination can reasonably be
expected to know.
10. Do not spend a disproportionate time probing for the
answer to one question. If the first several questions do
not elicit the desired response, move on to some other
matter.
11. Develop some facility with several basic techniques
for successful oral examination creating a friendly
atmosphere, asking questions, and recording responses.
12. Make a written record of the student's performance at
the time it is given. Do it without disturbing the student or
disrupting the flow of the examination.
13. Allow students ample time to think through and make
responses to questions.
14. Avoid arguing with the student. Let the student make
the most of it as it is his show.
In conclusion, there are two requisites if an examiner is
interested in measuring and evaluating products or
performances/ behaviors. There are samples of a product
or performance and a systematic guide for evaluation and
recording the evaluation of the product or performance.
The combination of observational data collection methods
and rating scales can provide a useful approach to
gathering data that cannot be gathered practically any
other way.
CHAPTER 19: AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT OF
LEARNING
The Essence of Authentic Assessment
Authentic assessment is a form of assessment in which
students are asked to perform real-world tasks that
demonstrate meaningful application of essential
knowledge and skills. It is a process of engaging on
worthy problems wherein students have to use knowledge
to come up with effective and creative performances on
tasks that are either replicas of or analogous to the kinds
of problems people face in the real world. It usually
includes a task for the students to perform and a rubric by
which their performance on the task will be gauged.
Educators call Authentic Assessment by alternative
names, notable among which are the following:
a. Performance assessment – as learners are required
to perform meaningful and realistic tasks; real-world
or authentic tasks/ contexts.
b. Authentic assessment – due to the fact that it is an
alternative way of measuring and evaluating students'
learning, which is different from the traditional form
of assessment.
c. Direct assessment – since it provides a more direct
evidence of meaningful application of knowledge and
skills. Getting a perfect score in an objective or essay
test is not a guarantee that the student can apply what
he had learned in real-world context. His or her direct
demonstration of the application of knowledge and
skills is the best indicator of that learning.
Similarities and Differences Between Authentic and
Traditional Assessments
Traditional assessment refers to the forced-choice
measures of multiple-choice tests, fill-in-blanks, true-
false, matching and the like that have been and remain so
common in schools. Students typically select an answer or
recall information to complete the assessment. These tests
may either be standardized or teacher-made types of
assessment.
Both traditional and authentic assessments share the belief
that the primary mission of the school is that of assisting
society in developing productive citizens. Nevertheless,
traditional assessment is anchored on the educational
philosophy that adopts the following reasoning and
practice:
 A school's mission is to develop productive citizens.
 An individual needs to acquire a certain body of
knowledge and skills for him to become a productive
citizen.
 Schools are therefore, obliged to teach this body of
knowledge and skills.
 The school must then test students to see if they
acquired these knowledge and skills. If they do, then
the school is successful in its mission.
It is very clear that the curriculum drives assessment in
the traditional type of assessment. Knowledge and skills
are first identified, which become the curriculum for the
students to complete. Assessment follows after the
implementation of the curriculum to determine whether
the school is successful or not in accomplishing its
essential mission. Conversely, authentic assessment is
rooted in the following reasoning and practice:
 A school's mission is to develop productive citizens.
 To be a productive citizen, the student must be able to
perform meaningful tasks in the real world.
 The school must, therefore, assist students in
becoming proficient at performing tasks they are to
encounter when they graduate.
 The school must then require students to perform
meaningful tasks that replicate real world challenges
to see if they are capable of doing so. When they do,
then the school is successful.
In contrast with traditional assessment, assessment drives
the curriculum in authentic assessment. Teachers have to
determine first of all what students have to perform to
demonstrate their mastery, and then the curriculum is
developed that will facilitate their performance of the
tasks well. Thus, to assess what students had learned in
math, history, science, teachers have to ask students to
perform tasks that parallels the challenges faced by
mathematicians, do historical investigations or conduct
scientific inquiries or laboratory experiments.
DEFINING ATTRIBUTES OF THE TWO TYPES OF
ASSESSMENT
Traditional Assessment Authentic Assessment
Selecting A Response Performing A Task
Contrived Real-life
Recall/Recognition Construction/Application
Teacher-structured Direct Evidence
Selecting A Response to Performing A Task. Students
are given several choose the right response in traditional
assessment. students are asked to demonstrate
understanding of a meaningful application of what they
learned.
Contrived to Real-life. In traditional assessment, tests
offer contrived means Of demonstrating proficiency in a
short period of time, which runs counter to life outside the
school: In authentic assessment, students are asked to
demonstrate proficiency by actually doing something.
Recall/Recognition--of--Knowledge--to
Construction/Application of Knowledge. In traditional
assessment the ability to recall or recognize information is
the ultimate indicator of a student's acquisition of a body
of knowledge, which is a poor measure of his/her
proficiency. Nonetheless, the ability to construct a product
or performance out of facts, ideas and propositions can
reveal what the student really knows and can do when
asked to do so. This is because authentic assessment
requires students to analyze, synthesize and apply what
they have learned in a substantial manner. Likewise, they
are able to create a new meaning in what they do in the
process.
Teacher-structured to Student-structured. In traditional
assessment students demonstrate what has been prepared
by the teacher and therefore their attention will be focused
on and limited on the contents of the test. On the other
hand, authentic assessment enables more choice and
construction in determining what is presented as proof of
proficiency.
Indirect Evidence to Direct Evidence. Although students
can answer correctly questions posed by the teacher in the
quiz or summative examination, there is no clear proof
that they can meaningfully apply what they learned in
complex real-world situations. Thus, evidence of what
students can and will do in traditional assessment indirect.
On the contrary, authentic assessment provides a more
direct proof of application and construction of knowledge.
Asking a student to write a critique of the arguments his
classmate has presented can provide a very clear evidence
of his skill in critiquing than asking him a number of
multiple-choice questions or analytical questions about a
quoted passage.
Traditional and authentic approaches to assessments also
vary in terms of adhering to the practice of teaching to the
test.
Teachers are discouraged from teaching the test under the
traditional model of assessment. This is because a test is
used in assessing a sample of students’ knowledge and
understanding and assumes that students' performance on
the sample is typical of their knowledge of all relevant
materials. If teachers focus on the sample to be tested
during actual instruction, then good performance does not
necessarily reflect knowledge of all the material.
Teachers, therefore, hide the test so that the sample is
beforehand. Thus, they are warned from teaching the test.
On the contrary, teachers are encouraged to teach the test
under the authentic approach to assessment. Students need
to learn how to perform well on meaningful tasks. To aid
students in that process, it is helpful to show them models
of good and not so good performance. Furthermore, the
student benefits from seeing the task rubric ahead of time
as well. By knowing what good performance looks like,
and by knowing what specific characteristics make up
good performance, students can better develop the skills
and understanding necessary to perform well on these
tasks.
USING AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT IN THE
CLASSROOM
4 important reasons why teachers have to use authentic
assessment methods in their classroom, side by side with
the traditional paper-and-pencil tests.
1. Authentic Assessments are direct measures.
Through authentic assessment, we can be assured that
students do not just know the content of the subjects in the
curriculum when they graduate. They can be provided
with the opportunity to use acquired knowledge and skills
in the real world. So the use of authentic assessment
methods will enable teachers to directly check for the
ability to apply knowledge by asking students to use what
they have learned in a very meaningful way. Thus, if a
teacher wants to know if his students can interpret
literature, test hypothesis or converse in English and other
foreign languages or use other knowledge skills they have
learned, then authentic assessment will definitely provide
the most direct evidence.
2. Authentic assessments capture the constructive
nature of learning.
A considerable body of research on learning has found
that learners cannot; simply be fed knowledge. Learners
need to construct their own meaning of the world, using
information they have gathered and were taught and their
own experiences with the world. Thus, assessments cannot
just ask students to repeat back information they have
received. Students must also be asked that they have
accurately constructed meaning about what been taught.
Furthermore, students must be given the opportunity in the
construction of meaning. Authentic tasks not only serve as
assessment but also as vehicles for such learning.
3. Assessments Integrate Teaching, Learning and
Assessment.
Authentic assessment, in contrast to the more traditional
assessment, the integration of teaching, learning and
assessing. In the assessment model, teaching and learning
are often separated assessment, i.e., a test is administered
after knowledge or skills have acquired. In the authentic
assessment model, the same authentic task used to
measure the students' ability to apply the knowledge or
skills is used as a vehicle for student learning. For
example, when presented with a real-world problem to
solve, students are learning in the process of developing a
solution, teachers are facilitating the process, and the
students' solutions to the problem become an assessment
of how well the students can meaningfully apply the
concepts.
4. Authentic Assessments Provide Multiple Paths to
Demonstration
Learners have different strengths and weaknesses on how
they can best demonstrate what they have learned.
Regarding the traditional assessment model, answering
multiple-choice questions shows strength of tests because
it makes sure everyone is being compared on the same
domains in the same manner which increases the
consistency and comparability of the measure. But, testing
favors those who are better test-takers and does not give
students any choice in how they believe they can best
demonstrate what they have learned.
Thus, it is recommended that multiple and varied
assessments be used so that 1) a sufficient number of
samples are obtained, and 2) a sufficient variety of
measures are used. Variety of measurement can be
accomplished by assessing the students through different
measures that allow the teacher to see them apply what
they have learned in different ways and from different
perspectives.
Authentic tasks tend to give the students more freedom in
how they will demonstrate what they have learned. By
carefully identifying the criteria of good performance on
the authentic task ahead of time, the teacher can still make
comparable judgments of student performance even
though student performance might be expressed quite
differently from student to student.
For example, the products students create to demonstrate
authentic learning on the same task might take different
forms (e.g., posters, oral presentations, videos, web sites).
Or, even though students might be required to produce the
same authentic product, there can be room within the
product for different modes of expression. For example,
writing a good persuasive essay requires a common set of
skills from students, but there is still room for variation in
how that essay is constructed.
CREATING AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENTS
There are six basic questions a teacher has to answer in
developing an authentic assessment:
Q l: What should students know and be able to do? This
list of knowledge and skills becomes your STANDARDS.
Q2: What indicates students have met if students have met
these standards, you design or select relevant
AUTHENTIC TASKS.
Q3: What does good performance on this task look like?
To determine if students have performed well on the task,
you will identify and look for characteristics of good
performance called CRITERIA.
Q4: How well did the students perform? To discriminate
among student performance across criteria, you will create
a RUBRIC
Q5: How well should most students perform? The
minimum level at which you would want most students to
perform is your CUT SCORE or BENCHMARK.
Q6:What do students need to improve upon? Information
from the rubric will give students feedback and allow you
to ADJUST INSTRUCTION.
Based on the foregoing questions, there are four steps to
follow in creating authentic assessment.
1. Identify standards for your students.
2. For a particular standard or set of standards, develop a
task your students could perform that would indicate that
they have met these standards.
3. Identify the, characteristics of good performance on that
task, the criteria, that, if present in your students' work,
will indicate that they performed well on the task, i.e.,
they have met the standards.
4. For each criterion, identify two or more levels of
performance along which students can perform which will
sufficiently discriminate among student performance for
that criterion. The combination of the criteria levels of
performance for each criterion will be your rubric for that
task (assessment).
1. IDENTIFYING STANDARDS
Standards have to focus not only on the content of the
discipline but also on critical thinking problem-solving
abilities, collaborative skills, and personal development.
There are three types of standards that a teacher has to
consider in identifying what he/ she wants students to
learn: content; process; and value.
1. Content Standards are statements that describe what
students should do within the content of a specific
learning area or the intersection of two or more learning
areas. Ex:
 Students will classify objects along dimensions.
 Describe effects of physical activity on the body
 Present employment-related information in the target
language.
2. Process Standards are statements that describe skills
students should develop to enhance the process of
learning. Process standards are not specific to a particular
discipline, but are generic skills that are applicable to any
subject area. Ex:
 Students will set realistic goals for their performance.
 Seriously consider the ideas of other
 Find and evaluate relevant information.
3. Value Standards are statements that describe attitudes
teachers would like students to develop towards learning.
Ex:
 Students will value diversity of opinions or perspectives.
 Take responsible risk.
 Persist on challenging tasks.
Given the definitions listed above, the same standard
could be either content or process standard. For example,
the standard students will write a coherent essay would be
a process standard in a history course because it is not
describing content within the discipline of history. Rather,
it describes a useful skill that historians should have along
with those working in other disciplines. However, if the
same standard were part of an English composition
course, it can be considered as a content standard because
Students would be learning the content of that discipline.
2. SELECTING AN AUTHENTIC TASK
An authentic task is an assignment given to students
designed to assess their ability to apply standard-driven
knowledge and skills to real-world challenges. Thus, a
task we ask students to perform is considered authentic
when:
a. students are asked to construct their own responses
rather than select from ones presented, and
b. the task replicates challenges faced in the real world.
If I were teaching you how to play volleyball, I would not
determine whether you had met my standards by giving
you a multiple-choice test. I would put you out on the
volleyball court to "construct your responses" in the face
of real-world challenges. Thus, the most meaningful
assessments ask students to perform authentic tasks.
Authentic assessments include tasks such as
performances, products and constructed-response items
that typically require more direct application of
knowledge and skills. These types of tasks are described
below along with common examples of each.
1. Constructed Response. In response to a prompt,
students construct an answer out of old and new
knowledge. Since there is no one exact answer to these
prompts, students are constructing new knowledge that
likely differs slightly or significantly from that constructed
by other students. Typically, constructed response prompts
are narrowly conceived, delivered at or near the same
time a response is expected and are limited in length.
However, the fact that students must construct new
knowledge means that at least some of their thinking must
be revealed. Examples include short-answer essay
questions; show your work; concept maps; figural
representation like Venn diagram; typing test; completion
of a step of science lab; construction of a short musical,
dance or dramatic response; exhibition of an athletic skill.
2. Product. In response to a prompt (assignment) or series
of prompts, students construct a substantial, tangible
product that reveals their understanding of certain
concepts and skills and/or their ability to apply, analyze,
synthesize or evaluate those concepts and skills. It is
similar to a constructed-response item in that students are
required to construct new knowledge and not just select a
response, However, product assessments typically are
more substantial in depth and length, more broadly
conceived, and allow more time between the presentation
of the prompt and the student response than constructed-
response items. Ex: essays, stories or poems; research
reports; extended journal responses; art exhibit or
portfolio; lab reports; newspaper; and poster.
3. Performance. In response to a prompt (assignment) or
series of prompts, students construct a performance that
reveals their understanding of certain concepts and skills
and/or their ability to apply, analyze, synthesize or
evaluate those concepts and skills. It is similar to a
constructed-response item in that students are required to
construct new knowledge and not just select a response.
However, performances typically are more substantial in
depth and length, more broadly conceived, and allow more
time between the presentation of the prompt and the
student response than constructed-response items. Ex:
conducting an experiment; musical, dance or dramatic
performances; debates; athletic competition; and oral
presentation.
3. IDENTIFYING CRITERIA FOR THE TASK
In the process, you need to answer the question, "What
does good performance on this task look like?" or "How
will I know if they have done good job on this task?" In
answering those questions you will be identifying the
criteria for good performance on that task. You will use
those criteria to evaluate how well students completed the
task and, thus, how well they have met the standard or
standards.
6 standards addressed to some degree by this authentic
task. Students will be able to:
1. Measure quantities using appropriate units,
instruments, and methods;
2. Set up and solve proportions
3. Develop scale models
4. Estimate amounts and determine levels of accuracy
needed
5. Organize materials
6. Explain their thought process
The authentic task to be used to assess these standards in a
geometry class is as follows:
Rearrange the Room
You want to rearrange the furniture in some room in your house,
but your parents do not think it would be a good idea. To help
persuade your parents to rearrange the furniture you are going to
make a two dimensional scale model of what the room would
ultimately look like. Procedure:
1) You first need to measure the dimension of the floor space,
location and dimensions of all doors and windows, and amount
of floor space occupied by each item of furniture. All should be
explicitly listed.
2) Then find the scale dimensions of the room and all the items.
3) Next you will make a scale blueprint of the room labeling
where all windows and doors are on poster paper.
4) You will also make scale drawings of each piece of furniture
on a cardboard sheet of paper, and these models need to be cut
out.
5) Then you will arrange the model furniture where you want In building a rubric, you need to go back to the criteria
them on your blueprint, and tape them down. you identified in Step 3. Do remember that you have to
6) You will finally write a brief explanation of why you believe keep the number of criteria manageable. Moreover, you do
the furniture should be arranged the way it is in your model. not have to look for everything in every assessment.
7) Your models and explanations will be posted in the room and
the class will vote on which setup is the best. Creating an Analytic Rubric. - performance is judged
Finally, the criteria which the teacher identified as indicators of separately for each criterion. Teachers assess how well
good performance on the Rearrange the Room task were: students meet a criterion on a task, distinguishing between
 accuracy of calculations; work that effectively meets the criterion and work that
 accuracy of measurements on the scale model; does not meet it. The next step in creating a rubric, then, is
 labels on the scale model; deciding how fine such a distinction should be made for
 organization of calculations; each criterion. For example, if you are judging the amount
 neatness of drawings; of eye contact a presenter made with his/her audience, that
 clear explanations. judgment could be as simple as did he or did he not make
eye contact (two levels of performance), never, sometimes
Based on the foregoing example what does a good or always made eye contact (three levels), or never, rarely,
criterion look like? A good criterion should possess the sometimes, usually, or always made eye contact (five
following characteristics: levels).
 clearly stated; Generally, it is better to start small with fewer levels
 brief;
because it is usually harder to make more fine distinctions.
 observable;
 statement of behavior; and For eye contact, you might begin with three levels such as
 worded in language students understand. never, sometimes and usually. Then if, in applying the
rubric, when you find that some students seemed to fall in
In addition to the foregoing, make sure each criterion is between never and sometimes, and never or sometimes
distinct. Although the criteria for a single task will did not adequately describe the students performance, add
understandably be related to one another, there should not a fourth (e.g., rarely) and, possibly, a fifth level to the
be too much overlap between them. Are you really rubric.
looking for different aspects of performance on the task
In the ff. portion of elementary rubrics, the criteria are:
with the different criteria, or does one criterion simply
 Observations are through
rephrase another one? For example, the following criteria
might be describing the same behavior depending on what  Prediction are reasonable,
you are looking for:  Conclusions are based on observation
Criteria Limited Acceptable Proficient
 interpret the data made good Observations are Most All
observations absent or vague observations are observations
 draw a conclusion from the data clear and are clear and
detailed detailed
Another overlap occurs when one criterion is actually a made good Predictions are Most Predictions All
subset of another criterion. For example, the first criterion prediction absent or are reasonable predictions
irrelevant are reasonable
below probably subsumes the second:
appropriate Conclusion is Conclusion is Conclusion is
conclusion absent or consistent w/ consistent w/
 presenter keeps the audience's attention inconsistent w/ most observations
 presenter makes eye contact with the audience observations observations
Rubrics are very flexible tools. Just as the number of
Like standards, criteria should be shared with students levels of performance can vary from criterion to criterion
before they begin a task so they know the teacher's in an analytic rubric, Points or value can be assigned to the
expectations and have a clearer sense of what good rubric in a myriad of ways. For example, a teacher who
performance should look like. Some teachers go further creates a rubric might decide that certain criteria are more
and involve the students in identifying appropriate criteria important to the overall performance on the task than
for a task. The teacher might 'ask the students "What other criteria. So, one or more criteria can be weighted
characteristics does a good paper have?" or "What should more heavily when scoring the performance.
I see in a good scale model?" or "How will I (or anyone) For example, in a rubric for solo auditions, a teacher might
know you have done a good job on this task?" consider five criteria: (how well students demonstrate)
4. CREATING THE RUBRIC vocal tone, vocal technique, rhythm, diction and
musicality. For this teacher, musicality might be the most
important quality that she has stressed and is looking for
in the audition. She might consider vocal technique to be
less important than musicality but more important than
the other criteria. So, she might give musicality and vocal
technique more weight in her rubric. She can assign
weights in different ways. Following is an example of a
common format.
0 1 2 3 4 5 Weight
Vocal tone
Vocal technique
Rhythm
Diction
Musicality
In creating rubric you are not bound by any format
constraints. The rubric should capture what you value in
performance on the authentic task. The accurately your
rubric captures what you want your students to know and
be able to do, the more valid the scores will be.
Holistic Rubric – a judgement of how well someone has
performed on a task considers all the criteria together, or
holistically. Thus, each level of performance in a holistic
rubric reflects behavior across all the criteria. It is
recommended that the use of holistic rubrics be limited to
situations when the teacher wants to:
 Make a quick, holistic judgment that carries little
weight in evaluation, or
 Evaluate performance in w/c the criteria cannot be
easily separated.
Oral Presentation Rubric
Mastery
• usually makes eye contact
• volume is always appropriate
• enthusiasm present throughout presentation
• summary is completely accurate
Proficiency
• usually makes eye contact
• volume is usually appropriate
• enthusiasm is present in most of presentation
• only one or two errors in summary
Developing
• sometimes makes eye contact
• volume is sometimes appropriate
• occasional enthusiasm in presentation
• some errors in summary
Inadequate
• never or rarely makes eye contact volume is inappropriate
• rarely shows enthusiasm in presentation
• many errors in summary
Quick, holistic judgments are often made for homework
problems or journal assignments. To allow the judgment
to be quick and to reduce the problem illustrated in the
above rubric of fitting the best category to the
performance, the number of criteria should be limited. For
example, here is a possible holistic rubric for grading
homework problems.
Homework Problem Rubric
++ (3 pts.)
• most or all answers correct, AND
• most or all work shown
+ (1 pt.)
• at least some answers correct, AND
• at least some but not most work shown
— (0 pts.)
• few answers correct, OR
• little or no work shown
Although this homework problem rubric only has two
criteria and three levels of performance, it is not easy to
write such a holistic rubric to accurately capture what an
evaluator values and to cover all the possible
combinations of student performance. For example, what
if a student got all the answers correct on a problem
assignment but did not show any work? The rubric covers
that: the student would receive a (—) because "little or no
work was shown." What if a student showed all the work
but only got some of the answers correct? That student
would receive a (+) according to the rubric. All such
combinations are covered. But does giving a (+) for such
work reflect what the teacher values? The above rubric is
designed to give equal weight to correct answers and work
shown. If that is not the teacher's intent then the rubric
needs to be changed to fit the goals of the teacher.
Checking Your Rubric. This is the last step in creating a
rubric. As a final check on your rubric before applying it,
consider the following guidelines:
 Let a colleague review it.
 Let your students review it — is it clear to them?
 Check if it aligns or matches up with your standards.
 Check if it is manageable.
 Consider imaginary student performance on the rubric
CHAPTER 20: ASSESSING STUDENT PORTFOLIOS
Portfolio is a purposeful collection of student work that
exhibits student's efforts, progress and achievements in
one or more areas. It is a form of alternative assessment
intended to accumulate evidence to measure growth over
time of a student's or teacher's performance. Each
portfolio might contain a selection of exemplars of the
student's work, e.g., written products, journals, post
writes, reflections, graphics, spreadsheets, e-mail
messages, web sites, digital video, questionnaires, and
interviews.
Portfolio assessment is the systematic, longitudinal
collection of student work created in response to specific,
known instructional objectives and evaluated in relation to
the same criteria. It is a measurement strategy that
provides for the gathering of multiple measures from
different forms of assessment throughout a student's
educational program. Assessment is done by measuring
the individual works as well as the portfolio as a whole beyond standards set by school systems and standardized
against specified criteria which match the objectives testing programs. They provide students and teachers
toward a specific purpose. Portfolio creation is the with creative, systematic, and visionary ways to learn,
responsibility of the learner, with teacher guidance and assess, and report skills, processes, and knowledge
support, and often with the involvement of peers and associated with the 21st century.
parents.
Using the Portfolio in the Assessment of Learning
Portfolio assessment system which reflects the belief that
the richest description of student performance must be  Portfolio assessment matches assessment to teaching.
The products that are assessed are mainly products of
done through multiple measures of student performance.
class work, and are not detached from class activities
Evidences gathered in the process provide verification of like test items.
enabling skills as well as verification of outcomes in  Portfolio assessment has clear goals. These goals are
multiple content areas and real-life settings. decided at the beginning of instruction and are clear to
the teacher and his/her students.
Some of the key characteristics of portfolio assessment  Portfolio assessment gives a profile of the learner's
abilities. It enables students to show quality work,
 A portfolio is a form of assessment that students do demonstrate a wide range of skills, and show efforts
together with their teachers. at improving, developing and demonstrating progress
 A portfolio is not just a collection of student work but over time.
a selection — the student must be involved in  Portfolio assessment is a tool for assessing a variety
choosing and justifying the pieces to be included. of skills. It can include written as well as oral and
 A portfolio provides samples of the student's work graphic products of student learning.
which show growth over time. By reflecting on their  Portfolio assessment develops among students
own learning, students begin to identify strengths and awareness of their own learning. Students have to
weaknesses in their work. These weaknesses become reflect on their own progress and the quality of their
improvement goals. work in relation to identified goals
 Portfolio assessment caters to individuals in the
 The criteria for selecting and assessing the portfolio
heterogeneous class. Since it is open-ended, students
contents must be clear to the teacher and the students
can show work on their own level, In as much as there
at the beginning of the process. is a choice, It caters to different learning styles and
 The entries in the portfolio can demonstrate learning allows expression of different strengths .
and growth in all learning competencies.  Portfolio assessment develops social skills. Students
are also assessed on work done collaboratively, in
Below are some strengths of portfolio assessment, seen
pairs or in groups, on projects and assignments.
in contrast to traditional forms of assessment.
 Portfolio assessment develops independent and active
Traditional Portfolio learners. Students must select and justify portfolio
Measures student's ability at Measures student's ability over choices; monitor progress and set learning goals.
one time time  Portfolio assessment can improve motivation for
Done by teacher alone; student Done by teacher and student; learning and achievement. Empowerment of students
often unaware of criteria student aware of criteria
Conducted outside instruction Embedded in instruction to prove achievement has been found to be highly
Assigs students a grade Involves student in own motivating and encouraging.
assessment  Portfolio assessment is an efficient tool for
Does not capture the range of Captures many facets of language
student's language ability learning performance demonstrating learning. Different kinds of products
Does not include the teacher's and records of progress fit conveniently into one
Allows for expression of teacher's
knowledge of student as a package. Changes over time are clearly shown.
knowledge of student as learner
learner
Does not give student Student learns how to take
 Portfolio assessment provides opportunity for
responsibility responsibility teacher-student dialogue. It enables the teacher to get
to know each and every student. It also promotes
joint-goal setting and negotiation of grades.
Why Use Portfolio Assessment
Other uses of portfolios according to Campbell and his
Portfolios provide teachers with a tool for showing what, colleagues are the following:
how, and how well students learn both intended and
incidental outcomes related to their curricula and student  To promote student self-assessment and control of
needs and interests. Portfolios are aligned with and go learners;
  To support student-led parent conferences;
 To select students into-special programs;
 To certify student competence;
 To grant alternative credit;
 To demonstrate to employers certain skills and
abilities;
 To build student self-confidence; and
 To evaluate curriculum and instruction.
It is very clear that portfolios can provide teachers with a
tool for showing what, how, and how well students learn
both intended and incidental outcomes related to their
curricula and student needs and interests. Portfolios are
aligned with and go beyond standards set by school
systems and testing programs. They can provide students
and teachers with creative, systematic, and visionary
ways to learn, assess, and report skills, processes, and
knowledge associated with the 21st century.
Some advantages of using portfolio
 Serves as a cross-section lens, providing a basis for
future analysis and planning. By viewing the total
pattern of a student, one can identify areas of
strengths and weaknesses, and obstacles to success;
 Serves as a concrete vehicle for communication,
providing on-going communication or exchanges of
information among those involved in assessment
 Promotes a shift in ownership: students take an active
role in and what they want to accomplish; the more
complex and important aspect of a learning area or
subject matter; and
 Covers a broad scope of knowledge and information
from many different people involved in the
assessment of students ' learning and achievement.
On the other hand, some disadvantages of using
portfolio assessment include the following:
 It may be seen as less reliable or fair than more
quantitative evaluations such as test scores.
 Having to develop one's individualized criteria can be
difficult or unfamiliar at first.
 It can be very time consuming for teachers to organize
and evaluate the content of portfolios especially if
portfolios have to be done in addition to traditional
testing and grading.
 If goals and criteria are not clear, the portfolio ..can be
just a miscellaneous collection of artifacts that do not
show patterns Of growth. and achievement.
 Like other forms of qualitative data, data from
portfolio assessments can be difficult to analyze or
aggregate to show change.
TYPES OF PORTFOLIOS
A. Best Work Portfolio. This type of portfolio highlights
and shows evidence of the best work of learners.
Frequently, this type of portfolio is called a display or
showcase portfolio. For students, best work is often
associated with pride and a sense of accomplishment and
can result in a desire to share their work with others. Best
work can include both product and process. It is often
correlated with the amount of effort that learners have
invested in their work. A major advantage of this type of
portfolio is that learners can items that reflect their highest
level of learning and can explain why these items
represent their best effort and achievement. Best work
portfolios are used for the following purposes:
1. Student Achievement. Students may select a given
number of entries that reflect their best effort or
achievement (or both) in a course of study. The portfolio
can be presented in a student-led parent conference or at a
community open house. As students publicly share their
excellent work, work they have chosen and reflected upon,
the experience may enhance their self-esteem.
2. Post-Secondary Admissions. The preparation of a
post-secondary portfolio targets work samples from high
school that can be submitted for consideration in the
process of admission to college or university. This
portfolio should show evidence of a range of knowledge,
skills, and attitudes, and may highlight particular qualities
relevant to specific programs. Many colleges and
universities are adding portfolios to the initial admissions
process while others are using them to determine
particular placements once students are admitted.
3. Employability. The audience for this portfolio is an
employer. This collection of work needs to be focused on
specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for a
particular job or career. The school to-work movements in
North America are influencing an increase in the use of
employ-ability portfolios. The Conference Board of
Canada (1992), for example, outlines the academic,
personal management, and teamwork skills that are the
foundation of a high-quality Canadian workforce. An
employability portfolio is an excellent vehicle for
showcasing these skills.
B. Growth Portfolio. A growth portfolio demonstrates an
individual's development and growth over time.
Development can be focused on academic or thinking
skills, content knowledge, self-knowledge, or any area that
is important in your setting. A focus on growth connects
directly to identified educational goals and purposes.
When growth is emphasized, a portfolio will contain
evidence of struggle, failure, success, and change. The
growth will likely be an u even journey of highs and
lows, peaks and valleys, rather than a smooth continuum.
What is significant is that learners recognize growth
whenever it occurs and can discern the reasons behind that
growth. The goal of a growth portfolio is for learners to
see their own changes over time and, in, turn, share their
journey with others.
A growth portfolio can be culled to extract a best work
sample. It also helps learners see how achievement is
often a result of their capacity to self-evaluate, set goals,
and work over time. Growth portfolios can be used for the
following purposes:
1. Knowledge. This portfolio shows students' growth in
knowledge in a particular content area or across several
content areas over time. This kind of portfolio can contain
samples-of both satisfactory and unsatisfactory work,
along with reflections to guide further learning.
2. Skills and Attitudes. This portfolio shows students'
growth in skills and attitudes in areas such as academic.
disciplines, social skills, thinking skills, and work habits.
In this type of portfolio, challenges, difficult experiences,
and other growth events can be included to demonstrate
students' developing skills. In a thinking skills portfolio,
for example, students might include evidence showing
growth in their ability to recall, comprehend, apply,
analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information.
3. Teamwork. This portfolio demonstrates growth in
social skills in a variety of cooperative experiences. Peer
responses and evaluations are vital elements in this
portfolio model, along with self-evaluations. Evidence of
changing attitudes resulting from team experiences can
also be included, especially as expressed in self-reflections
and peer evaluations.
4. Career. This portfolio helps students identify personal
strengths related to potential career choices. The collection
can be developed over several years, perhaps beginning in
the grade school and continuing throughout high School.
The process of selecting pieces over time empowers
young people to make appropriate educational choices
leading toward meaningful careers. Career portfolios may
contain items from outside the school setting that
substantiate students' choices and create a holistic view of
the students as learners and people. This type of portfolio
may be modified for employment purposes.
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A PORTFOLIO
1. Cover Letter. This element tells about the author of the
portfolio and what the portfolio shows about the author's
progress as a learner. It summarizes the evidence of a
student's learning and progress.
2. Table of Contents. Shown in this element are the
detailed contents of the portfolio.
3. Entries. Entries in a student's portfolio can either be
core or optional. Core entries are items students have to
include, while optional entries are items of students'
choice. The core elements provide a common base from
which to make decisions on assessment. The optional
items permit each student to represent his or her
uniqueness.
4. Dates. Specific dates have to be included for all entries
to facilitate evidence of growth over time.
5. Drafts. Drafts of Oral, aural, and written products and
revised versions have to be included in the portfolio.
6. Reflections. Reflections can appear at the different
stages in the learning process. Through reflection, students
can express their feelings regarding their progress and or
themselves as learners• Questions that students have to
consider in making reflections for each item in the
portfolio follows.
 What did I learn from it?
 What did I do well?
 Why did I choose this item?
 What do I want to improve in the item?
 How do feel about my performance?
 What were the problem areas or difficulties I encountered?
Portfolios are collections of students' work over time. A
portfolio often documents a student's best work and may
include other types of process information, such as drafts
of the student's work, the student's self-assessment of the
work, and the parents' assessment. Portfolios may be used
for evaluation of a student's abilities and improvement.
In recent years, portfolios of students' performance and
products have gained impressive degrees of support from
educators, who view them as a way to collect authentic
evidence of student's learning. For many educators,
portfolios are an attractive alternative to more traditional
assessment approaches.
3 basic models of what portfolios should contain:
1. Showcase model, consisting of work samples chosen
by the student.
2. Descriptive model, consisting of representative work
of the student, with no attempt at evaluation.
3. Evaluative model, consisting of representative
products that have been evaluated by criteria.
Assumptions about portfolio assessment:
 Portfolios are systematic, purposeful, and meaningful
collections of students' works in one or more subject
areas.
 Students of any age or grade level can learn not only
to select pieces to be placed into their portfolios but
can also learn to establish criteria for their selections.
 Portfolio collections may include input by teachers,
parents, peers, and school administrators.
 In all cases, portfolios should reflect the actual day-to-
day learning activities of students.
 Portfolios should be ongoing so that they show the
students' efforts, progress, and achievements over a
period of time.
 Portfolios may contain several compartments, or
subfolders.
 Selected works in portfolios may be in a variety of
media and may be multidimensional.
STAGES IN IMPLEMENTING PORTFOLIO
ASSESSMENT
Stage 1: Identifying Teaching Goals to Assess Through
the Portfolio.
The very first and most important part of organizing
portfolio assessment is to decide on the teaching goals.
These goals will guide in the selection and assessment of
students' work for the portfolio. To do this, you need to
ask yourself "What do I want my students to learn?" and
choose several goals to focus on. This stage is so
important as teachers have to know what their goals are in
terms of what students will be able to do. Moreover,
students have to know what they need to show as evidence
in their portfolio. Identifying these goals can also be done
by involving students in the process.
Stage 2: Introducing the Idea of Portfolios to Your
Class.
As a teacher, you will need to present the idea of a
portfolio to your class. Explain to your class patiently
what a portfolio is and the reasons for having one. You
need to make your students realize that a portfolio is
simply a selection of their work that can showcase
progress in the different areas or skills in a learning area.
To further make the students understand what a portfolio
is, direct their attention to the main aspect of portfolios,
which is their use as an assessment tool. Explore with the
students their feelings about tests, whether they feel that
tests truly represent what they know and can do. Make
them feel that you are going to assess their learning in a
fairer way, which will show the many different skills,
knowledge, and ideas they have acquired. Moreover,
inform the students how much weight the portfolio will
have in their final grade and what it is going to replace,
like one oi more of their quizzes and or projects.
Stage 3: Specifying Portfolio Content.
Specify what and how much has to be included in the
portfolio, both core and options. Let them know that there
are many forms of portfolio entries they can include in
their portfolio like written, audio and video recorded
items, artifacts, dialogue, and journals. Specify for each
entry how it will be assessed. There is a need for students
to be aware of the scoring guides/ rating scales that will be
used before performing the task.
Stage 4: Giving Clear and Detailed Guidelines for
Portfolio Presentation.
Explain the need for clear and attractive presentation,
dated drafts, and attached reflections or comment cards.
Explain how the portfolio will be graded and when it
needs to be ready. As unfamiliar ways of teaching and
assessment are potentially threatening and confusing to
students, it is important to present the portfolio guidelines
clearly and to review these guidelines periodically
Stage 5: Notifying Other Interested Parties.
Make sure that the school principal is aware of your new
assessment procedures. Do inform parents as well about
the portfolio assessment and involve them in commenting
on the work of their children.
Stage 6: Preparing the Portfolio.
Support and encouragement are necessary for both the
teacher and students at this stage. The students can get it
from patient and understanding teacher. Teachers will get
it by doing portfolio assessment as teamwork or by joining
or initiating a support group to discuss questions with
fellow teachers as they arise.
Devote class time to student-teacher conferences, to
practicing reflection and self-assessment and to portfolio
preparation as these skills may be new for most students.
Remember that reflection and self-assessment do not
naturally come to people who have had little practice in it.
Give guiding feedback. The finished portfolio may be due
only at the end of the second quarter but it is good idea to
set regular dates at which time several portfolio-ready
items will be handed in, so that students know whether
they are on the right track.
To ensure that the portfolio represents the student's own
work, some items can be done completely in class. You
might also decide to have a test with corrected version
included as a core item together with reflection on what a
student learned from doing the test and revising it.
Moreover, you may ask the students to explain in their
reflections who helped them improve their work and what
they learned from revising their work.
Stage 7: Assessing the Portfolios and Giving Feedback.
Each portfolio entry needs to be assessed with reference to
its specific goal. Since the goals and weighting of the
various portfolio components have been clearly specified
in advance, assessing the Portfolios is not difficult. Self
and peer assessment can be used too as a tool for
formative evaluation, with the students having to justify
their grade with reference to the goals and to specific
pages in the portfolio. This makes the teacher's job much
simpler considering that the student has done the
groundwork of proving how far each goal is met in the
portfolio. In the process, students are able to internalize
the criteria for quality work.
After all the efforts students invested in their portfolios,
the teacher needs to provide feedback that is more than
just a grade. One way is by writing a letter about the
portfolio identifying its detailed strengths and weaknesses
and.at the same time, generating a profile of a student's
ability, which has to be added to the portfolio. Still
another option is by preparing certificates commenting on
the strengths and weaknesses of the portfolio and
suggesting future goals.
Stage 8: Holding Student-Teacher Conferences.
An important element of the portfolio philosophy of
shared and active assessment is that the teacher should
have short individual meetings with each student, in
which progress is discussed and the goals are set for
future meetings. Students and teachers have to document
these meetings and keep the goals in mind when selecting
topics for future meetings. In, this way, ,student-teacher
conferences play an important role in the formative
evaluation of a student's progress can also be used for
summative evaluation purposes when the student presents
his final portfolio product and together with the teacher
decides on a final grade. This is a student's chance to
negotiate the portfolio grade using evidence Of
achievement according to agreed goals. Even notes from
these conferences can be included in the portfolio as they
contain joint decisions about the student's strengths and
weaknesses.
Stage 9: Follow-Up,
After portfolios are completed, it is a good idea to have an
exhibition of portfolios and on student-led parent-teacher
conference, in which students present their-portfolios to
their parents.
CHARACTERISTICS ESSENTIAL TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF ANY TYPE OF PORTFOLIO
1. Multi-sourced (allowing for the opportunity to evaluate
a variety of specific evidence). Multiple data sources
include statements and observations of participants and
artifacts like test scores to photos, drawings, journals, and
audio or videotapes of performances.
2. Authentic (context and evidence are directly linked).
The items selected or produced for evidence should be
related to the identified goal or benchmark, For example,
if a child's musical performance skills were gained
through piano lessons, an audio tape would be relevant.
3. Dynamic (capturing growth and change). An important
feature of portfolio assessment is that data or evidence is
added at many points in time, not just before and after
measures. Rather than including only the best work, the
portfolio should include examples of different stages of
mastery. This allows a richer understanding of the process
of change.
4. Explicit (purpose and goals are clearly defined). The
students should know in advance what is expected of
them, so that they can take responsibility for developing
their evidence.
5. Integrated (evidence should establish a correspondence
between program activities and life experiences). Students
should be asked to demonstrate how they can apply their
skills or knowledge to real life situations.
6. Based on Ownership (the student helps determine
evidence to include and goals to be met). The portfolio
assessment process should require that the participants
engage in some reflection and self-evaluation as they
select the evidence to include and set or modify their
goals. They are not simply being evaluated or graded by
others.
7. Multi-purposed (allowing assessment of the
curriculum while assessing the performance of the
students). A well-designed portfolio assessment process
evaluates the effectiveness of the curriculum at the same
time that it evaluates the growth of the students. It also
serves as a communication tool when shared with the
members of the school community. Moreover, it can be
passed on to other teachers as the student moves from one
grade level to another.
CHAPTER 21: GRADING AND REPORTING
PERFORMANCE
Grading students' performance during a particular marking
terra is an evaluation function of every teacher. Aside
from grading student’s performance, teachers have to
inform the students and their parents of the students'
academic progress in the various learning areas in the
curriculum. This chapter centers on two vital functions of
every teacher — that of grading and reporting
performance.
Purposes for Assigning Grades
Grades are symbols used by teachers in conveying a
student's performance in a learning area. Grades are given
to student performance for the following purposes:
 To inform students of their educational progress;
 To inform parents of their children's achievement and
performance;
 To guide further coursework;
 To provide a basis for grouping students for instructional
purposes;
 To provide a basis for graduating students from different
levels within the educational system;
 To provide a basis for college admission;
 To determine honor students;
 To serve as basis for granting of awards and scholarships;
 To provide a criterion for students' participation in extra-
curricular activities;
 To motivate students to study hard;
 To identify students' strengths and weaknesses; and
 To provide basis for employment.
Strategies in Grading
There are no hard-and-fast rules about the best ways to
grade. How a teacher grades a student depends on his
values, assumptions and philosophy as a teacher. There is
a consensus among teachers that grades provide
information on how well students are learning.
 Grade on the basis of student's mastery of knowledge and
skills. Restrict your evaluations to academic performance.
Eliminate other considerations as bases of grades. Non-
academic factors counted in grading obscure the primary
meaning of the grade, as an indicator of what students have
learned.
 Avoid grading systems that put students in competition
with their classmates and limit the number of high grades.
Normative grading produces undesirable consequences for
many students, such as reduced motivation to learn,
debilitating evaluation anxiety, decreased ability to use
feedback to improve learning and poor social relationships.
 Try not to overemphasize grades. Explain to your students
the meaning of and basis for grades and the procedures you
use in grading. Once policies have been explained, avoid
stressing grades or excessive talk about grades, which only
increases students' anxieties and decreases their motivation
to do something for its own sake rather than obtain an
external reward such as a grade.
 Keep students informed of their progress. For each paper,
assignment, summative test or project that you grade, give
the students a sense of what their score means. Such
information can motivate students to improve what they are
doing poorly or to maintain their performance if they are
doing well.
Determining Grades for a Marking Term
Deciding whether to pass or fail a student involves
professional decisions. In college, there are usually three
marking terms: prelim; midterm; and finals. In elementary
and high school, there are four: first grading; second
grading; third grading; and fourth grading. There are,
however, guidelines that teachers should consider in
arriving at a student's grade for a specific marking term.
 Explain to the students your marking and grading policies.
These policies have to be understood by the students'
parents or guardians. Be objective in giving marks to
students' accomplishment/ performance.
 Build your grading policy around the concept of
accomplishment rather than failure.
 Consider the policies of the school in giving the highest and
lowest grade.
 Use a variety of sources for determining students' grades for
a marking term.
 Decide beforehand on the policy you will implement for
makeup work in case of absence or sickness.
On the basis of the foregoing guidelines, it is very clear
that a teacher needs to come up with criteria for grading to
ensure objectivity and consistency in giving term mark for
each student. Regardless of the subject area a teacher is
handling, the most commonly used criteria for grading are
the following:
 Class Standing (Quizzes, Exercises, etc);
 Participation/Involvement;
 Summative Tests;
 Projects; and
 Class Attendance & Attitude.
Having identified the criteria for grading, the teacher needs to
assign weight for each criterion. For instance, a Social Studies
teacher can use the following criteria for grading, with their
corresponding weights:
Using the criteria and weights for each criterion, the grade for a
marking term can now be computed.
What grade should Ulysses receive in Social Studies given the
grades he obtained in the different criteria for grading in the
said subject for the first grading period?
An analysis of how the grade was arrived at shows that each
grade per criterion is multiplied by its corresponding weight.
After summing up the cross products of each grade and
corresponding weight, the grand total is divided by 100.
COMPUTATION OF THE FINAL GRADE
1. Averaging system, grades obtained-by-a student in
each of the marking terms are added. The sum of these
grades is divided by the number of marking terms. If there
are four grading or marking periods, final grade is arrived
at by applying the following formula:
2. Cumulative system, the final grade is obtained by
getting 30% of the grade obtained during the previous
marking period and 700/0 of the last grading period.
Mathematically, final grade can be obtained following the
formula:
The formula above is the one used in the public elementary and
secondary schools in computing the final grade in all-learning
areas.
Illustrative Example: What final grade should Lito receive in
Statistics if his GP= 94 and LG= 97? Let us apply the formula
earlier cited.
An alternative formula that can be applied to arrive at the final
grade using the cumulative system is given below:
REPORTING STUDENT PERFORMANCE
One of the major responsibilities of a teacher is to
periodically report student progress to parents or
guardians. There are three ways by which teachers can
report student progress and academic performance in
school. These ways are discussed below.
1. The Report Card is given to the student's parent or
guardian after each grading period. The attendance record
of the student is reflected in the report card, together with
the teacher's comments on the student's social behavior or
classroom conduct. In most elementary and secondary
schools, parents are given the opportunity to discuss the
academic status of their sons and daughters with their
teacher-in-charge/ adviser and subject teachers when
report cards are distributed during parent-teacher
conference.
2. Progress Reports. Parents usually receive two kinds of
notices from the School about their children. In general,
teachers are expected to send home deficiency notices for
students who are failing, misbehaving in class or
frequently not attending classes. There are, however, some
teachers who take it upon themselves to write sufficiency
notices for students who are excelling or have shown
marked improvement. These positive notices have to be
sent home and are welcomed by parents.
3. Direct Contact with Parents or Guardians. Teachers
can establish direct contact with parents or guardians
either through the telephone or by letter. Teachers should
make it a point to contact parents or guardians by
telephone, when the student has shown a sudden turn for
either the worse or better in academic performance or in
classroom behavior. That initiative by the teacher is
usually welcomed by the parents and can lead to
productive conference with the teacher. Writing a letter
gives the teacher time to think and make clear his/her
thoughts and concerns and to invite the parent to respond
at his/her convenience by letter, by phone, or by arranging
to have a conferences with the teacher.