ASSESSMENT IN THE

AFFECTIVE DOMAIN
By Melvin Laud
Besides student’s academic
performance, there are
other dimensions of
learners that need to be
assessed also.

These are…
APTITUDES
&
ATTITUDES
ATTITUDES ARE COMPROMISED OF 4
COMPONENTS

Cognitions
Affect
Behavioral
Intentions
Evaluation
EVALUATION

Are often considered the

central component of attitudes
It consist of accusations of
some degree of good and bad
to an attitude toward an object.
 Example: “A villain is bad and a
hero is good.”
 Information about learners’
experiences with a subject/activity is
only part of what is needed as input in
order to explain their performance.
 It is obvious evidence that experience
appears to be consistent from student
to student, still some perform better
and other not. This difference among
students needs to be part of the
information to assess to students
better.
 The learner’s attitudes toward academic
tasks influence their achievements.
 ATTITUDE is associated with what is called
individual’s affective domain, and affect
adds a significant dimension to assessment.
 If there is a relationship between students
feel about a task and their performance, it is
but necessary for teachers to assess affect
and then do something to influence effect.
 It is not just to help the students like the
activities they do but to do it better.
 ATTITUDE measures are part of the
broader category of personality measures.
 This are of assessment is significant since
information about personality characteristics
gives more information that will help in
predicting how a particular set of learners
will likely respond to certain learning
situation.
IMPORTANCE OF AFFECTIVE TARGETS

 There is a clear link between affective and cognitive

learning.
 Students are more proficient in problem-solving if they
enjoy what they do.
 Students who are in good mood and emotionally involved
are more likely to pay attention to information, remember it
meaningfully and apply it.
 To much anxiety obstructs learning, and greater motivation
is necessary for maximum performance.
 A more positive environment fosters good student
engagement and learning that in a classroom with
negative climate.
 Motivation and involvement of students in
learning activities are affected by students’
attitude toward learning, respect for others, and
concern for others.
 Though these factors are known to teachers, yet
most teachers do not utilize any kind of formal
affective assessment.
 Possible Reasons are:
1. School routines are organized based on
subject areas
2. Assessment of affective target is taught with
difficulties
ERRORS IN AFFECTIVE TRAITS MEASURING
 Many potential sources of error in measuring
affective traits often result in low reliability.
 Motivation is a primary concern
 Students need to take such assessment seriously
to provide accurate results, but still many may
restrain from giving honest answer if the responses
are not treated with anonymity and confedentiality.
 Students may want to please teachers with positive
responses.
 Other possible source of error is that some affective
traits are easily influenced by momentary or
temporary moods.
 Teachers’ bias may also contribute significantly.
POSITIVE AFFECTIVE TRAITS AND SKILLS ARE
ESSENTIAL FOR:

1. Effective learning
2. Being involved and productive member of our
society
3. Preparing for occupational and vocational
satisfaction and productivity (e.g. Work habits,
willingness to learn)
4. Maximizing the motivation to learn at present in
the future.
5. Preventing students from dropping out.
MOTIVATION

Is a reason or set of reason

for engaging in a particular
behavior intrinsically or
extrinsically.
These are…
 INTRINSIC
MOTIVATION
&
EXTRINSIC
MOTIVATION
INTRINSIC MOTIVATION

Occurs when people are

internally motivated to do
something because it brings
them pleasure, they think it is
important.
 Ex. Hobbies, games, travel
EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION

Comes into play when a

person is compelled to do
something or act a certain way
because of factors external to
him or her.
 Ex. Work to earn money.
AFFECTIVE TRAITS AND LEARNING TARGETS
 The word AFFECTIVE refers to the variety of traits
and dispositions that are different from knowledge,
reasoning, and skills (Hohn, 1995)
 This term means the emotions or feelings that one
has toward someone or something.
 Attitudes, values, self-concept, citizenship, and
other traits are considered to be non-cognitive.
 Most kinds of student affect involve both emotion
and cognitive beliefs.
DIFFERENT AFFECTIVE TRAITS
WITH DESCRIPTION

TRAIT DESCRIPTION

ATTITUDES Predisposition to respond favorably or unfavorably

INTERESTS Personal preferences for certain kinds of activities

Importance, worth, usefulness of modes of

VALUES
conduct

OPINIONS Beliefs about specific occurrences and situations

PREFERENCES Desire to select one object over another

MOTIVATION Desire and willingness to be engaged in behavior

ACADEMIC SELF- Self-perception of competence in school and

CONCEPT learning
 Attitudes toward oneself; degree of
SELF-ESTEEM
self-respect
Self-perception of whether success
CENTER OF CONTROL and failure is controlled by the student
or by external influences
Growth, change, and awareness of
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT emotions and ability to regulate
emotional expression
Nature of interpersonal interactions
SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
and functioning in group setting
Willingness and propensity to help
ALTRUISM or UNSELFISHNESS
others
Attainment of ethical principles that
MORAL DEVELOPMENT
guide decision-making and behavior
Nature of feeling tones and
CLASSROOM DEVELOPMENT
interpersonal relationship in a class.