Chapter 1:

PRINCIPLES OF
ASSESSMENT
• Assessment, Measurement, and
Evaluation
• Reasons and Principles of Assessment
• Assessment Community
Unit 2: Assessment, Measurement and
Evaluation

This unit attempts to discuss concepts and principles in

the entire assessment of learning outcomes in any
educational and training institutions with the aim of
enriching the knowledge and appreciation of the
significance of assessment in educational setting.
 Assessment system and processes

The terms assessment, measurement and evaluation are

often times misconstrued to mean the same, when in fact
they are not but rather compliments each other in
determining the state of educational programs.
 ASSESSMENT is not evaluation but evaluation involves the
process of assessment. Assessment is a means of knowing the
state of student learning in terms of what he knows and can do
with reference to the purpose of the learning tasks and objectives.
It secures data or measures that reflect student progress and
success or failures in instruction. To (Dietel, Herman and Knuth,
1991), it is “any method used to better understand the current
knowledge of the student”. Such method implies an educational
concept that knowledge of students changes in many manner from
a situation to another depending on how favorable it is to them.
 As process, assessment uses a variety of tools and methods of
obtaining scientific and verifiable data that serve the bases of
interpreting results. The data that may be obtained are either
quantitative or qualitative, depending on the purpose and tools
used in assessment. Hence it also includes the process of
measurement, although measurement is not always a must in
assessment.
 MEASUREMENT constitutes a larger chunk of the entire
process of assessment when the purpose requires quantitative
data. This process involves levelling off and quantifying the
degree of correctness or appropriateness of the answers or
responses of the subjects. This process does not apply to an
assessment that requires qualitative to quantitative is to be
adopted.
EVALUATION is a process that uses the results of
assessment for decision-making on reviewing, revising and
redesigning or replacing courses of actions and programs.
It is the giving of value and judgment on the obtained data in
assessment for decision-making.
Assessment, therefore, is a prerequisite of evaluation. However,
assessment can stand by itself without evaluation.
The links among the assessment, measurement and
evaluation is illustrated in conceptual paradigm in Figure 1.
 Quantitative Data

Measurement Evaluation
Assessment

Data Conversation

Qualitative Data

Figure 1
The Interdependence of Assessment,
Measurement and Evaluation
 Pre-assessment questions

Taking assessment as always an integral part of teaching-

learning process that makes “teaching worth teaching”, a
teacher keeps the following questions in mind before
starting a step in assessment. These questions may help the
teacher or assessor makes the processes responsive and
yields a more objective and informative educational result.
1. What is the purpose of assessment?
Basic in the assessment process is the purpose of conducting it.
The teacher must be clear with the direction and activities in line
with the purpose of determining how far or how less the students
have progressed and what can they may be in the next level of
learning. It may include the purpose of determining how far the
instruction has improved either in the context of certain discipline
with the learners or the whole educational institution, and what steps
shall be adopted to improve the quality of instruction. This includes
identification of purpose, either for comparison of a single or group
performance among others (norm based), or against a set of criteria
(criterion based), or against self (ipsative).
2. What educational objectives shall be the focus of assessment?
In ensuring of meeting the purpose, the teacher identify and prioritize
the instructional objectives that were covered in the entire period. This
attempt limits the scope of assessment and the objectivity and validity of
assessment is likely observed.
3. What subject areas or topics are covered by the learning
objectives?
The teaching-learning process covers a variety of topics or areas of
instruction to carry out the course objectives. With this in mind, the
assessor must concentrate on the specific areas that were finished not just
covered in the entire period of assessment. This makes the assessment
instrument valid in content.
4. What part of the entire assessment does each area cover?
There are many tasks and activities the teacher undertakes as there are
many situations that are necessary for instruction to allow the students
learn in many different and unique ways about every specific
instructional area. It is important that a proportionate representation of
the content of each task or topic is properly distributed in the assessment
instrument with respect to time and educational domains of learning.
5. What kind of data is needed?
In attaining the objectives of assessment the assessor must be definite
of the needed data. It is the determination whether or not the assessor
needs the quantitative data, qualitative data
or a combination of both to address the purpose of assessment.
6. How much time or how long will the assessment be?
Time is an important element in the conduct of assessment not
only in its administration but also in scoring, recording, interpreting
and communicating. This requires the assessor to zero-in on the
mean length of time the learners may be able to finish each item,
task or problem given. The assessment period must not be too long
that may permeate physical and mental fatigue of the assessed nor
too short that it does not cover the entire content of the assessment
objectives.
7. When and where will the assessment be?
The conduct of assessment must consider not only the
time but also the day and place vis-à-vis test readiness of
those to assessed. Considering that taking assessment
requires both the physiological, psychological and mental
preparations, the assessment must be done in such time and
day where the learners feel the comfort or free from
classroom and other environmental disturbances or
pollutants.
8. What assessment tools shall be used?
Each of the assessment tools has its specific use and
purpose. Important in designing an assessment program is the
determination of the kind of tool that elicits the required data
that truly address the purpose and surely represent the
assessed individuals or groups. This requires value judgment
on the importance of each kind of assessment tool from
among the array of traditional and authentic ones.
9. What type of problems or questions, or tasks shall
be included?
At this point the assessor must identify the kind of
problems and items to be included in assessment. The type
and category of assessment and the placement of each item or
task shall be an utmost consideration to achieve the
purpose. This includes the process of choosing either paper-
pen, oral, performance, portfolio or other tools that may be
appropriate as desired.
10. What material and manpower resources are
necessary and available for assessment?
Knowledge of the available material and manpower
resources is an important factor to consider for a smooth and
effectively assessment program. A carefully designed
assessment tool only becomes responsive to the purpose with
the sufficiency and availability of the needed manpower and
material resources on time. This includes the ready for use of
 equipment and other facilities during the entire assessment
operation.
11. Howwill the terms, problems or task performance
be measured or scored, analysed, interpreted and
communicated?
Setting the criteria and measuring system is necessary in
this stage. This requires the assessor to settle how much or
what weight shall be given for complete or partly complete
answer or task performance of the learner. It also asks of the
system to be used in categorizing each kind of data and the
manner of interpreting results according to the purpose and
objective of assessment. The method of communicating the
findings to the learners and other stakeholders shall likewise
be given importance with much regard to the rights of the
concerned individuals.
12. Who shall be benefited of the assessment results?
The results of the assessment only serve the purpose if
they provide significant contributions or benefits to the
teaching profession, to the institution, to the external
community and to those who may be benefited for the
purpose of revision or improvement of instruction and any
organizational goals and objectives. Hence, results of
assessment serve the purpose of evaluating programs and
through which the plans for improvement are based.
 Review Problems
Directions: Briefly but substantially answer the following
problems in your own words.
1. Differentiate assessment from measurement and
evaluation.
2. Why is there assessment of learning?
3. Differentiate learning objective from instructional
objective.
4. State the reasons why the learning objectives are
important in assessment?
5. How do you determine what the assessment should
contain?
6. What kind of data is needed and how long the assessment
be?
7. When and where will the assessment be conducted?
8. What type of problems shall be included in assessment
and why?
9. What are the resources needed in assessment and why are
they necessary?
10. How are the answers or responses of the students
measured or scores?
Unit 3: Reasons and Principles of
Assessment
This unit embraces the discussion on the purposes
why assessment is necessary and its prodding
principles in educational setting. The discussion aims
to establish a sound appreciation of the assessment
programs in schools and other training institutions.
 The Stakeholders of Assessment

One of the primary pre-assessment questions is the

purpose of assessment, and in a way asking the reasons
why assessment is to be done. Conducting assessment
without any organizational goal-oriented reason is worth
not conducting at all. Across various disciplines, the
following are the most important reasons of many
organization – in the fields of education, business or
corporation.
 Policymakers. They are able to review the rules,
standards and guidelines set for the programs and projects.
They may be able to monitor the results of implementation,
and impose rewards and sanctions. They can develop some
amendments the management of resources in terms of
manpower, money, materials, method, monitoring and time.
 Managers or Administrators. They are able to have an
objective decision-making in terms of program strengths
and weaknesses. They can set a clear measure of their
organizational accountabilities and responsibilities.
They may revisit their goals and priorities, and redesign and
plan some alternatives.
 Teachers and Trainers. They are able to determine the
strengths and weaknesses of the teaching methods
employed in terms of the student learning outcomes. They
may be guided to improve themselves and be prompted to
take advanced studies related to their fields of interest, and
acquire skills in monitoring work performance. They are
able to hold an objective bases in motivating and giving
grades to students or clientele. They may be able to revise
instructional approaches in keeping the balance between
the learning objectives and the capacity of the learners to learn.
 Students and Workers. They may be well-informed of their
respective performances as individuals and groups in a given
lesson or task. They are motivated to develop a study or learning
habit in excellently meeting the requirements. They may obtain
objective bases and gauge of comparing the performance against
others, against set of criteria and standards, and against self.
 Parents. They are updated of the performance of their children
while in school and at work, and may be helped on
ways how to support the improvement of their children in
their careers now and in the future. They may develop
insights on their most important role in helping their children
grow even in times away from them, and most valuable link
between the homes and working places.
 External Community. People outside of the school or
business may have the full grasp of the picture on what
they exist for and how they perform. They may have the
bases to present feedback in ways they are benefited or
affected by the operation, and suggest alternatives for
improvement in a manner that the organizational objectives
and public interests are not sacrificed.
 Principles of Assessment
Substantial in the definition of assessment are the
following principles:
a. Student performance is the best indicator of quality
education.
b. Assessment is related to specific learning objectives
objective.
c. Its design should result to individuals’ growth.
d. Its activities are attempts for professional and useful
practice.
e. It should provide feedbacks that are useful for both the
teachers, learners, the external community and school
itself.
f. Its data analysis and interpretation should offer
opportunities for advancement.
g. It should have a variety of strategies to respond to the
diverse learning paces, styles, and preferences of the
students.
h. Its result should be objectively communicated to the
students with utmost respect of their worth.
i. There is provision of effective and valuable information to
students.
j. It is an active involvement of students in their own learning.
k. It requires adjusting teaching to take account of the results
of assessment.
l. There is recognition of the profound influence assessment
has on the motivation and self esteem of pupils, both of
which are critical influences on learning.
m. The result shall provide bases for revising the institutional
goals and objectives.
 Purposes of Assessment
In school and other organizations where applicable,
assessment serves any of the following purposes.
1. Assessment for Learning
1.1 Assessment undergoes two phases – initial or
diagnostic assessment and formative assessment.
1.2 It can be based on a variety of information sources
(e.g., portfolios, works in progress, teacher observation,
conversation, etc.)
1.3 Its verbal or written feedback to the student is
primarily descriptive and emphasizes strengths, identifies
challenges, and points to next steps.
1.4 Teachers’ check on understanding allows adjusting
their instruction to keep students on track.
1.5 No grades or scores are given – record-keeping is
primarily anecdotal and descriptive.
1.6 It occurs throughout the learning process, from the
outset of the course of study to the time of summative
assessment.
1.7 Assessment for learning (AfL) involves using
assessment in the classroom to raise pupils’ achievement. It is
based on the idea that pupils will improve most if they
understand the aim of their learning, where they are in
relation to this aim and how they can achieve the aim (or
close the gap in their knowledge).
1.8 Effective assessment for learning happens all the time in
the classroom. It involves:
1.8.1 sharing learning goals with students.
1.8.2 helping students aware of the learning outcomes
aimed for.
1.8.3 providing feedback that helps students find means to
improve learning.
1.8.4 believing that every student has the capacity to learn
better than before.
 1.8.5 both the teacher and students cooperating to enhance
learning.
1.8.6 students making unique ways for self-assessment
and improvement.
2. Assessment as Learning
2.1 assessment begins as students become aware of the
goals of instruction and the criteria for performance.
2.2 it involves goal-setting, monitoring progress and
reflecting on results.
 2.3 it implies student ownership and responsibility for
moving or thinking forward (metacognition).
2.4 it occurs throughout the learning process.
2.5 it provides learning by both the teachers and students.
3. Assessment of Learning
3.1 an assessment is accompanied by a number or letter
grade (summative).
3.2 it compares one student’s achievement with standards.
3.3 its results can be communicated to the student and
parents.
 3.4 it occurs at the end of the learning unit.
4. Assessment for Evaluation
4.1 the judgment is made on the basis of a student’s
learning outcomes and performances on a specific
educational objective.
4.2 evaluation takes place only after assessment.
4.3 assessment may stand by itself without evaluation.
5. Assessment for Diagnosis (“Pre-Assessment”)
5.1 the assessment is made to determine what a student
does and does not know about a topic.
5.2 it is made to determine a student’s learning style or
preferences used to determine how well a student can perform a
certain set of skills related to a particular subject or group of
subjects.
5.3 it occurs at the beginning of a unit of study.
5.4 it is used to inform instruction and made as the initial
phase of assessment for learning.
6. Assessment for Formation
6.1 assessment is made to determine a student’s knowledge
and skills including learning gaps as they
progress through a unit of study.
6.2 it is used to inform instruction and guide learning.
6.3 it occurs during the course of a unit of study.
6.4 it makes up the subsequent phase of assessment for
learning.
7. Assessment for Prognosis
7.1 assessment is made to establish information about the
individual as basis to foresee what he is good at and what he
needs to improve.
 7.2 it is used to set a reference through which the student
is helped to improve himself and be ready for his chosen life
in the future.
8. Assessment for Placement
8.1 it helps in intelligent career decision-making.
8.2 it determines the fitness of the learners to certain
education levels.
8.3 it guides learners in choosing their preferred technical-
vocational and professional courses.
8.4 it assists in placing the individual to a job and course
of action within his interests and needs.
9. Assessment for Synthesis
9.1 an assessment made at the end of a unit of study to
determine the level of understanding the student has
achieved.
9.2 it includes a mark or grade against an expected
standard.
9.3 it serves valid and reliable information about the
extent the goals and objectives are met.
9.4 it provides an indicator of success or failure of the
entire program in terms of human and material resources.
10. Assessment for Admission
10.1 an assessment made to determine the characteristics
and traits of the individual or applicant to a job or course.
10.2 it includes comparative data on the present state of
the person and the requirements of the job or course of
action.
10.3 it serves the bases of accepting or rejecting the
individual from the applied job or course of action.
11. Assessment of Intelligence
11.1 assessment is made to determine the mental ability of
the learner.
11.2 it helps to set the adaptability level of the individuals
given the various difficulties.
11.3 it sets the place of learning of the child in any given
situation.
11.4 it provides the information on the accuracy of the
decisions of the learners under pressure.
12. Assessment of Aptitude
12.1 assessment is done to determine the hidden potentials
of the learners.
12.2 it is a means of discovering the likes and dislikes.
12.3 it provides information of some opportunities where
the learners are likely to succeed.
13. Assessment of Personality
13.1 assessment is used to set the holistic picture of the
learners’ person.
13.2 it is a reference of determining the strengths and
weakness.
13.3 it is used to understand the nature of the person and
help him adjust with his environment.
13.4 it provided information about his personal traits as an
individual and member in a group.
13.5 it mirrors the learners’ preferences in terms of people
and work.
14. Assessment of Classification
 14.1 assessment is used to classify a certain individual in
terms of strengths and weaknesses.
14.2 it helps determine the method how the learners will
be helped to learn.
14.3 it sets the kind of group from where the learner is able to
learn, progress and benefit.
15. Assessment for Planning
15.1 assessment is used for obtaining data about program
implementation.
15.2 it serves as feedbacks what the program is at the
present.
15.3 it reflects the status of its accomplishment vis-à-vis
goals and objectives.
15.4 it is the bases for redesigning plans for development
and improvement.
Review Problems

Direction: Briefly but substantially answer the following

problems in your own words.
1. Who are the stakeholders of assessment and why are they
considered as such?
2. Give at least 5 principles of assessment.
3. Give at least 8 purposes or functions of assessment.
4. What makes an assessment for learning?
5. Differentiate an assessment “as learning” from an
assessment “of learning”.
6. Why is assessment for diagnosis necessary for learning?
7. What is assessment for prognosis and for placement?
8. What is assessment of intelligence of aptitude?
9. What is assessment for admission and why is it necessary
in schools?
10. State the meaning and importance of assessment for
classification.
Unit 4: Assessment Community

The unit aims to develop appreciation in the

involvement of persons who may contribute in the
importance of assessment in schools. This unit
contains the concepts on the importance of
participation of the education community in
assessing learning outcomes.
 Composition of Assessment Community

The success of any educational endeavor

largely depends on the corroborated efforts
by all members of the educational
community. This community includes the
school administrator or principal, teachers,
learners and parents, or external community.
Principals as Learners. Principals are models of learning
and are themselves learners as they seek better ways to
improve their managerial functions in terms of restructuring
school time, allocating resources and motivating staff and
those in the rank-in-file positions. They play as the key to
managing and creating the culture of reflective teaching that
expects and teaches the concept revolving around the
importance that excellent performance makes in organization.
Principals can:
1. Utilize multiple measures to create a building based
assessment system that links classrooms and students over
time.
2. Support teachers in their growth in assessment literacy
through staff development.
3. Provide parent education opportunities to help parents
understand assessment.
4. Work with local media to interpret various indices of
school improvement in addition to normative measures.
5. Support development of a building wide portfolio system
that showcases student work and moves from grade to
grade.
6. Make the goals and objectives of school clear and give
focused feedback to on how their classroom efforts
support these goals.

Teachers as Learners. Teachers are learners as they

examine multiple measures of student attitude and
performance as well as indices of community satisfaction. As
students are no
longer being educated to perform rote tasks focused on
knowledge and understanding, so too must teachers be
supported as they acquire adult learning skills as creators and
users of assessment information. In the past, teachers were
often expected to be passive deliverers or curriculum pre-
packaged by a distant textbook publishing company. The
movement toward teachers being makers and users of
assessment data reflects the shift from teacher as assembly
line worker to lifetime learner.
 Teachers find themselves transforming their teaching as
the ongoing assessment reveals how the students approach
the assigned tasks, what helps them learn most effectively,
and what strategies support their learning styles. The more
teachers understand about what students know and how they
think, the more capacity they have to reform their pedagogy,
and the more opportunities they create for student success.
Teachers can:
1. Help students see what good work looks like by providing
adequate models of work that meets requirements,
exceeds requirements and does not meet requirements.
2. Provide students with frequent feedback on specific ways
to improve.
3. Teach students self reflective skills which include the
ability to see how their work meets the standard and what
they need to change to improve.
4. Work with parents on how to monitor work at home in a
positive manner.
5. Be assessment literate in all they do. Share this with
parents.
6. Design lessons with a clear view of the student outcomes
expected.
7. Use grading practices that communicate about student
achievement.
 Students as Learners. Students are traditionally
thought of as the only learners in school. They are now able
to use a variety of tools and resources to demonstrate
learning and
reflect on their progress. Seeing examples of good work,
discussing scoring criteria or rubrics, and even creating
templates to use in assessing their own and each other’s work
develops their ability to identify and thus emulate good work.
Students can:

1. Learn to value their work.

2. Use rubrics to assess their work.
3. Reflect on how their work is similar/ different from the
standard and state what they need to do to improve.
4. Collect work over time and discuss it with an adult.
5. Learn the relationship between effort and outcomes.
 Collectively, schools as learning organizations require a
conceptual shift of power from total assessment by external
sources (teachers, parents tests) to shared assessment both
external and internal (student). In a quality school, there is a
need for a paradigm shift of assessment from teacher-
centered to student- centered learning. Traditional beliefs
about the relationship between teaching and student learning
must be suspended on account that every student is drawn
into the power loop of external factors and learns to construct
indices of quality not only with the teacher.
 The Community as Learners. At an individual school
level, major questions to be asked centers on determining
what to assess and the worthiness of assessment results to
both students, teachers, parents and the school.
In a progressive and updated educational community, true
education is always viewed as a lifetime of boundless
experiences, connecting a variety of personal histories into an
ever expanding and holistic satellite of fruitful meanings,
insights and understanding what makes life at best ahead.
This is to say that quality education is best when the learning
of the students is best applied and practical in their own
unique needs for quality life. Hence, pursuing this kind of
quality education is as well a lifetime challenge among
educators, community and schools.
The school community is more inclined to invest various
means and wrangle over to answer some magical questions
leading to quality education, such as:
1. What is the value of helping everybody know?
2. Why does any test have to be skilfully planned?
3. What is so important in giving grades to student
performance?
4. Why is teaching a profession?
5. What is the purpose of formal education?
Community Members can:

1. Read a variety of books on educational reform expressing

different points of view.
2. Attend several school board meetings.
3. Visit their neighbourhood school.
4. Learn about their state and district accountability system.
5. Become familiar with the types of assessments used in
their community.
6. Have authentic measures and sound assessment that
encourage learning at all levels of the school community and
focuses most directly on the student and the work.
6.1 If you want students to solve problems, have them
solve problems.
6.2 If you want the students to be able to write a persuasive
essay, have them do that.
6.3 If you want the students to communicate mathematical
understanding, then have them explain their process in
arriving at an answer.
7. Have clear learning expectations that make assessment
easier to use data as an accountability tool in a standard
based system.
8. Allow everyone to become a learner to answer the five
critical questions of quality that are collaboratively explored.
8.1 Why do schools exist?
8.2 What are we doing now with it?
8.3 How well are we doing it?
8.4 What do we need to improve?
 8.5 How do we know that we really improve?

Reforms in Assessment of Learning

The following are the basic transformational features of
assessing learning outcomes.
1. The standards-based reform movement grew out of
attempts to answer questions on the assessment tools used
and effective school improvement models.
2. It must begin with an analysis of goals and their match
with the needs of the student population focusing on the
desired student learning outcomes.
3. The models mirror the strategic planning process used in
future world of the learners by clarifying directions,
selecting indicators of progress, analysing results, and
using the information gained to inform further
improvement activities.
4. It must link with the needs of the community to which the
intertwined programs and activities of school and students
are designed for.
5. Students are not treated as passive learners but active
participants in the teaching- learning process.
6. Learning is a two- way communication process, where the
freedom of expression is given due consideration on matters
they ought to grow and improve.
7. There is a paradigm shift from instructional objectives to
learning objectives.
8. Classroom activities are more on learner- centered than
teacher- centered.
9. There is an increased involvement of the students, parents
and the entire educational community.
10. Educational programs are constantly assessed in keeping
with the communal and environmental dynamics.
Review Problems

Directions: Briefly but substantially answer the following

problems in your own words.
1. What composes an assessment community?
2. Do school administrators need still to learn? Why?
3. Why are teachers considered learners?
4. What benefits the community gets from assessment?
5. Why are there schools?
6. What is “true education”?
7. What makes a “high quality education”?
8. How will a teacher makes a transformational approach in
teaching- learning and assessment?
9. What benefits the school administrators get from
assessment?
10. What importance does assessment provide to students?
THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING!  

From: Ms Bern E. Vicente

BSEd- 2 English