Basic Concepts and Principles

in Assessing Learning
LESSON 1 / CHAPTER 1

Balagtas, M.U., David, A.P., Golla, E.F., Magno, C.P., & Valladolid, V.C. (2019). Assessment in
Learning 1: Outcomes-based Workstext. Quezon City: Rex Book Store, Inc.
 COPYRIGHT

This is an exclusive and copyrighted property of REX Book Store Inc. All rights reserved.
No part of this material shall be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by
any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical
methods, without the prior written consent of REX Book Store Inc.

WWW.REXBOOKSTORE.PH LESSON 1 / CHAPTER 1

 What is Assessment of Learning?
⮚ Assessment is generally defined as the process of gathering quantitative and/or qualitative
data for the purpose of making decisions.

⮚ Assessment of learning can be defined as the systematic and purpose-oriented collection,

analysis, and interpretation of evidences of student learning in order to make informed
decisions relevant to the learners.

⮚ How is assessment of learning similar or different from the concept of measurement or

evaluation of learning?

⮚ Measurement refers to the actual collection of quantitative information on student

learning through the use of varied strategies and tools.
⮚ Evaluation refers to the actual process of making a decision or judgment on student
learning based from the information collected from measurement.

WWW.REXBOOKSTORE.PH
 Assessment and Testing
⮚ The most common form of assessment is testing. In the educational contexts, testing refers to the use of
a test or battery of tests to collect information on student learning over a specific period of time.

⮚ A test can be categorized as:

- selected-response (e.g. matching-type of test) or constructed-response (e.g. short answer test)
- objective format (e.g. multiple-choice) or subjective format (e.g. essay)

⮚ A table of specifications (TOS), a table that maps out the essential aspects of a test (e.g. test objectives,
contents, topics covered by the test, item distribution) is used in the design and development of a test.

⮚ A test should be valid, reliable, has acceptable level of difficulty, and can discriminate between learners
with higher and lower ability.

WWW.REXBOOKSTORE.PH
 Assessment and Grading
⮚ A related concept to assessment of learning is grading which can be defined as the process of assigning a
numerical score on the performance or achievement of a learner based on specified criteria or standards.

⮚ The following are sample tasks that can serve as bases for grading:
- test, recitation, seatwork, homework, project

⮚ The final grade of a learner in a subject or course is a summation of information from multiple sources (i.e.
several assesssment tasks or requirements).

⮚ Grading is a form of evaluation as grades provide information whether a learner passed or failed a subject or
a particular assessment task.

WWW.REXBOOKSTORE.PH
What are the Different Measurement Frameworks Used in Assessment?

Framework Description
CLASSICAL TEST THEORY ❑ Explains that variations in the performance of examinees on a given measure
(CCT) is due to variation in their abilities
❑Assumes that an examinee’s observed score in a given measure is a sum of
the examinee’s true score and some degree of error in the measurement
brought about by some internal and external conditions
❑ Provides estimation for item difficulty based on the frequency or number of
examinees who correctly answered a particular item, wherein items with fewer
number of examinees with correct answers are considered as more difficult
❑ Provides estimation for item discrimination based on the number of
examinees with higher or lower ability being able to answer a particular item. If
an item is able to discriminate between examinees with higher ability (i.e.
higher total test score) and those with lower ability (i.e. lower total test score),
an item is considered to have good discrimination
❑ Test reliability can also be estimated using approaches from CTT (e.g. Kuder-
Richardson 20, Cronbach’s alpha)

WWW.REXBOOKSTORE.PH
What are the Different Measurement Frameworks Used in Assessment?

Framework Description
ITEM –RESPONSE THEORY ❑ Analyzes test items by estimating the probability that an examinee answers
(IRT) an item correctly or incorrectly
It is assumed that the characteristic of an item can be estimated independent
❑
of the characteristic or ability of an examinee and vice-versa
❑ Aside from item difficulty and item discrimination indices, IRT analysis can
provide significantly more information on items and tests such as fit statistics,
item characteristic curve (ICC), and test characteristic curve (TCC)
❑ There are different IRT models (e.g. one-parameter model, three-parameter
model) which can provide different item and test information that cannot be
estimated using the CTT.

WWW.REXBOOKSTORE.PH
 What are the Different Types of Assessment of Learning?

Type Description
Formative Refers to assessment activities that provide information for both teachers and
Assessment learners on how they can improve the teaching-learning process. This type of
assessment is formative because it is used at the beginning and during
instruction for teachers to assess learners’ understanding.
Summative Refers to ssessment activities that aim to determine learners’ mastery of content
Assessment or attainment of learning outcomes. They are summative as they are supposed
to provide information on the quantity or quality of what students have learned
or achieved at the end of instruction.

WWW.REXBOOKSTORE.PH
 What are the Different Types of Assessment of Learning?

Type Description
Placement • This assessment aims to detect the learning problems or difficulties of the learners so
Assessment that corrective measures or interventions are done to ensure learning.
• Diagnostic assessment is usually done right after seeing signs of learning problems in
the course of teaching. It can also be done at the beginning of school year for spirally-
designed curriculum so that corrective actions are applied if pre-requisite knowledge
and skills for the targets of instruction have not been mastered yet.
Diagnostic • This assessment is usually done at the beginning of the school year to determine what
Assessment the learners already know or what their needs are that could inform design of
instruction.
• Grouping of learners based on the results of placement assessment is usually done
before instruction to make it relevant to address the needs or accommodate the entry
performance of the learners.
• The entrance examination given in schools is an example of a placement assessment.

WWW.REXBOOKSTORE.PH
 What are the Different Types of Assessment of Learning?
Type Description
Traditional Assessment Refers to the use of traditional assessment strategies or tools to provide
information about the learning of students. Typically, objective (e.g. multiple-
choice) and subjective (e.g. essay) paper-and-pencil tests are used. Traditional
assessments are often used as basis for evaluating and grading learners. They
are more commonly used in classrooms because they are easier to design and
quicker to be scored.

Authentic Assessment Refers to the use of assessment strategies or tools that allow learners to perform
or create a product that are meaningful to the learners as they are based on
real-world contexts. The authenticity of assessment tasks is best described in
terms of degree and not in terms of the presence or absence of authenticity.
The most authentic assessments are the ones that allow performances that
most closely resemble real-world tasks or applications in real-world settings or
environment.

WWW.REXBOOKSTORE.PH
What are the Different Principles in
Assessing Learning?
 
1. Assessment should have a clear purpose.
 
2. Assessment is not an end in itself.
3. Assessment is an ongoing, continuous, and a formative process.
4. Assessment is learner-centered.
5. Assessment is both process- and product-oriented.
6. Assessment must be comprehensive and holistic.
7. Assessment requires the use of appropriate measures.
8. Assessment should be as authentic as much as possible.

WWW.REXBOOKSTORE.PH
 Thank You!!!

WWW.REXBOOKSTORE.PH