PED 106: ASSESSMENT IN LEARNING 1

CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION TO ASSESSMENT IN
LEARNING

LESSON 1:
Basic Concepts and Principles
in Assessing Learning
Desired Significant Learning Outcomes

In this lesson, students are expected to:

• describe assessment in learning and related concepts and
• demonstrate understanding of the different principles in
assessing learning through the preparation of an assessment
plan.
1. What is assessment in learning?
The word assessment is rooted in the Latin word assidere, which
means “to sit beside another.”
Assessment is generally defined as the process of gathering
quantitative and/or qualitative data for the purpose of making decisions.
Assessment in learning is vital to the educational process similar to
curriculum and instruction.
Schools and teachers will not be able to determine the impact of
curriculum and instruction on students or learners without assessing
learning. Therefore, it is important that educators have knowledge and
competence in assessing learners.
Assessment in Learning – defined as the systematic and purpose-oriented
collection, analysis, and interpretation of evidence of student learning in order to
make informed decisions relevant to the learners.

Aim of Assessment
Is to use evidence on student learning to further promote and manage learning.
Assessment of Learning can be characterized as;
A. Process
B. Based on Specific Objectives
C. From Multiple Sources
How is assessment in learning similar or different from the concept of
measurement or evaluation of learning?

Measurement – can be defined as the process of quantifying the attributes of an

object.
Whereas Evaluation – may refer to the process of making value judgments on the
information collected from measurement based on specified criteria.
In the context of Assessment in Learning, measurement refers to the actual
collection of information on student learning through the use of various strategies
and tools, while evaluation refers to the actual process of making a decision or
judgment on student learning based on the information collected from the
measurement.
 Therefore, assessment can be considered as an umbrella term consisting of
measurement and evaluation. However, there are some authors who consider
assessment as distinct and separate from evaluation (e.g., Huba and Freed 2000,
Popham 1998).

Assessment and Testing

Testing – the most common form of assessment.
In the Educational Context
Testing – refers to the use of a test or battery of tests to collect information on
student learning over a specific period of time.
Test
• is a form of assessment, but not all assessments use test or testing.
• can be categorized as either a selected response (e.g., matching-type of test) or
constructed response (e.g., essay test, short answer test).
• can make use of objective format (e.g., multiple choice, enumeration) or
subjective format (e.g., essay).

Objective Format – provides for a more BIAS-FREE scoring as the test items
have exact correct answers.
Subjective Format – allows for a less objective means of scoring, especially if no
rubric is used.
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.
Descriptive Statistics - are typically used to describe and interpret the results of
tests.
A test is said to be good and effective if it has acceptable psychometric properties.
Psychometric properties means that a test should be valid, reliable, has acceptable
level of difficulty, and can discriminate between learners with higher and lower
ability. Teachers are expected to be competent in the design and development of
classroom tests.
EXAMPLE OF TABLE OF SPECIFICATION
Assessment and Grading
Grading – is a related concept to assessment in learning. Is defined as the process
of assigning value to the performance or achievement of a learner based on
specified criteria or standards.

Aside from tests, other classroom tasks can serve as bases for grading learners.
These may include a learner’s performance in recitation, seatwork, homework, and
project.
The final grade of a learner in a subject or course is the summation of information
from multiple sources (i.e. several assessment tasks or requirements).
Grading is a form of evaluation which provides information on whether a learner
passed or failed a subject or a particular assessment task.
2. What are the different measurement frameworks used in
assessment?

The two most common psychometric theories that serve as frameworks for
assessment and measurement, especially in the determination of the psychometric
characteristics of a measure (e.g., tests and scale), are
1. The Classical Test Theory (CTT)
2. The Item Response Theory (IRT)
What is Classical Test Theory?
Classical Test Theory (CTT), sometimes called the true score model, is the mathematics
behind creating and answering tests and measurement scales. The goal of CTT is to
improve tests, particularly the reliability and validity of tests.

Reliability implies consistency: if you take the ACT five times, you should get roughly
the same results every time. A test is valid if it measures what it’s supposed to.

It’s called “classic” because Item Response Theory is a more modern framework.

True Scores
Classical Test Theory assumes that each person has an innate true score. It can be
summed up with an equation:
X = T + E,
Where:
X - is an observed score,
T - is the true score,
E - is random error.

For example, let’s assume you know exactly 70% of all the material covered in a
statistics course. This is your true score (T); A perfect end-of-semester test (which
doesn’t exist) should ideally reflect this true score. In reality, you’re likely to score
around 65% to 75%. The 5% discrepancy from your true score is the error (E).

The errors are assumed to be normally distributed with a mean of zero;

Hypothetically, if you took the test an infinite number of times, your observed score
should equal your true score.
Classical Test Theory also known as the True Score Model
- is the mathematics behind creating and answering tests and measurement scales.
- The goal of CTT is to improve tests, particularly the reliability and validity of tests..
• explains that variations in the performance of examinees on a given measure is due to
variations in their abilities.
• assumes that an examinee’s observed score in a given measure is the sum of examinee’s
true score and some degree of error in the measurement caused by some internal and
external conditions.
• also assumes that all measures are imperfect, and the scores obtained from a measure
could differ from the true score of an examinee.
• provides an estimation of the item difficulty based on the frequency or number of
examinees who correctly answer a particular item; items with fewer number of examinees
with correct answers are considered more difficult.
• Also provides an estimation of item discrimination based on the number of examinees
with higher or lower ability to answer a particular item. If an item is able to distinguish
between examinees with higher ability (i.e., higher total test score) and lower ability (i.e.,
lower total test score), then an item is considered to have good discrimination.
The Item Response Theory or IRT on the other hand;
• The item response theory (IRT), also known as the latent response theory refers to a family
of mathematical models that attempt to explain the relationship between latent traits
(unobservable characteristic or attribute) and their manifestations (i.e. observed outcomes,
responses or performance).
• analyzes test items by estimating the probability that an examinee answers an item
correctly or incorrectly. One of the central differences of IRT from CTT is that in IRT, it is
assumed that the characteristics or ability of the 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 also 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. In previous years, there have been an
increase in the use of IRT analysis as measurement framework despite the complexity of
the analysis involved due to the availability of IRT software.
3. What are the different types of assessment learning?
Assessment in learning could be of different types. The most common types are
formative, summative, diagnostic, and placement. Other experts would describe the
types of assessment as traditional and authentic.
Formative Assessment
• refers to assessment activities that provide information to both teachers and
learners on how they can improve the teaching-learning process.
• This type of assessment called formative because it is used at the beginning and
during instruction for teachers’ understanding .
The information collected on student learning allows teachers to make adjustments to
their instructional process and strategies to facilitate learning. Through performance
reports and teacher feedback, formative assessment can also inform learners about
their strengths and weaknesses to enable them to take steps to learn better and
improve their performance as the class progresses.
Summative Assessment
• are assessment activities that aim to determine learner’s mastery of content 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.
While data from summative assessment are typically used for evaluating learners’
performance in class, these data also provide teachers with information about the
effectiveness of their teaching strategies and how they can improve their
instruction in the future.
• through performance reports and teacher feedback, summative assessment can
also inform learners about what they have done well and what they need to
improve on their future classes or subjects.
Diagnostic Assessment
• aims to detect the learning problems or difficulties of the learners so
that corrective measures or interventions are done to ensure learning.
• is usually done right after seeing signs of learning problems in the
course of teaching.
• It can also be done at the beginning of the 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.
Placement Assessment
• Is usually done at the beginning of the school year to determine what
the learners already know or what their needs that could inform design
of instruction.
• The entrance examination given in schools is an example of a
placement assessment.
• 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.
Traditional Assessment
• Refers to the use of conventional 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 test are used.
• Are often used as basis for evaluating and grading leaners.
• They are more commonly used in classrooms because they are easier
to design and quicker to be scored.
• In general, Traditional assessments are viewed as an inauthentic type
of assessment.
Authentic Assessment
• Refers to the used 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 degree
rather than the presence or absence of authenticity. Hence, the
assessment can be more authentic or less authentic compared with other
assessments.
The most authentic assessments are those that allow performances
that most closely resemble real-world tasks or applications in real world
settings or environments.
4. What are the different principles in assessing learning?
There are many principles in the assessment in learning. Based on the
different readings and references on these principles, the following may
be considered as core principles.
1. Assessment should have a clear purpose. Assessment starts with a
clear purpose. The methods used in collecting information should be
based on this purpose. The interpretation of the data collected should
be aligned with the purpose that has been set.
This assessment principle is congruent with the outcome-based
education (OBE) principles of clarity of focus and design down.
2. Assessment is not an end in itself. Assessment serves as a means
to enhance student learning. It is not a simple recording or
documentation of what learners’ know and do not know. Collecting
information about student learning, whether formative or summative,
should lead to decisions that will allow improvement of the learners.
3. Assessment is an ongoing, continuous, and a formative process.
Assessment consists of a series of tasks and activities conducted over
time. It is not a one-shot activity and should be cumulative.
Continuous feedback is an important element of assessment. This
assessment principle is congruent with the OBE principle of
expanded opportunity.
4. Assessment in learner-centered. Assessment is not about
what the teacher does but what the learner can do. Assessment
of learners provides teachers with an understanding on how they
can improve their teaching, which corresponds to the goal of
improving student learning.
5. Assessment is both process-and product-oriented.
Assessment gives equal importance to learner performance or
product and the process they engage in to perform or produce a
product.
6. Assessment must be comprehensive and holistic. Assessment should
be performed using a variety of strategies and tools designed to assess
student learning in a holistic way. Assessment should be conducted in
multiple periods to assess learning over time. This assessment principle is
also congruent with the OBE principle of expanded opportunity.
7. Assessment requires the use of appropriate measures. For
assessment to be valid, the assessment tools or measures used must have
sound psychometric properties, including, but not limited to, validity and
reliability. Appropriate measures also mean that learners must be provided
with challenging but age-and context-appropriate assessment tasks. This
assessment principle is consistent with the OBE principle of high
expectations.
8. Assessment should be as authentic as possible. Assessment tasks or
activities should closely, if not fully, approximate real-life situations or
experiences. Authenticity of assessment can be thought of as a
continuum from least authentic to most authentic, with more authentic
tasks expected to be more meaningful for learners.