EDU 36: Assessment of Learning 2

Lesson 4
Affective Assessment

Desired Significant Learning Outcomes

In this lesson, you are expected to:

1. develop an assessment tool to measure affective outcomes of learning.

Significant Culminating Performance Task and Success Indicators

Performance Task Success Indicator

Develop an assessment tool to measure Present and discuss the constructed
affective outcomes of students’ learning assessment tool to measure affective outcomes
of learning

What is affective assessment? Why assess the affective domain?

If we deal with the measure of feelings, attitude, or interest, we are into the affective assessment.
From the word itself, this type of assessment deals with the affect dimension of students’ learning. The
affective domain (from the Latin affectus, meaning “feelings”) includes a host of constructs, such as
attitudes, values, beliefs, opinions, interests, and motivation. They are the noncognitive outcomes of
learning that are not easily seen or explicitly demonstrated. The type of assessment in this domain is
not aimed to determine what the students have learned. Rather, it investigates how students feel while
they are learning, and how their learning experiences have influenced their emotions and future
behavior. Teaching is not only imparting content knowledge that requires cognition. It is also knowing
and understanding students as learners and humans. Therefore, it is essential that teachers know the
feeling of pleasure, enjoyment, or even anxiety that learners experience because these feelings will
have bearing on their attitudes, motivation, and beliefs that will eventually be manifested in their future
behavior. Further, with information about the students' affective characteristics, teachers will be able to
individualize their approaches to students and reshape the lesson plan based on the identified needs
of students.

Assessment on the affective domain is not only on the part of teachers to know information about
students. It is also useful for the student themselves. Self-awareness of feelings, emotions, and
attitudes can make students reflect on how they are in the process of learning. This type of
metacognition has proven to enhance learning and contribute to success in academic tasks. Student
attainment is a result of the functioning of his or her whole personality. Cognitive and affective
assessment should work in tandem with what empirical studies have proven.

Unlike cognitive and psychomotor assessments, the affective assessment does not determine the
grades the students get. It rather helps teachers determine what steps need to be taken to help students
achieve academic success. Knowledge of what students view, perceive, and feel as they are engaged
in learning activities will guide teachers to improve their teaching strategies and enhance learning.
Affective assessment can provide supplemental information about a learning difficulty or behavior
problem that affects learning. For example, if students feel nervous about just seeing numerical symbols
and signs of operations, how will the students be helped with this kind of anxiety? Fear of mathematics
will cause nervousness and possibly lead to poor performance, if not failure. Teachers have always
been focused on the attainment of student content knowledge and more often, feel frustrated with
students' poor achievement. The low performance may be caused by affective factors, such as attitude,
interest, and motivation. According to Stiggins (2005), motivation and desire represent the very
foundation of learning. If the students do not want to learn, there will be no learning. Further, Popham

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(2011) contends that affective variables are often more significant than cognitive variables. In the past,
more effort was devoted to the measurement of cognitive learning behavior, but in recent years, the
assessment of the affective characteristics of learners has been given more importance.

What is the taxonomy of the affective domain in learning?

In the affective domain of learning, Krathwohl et al. (1964) developed a taxonomy of affective
qualities that can serve as a guide in doing an affective assessment. These include the following
behavior:

1. To receive: In this level of affective behavior, the learner demonstrates an awareness of an

activity that is happening such that he/she gives attention to that activity. This level involves a
willingness to receive the stimulus. For example, looking at the teacher during a lecture is an
awareness of a learning stimulus, but listening and paying attention indicate willingness in
receiving that stimulus.

2. To respond: In this case, the learner reacts to a given stimulus or information that has been
received. If a learner participates in a class discussion, and not merely listens, then the learner is
at this level of behavior. This behavior may be compliance to a given task, voluntary engagement,
or doing an activity with interest.

3. To value: This is the level where the learner demonstrates a commitment to the object,
knowledge, or activity. Here, the learner has internalized a set of specific values such that these
values are manifested through overt behaviors. For example, picking up litter outside the
classroom without the teacher’s presence or saving money for a book, or putting off lights after
class on own volition is a “valuing” behavior.

4. To organize: This is the level where the learner has internalized and integrated his or her feelings,
emotions, beliefs, opinions, etc., resulting in actions where new values and traits emerged. In this
level, the learner can discern independently right from wrong, and he/she is able to decide on
what is more valuable based on his or her own judgment.

5. To characterize: In this level of affective trait, the learner demonstrates his or her beliefs and
attitudes not only in a single event or situation but in multiple events, showing consistency of the
behavior that establishes an image or character of the learner. The behavior extends beyond the
school setting and becomes part of his or her lifestyle. For example, if doing an experiment has
instilled the value of patience, such a trait could be carried over to the student’s nonscience
activities.

What are the affective variables in learning?

1. Attitudes. This is the most talked about affective factor in a student’s learning. We always talk
about an attitude toward something. This means we are referring to a person’s reaction whether
negative or positive, favorable, or unfavorable toward an object, activity, person, or environment.
In teaching, this will be concerned with the attitude toward learning, subject, teachers, classmates,
homework, and projects or even attitude with wearing of uniforms, attendance to flag ceremony,
and others. Here, we all desire to foster positive attitudes. On the other hand, we also want
students to have a negative attitude toward things like cheating, bullying, fighting, drugs,
absenteeism, and smoking.

2. Values and Beliefs. Values are characteristics or traits that a person holds in high importance.
These include principles that one considers to be right, and consequently which guide the
person's future actions and decisions. In a school setting, values that are included in the

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curriculum are honesty, patience, perseverance, respect for others, cleanliness and order, care
for the environment, etc. Beliefs, on the other hand, refer to our convictions or opinions we hold
to be true even without evidence. While beliefs are traditionally associated with religion, they have
been talked about in the field of education. There are such things as beliefs about mathematics,
freedom, gender equality, etc.

3. Interest. Interest is a psychological state that draws a person’s attention to an object, idea, or
event. In a classroom setting, it is what students are “into” or the learner’s disposition about a
topic, such as reading, science, mathematics, history, etc. It is interest that drives the learner to
be attentive to the topic of discussion or engage in any academic activity. Interest may be personal
or situational. If a student reads a book or saves money to buy books, even if this is not a course
requirement, this means that he/her has a personal interest in reading. However, if a student has
a liking for mathematics because he/she likes his or her mathematics teacher, then his or her
interest in mathematics is situational. Whether personal or situational, it is important for the
teacher to know how students are receptive to the content that is covered in the lesson.

4. Motivation. Brown (1987) defines motivation as an inner drive, impulse, emotion, or desire that
moves one to a particular action. It arouses and sustains behavior. It can lead to increased effort
and energy to pursue a goal. If a learner is highly motivated, he/her is willing to give his or her
time and effort to reach a goal. It brings a learner excitement and enjoyment to an academic task
and enhances cognitive processing and improves learning.

Motivation has other intrinsic factors like curiosity, appreciation, and valuing for learning, as
well as extrinsic factors like praise, grades for completion, certification, etc. Ausubel (1968) has
identified six needs and desires that are integral parts of motivation: (1) the need for exploration,
(2) the need for manipulation, (3) the need for activity, (4) the need for stimulation, (5) the need
for knowledge, and (6) the need for ego enhancement. From this list, we see the critical role of
teachers in creating a learning environment that can provide for these needs for the learners to
reach the highest level of motivation.

5. Self-confidence. This refers to how a person feels about his or her abilities to accomplish a task
or reach a goal. It is the person’s perception of himself/ herself and his or her capabilities to
perform successfully the task given to him/her. Empirical studies showed self-confidence is
associated with academic success. Stankov et al. (2012) have found that students who think they
are skilled in Math tend to perform well on Math and English tests. in the same study, the
researchers contend that confidence tests as an assessment tool can benefit both learning and
teaching. For example, the scores from the self-confidence tests on subject contents provide
students with insights into the topics they are weak in.

What assessment tools are used to measure affective learning?

1. Self-Report Questionnaires. As the name implies, self-report or self-inventory is a type of
assessment where the respondent is asked to answer a question about himself/herself, his or her
behavior, emotions, feelings, or views. It serves many purposes including diagnosis of students'
mental and emotional state. This is also popular in a pre-test and post-test design when the
teacher wants to assess change (e.g., in attitude, interest, motivation) before and after an
instructional period. This assessment tool is easy to administer to get immediate results and
information directly from the person who is most knowledgeable about himself/herself. One
limitation of this method is the honesty of the person-his or her tendency not to write the truth of
what he/she feels. Instead, the student may choose a response that can satisfy the teacher, rather
than writing the truth. The respondent can also be personally biased because he/she is
responding to a nonfactual or subjective statement from his or her own point of view only. To

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prevent this possibility, the one handling the assessment should try to ensure setting the right
environment for getting the most truthful data.

Self-report inventories use a variety of formats. The most common are presented in the
following:

a. Likert Scale. This measuring tool, invented by Rensis Likert, is a series of questions or items
that requires the respondent to select on a scale a rating reflecting the level of agreement or
disagreement on items that are related to a particular topic, experience, or issue. The
responses, both in descriptive and numeric form, range from one extreme to another, such
as “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree”, where “5” is the numerical value of the extreme
positive feeling and “1” for the extreme negative. This kind of scaling gives deeper insight into
what the students are thinking and feeling.

Writing Statements for Rating Scale for Self-Report

Some guidelines might be of help in creating your self-report assessment instrument.

1. Statements should refer to the present conditions rather than past or future situations.
2. The statement should be relevant to the psychological construct being measured.
3. Avoid factual statements since the nature of what is assessed is affective traits.
4. Statements should elicit a response that lends itself to one interpretation.
5. Statements should be clear and simple sentences using precise and direct language.
6. Considering that responses in the instrument reflect gradation, statements should no
longer contain always, nearly, only, never, and just. These words are ambiguous.
7. Use vocabulary appropriate for the level of understanding of the respondents.
8. Avoid double-negative sentences.

Steps in the Construction of the Rating Scale

1. Select the affective trait you want to assess that you find relevant to the teaching-
learning situation. Make sure that you or your school is going to benefit from it and use
the data to improve the present situation.
2. Construct items that are clear, definite, and focused on the trait you want to measure.
Consider the different levels of affective taxonomy in constructing the items. In
addition, since what you are assessing is on emotion or affect, items should include
positive and negative positions that will make the respondent think carefully about the
answer to the item.
3. Pilot test or field try the inventory and revise the parts that appear to be unclear. This
is advised when you want to measure more encompassing and long-term affective
learning outcomes. The purpose of field testing the instrument is to detect unclear
questions and statements, and procedural difficulties the intended respondents can
experience with the questionnaire. It is preferred that field tests be given to a
comparable set of students. If the inventory is intended for Grade 6 students, then
having another class of Grade 6 to give feedback on the inventory will best suit the
purpose of field testing.
4. Administer the self-report inventory to your target respondents. It is advised that
adequate time like on power test is provided for the completion of the inventory.
5. Analyze the results and consider the findings and draw the implication. The most
common scale is 1 to 5, with 1 as the extreme negative option, followed by the less
negative, and mid-range ratings indicating a level of neutrality, with 5 being the highest
positive or favorable response. For the negative items, the numerical values are
reversed. The use of simple statistics is essential. This involves frequency count
relative to each option in the scale, and cumulative percentages to see a pattern of
responses in each item as well as the entire scale. Simple computation of mean will

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be useful in visualizing the collective outcome as a class, as a grade level, or in the

entire school. The most common way to treat data using the Likert scale is to sum the
values of each selected option and determine the score for each respondent. The
score represents a specific trait–agreed or not agree, satisfied or not satisfied,
confident or not confident, etc.

b. Semantic Differential. This is a widely used scale that employs ratings of concepts with
contrasting adjectives placed at opposite ends of the number scale. Like the Likert scale
where there are negative items, the position of the positive and negative adjectives in the
semantic differential is reversed to balance the scale and create a less biased
measurement. The response could then be summed, and a mean could be determined in
each of the adjective pairs.

c. Checklist. A checklist is a form of self-report that asks persons to indicate whether they
demonstrate a set of qualities or behaviors. For affective assessment, it is a tool for
identifying the presence or absence of a feeling, attitude, or behavior. The behaviors that
are checked will reflect what values and beliefs learners hold. For example, attitude toward
the environment may be measured by giving students a checklist that enumerates different
actions related to environmental awareness and commitment in one column and space in
another column where students will put a check or a cross, indicating whether those actions
are being done or not.

2. Interview. This is an oral assessment of student learning that is conducted through spoken words
and casual conversation. This assessment tool allows the teacher to collect and explore more in-
depth information about the trait being assessed that cannot be captured by written instrument
nor even be observed. The assessment data are not just answerable by “Yes” or “No” or other
predetermined responses. Through this assessment technique, the teacher can probe responses
that other forms of assessment tools cannot. The students can qualify and expand their previous
answers, which can be vague in the earlier part of the conversation. It provides students an
opportunity to open other thoughts and ideas, and the teachers can be flexible to adapt questions
as the need arises. It can provide a powerful “moment of sharing” where the learner is able to
express face-to-face his or her feelings and emotions. A prerequisite to achieving all of these is
the trust you must build with the interviewee by demonstrating care and respect.

Interviews may be structured or unstructured. in the structured interview, there is a planned

sequence of questions, which lead to open-ended discussions between the teacher and the
student, either done individually or by group. One limitation though of the structured interview is
that predetermined questions tend to limit flexibility. Some important information about the learner
on constructs you want to pursue may be missed or ignored because you can be controlled by
the list of questions you need to complete. On the other hand, an informal interview will appear to
be natural, and it can create a more conversational environment for sharing, wherein the teacher
will be able to elicit more truthful information from students about themselves.

For an interview to be an effective assessment tool, the following are general steps in
developing and conducting an interview:
1. Select the assessment objectives.
2. List the oral questions in sequence based on the objectives. However, the sequence is not
absolute, instead, there should be room for flexibility. Questions should start with general
questions followed by more specific ones.
3. Make a report sheet or any form to record responses.
4. Conduct the interview. Start with statements that will make the learner be at a comfort level
with the teacher.
5. Record the responses, both elicited responses and responses that were aided by prompts.
Record as well the questions that were not answered, and additional questions that were

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given during the probing process. Record the wait time for the response. It will also be worth
noting to record the nonverbal behavior like body movements during the interview process.

3. Student Journals. These are effective tools that can be used in assessing and monitoring student
thinking and attitudes. Journal writing gives students guided opportunities to "think aloud" through
writing. It is a special form of documentation that records personal experiences and thoughts. It
reflects learners’ own perception of a problem, a situation, or an activity they are tasked with. A
student who encountered a difficult problem and is asked to write about the situation in a journal
will reflect more deeply and think critically about the problem or situation and what actions and
decisions were made to hurdle the difficulties. In journal writing, students are given an opportunity
to rewind previous experiences that can give them new perspectives in facing future actions.
Further, through journals, students are given the opportunity to open up and express their
thoughts and feelings, which can reveal their thinking both on the cognitive and affective aspects
of the problem task.

In choosing journal writing as an assessment tool for affective learning outcomes, here are
some guide questions to consider:
• What is your purpose for the student journal writing (i.e., critical thinking, reflection, self-
awareness, goal review, developing self-confidence, overcoming anxiety)?
• What is the format (i.e., handwritten free form, typed, full sentences)?
• What is the topic? What do you want the student to write about?
• How much do you want your student to write (i.e., number of pages, number of paragraphs,
or number of words)?
• How will the students be given feedback (i.e., individually, with a small group, with the
teacher)?
• Who will read the journal (i.e., with the teacher only, with other teachers, with selected
students)?
• How will the students be graded (i.e., pass/fail, rubric, no scoring needed)?

4. Observation. It is an assessment tool that involves looking out for the presence or absence of
behaviors of learners in a natural setting. Observation allows the teacher to assess student
behavior in the actual teaching and learning process unlike other forms of assessment that require
separate time with the student to answer the measuring instrument. This method is a rich source
of clues that can be both obtrusive and unobtrusive measures of attitude, beliefs, disposition,
character, etc. Example: A Physical Education (P.E.) teacher watches students play basketball on
a school court. While the focus may be on the skill of playing basketball like shooting or throwing
the ball correctly, the teacher can also directly watch who plays the “clean” game and who plays
on “foul” moves or what we often term the “dirty tricks.” Such behavior is indicative of important
affective characteristics like honesty, patience, and positive disposition, which we aim to develop
not only in P.E. but across the school curriculum.

Like interviews, observation may be structured or unstructured. An unstructured observation is

open-ended, with no formal recording of what is observed as the assessment process is ongoing.
This does not mean though that it does not require planning. You must be very clear about what
to observe and list the behaviors and actions that will indicate the possession of the trait. There
is still the need to record observed data right after the actual observation time. Recall the more
specific events, which can be significant, and include both positive and negative actions.
Unstructured observation data had been criticized for being subjective. Thus, be mindful of your
personal interpretation of observed data.

On the other hand, in structured observation, you need to prepare a checklist or rating form
before the actual observation. This checklist defines the positive and negative behaviors indicative
of the trait you wish to measure. The recording is straightforward as it just requires a check on the

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“Yes” and “No” column for the presence or absence of the behavior, respectively, or a check on
the appropriate numerical and descriptive scale if a rating scale is used.

The measures obtained from the observation approach can be made more valid and reliable
with the following guidelines:
1. Set a clear definition of the affective trait you want to observe.
2. Prepare a checklist or rating scale that will define the more specific affective behavior you
want to capture. This checklist or rating scale will also be used in collecting and recording your
data.
3. Consult with a colleague or expert about the behavior listed as doable for observation or not.
You can try this with a sample of students.
4. Have a colleague or colleagues work with you during the actual observation time.
5. Be clear on ethical issues.
6. Record the observation immediately. Use the checklist, supplemented by anecdotal records
that are an open-ended way to record observation. Record factual observations and be
cautious about personal interpretation and biased statements.
7. Review data. Reflect on outcomes.
8. Decide future steps based on the observation results.
9. Adjust planning and apply interventions.
10. Monitor progress.

Concept Check

Following are some questions to see how far you have understood what have been earlier discussed.
1. What is affective learning?
2. Why do we need to measure affective learning?
3. What are some affective traits that are relevant to students’ learning?
4. Why is it more challenging to measure the affective domain of learning?
5. What are the levels of the affective domain of learning?
6. What tools can you use to measure the affective dimension of learning? What are the advantages
and limitations of each measuring tool?

Activity 4

Construct an affective assessment tool for a subject you will most likely handle when you are already a
teacher. To provide you with a sound basis to define and decide on what assessment tool will be most
appropriate and useful to you, you need to do the following:
1. Look for the document on the Basic Education K to 12 Curriculum Framework of your major field
as a future teacher.
2. List the affective traits that are articulated in the curriculum framework.
3. Among the list of affective traits, decide which is the most important trait you want your future
students to emulate. Make sure the answer to this question “Why do you value it most to be
measured?” is very clear for you to appreciate this performance task.
4. Review the taxonomy of affective domains as you develop the items in the assessment tool. You
can choose any of the assessment tools discussed earlier.
5. Considering that affective traits are not easily learned and developed, your assessment tool is
intended at the end of the year, or midyear at the earliest.

Reflection

1. Examine the assessment tool that you constructed. Do you find meaning in the work you have
done?

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2. What was the purpose of this assessment tool? What will it serve?
3. How significant is this tool in your future as a teacher?
4. Is this plan worth your time and effort? Why?
5. What else could be done with this assessment tool? For what other purpose can this be useful?

Reference: Balagtas, M. U. et al. (2020). Assessment in learning 2 (1st ed.). Rex Book Store, Inc.