CHAPTER 1

BASIC CONCEPTS IN
ASSESSMENT
 KEY TERMS
• Assessment
• Evaluation
• Measurement
• Test
• Testing
• Formative Assessment
• Placement Assessment
• Diagnostic Assessment
• Summative Assessment
• Traditional Assessment
• Portfolio Assessment
• Performance Assessment
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the chapter, the students should be able
to:
1. Define the terms: Evaluation, Measurement ,Test,
Testing, Formative Assessment, Placement
Assessment, Diagnostic Assessment, Summative
Assessment, Traditional Assessment, Portfolio
Assessment, Performance Assessment;
2. Discriminate the different purposes of assessment;
3. Differentiate the different types of assessment;
4. Identify and discuss the general principles
of assessment;
5. Discuss the different guidelines for
effective student assessment; and
6. Differentiate norm-referenced
interpretation from criterion-referenced
interpretation.
INTRODUCTION
Assessment of Learning focuses on the
development utilization of assessment tools to
improve the teaching-learning process. It emphasizes
on the use of testing for measuring knowledge,
comprehension and other thinking skills. As part of
the overall evaluation process, we need specifically to
find out if the learners are actually learning (changing
their behavior) as a result of the teaching.
 This will show us whether the teaching has been
effective, which is ultimately the most important
issue. Assessment is a means of finding out what
learning is taking place. As well as specific
knowledge and skills, we might also like to
measure other changes in behavior related to
‘personality’, social skills, interests, learning
styles, among others.
The assessment itself can be done in different ways:
1. Ask the learner to recall facts or principles (e.g.,
What is ‘x’?).
2. Ask the learner to apply given or recalled facts or
principles (e.g., How does x help you solve this
problem?).
3. Ask the to select and apply facts and principles to
solve a given problem (e.g., what do you know that
will help you solve this problem?).
4. Ask the learner to formulate and solve his or her
own problem by selecting , generating and
applying facts and principles (e.g., What do I see
as the problem here and how can I reach a
satisfying solution?).

5. Ask the learner to perform tasks that shows

mastery of the learning outcomes.
 Once again, we need to stress the importance of
participation, and this is especially important in
assessment and evaluation. Learners should be
actively involved in both in development of
learning objectives, and as much as possible in their
own assessment. In many education systems,
assessment is used as a tool of ‘sorting’ students for
selection purposes. Assessment where students are
compared with each other is known as norm-
referencing.
 It is much better if learners are aware of what
they need to learn and what they have learned, so
they can set their own targets and monitor their
own progress. Of course, teachers and trainers
should advise the learners, and guide them in order
to help them learn; this is the key role of the
teacher. Assessment of learners in relation to a
particular target or level of performance is called
criterion-referencing.
DIFFERENT TERMINOLOGIES: ASSESSMENT,
TESTING, MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION
Assessment, measurement and evaluation mean
many different things. These terms are sometimes
used interchangeably in the field of education. In
this section, we shall point out the fundamental
differences of the terms assessment, testing,
measurement and evaluation.
 The term Assessment refers to the different
components and activities of different schools. An
assessment can be used to student learning and
comparing student learning with the learning goals of an
academic program. Assessment is defined as an act of
process of collecting and interpreting information about
student learning. Another source expands this statement
by adding that it is a systematic process of gathering,
interpreting, and using this information about student
learning.
 It is a very powerful tool for educational improvement.
It emphasizes on individual student or groups of
individuals and on the academic program of a certain
educational institution. There are different purposes of
assessment such as: to provide feedback to students and
to serve as diagnostic tool for instruction. For this
purpose assessment usually answers the questions, “Was
the instruction effective?” and “Did the students achieve
the intended learning outcomes?”
 Assessment is a general term that includes different
ways that the teachers used to gather information in the
classroom. Information that helps teachers understand
their students, information that is used to plan and
monitor their classroom instruction, information that is
used to a worthwhile classroom culture and information
that is used for testing and grading. The most common
form of assessment is giving a test. Since test is a form
of assessment, hence, it also answers the question, “how
does individual student perform?”
TEST
is formal and systematic instrument, usually
paper and pencil procedure designed to assess
the quality, ability, skill or knowledge of the
students by giving a set of question in uniform
manner. A test is one of the many types of
assessment procedure used to gather information
about the performance of students.
TESTING
is one of the different methods used to measure the
level of performance or achievement of the learners.
Testing also refers to the administration, scoring, and
interpretation of the procedures designed to get
information about the extend of the performance of
the students. Oral questionings, observations, projects,
performances and portfolios are the other assessment
processes that will be discussed later in detail.
MEASUREMENT
is a process of quantifying or assigning number to
individual’s intelligence, personality, attitudes and
values, and achievement of the students. In other
words, express the assessment data in terms of
numerical values and answer the question, “how
much?” Common example of measurement is when a
teacher gives scores to the test of the students such as
Renzel got 23 correct answers out of 25 items in
Mathematics test;
Princess Mae got 95% in her English first grading
periodic test; Ronnick’s score 88% in his
laboratory test in Biology. In this examples,
numerical values are used to represent the
performance of the students in different subjects.
After collecting the assessment data, the teacher
will use this to make decisions or judgement about
the performance of the students in a certain
instruction.
EVALUATION

Refers to the process of judging the quality of

what is good and what is desirable. It is the
comparison of data to a set of standard or
learning criteria for the purpose of judging the
worth or quality.
Example, in judging the quality of an essay written by
the students about their opinion regarding the first state
of the nation address of Pres. Benigno C. Aquino,
evaluation occurs after the assessment data has been
collected and synthesized because it is only in this time
where teacher is in the position to make judgement
about the performance of the students. Teachers
evaluate how well or to what extent the students
attained the instructional outcomes.
TYPES OF ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES

Classroom assessment procedures can be

classified according to the nature of assessment,
use in the classroom instruction and methods of
interpreting the results (Gronlund and Lim,
2000).
NATURE OF ASSESSMENT
1. Maximum Performance
 it is used to determine what individuals can do
when performing at their best. Examples of
instruments using maximum performance are
aptitude tests and achievement tests.
2. Typical Performance
 it is used to determine what individuals will
do under natural conditions. Examples of
instruments using typical performance are
attitude, interest, and personality inventories,
observational techniques and peer appraisal.
FORMAT OF ASSESSMENT

1. Fixed-choice Test
 An assessment used to measure knowledge
and skills effectively and efficiently. Standard
multiple-choice is an example of instrument
used in fixed-choice test.
2. Complex-performance Assessment
 An assessment procedure used to measure the
performance of the learner in contexts and on
problems valued in their own right. Examples
of instruments used in complex-performance
assessments are hands-on laboratory
experiment, projects, essays, oral presentation.
ROLE OF ASSESSMENT IN
CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION
“Teaching and learning are reciprocal processes that
depend on and affect one another (Swearingen 2002 and
Kellough, 1999).” The assessment component of the
instructional processes deals with learning progress of
the students and the teacher’s effectiveness in imparting
knowledge to the students.
 Assessment enhances learning in the
instructional processes if the result provides
feedbacks to both students and teachers. The
information obtained from the assessment is used
to evaluate the teaching methodologies and
strategies of the teacher. It is also used to make
teaching decisions. The result of assessment is used
to diagnose the learning problems of the students.
 There are four roles of assessment used in the
instructional process. The first is placement
assessment, a type of assessment given at the
beginning of instruction. The second and the third
type of assessment are formative assessment and
diagnostic assessment given during instruction and
last is the summative assessment given at the end
of instruction.
1. Beginning of Instruction
Placement Assessment according to Gronlund, Linn,
and Miller (2009) is concerned with entry performance
and typically focuses on the questions: Does the learner
posses the knowledge and skills needed to begin the
planned instruction?
To what extent has the learner already developed the
understanding and skills that are the goals of planned
objectives?
To what extend do the student’s interest, work habits,
and personality indicate that one mode of instruction
might be better than another?
The purpose of placement assessment is to determine
the prerequisite skills, degree of mastery of the course
objectives and the best mode of learning.
2. During Instruction
During the instructional process the main concern of a
classroom teacher is to monitor the learning progress of
the students. Teacher should assess whether the students
achieve the planned learning outcomes, the teacher
should provide a feedback to reinforce learning. Based
on recent researches, it shows that providing feedback to
students is the most significant strategy to move students
forward in their learning.
 Garnison and Ehringhaus (2007), stressed in their
paper “Formative and Summative Assessment in the
Classroom”, that feedback provides students with an
understanding of what they are doing well, links to
classroom learning, and gives specific input on how to
reach the next step in learning progression. If it is not
achieved, the teacher will give group or individual
remediation. During this process we shall consider
formative assessment and diagnostic assessment.
 Formative Assessment is a type of assessment used
to monitor the learning progress of the students during
instruction. The purposes of formative assessment are
the following: to provide immediate feedback to both
student and teacher regarding the success and failures of
learning; to identify the learning errors that are in need
of correction; to provide teachers with information on
how to modify instruction; and also to improve learning
and instruction.
 Diagnostic Assessment a type of assessment given at
the beginning of instruction or during instruction. It aims
to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the students
regarding the topics to be discussed. The purposes of
diagnostic assessment are to determine the level of
competence of the students; to identify the students who
already have knowledge about the lesson; to determine
the causes of learning problems that cannot be revealed
by formative assessment; and to formulate a plan for
remedial action.
3. End of Instruction
Summative Assessment is a type of assessment
usually given at the end of a course or unit. The
purposes of summative assessment are to determine the
extent to which the instructional objectives have been
met; to certify student mastery of the intended learning
outcomes as well as use it for assigning grades; to
provide information for judging appropriateness of the
instructional objectives; and to determine the
effectiveness of instruction.
METHODS OF INTERPRETING THE
RESULTS
1. Norm-referenced Interpretation
It is used to describe student performance according
to relative position in some known group. In this
method of interpretation it is assumed that the level of
performance of students will not vary much from one
class to another class.
Example: ranks 5th in a classroom group of 40.
2. Criterion-referenced Interpretation
It is used to describe student performance according to
a specified domain of clearly defined learning tasks. This
method of interpretation is used when the teacher wants
to determine how well the students have learned specific
knowledge or skills in a certain course or subject matter.
Examples: divide three-digit whole numbers correctly
and accurately; multiply binomial terms correctly.
 There are ways of describing classroom
tests and other assessment procedures.
This table is a summary of the different
types of assessment procedures that was
adapted and modified from Gronlund,
Linn, and Miller (2009).
Classificat Types of Function of Example of
ion Assessment Assessment Instruments
Maximum It is used to Aptitude tests,
Performance determine what achievement
individuals can do tests
when performing
Nature of at their best
Assessme Typical It is used to Attitude, interest,
nt Performance determine what and personality
individuals will inventories;
do under natural observational
techniques; peer
conditions. appraisal
Classification Types of Function of Example of
Assessment Assessment Instruments
Fixed-choice An assessment Standard
test used to measure multiple-
knowledge and choice test
skills effectively
and efficiently.
Form of An assessment
Complex- Hands-on
Assessment performance procedure used to laboratory
assessment measure the experiment,
learner in
contexts and on project, essays,
problems valued oral
in their own presentation.
right.
Classificat Types of Function of Example of
ion Assessment Assessment Instruments

An assessment Readiness
procedure used to tests, pretests
determine the on course
learner’s objectives,
Use in Placement prerequisite skills, self-report
classroom degree of mastery inventories,
instruction of the course observational
goals, and/or best techniques
modes of learning.
Classificat Types of Function of Example of
ion Assessment Assessment Instruments

An assessment Teacher-made
procedure used to tests, custom
determine the made tests from
Use in learner’s learning textbook
classroom Formative progress, provides publishers,
instruction feedback to observational
reinforce learning, techniques
and corrects
learning errors.
Classificati Types of Function of Example of
on Assessment Assessment Instruments
An assessment Published
procedure used to diagnostic tests,
determine the teacher-made
Use in causes of learner’s diagnostic tests,
classroom Diagnostic persistent learning observational
instruction difficulties such techniques.
as intellectual,
physical,
emotional, and
environmental
difficulties.
Classificati Types of Function of Example of
on Assessment Assessment Instruments
An assessment Teacher-made
procedure used survey test,
to determine the performance
Use in end-of-course rating scales,
classroom Summative achievement for product scales.
instruction
assigning
grades or
certifying
mastery of
objectives.
Classificati Types of Function of Example of
on Assessment Assessment Instruments
It is used to Teacher-made
describe student survey test,
performance performance
Methods of according to a rating scales,
interpreting Criterion- specified domain product scales.
results referenced of clearly defined
learning tasks.
Example: multiplies
three-digit to whole
numbers correctly
and accurately.
Classificati Types of Function of Example of
on Assessment Assessment Instruments
It is used to Standardized
describe student’s aptitude and
performance achievement
Methods of Norms- according to tests, interest
interpreting referenced relative position inventories,
results in some known
group.
adjustment
Example:ranks inventories.
5th a classroom
group of 40.
OTHERS TYPES OF TEST
Others types of descriptive terms used to
describe tests in contrasting types such as the
non-standardized versus standardized test;
objective versus subjective tests; supply versus
fixed-response tests; individual versus group
tests; mastery versus survey tests; speed versus
power tests.
NON-STANDARDIZED TEST VERSUS
STANDARDIZED TEST
1.Non-standardized test is a type of test
developed by the classroom teachers.
2.Standardized tests is a type of a test
developed by test specialists. It is
administered, scored and interpreted using a
certain standard condition.
OBJECTIVE TEST VERSUS SUBJECTIVE
TEST
1.Objective test is a type of a test in which two
or more evaluators give an examinee the same
score.
2.Subjective test is a type of a test in which the
scores are influenced by the judgment of the
evaluators, meaning there is no more correct
answer.
SUPPLY TEST VERSUS FIXED-
RESPONSE TEST
1.Supply test is a type of test that requires the
examinees to supply an answer, such as an essay test
item or completion or short answer test item.
2.Fixed-response test is a type of test that requires the
examinees to select an answer from a given option
such as multiple-choice test, matching type of test, or
true / false test.
INDIVIDUAL TEST VERSUS GROUP
TEST
1.Individual test is a type of test
administered to student on a one-on –one
basis using oral questioning.
2.Group test is a type of test administered
to a group of individuals or group of
students.
MASTERY TEST VERSUS SURVEY TEST
1.Mastery test is a type of achievement test that
measures the degree of mastery of a limited set
of learning outcomes using criterion-reference to
interpret the result.
2.Survey test is the type of test that measures
student’s general achievement over a board
range of learning outcomes using norm-
reference to interpret the result.
SPEED TEST VERSUS POWER TEST
1.Speed test is designed to measure number of
items an individual can complete over a certain
period of time .
2.Power test is designed to measure the level of
performance rather than speed of response. It
contains test items that are arranged according to
increasing degree of difficulty.
MODES OF ASSESSMENT
There are different types or modes of
assessment used by a classroom teacher
to assess the learning progress of the
students. These are traditional
assessment, alternative , performance-
based assessment, and portfolio
assessment.
TRADITIONAL ASSESSMENT
It is a type of assessment in which the students
choose their answer from a given list of choice.
Examples of this type of assessment are
multiple-choice test, standard true/false test,
matching type test, and fill-in-the-blank test. In
traditional assessment, student are expected to
recognized that there is only one correct or best
answer for the question asked.
 ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
An assessment in which students create an original
response to answer a certain question. Students respond
to a question using their own ideas, in their own words.
Examples of alternative assessment are short-answer
questions, essays, oral presentations, exhibitions,
demonstrations, performance assessment, and portfolios.
Other activities included in this type are teacher
observation and student self-assessment.
COMPONENTS OF ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
a. Assessment is based on authentic tasks that
demonstrate students’ ability to accomplish
communication goals.
b. The teacher and students focus on communication,
not on right and wrong answers.
c. Students help the teacher to set the criteria for
successful completion of communication tasks.
d. Students have opportunities to assess themselves
and other peers.
PERFORMANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT
Performance assessment (Mueller, 2010) is an
assessment in which students are asked to perform real-
world tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of
essential knowledge and skills.
It is a direct measure of student performance because
the tasks are designed to incorporate context, problems
and solution strategies that students would use in real
life. It focuses on processes and rationales.
There is no single correct answer; instead student are
lead to craft polished, through and justifiable responses,
performances and products. It also involved long-range
projects, exhibits, and performances that are linked to the
curriculum. In this kind of assessment, the teacher is an
important collaborator in creating tasks, as well as in
developing guidelines for scoring and interpretation.
Details regarding performance-based assessment will be
discussed in Chapter 7.
PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT
Portfolio assessment is the systematic, longitudinal
collection of student work created in response to specific,
known instructional objectives and evaluated in relation to
the same criteria (Ferenz, K,2001).
Portfolio is a purposeful collection of student work that
exhibits the student’s efforts, progress and achievements in
one or more areas over a periods of time. It measures the
growth and development of students. Further details
portfolio assessment will be discussed in Chapter 7.
GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE STUDENT
ASSESSMENT
Improvement of student learning is the main purpose of
classroom assessment. This can be done if assessment is
integrated with good instruction and is guided by certain
principles. Gronlund (1998) provided the general guidelines
for using student assessment effectively.
1.Effective assessment requires a clear concept of all
intended learning outcomes.
2.Effective assessment requires that a variety of
assessment procedures should be used.
3.Effective assessment requires that the instructional relevance pf the
procedure should be considered.
4.Effective assessment requires an adequate sample of student
performance.
5.Effective assessment requires that the procedures must be fair to
everyone.
6.Effective assessment requires specifications to criteria for judging
successful performance.
7.Effective performance requires feedback to student emphasizing
strengths of performance and weakness to be corrected.
8.Effective assessment must be supported by comprehensive
grading and reporting system.