Chapter I

21 century assessment
st
 Characteristics of the 21st century
assessment
 Responsive
 Visible performance-based work(as a result of assessment) generates data that inform
curriculum and instruction. Teachers can adjust instructions, school leaders can consider
additional educational opportunities for students and policy makers can modify programs and
resources to cater to the present needs of the school community.
 Processes for responding to assessments are thoughtfully developed, incorporating best
practices in feedback and formative assessment. Feedback is to be targeted to the goal and
outcome. Rather than just a single test grade, students are inform of progress toward the
attainment of goal. Self- reflection, peer feedback, and opportunities for revision will be a
natural outcome.
 Characteristics of the 21st century
assessment
Flexible
 Lesson design, curriculum, and assessment require flexibility,
suppleness, and adaptability. Assessments and responses may be fitted to
expected answers. Assessment need to be adaptable to student’s settings.
Rather than the identical approach that works in traditional assessment, 21 st
century approaches are more versatile.
 These approaches best fit for the demands of the learning environment at
present since as student’s decisions, actions, and applications vary, the
assessments and the system need to be flexible, too.
 Characteristics of the 21st century
assessment
 Integrated

 Assessments are to be incorporated into day-to-day practice rather than as

add-ons at the end of instructions or during a single specified week of the
school calendar.
 Assessments enriched by metacognition. Assessment is about stimulating
thinking, building of prior learning, constructing meaning, and thinking about
one’s thinking. It offers opportunities for students to consider their choices,
identify alternative strategies, transfer earlier learning, and present knowledge
through different means.
 Characteristics of the 21st century
assessment
 Informative

 The desired 21st century goals and objectives are clearly stated and explicitly taught.
Students display their range of emerging knowledge and skills. Exemplars routinely guide
students toward achievements of targets.
 Learning objectives, instructional strategies, assessment methods, and reporting
processes are clearly aligned. Complex learning takes time. Students have opportunities to
build on prior learning in a logical sequence. As students develop and build skills, i.e.
learning and innovation skills information, communication and technology skills, and life
and career skills; the work gets progressively more rigorous.
Characteristics of the 21st century
assessment

 Multiple methods
 An assessment continuum that includes a spectrum of
strategies is the norm. students demonstrate knowledge and
skills through relevant tasks, projects, and performances.
Authentic and performance-based assessment is emphasized.
There is recognition of appreciation for the processes and
products of learning.
 Characteristics of the 21st century
assessment

 Communicated
 Communication of assessment data is clear and transparent for all stakeholders. Result
and routinely posted to a database along with standard-based commentary, both of which
must be available and comprehensible at all levels. Students receive routine feedback on
their progress, and parents are kept informed through access to visible progress reports
and assessment data.
 The educational community recognizes achievements of students beyond the
standardized test scores. Large-scale measures, including all the results of traditional and
authentic assessments, include and report on 21st century skills.
 Characteristics of the 21st century
assessment
 Technically sound
 Adjustments and accommodations are made in the assessment process to meet
the students needs and fairness. students demonstrate what they know and how
they can apply that knowledge in ways that are relevant and appropriate for them.
 To be valid, the assessment must measure the stated objectives and 21 st century
skills with legitimacy and integrity.
 To be reliable, the assessment must be precise and technically sound so that
users are consistent in their administration and interpretation of data. They
produce accurate information for decision-making in all relevant circumstances.
Characteristics of the 21st century
assessment

 Systemic
 Twenty-first century assessment is part of comprehensive and well- aligned
assessment system that is balanced and inclusive of all students, constituents, and
stakeholders and designed to support improvement at all levels.
 These eight characteristics of 21st century assessment, are essential guide for the
preparation of assessment activities by educators. It is necessary to refer to these
characteristics to ensure that the learner’s are being assessed towards the skill and
demand of the 21st century.
Instructional decision in assessment

 The major objective of educational assessment is to have a holistic appraisal of a

learner, his/her environment and accomplishments.
 The educational assessment process starts in analyzing the criterion together
with the teaching-learning environment.
 It is than to determine the effect of the environment to the teaching-learning
situation after which, the kind of evidence that are appropriate to use for
assessment of the individuals are set.
 This helps to determine the strengths, weaknesses, needs and personality
characteristics, skills and abilities of the learner(Bloom, 1970)
 Instructional decision in assessment

 Decision-making at different phases of teaching-learning process

 Assessment is constantly taking place in educational settings. Decisions are made
about content/subject matter and specific targets, nature of students and faculty, morale
and satisfaction of both teachers and the students, as well as the extent of which
students performances meet the standard and/or deliver the outcomes expected from
them by the teacher.
 Assessment can be used as basis for decision-making at different phases of the
teaching-learning process. The table below depicts the different phases of the teaching-
learning process, how and what decisions are made by the teachers.
 
 Instructional decision in assessment

 Before the lesson

 Decision to be made:
 Content to cover during following day, week, month, grading period, and so on.
 Abilities of students considering the cultural background, interests, and skills of students in planning the teaching
activities.
 Materials appropriate to use with the students
 Learning activities that will engage both the teacher and students as the lesson is being taught
 Learning targets that the teacher wants to achieve as a result of teaching
 Organization and arrangement of students in class in consideration of the lessons and activities.
 Instructional decision in assessment

 Before the lesson

 Sources of information
 Informal observation of students during class
 Conversation students’ previous teachers
 Scholastic aptitude test results
 Students’ past grades and standardized test results
 Knowledge of students personal family circumstances
 Instructional decision in assessment

During the lesson

Decision to be made:
 Students earning on what and how the lesson is presented
 Improvement needed to make the lesson work better
 What feedback to give each student about how well the student is learning
 Readiness of the students to move to the next activity as planned in the
learning sequence
 Instructional decision in assessment

 During the lesson

 Sources of information
 Observation of students during learning activities
 Students’ response to questions the teacher asked them
 Observation of students interaction
 Diagnosis of the types of errors the students made or erroneous thinking the
students are using
 Look for alternative ways to teach the materials
 Identify if there are students who are not participating and acting appropriately.
 Instructional decision in assessment
After the lesson
Decision to be made:
 How well students achieve the short and long term instructional targets
 Strengths and weaknesses to be given as feedback to parents or guardians of students
 Grade to be given to each student for the lesson or unit, grading period or end of the
course
 Effectiveness of teaching the lesson to the students
 Effectiveness of the for curriculum and materials used for the lesson
 Instructional decision in assessment

 After the lesson

 Sources of information
 Classroom tests, projects, observation
 Interviews with students
 Standardized test results
 Observations of each students classroom participation
 Review each students homework results
 Review each students standardized achievements and scholastic aptitude test results
 Review information about a students personal family circumstances
 Informal observation of how well the student has attained the intended learning targets
 Summaries of the class performance on the important instructional targets
 Summaries of the class performance on selected questions on standardized tests
 Assessment in classroom instruction

Linn and gronlund (2000)described the relevance of assessment in

instructional decision by classifying the varied assessment
procedures according to use in classroom instruction. The following
are the categories and purposes of each category.
Assessment in the classroom
Category Purpose

1. Placement assessment Measures entry behavior

1. Formative assessment Monitors learning process

1. Diagnostic assessment Identifies causes learning process

1. Summative assessment Measures end-of-course achievement

 Assessment in classroom instruction

Lenn (1999) said that informed decision-making in educators is very

important because of the benefits it can bring about. Topmost of these
benefits is the enhancement of students’ learning and development. In
addition, there is the boost on morale and feeling of greatness in knowing
one’s competence in the rea of academic skill and self-worth in knowing
one’s capability to function effectively in society. Lastly, the effective side
of development is equally important, such as personal dimensions,
including being able to adjust to people, and coping with various situations
that will lead to a better life adjustment.
Types of educational decision

 On a greater scale, the use of assessment in decision-making is not

just within the bounds of the classroom. It extends to the whole
education community. Results of assessment may trigger updates in
the existing curriculum and other policies governing the school
system. Or it may be the other way around, so as to plan for changes
or development in school assessments and it what particular aspect
of the school system these changes are necessary.
Types of educational decision

Decision Description Example

Instructional This decision is normally After a test was given by the
made by individual teacher, the result is not so
classroom teacher, as satisfactory thus the teacher
necessary to meet the may decide to re-teach the
targets or objectives set lesson using a different
during classroom strategy so as to improve
engagement. Decisions are the learning and meet the
reached according to the objective/ target set for that
results of test administered particular lesson.
to a class.
Types of educational decision

Decision Description Example

Grading It is usually based on A quarterly grade is

teacher-made tests. based on the following:
Grades are assigned to result of the teacher-
the students using made test, class
assessment as one of participation, projects,
the factors. and attendance.
Types of educational decision

Diagnostic It is made to determine a A teacher gave an essay test.

student’s strengths and The teacher noticed that the
weaknesses and the reason students were able to write
or reasons. more than five
grammatically correct
sentences but the coherence
of the ideas contained in the
paragraph is poor. So the
result shows that the
students still need more help
in understanding the
principles of writing a good
paragraph.
Types of educational decision

Selection It involves accepting or College or university entrance

rejecting the examine based on examination, choosing school
the results of assessment, for Representative for a National
admission or qualification to a Quiz Bee
program or school activity. the
decision are made not by
classroom teachers but by
specialists such as guidance
counselors, administrators or
the selection of committee.
Types of educational decision

Placement It is made after a student has A diagnostic test on English and

been admitted to school. It math were given to freshmen to
involves the process of determine who among them
identifying students who needs may encounter difficulty in
remediation or may be these areas. Those who will get
recommended for enrichment a below- average scores will be
program of the school. included in the remediation
program to help the students
cope with the lessons in English
and Math.
Types of educational decision

Guidance and counseling It utilizes test data to assist The NCAE helps to identify which
students in making their personal career path the student may
choices for future career and help pursue that matches his/her
them know their strengths and interests and skills, whether
weaknesses by means of academic, vocational or technical
standardized tests. programs.
On the other hand, teachers may
use the results of socio-metric test
to identify who among the students
are popular or unpopular. Those
who are unpopular may be given
help for them to gain friends and
become more sociable.
Types of educational decision

Program or curriculum It is made not at the level of The decision to implement the
the teachers but on higher level K-12 curriculum in order to
such as division, regional or avoid mismatch among
national level. Based on the graduates and the industry and
result of assessment and to be at par with the
evaluation, educational curriculum implemented in the
decisions may be reached: to Philippines neighboring
continue, discontinue, revise or countries.
replace a curriculum or
program being implemented.
 Types of educational decision

Administrative policy It involves determining the To conduct a remediation class,

implications to resources additional budgets are necessary
including financial consideration for the logistics (classroom,
in order to improve the student instructional materials,
learning as a result of an assessment materials, etc. )and
assessment. It may entail also the additional pay for the
acquisition of instructional teachers that will handle the
materials, books, etc. to raise the remedial classes.
level of students ’performance in
academic, or non- academic or
both.
 Outcome-based assessment

 Knowing what is expected from the learners by their teachers at the end of a particular
lesson helps them to meet those targets successfully.
 In relation to this, teachers who have set clear targets for their lessons, will be guided
accordingly as they deliver their lesson through instructional learning activities to
meet the desired outcomes. Thus, all assessment and evaluation activities must be
founded on the identified student intended learning outcomes (ILO).
 These ILOs should be identified and clarified with students so that it will be an
effective teaching- learning process as the teachers commence the learning activities
through delivery of the lessons.
Outcome-based assessment

 Student learning outcome

 Student learning outcome is the totality of accumulated knowledge, skills, and
attitudes that students develop during a course of study. And this serve as the basis
for assessing the extent of learning in an Outcome Based Education (OBE).
 Outcome Based Assessment must be continuously done during the entire teaching
learning both by the teachers and students to ensure that the activities are aligned
with the expected outcomes set for the students by the teacher. Providing feedback
including the results of assessment is important to identify the next steps ( to be done
by the teacher and student) toward the realization of the intended learning outcome.
 Outcome-based assessment

 Sources of student expected learning outcome

 There are several factors that need to be considered in defining the outcomes, to ensure that these are
aligned with the set directions of the program and evaluation setting in general.
 Mission statement of the school
 Mandated policies on competencies and standards issued by government education agencies.
 Competencies expected by different professions, business, and industry.
 Development plan and goals as well as the current thrusts of both the national and local governments.
 Current global trends and developments so that graduates can complete globally.
Outcome-based assessment

 General 21st century skills focusing on the following:

 Oral and written communication
 Quantitative
reasoning ability together with scientific
methodology
 Analyzing, synthesizing and developing creative solutions.
 Use of technology
 Information literacy
 Characteristics of good learning outcome

 Very specified, and use verbs ( that makes expectation clear). By being very specific, it
informs students of the standards by which they will be assessed, and ensures that student
and instructor goals in the coursed are aligned.
 Focused on the learner: rather than explaining what the instructor will do in the course,
good learning outcomes describe knowledge or skills that the student will employ, and help
the learner understand why that knowledge and those skills are useful and valuable to their
personal, professional, and academic future.
 Are realistic: all passing students should be able to demonstrate the knowledge or skills
described by the learning outcome at the conclusion of the course. In this way, learning
outcomes establish standards for the course.
Characteristics of good learning outcome

 Focus on the application and integration of acquired knowledge and

skills: good learning outcomes reflect and indicate the ways in which the
described knowledge and skills may be used by the learner now and in the
future.
 Good learning outcomes prepare students for assessment and help them
feel engage in and empowered by the assessment and evaluation process.
 Offer a timeline for completion of the desired learning.