Module 1: Basic Concepts of Assessment

Objectives:

At the end of this module the students shall be able to:

 define the basic and founding concepts of assessment and differentiate each concepts;
 discuss the significance and functions of measurement;
 enumerate the different types of measurement tools; and
 determine and differentiate types of assessment methods.

Discussion:

Definitions of Measurement
 An operation performed on the physical world by an observer.
 Process by which information about attributes or characteristics of things are determined and
differentiated.
 Process of assigning symbols to dimensions of phenomena.
 The following are the steps involved in measurement (Thorndike, 1977; Oriando and Antonio, 1984):

1. Identifying and defining the quality or attribute to be measured.

2. Determining a set of operations by which the attribute may be made manifested and
perceivable.
3. Establishing a set of procedures or definitions for translating observations into quantitative
statements of degree or amount.

Definitions of Educational Measurement

 Educational measurement is the process of determining the quantity of achievement of learners
by means of appropriate measuring instrument. (Calderon and Gonzales, 1993)
 It is the process of quantifying individual’s achievement, personality, attitudes, habits and skills.
 Educational measurement is the assessing of academic or educational achievement which
includes all aspects of testing and test construction.
 It deals with the process of obtaining a quantitative degree of achievement of objectives set for
an educational setting and evaluation adds to it the value judgment. Gronlund and Linn (1990)
view measurement as answering the question “How much?” and evaluation as answering “How
good?”.

Assessment
Assessment is the process of gathering and discussing information from multiple and diverse
sources in order to develop a deep understanding of what students know, understand and can do with
their knowledge as a result of their educational experiences. The process culminates when assessment
results are used to improve subsequent learning.
According to the Higher Learning Commission assessment of student learning is a participatory,
iterative process that:
 provides data/information you need on your student’s learning;
  engages you and others in analyzing and using this data/information to confirm and improve
teaching and learning;
 guides you in making educational and institutional improvements; and
 evaluates whether changes made improve/impact student learning and documents the learning
and your efforts.

Types of Assessments
1. Formative and Summative Assessments
 Formative Assessment is a range of formal and informal assessment procedures employed
by teachers during learning process in order to modify teaching and learning activities to
improve student attainment. (e.g. quizzes, recitation).
 Importance of Formative Assessment:
o It identifies future learning needs and gaps.
o It also identifies an individual’s support needs.
o It provides feedback to learners.

 Summative Assessment is the process of assessing (and grading) the learning of students at
a point in time such as after a quarter or a unit. (e.g. quarter test, unit test).
 Importance of Summative Assessment:
o It measures their understanding of a subject.
o It checks student’s mastery of a subject.

2. Criterion-referenced and Norm-referenced Assessments

 Criterion-referenced assessment provides for translating test scores into a statement about
the behavior to be expected of a person with that score or their relationship to a specified
subject matter. (e.g. teacher-made test and quizzes).
 Norm-referenced assessment is the process of assessing (and grading) the learning of
students by judging (and ranking) them against the performance of their peers. (e.g.
standardize exams)

Evaluation
Evaluation is the process of determining the quality of an attribute with based on certain
standards (Calderon and Gonzales, 1993). It is the process used in making judgments or decisions about a given
program, method or technique.

Types of Evaluation
1. Diagnostic evaluation detects student’s learning difficulties which is somehow are not revealed by
formative test. This kind of test is given prior to the start of a school year, semester or unit.
2. Formative evaluation provides feedback regarding the student’s performance in attaining
instructional objectives. Given right after instruction to identify the errors that needed to be
corrected and it provides information to make instruction more effective.
3. Placement evaluation defines student’s entry behavior. It determines knowledge and skills he
possesses which are necessary at the beginning of instruction.
4. Summative evaluation determines the extent to which objectives of instruction have been attained
and is used for assigning grades/marks.
References:

Gutierrez, Danilo S; Assessment of Learning Outcomes (Cognitive Domain) Book 1; Malabon City, Manila;
Kerusso Publishing House, 2007

Calderon, Jose F. and Gonzales, Expectacion; Measurement and Evaluation; Mandaluyong City, Manila:
National Book Store, 1993.

Thorndike, R; Measurement and Evaluation in Psychology and Education, 6th Edition; Upper Saddle
River, NJ; Prentice-Hall, 1997.

Oriondo, Leonora L. and Dallo-Antonio, Eleanor M.; Evaluating Educational Outcomes; Manila; Rex Book
Store, 1994.
Name Date

Course/Year Score Rating

Activity No. 1

A. Determine if the following statements are true or false. Write TRUE on the space provided if the
statement is true. If it is false, underline the word/words that make it so and write the correct word
on the space.

_____________1. Measurement provides data or information you need on your student’s learning.
_____________2. Diagnostic evaluation detects student’s learning difficulties which is somehow are not
revealed by formative test.
_____________3. Formative assessment is the process of assessing the learning of students at a point in
time such as after a quarter or a unit.
_____________4. Summative assessment It identifies future learning needs and gaps.
_____________5. Evaluation provides for translating test scores into a statement about the behavior to be
expected of a person with that score or their relationship to a specified subject matter.
_____________6. Criterion-referenced evaluation provides feedback regarding the student’s performance
in attaining instructional objectives.
_____________7. Measurement is the assessing of academic or educational achievement which includes all
aspects of testing and test construction.
_____________8. Placement evaluation is a form of exam that defines student’s entry behavior.
_____________9. A diagnostic test measures students’ understanding of a specific subject or learning area.
_____________10. Measurement and evaluation are the same assessment concepts.

B. Answer the following:

1. What is the difference between measurement, assessment and evaluation?

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2. How important do you think are the basic concepts of assessment important to your future
teaching career?
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