Resource File 21st Century Assessment
Resource File 21st Century Assessment
Overview
In order to thrive in this constantly changing and extremely challenging period, the
acquisition of 21st century skills is necessary. It is imperative that the educational system sees that
these skills are developed and honed before the learners graduate. It should be integrated in the
program of each discipline. More than just acquiring knowledge, its application is important. To
ensure that education has really done its role, ways to measure or to assess the learning process are
necessary. Thus, the assessment processes and tools must be suited to the needs and requirements
of the 21st century. In this chapter, the characteristics of 21 st century assessment, how it is used as
one of the inputs in making instructional decision, and outcome-based assessment will be discussed.
Inevitably the 21st century is here, demanding a lot of changes, development, and re-engineering
of systems in different fields for this generation to thrive. In the field of education, most of the
changes focused on teaching and learning. Preparing and equipping the teachers to cater to the
needs of the 21st century learners are part of the adjustments being done in the education system.
Curricula are updated to address the needs of the community in relation to the demands of the 21 st
century. This aspect of teaching and learning has been given its share of focus, the various
components/factors analyzed and updated to ensure that students' learning will be at par with the
demands of the 21st century. Although a lot of changes has been made on the different facets of
education, there are some members of the educational community calling for corresponding
development or change in educational assessment. Viewing educational assessment as agent of
educational change is of great importance. This belief, coupled with the traditional focus on teaching
and learning will produce a strong and emerging imperative to alter our long-held conceptions of
these three parts: teaching, learning, and assessment (Greenstein, 2012).
Twenty-first century skills must build on the core literacy and numeracy that all students must
master. Students need to think critically and creatively, communicate and collaborate effectively,
and work globally to be productive, accountable citizens and leaders. These skills to be honed must
be assessed, not just simply to get numerical results but more so, to take the results of assessment
as guide to take further action.
Educators need to focus on: what to teach; how to teach it; and how to assess it (Greenstein,
2012; Schmoker, 2011).
The Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills project (atc21s.org) has a core belief that
alignment of goals with learning and assessment is essential to policy and practice. They emphasize
the importance of balanced assessment systems that incorporate the 21 st century goals.
This section focuses on the characteristics of 21 st century assessment and the different types of
assessment. You are expected to integrate the concepts that will be discussed and apply them in
using appropriate assessment tools and techniques in making instructional decisions; and finally,
relate assessment to learning outcomes.
1.1 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.
1.2 Flexible
Lesson design, curriculum, and assessment require flexibility, suppleness, and adaptability.
Assessments and responses may not be fitted to expected answers. Assessment need to be
adaptable to students' settings. Rather than the identical approach that works in traditional
assessment. 21st century approaches are more versatile. These approaches best fit for the demands
of the learning environment at present since as students' decisions, actions and applications vary,
the assessments and the system need to be flexible, too.
1.3 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.
1.4 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 achievement of targets.
Demonstration or 21st century skills are evident and support learning. Students show the
steps they go through and display their thought processes for peer and teacher review.
1.6 Communicated
Communication of assessment data is clear and transparent for all stakeholders. Results are
routinely posted to a database along with standards-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.
Adjustments and accommodations are made in the assessment process to meet the student
needs and fairness. Students demonstrates what they know and how they can apply that knowledge
in ways that are relevant and appropriate for them.
To be valid, the assessments 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.
1.8 Systemic
These eight characteristics of 21 st 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 learners are being assessed towards the skills and demand of the 21 st century.
The educational assessment process starts in analyzing the criterion together with the
teaching-learning environment. It is done 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).
It is clear that educational assessment encompasses the total educational setting and not
limited to the teacher-student engagement. It is not merely based on a single aspect such as taking a
test, and checking it. In totality, the processes of measurement and evaluation are subsumed in the
educational assessment 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 the teachers and the students, as well as the extent of which student performances meet
the standard and/or deliver the outcomes expected from them by the teacher.
Assessments 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:
The list of decisions and possible sources of information that could be used as input in
decision-making process is not exhaustive. More can be included, based on teaching-learning
observations and experience during Field Study and Observation courses. Suggested sources of
information for decision-making is not limited to a single choice. A combination of two or more if
necessary may be used to make decision making process as sound as possible.
Based on what was presented, it can be inferred that there is a very close relationship
between assessment and instruction. The data on observation and evidences and other sources of
information serve as basis for the teacher to decide what action he/she needs to do to help the
learner achieve the desired learning outcome. Note that data used may be from informal
assessments such as observation from interaction of teacher and learner and through formal one,
such as giving of actual case/problem for calculation as what mentioned in the above example.
CATEGORY PURPOSE
1. Placement Assessment Measures entry behavior
2. Formative Assessment Monitors learning progress
3. Diagnostic Assessment Identifies causes of learning problems
4. Summative Assessment Measures end-of-course achievement
Linn (1999) said that informed decision-making in education 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 area of academic skill and self-worth in knowing one’s capability to
function effectively in society. Lastly, the affective 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.
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 in what
particular aspect of the school system these changes are necessary.
Kubiszyn and Borich (2002) classified the different educational decisions into eight (8)
categories. These types of decisions are described briefly below.
These aforementioned educational decisions are the primary reasons why assessment in the
educational setting is implemented continuously. Prior to implementing the assessment, its objective
and target must be clearly defined so as not to cause wastage in terms of resources and ensures that
the results will be utilized and evaluated that will consequently yield to recommendations that are
beneficial to the school community in general.
3. 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.
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
As aforementioned, outcomes or targets for every lesson is to be defined and clarified by the
teacher at the start of the course/learning activities. This is necessary so as both the students and
teachers will be guided to what steps taken during the course of the teaching-learning activities.
There are several factors that need to be considered in defining the outcomes, to ensure that these
are with the set directions of the program and evaluation setting in general. Following are the
factors that need to be considered in crafting the student expected learning outcomes.