Lesson 1: Introduction

What is assessment?
In education, the term assessment refers to the wide variety of methods or tools that
educators use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning
progress, skill acquisition, or educational needs of students.

3 Types of Assessment

• Assessment of Learning

The purpose of this kind of assessment is usually SUMMATIVE and is mostly done at the end
of a task, unit of work etc.

“It is designed to provide evidence of achievement to parents, other educators, the students
themselves and sometimes to outside groups (e.g., employers, other educational
institutions).

” Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind”

Assessment of learning: where assessment informs students, teachers and parents, as well
as the broader educational community, of achievement at a certain point in time in order to
celebrate success, plan interventions and support continued progress.

• Assessment for Learning

The emphasis shifts from summative to FORMATIVE assessment in Assessment for Learning.
Assessment for Learning happens during the learning, often more than once, rather than at
the end. Students understand exactly what they are to learn, what is expected of them and
are given feedback and advice on how to improve their work.
Assessment for learning: where assessment helps teachers gain insight into what students
understand in order to plan and guide instruction, and provide helpful feedback to students.

• Assessment as Learning

Through this process students are able to learn about themselves as learners and become
aware of how they learn – become megacognitive (knowledge of one’s own thought
processes). Students reflect on their work on a regular basis, usually through self and peer
assessment and decide (often with the help of the teacher, particularly in the early stages)
what their next learning will be. Assessment as learning helps students to take more
responsibility for their own learning and monitoring future directions.

Assessment as learning: where students develop an awareness of how they learn and use
that awareness to adjust and advance their learning, taking an increased responsibility for
their learning.

Definition of Terms:

1. Assessment-is the systematic process of documenting and using empirical data to

measure knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs. By taking the assessment, teachers
try to improve the student's path towards learning.
2. Evaluation-focuses on grades and might reflect classroom components other than
course content and mastery level. An evaluation can be used as a final review to
gauge the quality of instruction. It’s product-oriented. This means that the main
question is: “What’s been learned?” In short, evaluation is judgmental.
3. Measurement- determines the degree to which an individual possesses a defined
characteristic.
4. Test-is a device or technique used to measure the performance, skill level, or
knowledge of a learner on a specific subject matter.
5. Testing-A method to determine a students ability to complete certain tasks or
demonstrate mastery of a skill or knowledge of content.
6. Formative Assessment-is used to monitor student’s learning to provide ongoing
feedback that can be used by instructors or teachers to improve their teaching and
by students to improve their learning.
7. Placement Assessment-evaluates a student's math, reading, and English skills. The
score a student receives from each assessment determines which level of Math and
English classes is needed to be successful in college classes.
8. Diagnostic Assessment-is a form of pre-assessment that allows a teacher to
determine students' individual strengths, weaknesses, knowledge, and skills prior to
instruction. It is primarily used to diagnose student difficulties and to guide lesson
and curriculum planning.
9. Summative Assessment-is used to evaluate student’s learning at the end of an
instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark.
10. Traditional Assessment-refers to standardized testing that uses questions with a
limited number of answer choices. It includes multiple choice, true or false and some
short answer responses.
11. Portfolio Assessment-is an assessment form that learners do together with their
teachers, and is an alternative to the classic classroom test. The portfolio contains
samples of the learner's work and shows growth over time.
Purpose of assessment
Assessment drives instruction
A pre-test or needs assessment informs instructors what students know and do not know at
the outset, setting the direction of a course. If done well, the information garnered will
highlight the gap between existing knowledge and a desired outcome. Accomplished
instructors find out what students already know, and use the prior knowledge as a stepping
off place to develop new understanding. The same is true for data obtained through
assessment done during instruction. By checking in with students throughout instruction,
outstanding instructors constantly revise and refine their teaching to meet the diverse needs
of students.

Assessment drives learning

What and how students learn depends to a major extent on how they think they will be
assessed. Assessment practices must send the right signals to students about what to
study, how to study, and the relative time to spend on concepts and skills in a course.
Accomplished faculty communicate clearly what students need to know and be able to do,
both through a clearly articulated syllabus, and by choosing assessments carefully in order
to direct student energies. High expectations for learning result in students who rise to the
occasion.

Assessment informs students of their progress

Effective assessment provides students with a sense of what they know and don’t know
about a subject. If done well, the feedback provided to students will indicate to them how
to improve their performance. Assessments must clearly match the content, the nature of
thinking, and the skills taught in a class. Through feedback from instructors, students
become aware of their strengths and challenges with respect to course learning
outcomes. Assessment done well should not be a surprise to students.

Assessment informs teaching practice

Reflection on student accomplishments offers instructors insights on the effectiveness of
their teaching strategies. By systematically gathering, analyzing, and interpreting evidence
we can determine how well student learning matches our outcomes / expectations for a
lesson, unit or course. The knowledge from feedback indicates to the instructor how to
improve instruction, where to strengthen teaching, and what areas are well understood and
therefore may be cut back in future courses.

Role of grading in assessment

Grades should be a reflection of what a student has learned as defined in the student
learning outcomes. They should be based on direct evidence of student learning as
measured on tests, papers, projects, and presentations, etc. Grades often fail to tell us
clearly about “large learning” such as critical thinking skills, problem solving abilities,
communication skills (oral, written and listening), social skills, and emotional management
skills.

When student learning outcomes are not met

Accomplished faculty focus on the data coming out of the assessments they complete
before, during and at the end of a course, and determine the degree to which student
learning outcomes are or are not met. If students are off course early on, a redirecting,
reteaching of a topic, referral to student learning centers, or review sessions by the
instructor may remediate the problem. Through careful analysis it is possible to determine
the challenges and weaknesses of instruction in order to support student learning
better. Some topics or concepts are notoriously difficult, and there may be a better
approach to use. Perhaps a model, simulation, experiment, example or illustration will
clarify the concept for students. Perhaps spending a bit more time, or going over a topic in
another way will make a difference. If the problem is noticed late in the course, an
instructor may plan to make any instructional changes for the next time the course is taught,
but it is helpful to make a note of the changes needed at the time so that the realization is
not lost.

http://teachingcommons.cdl.edu/cdip/facultyteaching/purposeofassessment.html

https://curriculum.gov.mt/en/Assessment/Assessment-of-
Learning/Documents/assessment_of_for_as_learning.pdf

The key concepts of assessment

Concepts are the aspects involved throughout the assessment process, for example:

• accountability

• achievement

• assessment strategies

• benchmarking

• evaluation

• internally or externally devised assessment methods (formal and informal)

• progression

• transparency
• types of assessment e.g. initial (at the beginning), formative (ongoing) or summative (at
the end)

You need to be accountable to your learners and your organisation to ensure you are
carrying out your role as an assessor correctly. Your learners should know why they are
being assessed and what they have to do to meet the assessment criteria. You will also be
accountable to the awarding organisation if you assess accredited qualifications. You might
be accountable to employers if you are assessing their staff in the work environment. There
may be other organisations, such as CAA, HSE (First Aid), to whom you are accountable for
your assessment decisions. Lastly you should remember you may be held accountable in law
for decisions you make.

You may be required to analyse achievement data and compare this to national or
organisational targets. It’s always a useful evaluation method to examine records of how
many learners you have, how many successfully complete their programme and in what
timescale.

You should follow the assessment strategy for your subject, which will ensure you are
carrying out your role correctly. This may be derived from a Sector Skills Council, the
Awarding Organisation, or internally. The CAA, in CAP699, have statements on assessment.
For 699 and many qualifications you should hold, or be working towards, the required
assessor qualifications.

Benchmarking involves comparing what is the accepted standard for a particular subject
area against how well your own learners’ are performing. This could be internally, or
through discussion/working with other organisations in the same industry. Using
benchmarking data can help inform target setting for individuals, or groups. If learners don’t
achieve the benchmark, you carry out an evaluation of your programme and identify if
improvements can be implemented.

Evaluation of the assessment process should always take place to inform current and future
practice. All aspects of the assessment cycle should be evaluated on an ongoing basis and
feedback obtained from all involved.

Principles of assessment

The principles are how the assessment process is put into practice, for example, being: fair –
ensuring the assessment process is honest and moral, and takes into account confidentiality
and integrity, assessment activities should be fit for purpose, and planning, decisions and
feedback justifiable, and safe – ensuring the methods used are appropriate, there is little
chance of plagiarism, the work can be confirmed as authentic, confidentially is taken into
account, learning and assessment was not compromised in any way, nor was the learner’s
experience or potential to achieve (safe in this context does not relate to health and safety
but to the assessment types and methods used).

Two important principles are known as VACS and SMART.

VACS

Valid – the work is relevant to the assessment criteria.

Authentic – the work has been produced solely by the learner.

Current – the work is still relevant at the time of assessment.

Sufficient – the work covers all the assessment criteria.

Following VACS will help ensure assessment decisions are accurate.

To ensure that your decisions are in line with requirements they should also be Reliable –
the work is consistent across all learners, over time and at the required level. Clearly this
applies to more than one learner, VACS applies to all, individual, or groups.

SMART – related to the assessment planning.

Specific – the activity relates only to what is being assessed and is clearly stated.

Measurable – the activity can be measured against the assessment requirements, allowing
any gaps to be identified.

Achievable – the activity can be achieved at the right level.

Relevant – the activity is realistic and will give consistent results.

Time bound – target dates and times can be agreed.

Planning SMART assessment activities will ensure all the assessment requirements will be
met by learners, providing they have acquired the necessary skills and knowledge
beforehand.

http://www.bas-training.com/assets/handouts---key-concepts-and-principles-of-
assessment.pdf

http://teachingcommons.cdl.edu/cdip/facultyteaching/purposeofassessment.html
https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/assess/role.html