Basic Concepts and

Principles in
Assessing Learning

By: ANGEL MAY SOBREMISANA CATALAN

 What is assessment in learning?

The word assessment is rooted

in the Latin word assidere,
which means "to sit beside
another." Assessment is
generally defined as the process
of gathering quantitative and/or
qualitative data for the purpose
of making decisions
 Assessment in Learning can
be defined as the systematic and
purpose-oriented collection,
analysis, and interpretation of
evidence of student learning
order to make informed decisions
relevant to the learners. In
essence, the aim assessment is to
use evidence on student learning
to further promote and manage
learning.
 Assessment and Testing
The most common form of assessment is
testing in the educational context testing
refers to the use of a test or battery of tests
to collect information on student learning
over a specific period of time. A test is a
form of assessment. but not all assessments
use tests or testing. A test can be
categorized as either a selected response
(eg, matching-type of test or constructed
response (eg, essay test, short answer test).
A test can make use of objective formater,
multiple choice enumeration) or subjective
formatlee essay
 Assessment and Grading
A related concept to assessment in learning
is grading, which can be defined as the
process of assigning value to the
performance or achievement of a learner
based on specified criteria or standards.
Aside from tests, other classroom tasks can
serve as bases for grading learners. These
may include a learner's performance in
recitation, seatwork, homework, and
project
 What are the different
measurement frameworks used in
assessment?

the two most common psychometric

theories that serve as frameworks for
assessment and measurement,
especially in the determination of the
psychometric characteristics of a
measure les tests, scale are the
classical test theory (CTT) and the
item response theory (IRT).
 The CTT, also known as the true
score theory, explains that
variations in the performance of
examinees on a given measure
is due to variations in their
abilities. The CTT assumes that
an examinee's observed score in
a given measure is the sum of
the examinee's true score and
some degree of error in the
measurement caused by some
internal and external conditions.
The CTT provides an estimation of
the item difficulty based on the
frequency or number
of examinees who correctly answer
a particular item, items with fewer
number of examinees with correct
answers are considered more
difficult. The CTT also provides an
estimation of item discrimination
based on the number of examinees
with higher or lower ability to
answer a particular item.
 The IRT, on the other hand,
analyzes test items by estimating
the probability that an examinee
answers an item correctly or
incorrectly. One of the central
differences of RT from CTT is that
in IRT, it is assumed that the
characteristic of an item can be
estimated independently of the
characteristic or ability of the
examinee and vice versa.
There are also different IRT models
(eg, one-parameter model, three-
parameter model) which can
provide different item and test
Information that cannot be
estimated using the CTT, In
previous years, there have been an
increase in the use of IRT analysis
as measurement framework despite
the complexity of the analysis
involved due to the availability of
IRT software
Types of assessment in learning

Assessment in learning could

be of different types. The
most common types are
formative, summative,
diagnostic, and placement.
Other experts would describe
the types of assessment as
traditional and authentic
Formative Assessment

refers to assessment activities

that provide information to both
eachers and learners on how they
can improve the teaching learning
process. This type of assessment
is formative because it is used at
the beginning and during
instruction for teachers to assess
learners' understanding
Summative Assessments

are assessment activities that

aim to determine learners’
mastery of content or attainment
of learning out comes. They are
summative, as they are supposed
to provide information on the
quantity or quality of what
students have learned or
achieved at the end of
instruction.
 Diagnostic Assessment
aims to detect the learning problems or
difficulties of the learners so that corrective
measures or interventions are done to
ensure learning. Diagnostic assessment is
usually done right after seeing signs of
learning problems in the course of
teaching. It can also be done at the
beginning of the school year for spirally
designed curriculum so that corrective
actions are applied if pre-requisite
knowledge and skills for the targets of
instruction have not been mastered yet.
 Placement Assessment
is usually done at the beginning of the
school year to determine what the
learners already know or what are their
needs that could inform design of
instruction. Grouping of learners based on
the results of placement assessment is
usually done before instruction to make it
relevant to address the needs or
accommodate the entry performance of
the learners. The entrance examination
given in schools is an example of a
placement assessment
 Traditional Assessment
refers to the use of conventional strategies
or tools to provide information about the
learning of students. Typically, objective
(e.g.. multiple choice) and subjective (e.g.,
essay) paper and pencil tests are used.
Traditional assessments are often used as
basis for evaluating and grading learners.
They are more commonly used in
classrooms because they are easier to
design and quicker to be scored. In
general, traditional assessments are viewed
as an inauthentic type of assessment.
 Authentic Assessment
refers to the use of assessment strategies or tools
that allow learners to perform or create a product
that are meaningful to the learners, as they are
based on real-world contexts. The authenticity of
assessment tasks is best described in terms of
degree rather than the presence or absence of
authenticity. Hence, an assessment can be more
authentic or less authentic compared with other
assessments. The most authentic assessments are
those that allow performances that most closely
resemble real-world tasks or applications in real-
world settings or environments
Principles in Assessing
Learning
There are many principles
in the assessment in
learning. Based on the
different readings
and references on these
principles, the following
may be considered as core
principles:
 Assessment should have a
clear purpose. Assessment starts
with a clear purpose. The methods
used in collecting information
should be based on this purpose.
The interpretation of the data
collected should be aligned with
the purpose that has been set. This
assessment principle is congruent
with the outcome-based education
(OBE) principles of clarity of focus
and design down.
Assessment is not an end in
itself. Assessment serves as a
means to enhance student
learning. It is not a simple
recording or documentation of
what learners know and do not
know. Collecting information
about student learning, whether
formative or summative, should
lead to decisions that will allow
improvement of the learners
 Assessment is an ongoing,
continuous, and a formative
process. Assessment consists of
a series of tasks and activities
conducted over time. It is not a
one-shot activity and should be
cumulative. Continuous feedback
is an important element of
assessment. This assessment
principle is congruent with the
OBE principle of expanded
opportunity.
Assessment is learner-
centered. Assessment is not
about what the teacher does
but what the learner can do.
Assessment of learners
provides teachers with an
understanding on how they
can improve their teaching.
which corresponds to the goal
of improving student learning.
 Assessment is both
process and product-
oriented. Assessment
gives equal importance
to learner performance
or product and the
process they engage in
to perform or produce a
product.
Assessment must be
comprehensive and holistic.
Assessment should be
performed using a variety of
strategies and tools designed to
assess student learning in a
holistic way. Assessment should
be conducted in multiple periods
to assess learning over time.
This assessment principle is also
congruent with the OBE principle
of expanded opportunity
Assessment requires the use of
appropriate measures. For
assessment to be valid, the
assessment tools or measures used
must have sound psychometric
properties, including, but not limited
to, validity and reliability. Appropriate
measures also mean that learners
must be provided with challenging but
age- and context appropriate
assessment tasks. This assessment
principle is consistent with the OBE
principle of high expectations
 Assessment should be as
authentic as possible.
Assessment tasks or activities
should closely, if not fully,
approximate real-life situations or
experiences. Authenticity of
assessment can be thought of as
a continuum from least authentic
to most authentic, with more
authentic tasks expected to be
more meaningful for learners.
Assessment Metaphor
To determine whether you have
acquired the needed information
about the basic concepts and
principles in assessment, use the
space provided to draw a metaphor
(ie, any object, thing, or action you
could liken assessment to that will
visually illustrate what is assessment
in learning. Everyone will share and
discuss the metaphors they have
drawn in class.
 Example:
A thermometer can be drawn as a
metaphor for assessment if you consider
measurement or collection of information
from a person (e. Student) as central in
the assessment process. A thermometer is
a device that collects information about a
person's temperature, which provides
Information on whether a person's body
temperature is normal or not, high
temperature could be a symptom of
fever). The information is then used by
medical personnel to make decisions
relative to the collected information. This
is similar to the process of assessment.