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Functions of Assessment Functions of Assessment

Why do we assess students?Why do we assess students?

Discuss in your group and suggest the three most Discuss in your group and suggest the three most important reasonsimportant reasons

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Functions of AssessmentFunctions of Assessment

To facilitate learning:To facilitate learning: . Measure the extent a student has achieved the set objectives. Measure the extent a student has achieved the set objectives . Motivate students to learn. Motivate students to learn . Monitor, assist and improve learning through constructive. Monitor, assist and improve learning through constructive feedbackfeedback

To facilitate teaching:To facilitate teaching: . Provide feedback to assist and improve teaching. Provide feedback to assist and improve teaching

For institutional / professional requirements:For institutional / professional requirements: . Grade, rank or select students. Grade, rank or select students . Maintain standard . Maintain standard

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Assessing Student Learning OutcomesAssessing Student Learning Outcomes

Problems with assessing student learning outcomesProblems with assessing student learning outcomes

Discuss and share in your group any problems you Discuss and share in your group any problems you have encountered or concerns that you have in have encountered or concerns that you have in assessing the learning outcomes of your studentsassessing the learning outcomes of your students

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Processes Involved in AssessmentProcesses Involved in Assessment

1. Setting the assessment criteria1. Setting the assessment criteria

2. Providing evidence in relation to those criteria2. Providing evidence in relation to those criteria

3. Making a judgment on the evidence provided3. Making a judgment on the evidence provided

4. Communicating the results of the judgment4. Communicating the results of the judgment

5. Making use of the results of the assessment5. Making use of the results of the assessment

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Principles of AssessmentPrinciples of Assessment .. Clear purpose – central purpose is to improve Clear purpose – central purpose is to improve student learningstudent learning .. An integral part of the curriculum design and An integral part of the curriculum design and planningplanning .. Relevant criteriaRelevant criteria .. Appropriate methodsAppropriate methods . Clear communication and transparent . Clear communication and transparent .. Consistent proceduresConsistent procedures .. Valid and practicable tasksValid and practicable tasks . Realistic workload. Realistic workload .. Provision of constructive feedback to facilitate Provision of constructive feedback to facilitate

and improve learning and teachingand improve learning and teaching . Regular review and improvement of the system. Regular review and improvement of the system

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Approaches and Models of AssessmentApproaches and Models of Assessment

Formative / Summative Formative / Summative

Criterion-referenced / Norm-referencedCriterion-referenced / Norm-referenced

Contextualized / Decontextualized Contextualized / Decontextualized (authentic) (authentic) (unauthentic) (unauthentic)

Measurement model / Standards modelMeasurement model / Standards model

Teacher-centred / Student-centred Teacher-centred / Student-centred

Teacher- / Peer- / Self-assessmentTeacher- / Peer- / Self-assessment

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Formative AssessmentFormative Assessment

.. ContinuousContinuousOn-going during learning / teachingOn-going during learning / teaching

.. DiagnosticDiagnosticProvides feedback to students and teachers on Provides feedback to students and teachers on - - strengths and weaknessesstrengths and weaknesses - - difficultiesdifficulties

- - misconceptionsmisconceptions

.. RemedialRemedial Provides opportunities for modification / improvementProvides opportunities for modification / improvement

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Summative AssessmentSummative Assessment

.. TerminalTerminalAt the end of learning / teachingAt the end of learning / teaching

.. DescriptiveDescriptiveHow well materials / knowledge / skills have been How well materials / knowledge / skills have been learned learned

.. For ranking and selectionFor ranking and selection No provision for modification / improvementNo provision for modification / improvement

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Criterion-referenced AssessmentCriterion-referenced Assessment

.. Assesses against pre-set criteriaAssesses against pre-set criteria If the criteria have been achieved, and how well they If the criteria have been achieved, and how well they have been achievedhave been achieved

.. Operates within the formative modelOperates within the formative model

Norm-referenced AssessmentNorm-referenced Assessment

.. Assesses and compares performance amongst Assesses and compares performance amongst studentsstudents .. Relative scoring / gradingRelative scoring / grading For ranking and selection of studentsFor ranking and selection of students

.. Operates within the summative modelOperates within the summative model

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Contextualized (authentic) AssessmentContextualized (authentic) Assessment

.. Assessment tasks reflect the goal of learningAssessment tasks reflect the goal of learning . Focuses on . Focuses on

- - students’ students’ constructionconstruction of of functioning knowledgefunctioning knowledge - students’ performance in - students’ performance in applicationapplication of knowledge of knowledge in the in the real work contextreal work context of the discipline area of the discipline area

Decontextualized (unauthentic) AssessmentDecontextualized (unauthentic) Assessment

.. Focuses on Focuses on declarative knowledgedeclarative knowledge and /or and /orprocedural knowledgeprocedural knowledge in in artificial situationsartificial situations

detached from the real work context detached from the real work context

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Measurement Model of AssessmentMeasurement Model of Assessment

.. Based on the theory of individual differencesBased on the theory of individual differences . Assumes that the learning being measured is stable . Assumes that the learning being measured is stable

over time over time . Student performances are reduced to quantifiable . Student performances are reduced to quantifiable

scores for comparison purposescores for comparison purpose . Focuses on . Focuses on

- - reliability of scoresreliability of scores - - discriminating and ranking of studentsdiscriminating and ranking of students

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Standards Model of AssessmentStandards Model of Assessment

.. Based on the assumption that Based on the assumption that - - standards can be achieved by most students, and standards can be achieved by most students, and reflected in their performancereflected in their performance - - student performance can be fairly assessed against student performance can be fairly assessed against the set standardsthe set standards

. . Concerns with the quality of the learning outcomesConcerns with the quality of the learning outcomes . Focuses on . Focuses on

- - identifying the essential performances in the given identifying the essential performances in the given discipline discipline - - establishing clear criteria defining the quality of the establishing clear criteria defining the quality of the standards of student performance standards of student performance - - obtaining evidence of the achievement of the standardsobtaining evidence of the achievement of the standards -- validity validity

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Teacher-centred / Student-centred Teacher-centred / Student-centred Model of AssessmentModel of Assessment

Depends on who is involved in the Depends on who is involved in the various processes involved in assessmentvarious processes involved in assessment

1. Setting the assessment criteria1. Setting the assessment criteria 2. Providing evidence in relation to those criteria2. Providing evidence in relation to those criteria 3. Making a judgment on the evidence provided3. Making a judgment on the evidence provided 4. Communicating the results of the judgment 4. Communicating the results of the judgment 5. Making use of the results of the assessment5. Making use of the results of the assessment

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Teacher / Peer / Self Assessment Teacher / Peer / Self Assessment

Depends on who is involved in Depends on who is involved in making making a judgmenta judgment on the evidence provided on the evidence provided

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Assessing Student Learning OutcomesAssessing Student Learning Outcomes

Assessment should not be labelled as “good” or Assessment should not be labelled as “good” or “ “bad”, but rather “bad”, but rather “appropriateappropriate” or “inappropriate”. ” or “inappropriate”. The important issue is how the assessment is designed The important issue is how the assessment is designed and implemented to appropriately and implemented to appropriately address the address the learning objectiveslearning objectives

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Portfolio AssessmentPortfolio Assessment

Based on Based on Constructivist TheoryConstructivist Theory

Meaning is created by the learner rather than Meaning is created by the learner rather than being imposed or transmitted by direct instructionbeing imposed or transmitted by direct instruction

Students are required to provide evidence to Students are required to provide evidence to convince the teacher that the best kind of learning convince the teacher that the best kind of learning in relation to the objectives has been achievedin relation to the objectives has been achieved

A move towards a more student-centred approach A move towards a more student-centred approach to assessmentto assessment

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Portfolio AssessmentPortfolio Assessment

Essential characteristics:Essential characteristics:

. Collection. Collection of work produced by the student of work produced by the student

. Assembled for a particular . Assembled for a particular purposepurpose

. Includes students’ . Includes students’ reflectionreflection on their work in on their work in relation to the achievement of relation to the achievement of objectivesobjectives

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Portfolio AssessmentPortfolio Assessment

Students’ responsibility is to:Students’ responsibility is to:

. provide . provide evidenceevidence that learning relevant to that learning relevant to

course objectives has taken placecourse objectives has taken place . choose. choose and and justifyjustify the portfolio items the portfolio items. provide a . provide a holisticholistic case of an integrated and case of an integrated and usable body of knowledgeusable body of knowledge

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Portfolio AssessmentPortfolio Assessment

Teachers’ responsibility is to:Teachers’ responsibility is to:

. acquaint students with . acquaint students with course objectivescourse objectives . provide . provide guidance guidance for preparation of the portfoliofor preparation of the portfolio e.g. philosophy of portfolio assessmente.g. philosophy of portfolio assessment implementation proceduresimplementation procedures examples of some possible portfolio itemsexamples of some possible portfolio items

. provide on-going . provide on-going supportsupport and and formative feedbackformative feedback . make a . make a holistic assessmentholistic assessment of the portfolio of the portfolio . provide . provide feedbackfeedback

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Portfolio AssessmentPortfolio Assessment

Focus of evaluation of the portfolio:Focus of evaluation of the portfolio:

. Relevance to the subject. Relevance to the subject . Accuracy against acceptable scholarly standards. Accuracy against acceptable scholarly standards . Coverage of the subject content and objectives. Coverage of the subject content and objectives . Making an integrated case or argument . Making an integrated case or argument . Is important to the students’ own academic /. Is important to the students’ own academic / professional purposesprofessional purposes

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Portfolio AssessmentPortfolio Assessment

Assessment includes the following aspects:Assessment includes the following aspects:

. . Each item in its own right Each item in its own right

relevance, accuracy and qualityrelevance, accuracy and quality

. The student’s justification of each item . The student’s justification of each item in relation to the objective(s) being addressedin relation to the objective(s) being addressed

. The . The coherencecoherence of all the items in providing a of all the items in providing a holisticholistic view on the subjectview on the subject

. An overall grade of the portfolio. An overall grade of the portfolio

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Portfolio AssessmentPortfolio Assessment

Selection of Portfolio itemsSelection of Portfolio items

. Based on the subject objectives. Based on the subject objectives . Avoid repetitive items in terms of content and / . Avoid repetitive items in terms of content and / or objective(s) being addressedor objective(s) being addressed . Select a balanced collection of items that address . Select a balanced collection of items that address the full range of subject objectives, rather thanthe full range of subject objectives, rather than focusing on excellence of any particular individualfocusing on excellence of any particular individual itemsitems

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Backwash Effect of Assessment

Teacher’s and student’s perspectives on assessment    

Teacher’s perspective:Teacher’s perspective: Objectives Teaching activities AssessmentObjectives Teaching activities Assessment

Student’s perspective:Student’s perspective: Assessment Learning activities OutcomesAssessment Learning activities Outcomes

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Application of the 3P model to Application of the 3P model to Assessment of Learning OutcomesAssessment of Learning Outcomes

PresagePresage ProcessProcess ProductProduct

Student Characteristics:Student Characteristics: Prior experience of assessmentPrior experience of assessment Conceptions of assessmentConceptions of assessment Language competenceLanguage competence

Assessment Context:Assessment Context:

CurriculumCurriculumAssessment methodsAssessment methodsStudents’ perceptions of Students’ perceptions of assessment requirementsassessment requirements

Preparation for Preparation for AssessmentAssessment SurfaceSurface DeepDeep

Assessment Assessment PerformancePerformance

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Assessment is the contextual factor which Assessment is the contextual factor which most strongly affects student learning. most strongly affects student learning.

It is the It is the students’ perceptionstudents’ perception of the of the assessment requirements that constitutes assessment requirements that constitutes the hidden curriculum, and drives how the hidden curriculum, and drives how students learn.students learn.

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Constructive AlignmentConstructive AlignmentBiggs (1999)Biggs (1999)

CurriculumCurriculum in the form of in the form of clear objectives clear objectives stating stating level of understandinglevel of understanding required required

Teaching/Teaching/ chosen to chosen to facilitate facilitate achievement of theachievement of the learninglearning objectives objectives activities activities

AssessmentAssessment chosen tochosen to test test if students have achieved if students have achieved taskstasks the the objectives objectives and the and the level of level of

achievementachievement