Lesson 2

Assessment Purposes, Learning Targets and

Appropriate Methods
Introduction
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to demonstrate your knowledge and skills in formulating
specific learning targets that will be assessed at the end of instruction through an assessment plan on
student learning.

What is the purpose of classroom assessment?

Assessment works best when its purpose is clear. Without a clear purpose, it is difficult to design or plan
assessments effectively and efficiently in classrooms. teachers are expected to know the instructional
goals and learning outcomes. which will inform how they will design and implement their assessment. In
general, the purpose of classroom assessment may be classified in terms of the following:
● Assessment of Learning.
This refers to the use of assessment to determine learners' acquired knowledge and skills from
instruction and whether they were able to achieve the curriculum outcomes. It is generally summative in
nature.
● Assessment for Learning.
This refers to the use of assessment to identify the needs of learners in order to modify instruction or
learning activities in the classroom. It is formative in nature and it is meant to identify gaps in the
learning experiences of learners so that they can be assisted in achieving the curriculum outcomes.
● Assessment as Learning.
This refers to the use of assessment to help learners become self-regulated. It is formative in nature and
meant to use assessment tasks, results, and feedback to help learners practice self-regulation
and adjust to achieve the curriculum outcomes.

The Roles of Classroom Assessment in the Teaching Learning Process

Assessment is an integral part of the instructional process where teachers design and conduct
instruction teaching), so learners achieve the specific target learning Outcomes defined by the
curriculum. While the purpose of assessment may be classified as assessment of learning, assessment
for learning, and assessment as learning, the specific purpose of an assessment depends on the
teacher's objective in collecting and evaluating assessment data from learners. More specific objectives
for assessing student learning are congruent to the following roles of classroom assessment in the
teaching-learning process: formative, diagnostic, evolutive, facilitative, and motivational, each of which
is discussed below.
● Formative.
Teachers conduct assessments because they want to acquire information on the current status and level
of learners' knowledge and skills or competencies. Teachers may need information (e.g., prior
knowledge, strengths) about the learners prior to instruction, so they can design their instructional plan
to better suit the needs of the learners. Teachers may also need information on learners during
instruction to allow them to modify instruction or learning activities to help learners achieve the
learning outcomes. How teachers should facilitate students learning may be informed by the
information that may be acquired in the assessment results.
● Diagnostic.
Teachers can use assessment to identify specific learners' weaknesses or difficulties that may affect their
achievement of the intended learning outcomes. Identifying these weaknesses allows teachers to focus
on specific learning needs and provide opportunities for instructional intervention or remediation inside
or outside the classroom. The diagnostic role of assessment may also lead to differentiated instruction
or even individualized learning plans when deemed necessary

● Evaluative.
Teachers conduct assessment to measure learners' performance or achievement for the purposes of
making judgment or grading in particular. Teachers need information on whether the learners have met
the intended learning outcomes after the instruction is fully implemented.
The learners' placement or promotion to the next educational level is informed by the
assessment results.
● Facilitative.
Classroom assessment may affect student learning. On the part of teachers, assessment for learning
provides information on students learning and achievement that teachers can use to improve
instruction and the learning experiences of learners. On the part of learners, assessment as learning
allows them to monitor, evaluate, and improve their own learning strategies. In both cases, student
learning is facilitated.
● Motivational.
Classroom assessment can serve as a mechanism for learners to be motivated and engaged in learning
and achievement in the classroom Grades, for instance, can motivate and demotivate learners. Focusing
on progress, providing effective feedback, innovating assessment tasks, and using scaffolding during
assessment activities provide opportunities for assessment to be motivating rather than demotivating.

What are learning targets?

Educational Goals, Standards, and Objectives
Before discussing what learning targets are, it is important to first define educational
goals, standards, and objectives
Goals. Goals are general statements about desired learner outcomes in a given year or during
the duration of a program (eg, senior high school).
Standards. Standards are specific statements about what learners should know and are capable of doing
at a particular grade level, subject, or course. McMillan (2014, p. 31) described four different types of
educational standards: (1) content (desired outcomes in a content area), (2) performance (what
students do to demonstrate competence). (3) developmental (sequence of growth and change over
time) and (4) grade-level (outcomes for a specific grade)
Educational Objectives. Educational objectives are specific statements of learner performance at the
end of an instructional unit. These are sometimes referred to as behavioral objectives and are typically
stated with the use of verbs. The most popular taxonomy of educational objectives is Bloom's Taxonomy
of Educational Objectives.
The Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
Bloom's Taxonomy consists of three domains: cognitive affective, and psychomotor. These three
domains correspond to the three types of goals that teachers want to assess knowledge-based goals
cognitive skis-based goals (psychomotor, and affective goals affective). Hence, there are three
taxonomies that can be used by teachers depending on the goals. Each taxonomy consists of different
levels of expertise with varying degrees of complexity. The most popular among the three taxonomies is
the Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives in the Cognitive Domain, also known as Bloom's
Taxonomy of Educational Objectives for knowledge- Based Goals. The taxonomy describes six levels of
expertise knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis synthesis, and evaluation.
 Table 2 presents the description, illustrative verbs, and a sample objective for each of the six levels.

Cognitive Level Description Illustrative Verbs Sample Objective

Knowledge Recall or recognition of learned Defines, recalls, Enumerate the nine
materials like concepts, events, facts, names enumerate intelligence according to
ideas, and procedures Howard Gardner’s Theory
of Multiple Intelligences
Comprehension Understanding the meaning of Explains, describes, Describe each of the nine
learned material, including summarizes, intelligence of Howard
interpretation, explanation, and discusses, Gardner’s Theory of
literal translation translates. Multiple Intelligences
Application Use of abstract ideas, principles, or Applies, Illustrate concepts of
methods to specific concrete demonstrates, multiple intelligences by
situations. produces, creating differentiated
illustrates, uses instructions
Analysis Separation of a concept or idea into Compares, Compare the concepts and
constituent parts or elements and contrasts, focus of each of the nine
an understanding of nature and categories, intelligences according to
association among the elements classifies, calculate Howard Gardner’s Theory
of Multiple Intelligences.
Synthesis Construction of elements or parts Composes, Design class activities that
from different sources to form a constructs create, will cater the multiple
more complex or novel structure designs integrate intelligences of the learners
in teaching science
Evaluation Making judgments of ideas or Appraises, Critic the appropriateness
methods based on sound and evaluates, judges, of class activities designed
established criteria concludes, to accommodate multiple
criticizes intelligences.

Bloom's taxonomies of educational objectives provide teachers with a structured guide in formulating
more specific learning targets as they provide an exhaustive list of learning objectives. The taxonomies
do not only serve as a guide for teachers' instruction but also as a guide for their assessment of student
learning in the classroom. Thus, it is imperative that teachers identify the levels of expertise that they
expect the learners to achieve and demonstrate. This will then inform the assessment method required
to properly assess student learning. It is assumed that a higher level of expertise in a given domain
requires more sophisticated assessment methods or strategies.

The Revised Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives

Anderson and Krathwohl proposed a revision of Bloom's Taxonomy in the cognitive domain by
introducing a two-dimensional model for writing learning objectives (Anderson and
Krathwohl, 2001). The first dimension, the knowledge dimension, includes four types: factual,
conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive. The second dimension, the cognitive process dimension,
consists of six types: remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create. An
 educational or learning objective formulated from this two-dimensional model contains a noun
(type of knowledge) and a verb (type of cognitive process). The Revised Bloom's Taxonomy provides
teachers with a more structured and precise approach to designing and assessing learning objectives.
Below is an example of a learning objective:
● Students will be able to differentiate qualitative research and quantitative research
In the example, differentiate is the verb that represents the type of cognitive process in
this case, analyze), while qualitative research and quantitative research is the noun phrase that
represents the type of knowledge in this case, conceptual).

Cognitive Definition Illustrative verb Sample Objective

Process
Create Combining parts to Compose, produce, Create lesson plans that integrate
make a whole develop, prepare, Differentiated activities
design, construct
Evaluate Judging the value of Assess, measure, estimate, Judge the veracity of the lesson plan
information of data evaluate, judge, critique made based on the needs
of the students and the accuracy of a
topic.
Analyze Breaking down Analyze, calculate, examine, test, Examine the focus and attributes of
information into parts compare, differentiate, organize. each identified strategy in teaching
science.
Apply Applying the facts, rules, Apply, employ, practice, relate, Use differentiated strategies in teaching
concepts, and ideas in another use, implement, solve science to ensure
context student learning
Understand Understanding what Describe, determine, interpret, Determine the appropriate
the information means translate, and paraphrase. strategies to utilize to effectively involve
students
Remember Recognizing and recalling facts Identify, list, name, underline, Recall the various
recall, retrieve, locate strategies applicable
in teaching science

Knowledge Dimensions in the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives

Knowledge Description Sample Question

Factual This type of knowledge is basic in every What is discipline. It What is the capital city of the
tells the facts or bits of the capital city of information one Philippines?
needs to know in the Philippines. discipline. This type of
knowledge usually answers questions that begin with "who",
"where", "what", and "when
Conceptual This type of knowledge is also fundamental What makes in What makes the Philippines
every the “Pearl of the Orient Sea”?
discipline. It tells the concepts, the Philippines generalizations,
principles, theories, the "Pearl of and models that one needs to
know in the Orient discipline. This type of knowledge usually
says"? answers questions that begin with
what".
Procedural This type of knowledge is also fundamental How do we in every How do we develop items for
Discipline? It tells the processes, and develops steps, an achievement test
techniques, methodologies, or specific items for skills needed
in performing a specific task achievement that one needs to
know and be able to do in a test? a discipline. This type of
knowledge usually answers questions that begin with "how