LECTURE 2

DEFINING ASSESSMENT

DR VT MABALANE
24/07/ 2024
 UNIT OUTCOMES
At the end of this lecture, you should be able to:
• Critically explain the concept of assessment
• Identify the difference between assessment and evaluation.
• Articulate why we assess
• Identify and apply the keys to quality classroom assessment
Discuss how to assess
• Critically discuss Principles of assessment
• Identify who is involved in the assessment process
• Discuss the role of the assessor
• Explain the various reasons for assessment
 Defining Assessment

Assessment can be defined as the systematic process

of collecting, measuring and interpreting information
about learner’s responses to the process of
instruction.
 Defining Assessment
•Assessment is a continuous, planned process
of:
• identifying,
•gathering and
• interpreting information to gauge learners’
performance and can take various forms.
 Defining Assessment
• It involves four steps:
• generating and collecting
evidence of achievement;
• evaluating this evidence;
• recording the findings; and
• using this information
 Defining Assessment
• Assessment should be both informal
(Assessment for Learning)
and formal (Assessment of Learning).

In both cases, regular feedback should be

provided to learners to enhance the learning
experience.
 Defining Assessment

• Performance information helps teachers and

other involved parties to understand and
thereby assist the learner’s development in
order to improve the process of learning and
teaching.
 Questions

• Analyze the picture and answer

the questions that follows:
• What do you see?
• How did you come to you
answer?
• What is the implication of what
you have seen?
• What does it say about
assessment?
 Principles of assessment
• Assessment is important and it should include:
• ethics,
• fairness,
• sufficiency,
• currency,
• authenticity,
• reliability,
• validity, and
• learning domains.
 Other principles of assessment
• Flexible: consider the diversity and multiple learning styles of
the learners
• Equitable: duration and content – simple and difficult
• Efficient: free of errors
• Time: Students should be aware; given formative assessment
opportunities and feedback well before the summative
assessment opportunities.
• Incremental: provided continuous follow up assessment
opportunities with regular feedback
Principles of assessment (Cont)
• Redeemable: Provide multiple opportunities for learners to improve
their grades
• Demanding: not to be too simple
• Authentic: assessment tasks allow the learners to experience learning
outcome
• Accountable: accountable to the requirements of the profession
• Transparent: No hidden agendas or surprises for learners
 CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVE ASSESSMENT
In order for school-based assessment to be effective three main
areas need to be considered: fair, valid and reliable.
• Fairness means assessment that does not hinder a learner.
• Validity means assessment measures what is says it is
measuring.
• Reliability means the consistency with which an assessment
task is undertaken by different assessors at different times
and in different places.
 What is the difference between assessment and
evaluation?

• Evaluation is making informed judgments or

decisions based on the information (data)
collected in the assessment process.
• It is a subjective judgment of the worth or quality
of a learner’s development at various stages of
learning.
 Keys to quality classroom assessment

Classroom Assessment: Every one is a Learner

• All of the pieces contributing to sound classroom assessment instruments and
practices are built on a foundation of the following five keys to quality:
• 1. They are designed to serve the specific information needs of intended user(s).
• 2. They are based on clearly articulated and appropriate achievement targets.
• 3. They accurately measure student achievement.
• 4. They yield results that are effectively communicated to their intended users.
• 5. They involve students in self-assessment, goal setting, tracking, reflecting on,
and sharing their learning
 Inclusive Assessment Strategies
• Learners need the opportunity to articulate and
test their understanding of key areas and to
receive informed and constructive feedback.
Examples of inclusive assessment
strategies
• Provide students with the option of using a
variety of assessment methods such as
exams, essays, presentations,
demonstrations, reports, visual journals, multi-
media presentation and group discussions
 Inclusive Assessment Strategies
• Provide opportunities for continuous assessment
as subjects are delivered/completed and consider
the weighting given to ongoing assessment tasks.
• Consider the different ways examinations/
assessing can be conducted.
• For example, learners can be offered an
alternative assessment that may be better at
enabling them to demonstrate their learning and
knowledge (eg. An oral assessment instead of a
written)?
 Assessment versus evaluation
Dimensions Assessment Evaluation
Timing Formative Summative
Focus of activity Process-oriented Product-
oriented
Relationship: teacher Reflective
and learner Prescriptive
Findings and uses Diagnostic Judgemental
Modifiability of criteria Flexible Fixed
Standards of
measurement Absolute (individual) Comparative
Relation between Cooperative
learners Competitive
 WHY ASSESS?
•Informative
•Corrective
•Motivational
•Developmental
•Regulative
•Prognostic
•Differential
 WHY DO WE ASSESS?
•The most obvious reason why we assess is
often to obtain a mark or grade to record.
•Assessment also helps advice teachers on
how to plan their learning content.
•It also helps us to analyse patterns of errors
in order to identify an underlying problem.
•We can also check if new concepts are
understood by learners.
• Finally, it helps to evaluate the
effectiveness of a learning programme.
 HOW DO WE ASSESS?
• We should strike a careful balance of assessment over a period
of time to monitor a learner’s progress.

• We should assess by giving learners a variety of opportunities

in different ways and contexts when conducting assessment.
• Our methods of assessment should always match our teaching
goals for example, a traditional pen and paper test might be
appropriate for testing recall, but to assess how well learners
are participating in a team we need to observe their behaviour
during group work.
ACTIVITY - PAIRS
 WHO IS INVOLVED IN THE ASSESSMENT
PROCESS?

The following are the often the key stakeholders in

the assessment process:
• The teacher and the learner
• The learner’s peers
• Parents’ and family members
• Policy makers and members of the institution
• The community
 WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE ASSESSOR?
The main role of the assessor is:
• To design assessment tasks which are fair, valid
and reliable.
• To collect information about or evidence of how
well the learner performs.
• To make judgments (evaluations) based on the
information or evidence.
• To record and report the evaluations to
interested stakeholders.
 Based on today’s content:
Define assessment in your own
words.
CLASSROOM
ACTIVITY