Module 3: HIGH QUALITY ASSESSMENT COMPONENTS

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Discuss five components of high quality assessment;

2. Identify and distinguish different levels of cognitive, affective,
and psychomotor learning domains;
3. Describe the purpose of assessment;
4. Formulate appropriate learning targets;
5. Justify appropriate assessment method in a particular learning targets;
6. Elaborate different assessment methods among different learning domains;
7. Discuss when to use adequate sampling in assessment; and
8. Explain the objectivity of assessment

High quality assessment takes the massive quantities of performance data and translates that
into meaningful, actionable reports that pinpoint current student progress, predict future
achievement, and inform instruction. There are basically five components of high quality
assessment namely (1) clear purpose; (2) clear and appropriate learning targets; (3) appropriate
methods; (4) adequate sampling; and (5) objectivity.

Five Criteria of High Quality Assessment

1. Assessment of Higher-Order Cognitive Skills that allow students to transfer their learning
to new situations and problems.
2. High-Fidelity Assessment of Critical Abilities as they will be used in the real world, rather
than through artificial proxies. This calls for performances that directly evaluate such
skills as oral, written, and multimedia communication; collaboration; research;
experimentation; and the use of new technologies.
3. Assessments that Are Internationally Benchmarked: Assessments should be evaluated
against those of the leading education countries, in terms of the kinds of tasks they
present as well as the level of performance they expect.
4. Use of Items that Are Instructionally Sensitive and Educationally Valuable: Tests should
be designed so that the underlying concepts can be taught and learned, rather than
depending mostly on test-taking skills or reflecting students‟ out-of-school experiences.
To support instruction, they should also offer good models for teaching and learning and
insights into how students think as well as what they know.
5. Assessments that Are Valid, Reliable, and Fair should accurately evaluate students‟
abilities, appropriately assess the knowledge and skills they intend to measure, be free
from bias, and be designed to reduce unnecessary obstacles to performance that could
undermine validity. They should also have positive consequences for the quality of
instruction and the opportunities available for student learning.
 1. CLEAR PURPOSE
The purpose of assessment is to gather relevant information about student performance or
progress, or to determine student interests to make judgments about their learning process.
Assessment can be seen as an effective medium for communication between the teacher and
the learner. It is a way for the student to communicate their learning to their teacher and for the
teacher to communicate back to the student a commentary on their learning.
2. CLEAR AND APPROPRIATE LEARNING TARGETS

Assessment should be clearly stated and specified and centered on what is truly important.
Assessment can be made precise, accurate and dependable only if what are to be achieved are
clearly stated and feasible. The learning targets, involving knowledge, reasoning, skills,
products and effects, need to be stated in behavioural terms which denote something which can
be observed through the behaviour of the students.
Different Learning Targets in Different Learning Domains
Domain Learning Target Learning objectives
Knowledge Student‟s mastery of the content should be SMART
Cognitive Reasoning Student‟s ability to use their
knowledge (Specific, Measurable,
Skills Student‟s ability to demonstrate what Attainable, Realistic,
Psychomotor they have learned. Time-bounded).
Products Student‟s ability to create.
Affective Affects Student‟s emotional attainments.

Cognitive Domain

Bloom‟s Taxonomy is a hierarchical

ordering of cognitive skills that can help
teachers teach and students learn.
Bloom‟s Taxonomy was created by
Benjamin Bloom in 1956. The original
sequence of cognitive skills was
Knowledge, Comprehension, Application,
Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation. The
framework was revised in 2001 by Lorin
Anderson and David Krathwohl, yielding
the revised Bloom‟s Taxonomy. The most
significant change was the removal of
„Synthesis‟ and the addition of „Creation‟
as the highest-level of Bloom‟s
Taxonomy. And being at the highest
level, the implication is that it‟s the most
complex or demanding cognitive skill–or
at least represents a kind of pinnacle for
cognitive tasks.
Revised Bloom‟s Taxonomy
Level Taxonomy Associated Behavioral Terms
Remembering list, recite, outline, define, name,
(retrieving, recognizing, and recalling relevant match, quote, recall, identify, label,
knowledge from long‐term memory) recognize
Understanding
Low Order describe, explain, paraphrase,
(constructing meaning from oral, written, and graphic
Thinking restate, give original examples of,
messages through interpreting, exemplifying,
Skills summarize, contrast, interpret,
classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing, and
(Knowledge) discuss
explaining)
Applying calculate, predict, apply, solve,
(carrying out or using a procedure for executing, or illustrate, use, demonstrate,
implementing) determine, model, perform, present
Analyzing
(breaking material into constituent parts, determining classify, break down, categorize,
how the parts relate to one another and to an overall analyze, diagram, illustrate,
structure or purpose through differentiating, criticize, simplify, associate
organizing, and attributing.)
High Order choose, support, relate, determine,
Evaluating
Thinking defend, judge, grade, compare,
(making judgments based on criteria and standards
Skills contrast, argue, justify, support,
through checking and critiquing)
(Reasoning) convince, select, evaluate
Creating
(putting elements together to form a coherent or design, formulate, build, invent,
functional whole; reorganizing elements into a new create, compose, generate, derive,
pattern or structure through generating, planning, or modify, develop
producing)

Psychomotor Domain

The psychomotor domain

(Simpson, 1972) includes physical
movement, coordination, and use of the
motor-skill areas. Development of these
skills requires practice and is measured in
terms of speed, precision, distance,
procedures, or techniques in execution.

Levels of Psychomotor Domain

 Level Definition Associated Verbs
The ability to use sensory cues to guide motor choose, describe, detects,
Perception
activity. This ranges from sensory stimulation, differentiate, distinguish, identify,
(awareness)
through cue selection, to translation. isolate, relate, selects
Readiness to act. It includes mental, physical
and emotional sets. These three sets are begin, display, explain, move,
Set dispositions that predetermine a person‟s proceed, react, show, state,
response to different situations (sometimes call volunteer
mindsets).
The early stages in learning a complex skill that
copy, trace, follow, react,
Guided Response includes imitation and trial and error. Adequacy
reproduce, respond
of performance is achieved by practicing.
assemble, calibrate, construct,
This is the intermediate stage in learning a
dismantle, display, fasten, fix,
Mechanism (basic complex skill. Learned responses have become
grind, heat, manipulate,
proficiency) habitual and the movements can be performed
measure, mend, mix, organize,
with some confidence and proficiency.
sketch
assemble, calibrate, construct,
dismantle, display, fasten, fix,
grind, heat, manipulate,
The skillful performance of motor acts that
measure, mend, mix, organize,
involve complex movement patterns.
sketch
Complex Overt Proficiency is indicated by a quick, accurate,
Response and highly coordinated performance, requiring
Note: Verbs are the same as
(expert) a minimum of energy. This category includes
Mechanism, but will have
performing without hesitation, and automatic
adverbs or adjectives that
performance.
indicate that the performance is
quicker, better, more accurate,
etc.
Skills are well developed and the individual can
adapt, alter, change, rearrange,
Adaptation modify movement patterns to fit special
reorganize, revise, vary
requirements.
Creating new movement patterns to fit a
arrange, build, combine,
particular situation or specific problem.
Origination compose, construct, create,
Learning outcomes emphasize creativity based
design, initiate, make, originate
upon highly developed skills.

Affective Domain

Affective learning is demonstrated by behaviors

indicating attitudes of awareness, interest,
attention, concern, and responsibility, ability to
listen and respond in interactions with others, and
ability to demonstrate those attitudinal
characteristics or values which are appropriate to
the test situation and the field of study. Like
cognitive objectives, affective objectives can also
be divided into a hierarchy (according to
Krathwohl). This area is concerned with feelings or
emotions (and social/emotional learning and skills).
Again, the taxonomy is arranged from simpler feelings to those that are more complex. This
domain was first described in 1964 and as noted before is attributed to David Krathwohl as the
primary author.

Levels of Affective Domain

Level Definition Associate Verbs
This refers to the learner‟s sensitivity to the
existence of stimuli – awareness, willingness to ask, choose, describe,
receive, or selected attention. It refers to the follow, give, hold, identify,
Receiving
student's willingness to attend to particular locate, name, point to,
phenomena of stimuli (classroom activities, select, sit erect, reply, use
textbook, music, etc.).
answer, assist, comply,
This refers to active participation on the part of the conform, discuss, greet,
student. At this level he or she not only attends to a help, label, perform,
Responding
particular phenomenon but also reacts to it in some practice, present, read,
way. recite, report, select, tell,
write
It is concerned with the worth or value a student
attaches to a particular object, phenomenon, or
complete, describe,
behavior. This ranges in degree from the simpler
differentiate, explain,
acceptance of a value (desires to improve group
follow, form, initiate, invite,
skills) to the more complex level of commitment
Valuing join, justify, propose, read,
(assumes responsibility for the effective functioning
report, select, share,
of the group). Valuing is based on the internalization
study,
of a set of specified values, but clues to these
work
values are expressed in the student's overt
behavior.
adhere, alter, arrange,
It is concerned with bringing together different
combine, compare,
values, resolving conflicts between them, and
complete, defend, explain,
beginning the building of an internally consistent
Organization generalize, identify,
value system. Thus the emphasis is on comparing,
integrate, modify, order,
relating, and synthesizing values.
organize, prepare, relate,
synthesize
The individual has a value system that has act, discriminate, display,
Characterization controlled his or her behavior for a sufficiently long influence, listen, modify,
by a value or time for him or her to develop a characteristic “life- perform, practice, propose,
value set style.” Thus the behavior is pervasive, consistent, qualify, question, revise,
and predictable. serve, solve, use, verify

3. APPROPRIATE METHODS

Assessment methods are techniques, strategies, tools and

instruments for collecting information to determine the extent Match the methods of
to which the students demonstrate the desired learning assessment to learning
outcomes. As there are three domains of learning, then each targets.
domain has its own way of assessment methods.
Common Methods in Assessing Cognitive Learning Targets

1. Written-Response Instrument
a. Essay Test. It gives students a chance to organize, evaluate, and think, and
therefore often are very effective for measuring how well students have learned.
Yet, the most difficult and time consuming to grade. A rubric is necessary in
grading an essay
b. Objective Test. This test requires students to select the correct response from
several alternatives or to supply a word or short phrase to answer a question or
complete a statement
i. Multiple Choices Test. It is the most versatile and useful but not limited in
testing the ability to interpret diagrams, sketches, tables, graphs, and
related material. Difficult and time consuming to prepare but easy to
grade. Appropriate to large class. Each of the question contain a stem
(clear, complete thought or problem) which can be presented as sentence,
a question, or a statement missing few words, and a set of optional
answers from three to five choices.
ii. Matching Type Test. It is useful in testing recognition of the relationships
between pairs of words, or between words and definitions. It is composed
of stems which can be complete sentences, definitions, short phrases, or
single words. The options can be single word or definitions.
iii. Short Answer Test. It allows for greater specificity in testing while still
providing some opportunity for student creativity. By allowing a limited
space for short answer, students are encouraged to be precise. If
constructed properly, this can even measure analytical skills of the student
and can test more material than essay tests.
iv. Completion Test. It is used to recall key terms and concepts. These
questions usually consist of sentences in which one or more key words
have been left blank for students to complete.
v. True-False Test. It is easy to write and grade and is used only for testing
factual recall. In preparing this test, avoid creating double negatives, and
ambiguity of statements.
2. Oral Questioning. This method involves the teacher probing students to think about what
they know regarding a topic. Questions typically allow the teacher to keep a discussion
focused on the intended objective and maintain student involvement.
a. Open-Ended Questions. Open-ended questions are questions that allow someone
to give a free-form answer. It prompts students to answer with sentences, lists,
and stories, giving deeper and new insights.
b. Closed-Ended Questions. Closed-ended questions can be answered with “Yes” or
“No,” or they have a limited set of possible answers. In other words, it limits
answers.
 Common Methods in Assessing Affective Learning Targets

1. Self-Report. This is the most common measurement tool in the affective domain. It
essentially requires an individual to provide an account of his attitude or feelings toward a
concept or idea or people. It is also called “written reflections”.
2. Semantic Differential (SD) Scale. Semantic Differential (SD) scales tries to assess an
individual‟s reaction to specific words, ideas or concepts in terms of ratings on bipolar
scales defined with contrasting adjectives at each end.

Example: Good ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Bad
3 2 1 0 1 2 3
where, 3 – extreme 2 – quite 1 – seldom 0 – neutral
3. Thurstone Scale. Thurstone is considered the father of attitude measurement and
addressed the issue of how favourable an individual is with regard to a given issue. He
developed an attitude continuum to determine the position of favorability on the issue.
4. Likert Scale. In 1932, Likert developed the method of summated ratings (or Likert Scale),
which is widely used. This requires an individual to tick on a box to report whether they
“strongly agree”, “agree”, “undecided”, “disagree” or “strongly disagree” in response to a
large number of items concerning attitude towards object or stimulus.
5. Checklist. Checklists are the most common and perhaps the easiest instrument in the
affective domain. It consists of simple items that the student or teacher mark as “absent”
or “present”.

Common Methods in Assessing Psychomotor Learning Targets

1. Performance Test. Performance test is a form of testing that requires students to perform
a task rather than select an answer from a ready-made list. For example, a student may
be asked to generate scientific hypotheses, solve math problems, or conduct research on
an assigned topic. Experienced teachers then judge the quality of the student's work
based on an agreed-upon set of criteria.
2. Observation. Observation is a process of systematically viewing and recording students
while they work, for the purpose of making programming and instruction decisions.
Observation can take place at any time and in any setting. It provides information on
students' strengths and weaknesses, learning styles, interests, and attitudes.
3. Product Rating Scale. A product rating scale is a tool used for assessing end products of
the performance usually in the form of projects. The scaling can use a rating scale,
semantic differential scale, checklist or rubrics.

3. ADEQUATE SAMPLING

Sampling facilitates the assessment process when programs/classes have large numbers of
students and it is not feasible to assess all students. Furthermore, sampling may be useful when
assessing artifacts (an object created by students during the course of instruction and must
lasting, durable, public, and materially present) that take a long time to review. For the Student
Learning Outcomes (SLO), we must assess artifacts that reflect the desired outcomes. You
may use a subjective artifact from a course (e.g. the research project in the capstone course or
a paper) for a SLO measure only if you have a faculty panel evaluate the artifacts independent
of the handling teacher. There might be too many students or too many artifacts for a panel to
evaluate each semester or year; therefore, only some of the artifacts would be effectively and
efficiently evaluated each year. The portion evaluated is the sample of the entire population.

Census vs. Sampling

For programs that are small, assessing the entire population may yield a more accurate
measure of student learning. Assessing the entire population is called a census whereas
assessing only part of the population is called a sample.

Example of Using a Census:

 An Honors section of Music Appreciation ends the course with four students, each of
whom is required to write a 10‐15 page paper. All four of the course‟s outcomes are to
be assessed by the paper using a rubric. An evaluation group reads all four student
papers.

Example of Using a Sample:

 The English Department runs five sections of Critical Thinking Through Argument
involving 98 students. Two of the course‟s four outcomes are to be assessed by a 8‐10
page paper scored by a rubric. The English department selects 20 papers randomly from
the five sections.

Sampling Procedures

Before evaluating artifacts or data for the SLO, you must:

1. Decide whether you will use a sample or the whole population.
2. Choose an appropriate sample size based on percentage, artifact size and complexity.
3. Choose an appropriate sampling method.

Determining Sample Size

A common standard for
If you have a large program (over 100 students), then you
sampling is 10% or 10
may not have the people and time to evaluate 100 artifacts.
artifacts, whichever is
Therefore, you would choose a specific percentage of
greater. So for populations
students or artifacts.
less than 100, choose 10;
for populations over 100%
Whether or not to sample and the size of the sample depend
on three factors, all of which must be kept in mind when choose 10%.
making sampling decisions:
 1. Length and complexity of the assignments. If the assignment or artifact is of a capstone
level (e.g. research project), then a smaller percentage of students might be chosen.
2. The number of students in the class. If your class has less than 100 students, then you
should consider using a larger percentage or the entire population. Remember that the
acceptable minimum is 10 students.
3. The number of teachers serving as evaluators. If the school has only three teachers as
evaluator, then a smaller sample size would be more appropriate depending on the
complexity of the assignment. However, school with many teachers and short
assignments could have a much larger sample size since there are many more people
available to evaluate the artifacts.

Common Types of Sampling

There are a variety of sampling methods. Simple random, stratified, systemic, and cluster
sampling are examples of four common and appropriate sampling methods for institutional
assessment activities.

1. Simple Random Sampling. You randomly select a certain number of students or

artifacts. Random sampling can be done easily enough by compiling a list of all students
completing the artifact and then using a random number generator, referring to a random
number table, or picking out of a hat.
2. Stratified Sampling. Students are sorted into homogenous groups and then a random
sample is selected from each group. This is useful when there are groups that may be
underrepresented.
3. Systematic Sampling. You select the nth (e.g. 7th, 9th, 20th) student or artifact from a
list.
4. Cluster Sampling. You randomly select clusters or groups (e.g. classes or sections), and
you evaluate the assignments of all the students in those randomly selected clusters or
groups.

4. OBJECTIVITY

Objectivity is a noun that means a lack of bias, judgment, or prejudice. Maintaining one's
objectivity is the most important job of a teacher during assessment process. The meaning of
objectivity is easy to remember, when you see that the word "object" embedded within it.

Objectivity in assessment refers to the nature of data gathered through an assessment process.
Objectivity defines information that is collected through measuring, observing, and examining
facts. Objectivity is also referred to as rater, in this case the teacher, reliability. Objectivity is an
important characteristic of a good test. It affects both validity and reliability of test scores.

Objectivity of a measuring instrument moans the degree to which different persons scoring the
answer receipt arrives of at the same result.
  Good (1973) defines objectivity in testing is “the extent to which the instrument is free
from personal error (personal bias), that is subjectivity on the part of the scorer”.
 Gronlund and Linn (1995) states “Objectivity of a test refers to the degree to which
equally competent scores obtain the same results.

So a test is considered objective when it makes for the elimination of the scorer‟s personal
opinion and bias judgement. In this context there are two aspects of objectivity which should be
kept in mind while constructing a test.

i. Objectivity in scoring. Objectivity of scoring means same person or different persons

scoring the test at any time arrives at the same result without any chance of error. A test
to be objective must necessarily so worded that only correct answer can be given to it. In
other words the personal judgement of the individual who score the answer script should
not be a factor affecting the test scores. So that the result of a test can be obtained in a
simple and precise manner if the scoring procedure is objective. The scoring procedure
should be such that there should be no doubt as to whether an item is right or wrong or
partly right or partly wrong
ii. Objectivity in interpretation of test items by the testee. By item objectivity we mean that
the item must call for a definite single answer. Well-constructed test items should lead
themselves to one and only one interpretation by students who know the material
involved. It means the test items should be free from ambiguity. A given test item should
mean the same thing to all the students that the test maker intends to ask. Dual meaning
sentences, items having more than one correct answers should not be included in the
test as it makes the test subjective.

Purposes of Objectivity

1. To avoid bias.
2. To ensure accurate conclusion or results.
3. To ensure out comes purely based on facts.

Characteristics of Objectivity

1. Based on scientific facts rather than on one‟s opinion

2. Factual, free from personal bias.
3. Judgement based on observable phenomena uninfluenced by emotions or personal
prejudices.
4. Being objective is to do something that is not primary about one self or ourselves, but for
the world itself.
5. Has multi-dimensional viewing.

Its results and data is based on continuous testing, then demonstrated or confirmed by a third
party.