Educational Measurement Unit - 1

UNIT - 1 : EDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT

UNIT STRUCTURE
1.1 Learning objectives
1.2 Introduction
1.3 Concept of Measurement
1.3.1 Meaning of Measurement
1.3.2 Definitions of Measurement
1.3.3 Types of Measurement
1.4 Meaning of Educational Measurement
1.5 Functions of Educational Measurement
1.6 Scope of Educational Measurement
1.7 Need of Measurement in Education
1.8 Let Us Sum Up
1.9 Further Reading
1.10 Answers to Check Your Progress
1.11 Model Questions

1.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After reading this unit, you will be able to:

 explain the concept of measurement

 explain the meaning of educational measurement
 discuss the nature of educational measurement
 describe the scope and functions of educational measurement

1.2 INTRODUCTION

Measurement is an important aspect of our daily life. From birth to

death almost every aspect of our daily life is connected with measurement.
We often use the word measurement in different spheres of our life. In this
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Unit - 1 Educational Measurement

unit, you will be familiarised with the concept of measurement in general

and educational measurement in particular. The present unit aims to give
you a comprehensive idea about the concept of measurement which is
very important to understand the concept of educational measurement.

1.3 CONCEPT OF MEASUREMENT

Measurement is an indispensable component in the domain of edu-

cation and psychology. According to the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics (2000), "Measurement is the assignment of a numerical value
to an attribute of an object, such as the length of a pencil. At more sophisti-
cated levels, measurement involves assigning a number to a characteristic
of a situation, as is done by the consumer price index. In order to know in
detail about the basic concepts of measurement we need to reflect upon
the meaning of the term 'measurement'.

1.3.1 Meaning of Measurement

Any scientific study of a subject involves measurement. Measurement
of anything goes to mean how much or how little, how great or how
small, how much more or how much little than other things. It may be
said as a numerical or objective standard of comparison. It is an act
of giving numerical value to anything for determining the status of the
thing precisely. It is quantification of the qualitative nature of things.
Qualitative state of things by nature remain vague and unclear in our
mind. This qualitative state can be given a quantitative shape by using
a numerical value for our objective observation through measurement.
To measure goes to mean giving quantitative value to an object, per-
son or situation on the basis of scientifically established rules and
norms. For example, we may measure height, weight, length and
breadth of a table by using a scale. Measurement is essential for all
forms of objects and subjects known to science.
It should, therefore, be noted that measurement can only be done on

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Educational Measurement Unit - 1

the basis of accepted rules and standardised units of measurement

or scale. Solid or liquid things of the physical and chemical world are
measured by using the standardised units of measurement as kilos,
litres, meters etc. All scientific measurement has its own standardised
tools of measurement. In the field of education, psychology and soci-
ology also objective measurement have been attempted by construct-
ing scales and other tools and by determining the norm. Scope of
such measurement is widening at present in view of study and analy-
sis of the educational and sociological problems and in view of effec-
tive use of man-power resources of the country.

1.3.2 Definitions of Measurement

The following definitions of measurement shall bring out the essential

features of the concept.
 According to Guildford, "Measurement is the description of data
in terms of number."
 According to Stern, "Measurement is the assignment of num-
bers to objects or events according to rules."
 While defining measurement Stanley and Hopkins say: we con-
sider Construction, Administration and scoring of tests as the
measurement process.
 According to Norman E. Gronlund, "Measurement results are
same score or numerical value and quantitative descriptions of
the pupils".
Therefore, to measure something is to determine the status of a phe-
nomenon in terms of a suitable unit. It is an act of giving status.

1.3.3 Types of Measurement

Measurement enters all fields of human activity and all branches of

science. We can find two types of measurement.

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Unit - 1 Educational Measurement

(a) Physical measurement

(b) Psychological or mental measurement

Physical Measurement:
Physical measurement exists in the physical and material world and
is concerned with dimensions like size, weight, length, volume, etc. In
case of physical measurement, we can measure the whole amount.
It is definite and absolute.

Psychological or mental measurement:

Psychological measurement involves the quantification of mental pro-
cesses which are not directly observable. Hence, psychological mea-
surement is always indirect. It is subjective, indefinite and not precise.
In case of mental measurement, we cannot claim that we are actually
measuring what we are supposed to measure. Psychological mea-
surement is relative rather than absolute.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Q 1: What is measurement?
..................................................................................................................
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Q 2: Give a definition of measurement.
..................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................
Q 3: Mention the two types of measurement.
..................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................

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1.4 MEANING OF EDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT

Educational measurement is fundamental in education. It is not a new

idea. It is an attempt to measure the outcomes of learning. It is quantitative
assessment of performance of the students in a given test. It can be used
to compare performance between different students and to indicate the
strength and weakness of the students.
According to R.P. Taneja - "Educational measurement is the process
of quantifying any human attribute that is pertinent in the context of educa-
tion".
In educational setting, tests help the teachers and others who are
concerned with the task of making decisions in respect of instruction. Edu-
cational measurement is not objective, definite and precise. It is done ac-
cording to some predetermined standards which may be very much sub-
jective and far from being specific. Hence, educational measurement has
the following characteristics.
 There is no absolute zero point. Measurement is relative to some ar-
bitrary standard.
 The units of measurement are not definite. They do not have the same
value for all persons.
 The measurement in education conveys a sense of infinity. We can
never claim to measure the whole of achievement or intelligence of a
child.
 Measurement is indirect. We measure achievement through some
kind of performance.

1.5 FUNCTIONS OF EDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT

Educational measurement serves many functions. They are as fol-

lows:
(a) For admission: Many institutions give admission only to the selected
students after holding some test, and thereby applying measurement
tools and techniques.
(b) For classification: In educational institutions students have to be clas-

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Unit - 1 Educational Measurement

sified for different courses or programmes according to their achieve-

ment and ability. Their achievement forms the basis for awarding
grades and divisions and promotions to the next class.
(c) For comparison: There are individual and group differences in achieve-
ment. These differences can be ascertained by means of comparing
one student against another, and one group against other groups.
Comparison of two members or groups helps us to find out which
one is superior and which one is inferior.
(d) For prediction: In the field of education all are very much interested
in prediction. Prediction involves foreletting and it is very much needed
at various points and stages of education.
(e) For diagnosis: Educational diagnosis is complex and requires the
use of special type of tests known as diagnostic tests which include
problems or questions on basic skills in a specific subject area. Edu-
cational diagnosis is helpful in identifying the specific weakness of the
child as well as anticipating the causes and remedies.
(f) For research: No educational research is possible without some sort
of measurement - whether it is a survey, an experiment or research in
the field of curriculum. Measurement is basic to all forms of educa-
tional research.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Q 4: What is educational measurement?

........................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................
Q 5: Give the definition of educational measurement according to Taneja.
........................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................
Q 6: State the characteristics of educational measurement.
........................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................

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1.6 SCOPE OF EDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT

With the development of modern science scope of measurement is

widening very rapidly. In fact, science may develop through objective mea-
surement. In physical sciences, biological science and sociological sci-
ences, necessary and reliable data and information may be obtained for
their development through objective measurement. Education and psychol-
ogy as social sciences are now coming into prominence through such mea-
surement.
In Educational Psychology, measurement of mind, mental abilities or
faculties of individual provide a formidable challenge to the teacher. All chil-
dren need to be educated, but all of them cannot be expected to yield the
same result owing to their different mental abilities. Measurement may only
identify their possibility and prospect, success and failure in learning and
achievement. Extent of achievement attained after learning may be known
in quantitative terms through measurement. It may help to classify the stu-
dents and the learners into different grades or divisions that give them sta-
tus and social recognition. Identification of man-power resources for
specialised training and their vocational selection may be made on the ba-
sis of such measurement. Therefore, training and utilisation of vast human
resources of the country which is obviously difficult but responsible task
may be made a reality through the process of educational measurement.
On consideration of the above discussion, scope of educational mea-
surement may be summarised with the following points:
 It may give an idea of the nature and extent of individual performance
in the group.
 It may help in classification, gradation and placement of individual in
relation to the group.
 It gives social status and recognition to people in their personal and
social life.
 Vocational selection and specialised training for higher achievement
may be undertaken through measurement.

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Unit - 1 Educational Measurement

 Effective utilisation of man power resources in the country may be

made possible through measurement.
 It may determine quality of teaching and success of the teacher in his/
her imparting of education.
 Academic and vocational guidance to students may be given on the
basis of measurement.
 Future possibility of process in learning can be predicted through stu-
dents' educational measurement undertaken by the authority.
 It may act as a motivating factor in learning and teaching.
 Measurement may give quantitative description to qualitative nature
of thing for objective perception.
Thus, the scope of educational measurement include measurement
of educational achievement, intelligence, interest, ability, aptitude, and other
traits of students using various tests and other tools.

1.7 NEED OF MEASUREMENT IN EDUCATION

Need of measurement in education at present has been increasingly

felt. Being an applied branch of psychology, need of measurement in edu-
cational psychology is quite obvious. Measurement of mind in education
has therefore, helped to solve certain practical needs and problems of modern
education, some of which may be elaborated below:
 Identifying specific nature of mental ability: Education has to deal
with human mind. This mind is in fact, constituted of certain powers
or mental faculties, the nature of which needs to be clear if such pow-
ers are to be trained and developed. These mental powers are so
overlapped with one another that they are very difficult to be identified.
Mental measurement in education is an attempt to understand their
specific nature for training and development.
 Serving the need of specialisation: In the practical world of today,
we need to develop specific abilities rather than the so called general
ability of mind. Man has inherited certain specific or specialised abili-
ties by birth to be trained and developed in his educational environ-
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ment. Identification and training of these abilities may only help to make
its effective utilisation. Mental measurement is an aid to this effect.
Working out of the concept of individual difference: All individuals are
not able to develop equally and in the same direction. There is the vital
point of individual difference in education and its attainment. Realising
the truth, attempt has been made at present to individualise the sys-
tem and method of modern education. This spirit of individualisation
in education today has been inspired by mental measurement.
 Human resource development: Every man has his native potential
and resources to be trained and developed in his own way. It is through
such training that native potential may develop to the fullest extent
possible. Such fully developed individual can only make his original
contribution to the society or to the nation. Human resource develop-
ment of a country is the major objective of education today. Mental
measurement is the way to realisation of such objective.
 Need based and productive oriented education: In the material
and practical world today education is expected to be made need based
and productive oriented. Subjective and theoretical nature of educa-
tion is now considered ineffective to solve the practical problems of
man's life. This need based and productive ideal of modern education
essentially depends upon objective measurement of mental ability of
individual.
 Vocationalisation of education: In the light of psychology of indi-
vidual difference, it has been realised at present that man should be
given education for which he is best fitted. Every kind of vocation or
profession has its special trait, quality, potentiality and skills need to
be identified and training needed to be given accordingly. This act es-
sentially needs the use of mental test.
 Diagnosis and treatment of mental patients: Mental measurement
not only studies the normal mind but also the abnormal mind and
behaviour of individuals. Diagnostic tests have been developed to
study learning difficulties of children. Intelligence tests have been used
to make diagnosis of the mental patients in the psychological clinics.

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Unit - 1 Educational Measurement

Thus, mental measurement is an essential step to study the nature of

the mental patients.
 Impact of heredity and environment: Nature and nurture have their
relative influence on development of individual. Students' educational
achievement is influenced favourably or unfavourably by the sources
of his/her hereditary and environmental potential. Effective study and
investigation on such matters may be initiated by the teacher through
use of mental measurement.
 Increasing professional efficiency of the teacher: Teacher is to
deal with the various affairs of mental training for development of their
students. A teacher is supposed to know the nature and structure of
various forms of mental abilities, their sources and methods of train-
ing and objective of assessment. The theoretical knowledge and prac-
tical experiment of mental measurement may simplify his task and
increase professional efficiency.
 Higher study and research: For higher study and research involved
in educational field, mental measurement is considered indispens-
able. Any sort of objective and analytical study and enquiry of the edu-
cational problems, essentially involves the use of educational mea-
surement for the researchers. It may also help to solve such educa-
tional problem more convincingly.

1.8 LET US SUM UP

 Measurement is an indispensable component in the domain of edu-

cation and psychology.
 Measurement is the process of quantification; to measure, means to
determine the magnitude of property.
 Measurement can be done on the basis of accepted rules and
standardised units of measurement or scale.
 Educational measurement is the quantifying assessment of the

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Educational Measurement Unit - 1

student's performance in a given test.

 Measurement enters all fields of human activity and all branches of
science. We can find two types of measurement:
(a) Physical measurement (b) Psychological or mental measurement
 Educational measurement has the following main functions:
(a) admission (b) classification (c) comparison (d) prediction
(e) diagnosis (f) research
 Measurement is primarily concerned with grade placement of an indi-
vidual.
 The need of educational measurement are- identifying specific nature
of mental ability, serving the need of specialisation, working out of the
concept of individual difference, human resource development, need
based and productive oriented education and vocationalisation of edu-
cation.

1.9 FURTHER READING

1. Lal, J.P.. Educational Measurement and Evaluation.

2. Dash B.N. and Dash Nibedita. Educational Measurement and Statis-
tics.
3. Bhatia K.K.. Measurement and Evaluation in Education.
4. Asthana, Dr. Bipin. Measurement and Evaluation in Psychology and
Education.
5. Rawat D.S. Measurement Evaluation and Statistics in Education.
Cryan Chandra, New Delhi-1

1.10 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR

PROGRESS

Ans to Q No1: Measurement aims at finding out the quantity of some com-

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Unit - 1 Educational Measurement

modity or characteristics in some definite units. It means finding out

smallness or bigness of it or knowing how much more or less it is
than another.
Ans to Q No 2: According to Stern "Measurement is the assignment of
numerals to objects or events according to rules".
Ans to Q No 3: The two types of measurement are-
a. Physical Measurement.
b. Psychological or Mental Measurement.
Ans to Q No 4: Educational measurement is the quantitative assessment
of performance of the student in a given test. Educational measure-
ment is not objective, definite and precise.
Ans to Q No 5: According to R.P. Taneja - "Educational measurement is the
process of quantifying any human attribute that is pertinent in the con-
text of education".
Ans to Q No 6: Educational measurement has the following characteris-
tics.
 There is no absolute zero point. Measurement is relative to some ar-
bitrary standard.
 The units of measurement are not definite. They do not have the same
value for every person.
 The measurement in education conveys a sense of infinity. We can
never claim to measure the whole of achievement or intelligence of a
child.
 Measurement is indirect. We measure achievement through some
kind of performance.

1.11 MODEL QUESTIONS

A) Very Short Questions (Answer each questions within 50 words)

Q 1: What do you understand by the term 'Measurement'?
Q 2: What is educational measurement?
Q 3: What is mental measurement?
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Educational Measurement Unit - 1

Q 4: State the characteristics of educational measurement.

B) Long Questions (Answer each question in about 300-500 words)

Q 1: What is educational measurement? Discuss the functions of educa-

tional measurement.
Q2: Discuss in detail the types of measurement.
Q3: Discuss the scope of educational measurement.
Q4: Elaborate the need of measurement in education.

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