Lesson 1: Using assessment to classify learning and understanding
Assessment is a process that is used to keep track of learners’ progress in relation to particular learning standards set by department of education (DepEd, 2015).
Three (3) forms of assessment activities:
●Assessment of learning
●Assessment as learning
●Assessment for learningent activities:
Assessment for learning or formative assessment - is an approach to teaching and learning where feedback is utilized to improve students’ performance. This refers to assessment that is given while the teacher is in the process of student formation. Assessment for learning is reflective in nature. When the teacher giving constructive feed backs, it would let the students recognize their achievements and difficulties. This form of assessment is very beneficial for students and teachers. For teachers, assessment for learning result may encourage them to modify the learning plan, regulate their teaching pace and replace their instructional materials. For students, it intends to close the gap between a learner’s current situation and they want to be in their learning and achievement.
Lesson 2: Providing evidence of Improved learning performance
Assessment for learning pertains to diagnostic and formative assessment tasks which are used to determine learning needs, monitor academic progress of students during a unit of instruction and guide instruction. Students are given on-going and immediate feedback concerning their performance. Assessment for learning envisions the creation of a learner-centered classroom with a supportive environment, where students regard mistakes as opportunities to learn. Effective formative assessment mechanisms integrate and embed the following practices shown below:
1.Clarifying learning goals and success criteria
2.Eliciting and analyzing evidence of student thinking
3.Engaging in self-assessment and peer feedback
4.Provide actionable feedback
5.Adjusting learning strategies, goals or next instructional steps.
Assessment method can be categorized according to the nature and characteristics of each method. McMillan (2007) identified four major categories:
Selected-response - this pen-paper test format requires students to choose from a given set of options to answer a question or a problem. Multiple choice, alternate response (true/false), and matching types, these are the examples of this kind of assessment or category.
Constructed-response - this subjective format demands that students supply their answer to a question, problem or task. Examples in this category are brief-constructed response items (sentence completion, short answer to questions, labeling a diagram), performance assessments, essay items or oral questioning.
Performance assessment - expects students to complete a task with emphasis on authenticity. Performance tasks are mostly preferred in assessing skills and products.
Teacher Observation - this is a form of on-going assessment where teachers are required to be watchful of the students’ behavior, strengths and weaknesses. Observation is ideal for measuring mastery of skills.
Student self-assessment - this a process where students are given the opportunity to reflect and rate their own work based an agreed set of criteria.
Lesson 3: Examples of assessment for Learning
The aim of assessment in the classroom is to help students perform well in relation to the learning standards - content standards, performance standards and learning competencies (DepEd, 2015).
Content standards - refer to the essential knowledge and understanding that every student should learn.
Performance standards - it describe here the expected abilities and skills that learners must demonstrate.
Learning competencies - refer to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that students need to display in every learning episode.
Learners are assessed in the classroom through various processes and measures appropriate to and aligned with the learning competencies defined in the curriculum guide. Formative assessment may be conducted in the different parts of the lesson - before, during and after the lesson.
Before the lesson - in this phase the learner here are able to know what s/he knows about the topic. The teacher will also get an information about on what the learner already knows and can do. Examples of assessment in this methods are the K-W-L charts, direct questioning and pretest exercises.
During the lesson - in this phase the purpose of formative assessment is to identify one’s strengths and weaknesses, identify the factors that will help the learner and also monitor the learners’ progress. For the teachers, they should give an immediate feedback to learners, identify learning gaps and make decision to proceed with the next topic, re-teach or provide corrective measures or reinforcements. Examples are, observations, oral presentations, simple formative performance tasks and even quizzes.
After the lesson - in this phase we can already tell if we really met the learning objectives and success criteria. Examples are, checklists, written work, short quizzes and performance tasks that emanate from the lesson objectives.
Always remember that feedback is very essential after conducting the formative assessment. Specific and informative feedback increase the chance of students to attain the target competencies and become more accountable of their own learning. Through this also, it will help the learner to become more prepared in the summative assessment.
Lesson 4: Conditions of validity, reliability, and quality of feedback
When conducting assessment, the validity and reliability of the instrument are very important.
Validity, describes as how well did the measure what it purports to measure. It pertains between the purpose of assessment and which data the assessor chooses to quantify that purpose. To ensure validity of assessment tasks, it should be:
●match with your goals and objectives
●make sure your goals and objectives are well defined and operationalized.
●the test paper must review by the co-teacher
●emphasize the key areas only
Reliability asks whether the test used to collect data produces consistent results. To ensure reliability of assessment tasks, consider these guideline:
●instruction for each task must be clearly written
●questions and tasks must capture the material taught
●week feedback regarding thoroughness of the assessment from students and colleagues
●when assessing performance task,prepare a well-defined rubric.
Feedback and assessment go hand-in-hand as successful strategy for learning and improvement. It means that, it provides learners with insight into their performance. And as a teacher or a future educator, we should be more polite when justifying assessment and feedback given.