Participants: Ms Kaviya M and Ms Ranjani R

Dates: 11th & 12th November 2025

Venue: Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Mylapore

Resource Persons: Mr Bhavani Shankar and Ms Maheshwari Natarajan

Ms Kaviya M and Ms Ranjani R from the Science Department attended a two-day Capacity Building Programme (CBP) on Competency-Based Assessment for Middle School Science, organised at Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Mylapore. The workshop aimed to enhance teachers’ understanding of effective assessment strategies aligned with the principles of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The sessions focused on developing teachers’ skills in designing assessments that promote conceptual understanding, critical thinking, and problem-solving among students.

Day 1

Session 1: Role of Good Assessment

The workshop began with an introductory discussion on the importance and characteristics of effective assessments. Participants explored what makes an assessment meaningful, valid, and reliable. The session concluded with an interactive activity where participants rated various multiple-choice questions (MCQs) based on their quality and relevance.

Session 2: Key Concepts of Assessment

The second session delved into the Cognitive Domain, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework. Through a hands-on activity titled “Design a Glass Hammer”, participants applied UbD principles to create assessment tools that aligned with specific learning outcomes.

Session 3: Understanding MCQs

This session focused on the structure, purpose, and types of MCQs. Participants discussed the advantages and challenges of using MCQs for assessing different learning levels. The facilitators introduced the concept of the 3Cs in MCQ writing—Clarity, Context, and Correctness—and shared best practices for framing effective and high-quality questions.

Session 4: MCQ Design and Peer Review

In this practical session, participants were asked to design six MCQs covering different levels of the cognitive domain. These questions were then reviewed through peer feedback, allowing teachers to refine their questions and ensure alignment with competency-based assessment principles.

Day 2

Recap of Day 1

The day began with a quick recap of the key takeaways from Day 1 to reinforce the previous day’s learning and connect it with the upcoming sessions.

Session 1: Free Response Questions (FRQs)

This session focused on Free Response Questions and their significance in evaluating higher-order thinking skills. Through a group activity, participants learned how open-ended questions encourage analytical and creative thinking in students.

Session 2: Characteristics of Good FRQs

Participants analysed various FRQs using a rating scale from 0 to 2 to assess their quality and effectiveness. They were then guided to design their own FRQs that align with the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, focusing on application, analysis, and evaluation.

Session 3: Subject-wise Group Activity

Participants were divided into six subject-specific groups: Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Each group was assigned the task of designing two MCQs, two FRQs, and two case-based questions. Three groups were randomly selected to present their work, while others provided constructive feedback. This collaborative session offered valuable insights into improving question quality and ensuring alignment with learning competencies.

Session 4: Designing Rubrics

The following session emphasised the importance of well-structured rubrics in ensuring fair and objective assessment. Participants learned how to design clear, specific, and precise rubrics that minimise subjectivity and enhance transparency in evaluation.

Conclusion

The workshop concluded with an assessment and feedback session where participants reflected on their learning experiences. The two-day CBP proved to be an enriching and insightful experience. It equipped teachers with practical knowledge on designing student-friendly question papers, constructing competency-based and case-based questions, and creating effective rubrics. The sessions offered an in-depth understanding of aligning assessments with intended learning outcomes, thereby fostering meaningful learning experiences for students.