MODULE 4: 

OBSERVATIONS ON ASSESSMENT IN LEARNING

LESSON 1:  OBSERVATIONS ON THE USE OF TRADITIONAL AND 

ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENTS

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

Before you proceed any further, please be aware of the intended learning outcomes for this lesson, to
wit:

✔The learner determines the general classifications of assessments used by the classroom teacher in
assessing students’ learning in his/her observations of the actual teaching-learning episodes.

✔The learner critically analyzes the general classifications of assessments used by the teacher in
terms of how, when, and why they are used in the teaching-learning episodes observed.

✔The learner reflects on his or her personal learning experiences in terms of the dialogue between
theory and practice.

INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Lesson 1 of Module 4!  In this lesson, you are to do an inventory of assessments that are
used by the teacher in the three (3) learning instances based on your experiences as a student. Refer to the
Curriculum Guide of your specialization for the learning competencies.  After the inventory, you will be
asked to classify these assessments according to the two (2) broad or general classifications of assessment. 
To help you organize your observation notes, there are accompanying templates every step of the way!
Please accomplish each one of them as you progress from one teaching-learning task to another.  I wish you
all the best!

ACTIVITY
 You are to remember at least three (3) continuous teaching-learning experiences as a student to
check out on the assessments the teacher uses to assess the learning competencies for a set of related topics
with a view to putting them under the two general classifications of assessment:  traditional assessments and
alternative assessments.  Please accomplish the following templates to guide your observation notes and
reflections.  

A. Template for Teaching-Learning Task 1:

What are the intended learning

competencies for this teaching-
learning experience?

What are the assessments used by

the teacher to assess these intended
learning outcomes?

What assessments are considered

traditional assessments?

What assessments are considered

alternative assessments?

B. Template for Teaching-Learning Task 2:

What are the intended learning

competencies for this teaching-
learning instance?

What are the assessments used by

the teacher to assess these intended
learning outcomes?

What assessments are considered

traditional assessments?
 What assessments are considered
alternative assessments?

C. Template for Teaching-Learning Task 3:

What are the intended learning

competencies for this teaching-
learning episode?

What are the assessments used by

the teacher to assess these intended
learning outcomes?

What assessments are considered

traditional assessments?

What assessments are considered

alternative assessments?

ANALYSIS
From your observation notes of the three (3) teaching-learning tasks, analyze the data by
accomplishing the following templates.

A.  Template 1: Analysis on Traditional Assessments

Review all the types of traditional assessments

that you were able to note down in your
templates.  When were they conducted?  In
which part of the entire teaching-learning
process were they given by the teacher? 
Why were they conducted by the teacher? 
What is the purpose of giving them?

Were they helpful in achieving the intended

learning outcomes? In what manner were they
helpful?

Recalling the theories, principles, and concepts

you learned on traditional assessments, were
the assessments appropriately used?  Did they
serve their purpose?  Elaborate your answer.

B.  Analysis Template on Alternative Assessments

Review all the types of alternative assessments

that you were able to note down in your
observation templates.  When were they
conducted?  In which part of the entire
teaching-learning process were they given by
the teacher? 

Why were they conducted by the teacher? 

What is the purpose of giving them?

Were they helpful in achieving the intended

learning outcomes? In what manner were they
helpful?
 Recalling the theories, principles, and concepts
you learned on alternative assessments, were
the assessments appropriately used?  Did they
serve their purpose?  Elaborate your answer.

ABSTRACTION
In your Assessment 1 and Assessment 2 courses, you learned the theories, principles, and concepts
on assessing learning.  Primarily, you learned that there are two general types of assessment:  traditional and
alternative. Traditional assessments are known as pen-and-paper tests which may be in forms of multiple
choice, true-false, matching type, and supply items, among others.  These may measure both the lower-order
and the higher-order thinking skills.  On the other hand, there are alternative assessments which assess
products and performances, and therefore would require rubrics as assessment tools. These products and
performances demonstrate what students can do with what they know.  You also learned that assessments
should be holistic in that they should be able to assess both the lower-order and the higher-order thinking in
the cognitive domain, and the skills and attitudes in the psychomotor and affective domains.
Your experiences of the three (3) teaching-learning instances and the templates that you
accomplished guided your thoughts in linking these learned theories, principles, and concepts to their actual
classroom applications.  It is hoped that you were able to validate good practices from these observations
and reflect on a solid stance for your actual practice in the future.

CLOSURE
Congratulations for successfully finishing Lesson 1!  Lesson 2 on Observations on the Use of
Formative Assessments is coming your way!