West Visayas State University

(Formerly Iloilo Normal School)

HIMAMAYLAN CITY CAMPUS
Brgy. Caradio-an, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental,6108
* Tel.No. (034)-388-3300
*Official Page: https://www.facebook.com/westhimamaylan/
* Email Address: [email protected]

Course Facilitator: MERALY S. DEGILLO, MA, LPT, RGC

Contact Details: Facebook (Mhie Degillo), email ad ([email protected]), mobile # (09292618420)
FB Group Chat (Assessment2 BSED Eng. 3B, Assessment2 BEED 3B, Assessment2 BSED Soc. Stud. 3)

ASSESSMENT IN LEARNING 2
A Module

Unit 1: Introduction to Assessment in Learning 2

At the end of the unit, you should be able to:

 Ascertain the basic concepts, theories and principles of using alternative assessment.
 Determine the advantages and disadvantages of using alternative assessment.
 Discuss the contextual aspect of alternative assessment.
 Appreciate the importance of alternative assessment through insights sharing.
 Recognize the different models of alternative assessment and its purpose.
 Compare and contrast the different models of alternative assessment
 Apply the different models of alternative assessment in your specific learning area.
 Identify the appropriate learning targets for alternative assessment.
 Discuss the importance of matching the appropriate alternative assessment method for each learning
target.
 Contextualize the concepts and principles on alternative assessment and appropriate learning targets.

Lesson 1: Basic Concepts, Theories, and Principles

In using Alternative Assessment

Have you ever experienced making a portfolio and/or a project as a requirement in school? Have you ever done
exhibits and culmination activities as basis of determining your learning in a certain concept? Well, assessing students
learning can be done in many differentiated ways. It doesn’t just revolve on the idea of the conventional paper-and-pencil
tests. There are a lot of creative ways to assess students learning which give way to the idea of the so-called Alternative
Assessment.

What is Alternative Assessment?

Alternative assessments are used to determine what students can and cannot do, in contrast to what they do or do not
know.

Alternative assessments, also referred to as performance tests or authentic assessments, are used to determine
what students can and cannot do, in contrast to what they do or do not know. In other words, an alternative assessment
measures applied proficiency more than it measures knowledge. Typical examples of alternative assessments include
portfolios, project work, and other activities requiring some type of rubric.

The essence of this assessment method focuses on the idea that students are given the opportunity to do one or
more of the following:

 Demonstrate their ability

 Perform a meaningful task
  Receive feedback by a qualified person in terms of relevant and defensible criteria

In short, the purpose for using alternative assessments is to assess students’ proficiency in performing complex
tasks that are directly associated with learning outcomes.

Characteristics of Alternative Assessment

Some of the characteristics of alternative assessment is presented on the figure below:

Advantages and

Disadvantages of using Alternative Assessment

Alternative assessments are highly recommended as an assessment method because of its undeniable strength.
Though, it as well has its drawbacks. The figure below shows the advantages and disadvantages of using alternative
assessment.

Advantages Disadvantages
*They provide a means of assessing *Process can be costly in terms of
valued skills that cannot be directly time, effort, equipment, materials,
assessed with traditional tests. facilities, or funds.
*They provide a more realistic setting
for student performance than *Rating process is sometimes more
traditional tests. subjective than traditional exams.
*They focus on student performance
and the quality of work performed by
students.
*They can be easily aligned with
established learning outcomes.

Guiding Principles of using Alternative Assessment

In using Alternative Assessment, teachers must be guided by the following principles:

1. Define the instructional outcome you want to assess as clearly and unambiguously as possible in terms of both the
subject-matter content and the set of skills or operations that a skilful performer would exhibit.

Examples: Students will perform five types of Cha Cha steps in correct dance position without error.
Students will solve the solution to a given problem correctly using the quadratic formula.
2. Distinguish between those outcomes that can validly be assessed solely by performance assessments and those that
can be assessed just as effectively by objective measures.

 Students would have a difficult time demonstrating dance steps on paper.

3. Create tasks that elicit evidence of the student’s ability to perform the targeted skill.

4. Decide what kinds of teacher guidance can be used while still allowing students the freedom to learn and do it their
own way.
  The teacher may serve as facilitator for students to learn. Teacher may give time for students to prepare
while being guided.

5. Try out the assessment and make revisions as necessary.

 Revisions could include giving more detailed instructions and expectations to the students.

A. EXPLANATION
Answer the following questions.
1. What for you are the best features of alternative assessment? Explain what makes it ideal to use as an
assessment method?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________.

2. Elaborate: “Alternative assessments are used to determine what students can and cannot do, in contrast to what
they do or do not know.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________.

B. TABLE COMPLETION
A. Choose a specific topic in your learning area and discuss on how you are going to apply alternative assessment
based on the given guiding principle.

Name: Course &Year:

School: Date:

Topic: (Example: Solving the Area of a Rectangle)

Guiding Principle in using

How will I apply this?
Alternative Assessment

Define the instructional outcome you

want to assess as clearly and
unambiguously as possible in terms of
both the subject-matter content and
the set of skills or operations that a
skilful performer would exhibit.

Distinguish between those outcomes

that can validly be assessed solely by
performance assessments and those
that can be assessed just as
effectively by objective measures.
 Create tasks that elicit evidence of the
student’s ability to perform the
targeted skill.

Decide what kinds of teacher

guidance can be used while still
allowing students the freedom to learn
and do it their own way.

Try out the assessment and make

revisions as necessary.

After learning this lesson:

1. I realized that ________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________.

2. As a future teacher, I can apply the concepts I learned through__________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________.

Essay Writing
Write an essay highlighting your insights on the use of alternative assessment in assessing students learning.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
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Lesson 2: Models of Alternative Assessment

Why do we need to discuss about alternative assessment models?

Oftentimes, when teachers assess learning, they tend to think of certain strategies that would resonate well with
them. However, it is always a standard to be creative on the way how learning is being assessed to make sure that
assessment tools measures what it intends to measure while taking into consideration student diversity. Teachers could
always design an assessment that exposes students to a different academic experience. Let us consider the illustration at
the right.
Generally, we would always take the path with the arrow to get from the house to
the castle. This is not because it is the only path or the best path, but simply because it is
the shortest path. However, we also recognize that there may be instances where it will
make more sense for you to take one of the alternate paths – that sometimes you might
be metaphorically interested in the beach or the yellow tent and the shortest path is not
the most logical path for you to take. It is in this spirit that alternative assessment models
are presented.

Models Alternative Assessment

There are four models of alternative assessment. These are Authentic Assessment, Developmental Assessment,
and Emergent Assessment.

Authentic Assessment: Assessing by Doing

What is Authentic Assessment?

Authentic assessment is based on students’ abilities to perform meaningful tasks they may have to do in the “real
world.” In other words, this form of assessment determines students’ learning in a manner that goes beyond multiple
choice tests and quizzes.

Why Consider Using Authentic Assessment?

Authentic Assessment Traditional Assessment
Asks students about what they learned out of context
Requires students to contextualize and apply what
and tends to encourage rote memorization ("what do
they have learned.
we need to know for the test?")
Forces students to work within the ambiguities and Encourages students to think about issues in "right"
grey areas present in the real world. versus" wrong terms.
Challenges students with a full array of tasks,
challenges, and priority-setting that is required in Tends to focus on single answers to problems.
solving problems in the real world.
Look at students' abilities to plan, craft, and revise
Rarely provides students opportunities to plan,
thorough and justifiable arguments, performances,
evaluate, adjust, and revise responses.
and products.
Often include ambiguous problems and roles that Frequently focus on discrete, static (and often
allow students to practice dealing with the arbitrary) elements of the skills necessary to work on
ambiguities of the real world. ambiguous challenges.
Wiggins, Grant (1990). The case for authentic assessment. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation. 2(2).

How Can I Develop Authentic Assessment?

Here are some suggestions for developing an authentic assessment:
 Identify at least one task students need to be able to do to be successful in employment and/or
continuing education.
 Work with your fellow teachers to determine how students might be able to demonstrate their ability to do
the task(s).
 Identify criteria to evaluate the task(s).
 Evaluate students’ abilities to complete the criteria of the task(s).

What are Some Authentic Assessment Methodologies?

Examples:
 Biology lab practical
 Portfolio
 Music jury
 Mock trial
 Acting in a play
 Developmental Assessment: Assessing by Progress

What is Developmental Assessment?

Authentic assessment looks at students’ progress in developing skills, abilities, values, etc., rather than evaluating
students’ final products.

Why Consider Using Developmental Assessment?

Not every type of learning is best assessed by looking at the quality of a final product. In fact, sometimes there is
no expectation that students should, or even could, fully develop in the assessed area by the end of a course or program.
An example of this is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Theoretically, very few people ever fully develop to the final “self-
actualized” stage. A few advantages of this assessment model are:
 Developmental assessment is useful for outcomes based on students’ development rather than their abilities to
create a final product.
 This assessment is based on relevant principles of development in your discipline.
 This type of assessment emphasizes emerging knowledge and skills, rather than recognizing only students’ final
products.
 Developmental assessment gives you the ability to focus on strengths and unique aspects of your program.
 Developmental assessment is ongoing and may occur in many contexts, giving you a richer view of students’
learning.

How Can I Create Developmental Assessments?

Developmental assessments require some sort of pre- post- design. If you would like to know how much a student
has developed their knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or values, you need to measure that information at the beginning of a
learning experience, then again at the end.
Example: One could administer a test at the beginning of a class, then ask the same students to take the same
test at the end of a class. By comparing students’ performances on the pre- and post-tests, an instructor could determine
students’ levels of development.

What are Some Developmental Assessment Methodologies?

Methodologies tend to rely on observational and work sampling techniques that continually focus on performance,
processes, and products over selected periods of time and in a variety of contexts.
Example: An instructor may compare two work samples using a developmental rubric to determine students’ levels of
development.

Emergent Assessment: Assessing by Discovery

What is Emergent Assessment?

Emergent assessment is a model based on Michael Scriven’s (1967) goal free evaluation model. With emergent
assessment, assessment is structured using “effects” rather than learning outcomes. This model honors the idea that you
may bias your assessment by specifically defining what you are looking for (i.e. when you focus exclusively on a learning
outcome, you may be ‘putting on blinders’ regarding the other things that may be happening with student learning). This
assessment model tends to be more qualitative in nature.

Why Consider Using Emergent Assessment?

Emergent Assessment addresses concerns about inquiry shared by many disciplines, particularly those disciplines
that tend to use more qualitative methodologies. A few examples of these concerns are:
1. There may be differences between explicitly stated learning outcomes and their associated implicit learning.
 Prevents overlooking unintended outcomes (both good and bad).
 Focus is on what program actually does, rather than what it intends to do.
2. Does defining learning outcomes in “testable” ways alter the learning outcomes (and not always in desirable
ways)?
 With this type of assessment, the assessment process and learning outcomes are equally subject to
evaluation as student learning.
3. Are we sacrificing the roles of assessment for the goals of assessment? In other words, are we sacrificing the
process for the outcomes (i.e., assigning grades or writing an assessment report)?
 This assessment method more directly takes student’s needs into consideration than a more traditional
assessment model.
How Can I Develop Emergent Assessment?
Profile the actual effects of instruction or educational program against demonstrated needs of students who
complete a course or program.

What are Some Emergent Assessment Methodologies?

Methodologies may include anything that includes a global, comprehensive look at student work, behavior,
performance, attitudes, and values to determine what affect the academic program is having.
Examples:
 Writing Samples
 Especially those requiring reflection
 Interviews or focus groups with students
 Brainstorming sessions with students
 Ecological observation of students engaged in work in a classroom
 EXPLANATION
Answer the following questions.
1. Choose one of the identified models of alternative assessment and discuss. Capitalize on its contextual
aspect in your learning area.
2. Explain the implications of models of alternative assessment. How does it affect your visions on assessment
of learning?
3. Authentic assessment is based on students’ abilities to perform meaningful tasks they may have to do in the
“real world.” Based on the statement, why is it important that an assessment method should be authentic?

After learning this lesson:

1. I realized that ________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________.

2. As a future teacher, I can apply the concepts I learned through__________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________.

Graphical Presentation
Present through a graphic organizer the commonalities and differences of the different models of alternative
assessment.
Lesson 3: Learning Targets for Performance and
Product-Oriented Assessment

What is a learning target? Why are learning targets important? Is it important that students can explain what they
need to KNOW, LEARN, DO, and SHOW to be successful? What are the appropriate assessment method for these
learning targets?

Learning Targets: Types and Purpose

A Learning Target is a statement of intended learning for students based on the standards. A Learning Target
specifies and unpacks the objective and spells out what students will be able to do during and after the lesson or lesson
series. Learning Targets are in student friendly language and are specific to the lesson for the day, or span of days, and
directly connected to assessment. A learning target also includes performance criteria or a demonstration of learning.

Performance Criteria or Demonstration of Learning (DOL): The performance criteria for the activity, project,
assignment, or process outlines what the student demonstrates to show the teacher the degree to which they understand
and can do the Learning Target. The teacher can assess the DOL through observation, conferring, or evaluation using a
rubric, checklist, or other criteria. Performance criteria can be demonstrated orally through conferring or presenting or in
writing through a quiz, a project, a test, etc.

There are 5 types of Learning Targets namely Knowledge, Reasoning, Skills, Product, and Disposition or
Affective. To fully understand the different types of learning targets, the table below is used to present their description,
content standard keywords, example and the common assessment method used.
Common
Type of
Content Standard Example of a Learning Assessment
Learning Description
Keywords Target Method Used
Target
(General)
Recognizes and
describes patterns of
explain, understand,
refers to the facts and human behaviour.
describe, identify,
concepts we want Understands long-term Traditional
tell, name, list,
students to know physiological benefits of Assessment
Knowledge define, label, match,
includes mastery of regular participation in (paper-and-pencil
choose, recall,
facts and information, physical activity. test)
recognize, select,
typically through recall Knows that energy can
know
be transformed
between various forms.
Analyses fitness
Students use what
assessments to set
they know to reason
personal fitness goals,
and solve problem Evaluate, judge,
strategizes ways to Traditional
includes problem discriminate,
reach goals, evaluates Assessment
Reasoning solving, critical modify, organize,
activities (paper-and-pencil
thinking, synthesis, formulate,
Examines data/results test)
comparing, higher hypothesize
and proposes
order thinking skills,
meaningful
and judgment
interpretation
observe, focus Measures length in
Students use their attention, listen, metric and US units
knowledge and perform, do, Reads aloud with
reasoning to act question, conduct, fluency and expression Alternative
skillfully work, read, speak, Dribbles to keep the Assessment
Skills involves something assemble, operate, ball away from an (Performance tasks,
that a student must use, demonstrate, opponent demonstrations,
demonstrate in a way measure, Participates in civic etc.)
other than answering investigate, model, discussion with the aim
questions collect, dramatize, of solving current
explore problems
Students use their
Constructs bar graphs
knowledge, reasoning,
design, produce, Develops a personal Alternative
and skills to create a
create, develop, health-related fitness Assessment
concrete product
Product make, write, draw, plan (projects, creating
includes a sample of
represent, display, Constructs physical activities, portfolios,
student work (i.e.
model, construct models of familiar etc.)
paper, report, artwork,
objects
or other project) that
 demonstrates the Creates a scripted
ability knowledge, scene based on
understanding, improvised work
reasoning, and skills
Students’ attitudes Alternative
about school and Assess the degree of Assessment
Reflect, relate
Disposition/ learning your learning of the (Reflection notes,
(one’s self), assess
Affective includes attitudes, concept using the self- self-assessment
(self-assessment)
values, interests, assessment checklist checklists, journal
feelings, and beliefs writing)

If you could have notice, knowledge and reasoning learning targets are commonly measured by traditional
assessment methods while skills, product and affective are assessed through alternative assessment methods.

Why are Learning Targets Important?

The following are the reasons why learning targets are important.
 Framework for Teaching. The learning target guides instruction across the Gradual Release of Responsibility. A
well-written learning target ensures that the teachers can explicitly teach and model the important performance
criteria necessary for learning, provide the appropriate practice opportunities, and assists in monitoring student
progress and sharing purposeful and actionable feedback with students.
 Direction. Students need clear, step by step processes with check in activities and ongoing assessment and
feedback that support them toward clear goals.
 Clarity. Learning shouldn’t be a “guessing game.” The greatest student achievement is supported by clarity of
instruction (Hattie, 2012).
 Understanding. Students should be able to read and articulate what you want them to know, understand, and be
able to do.
 Assessment. A well-designed learning target provides the performance criteria that describe mastery.

Appropriate Alternative Assessment Methods for Learning Targets

As mentioned, skills, products and affective are assessed through alternative assessment methods are commonly
measured by alternative assessment methods.
To assess skills and products, performance-based and product-based assessment methods can be used. Examples
of these methods include:
 Group projects enabling a number of students to work together on a complex problem that requires planning,
research, internal discussion, and group presentation.
 Essays assessing students' understanding of a subject through a written description, analysis, explanation, or
summary.
 Experiments testing how well students understand scientific concepts and can carry out scientific processes.
 Demonstrations giving students opportunities to show their mastery of subject-area content and procedures.
 Portfolios allowing students to provide a broad portrait of their performance through files that contain
collections of students' work, assembled over time.
 Scoring rubrics are utilized to measure product and performance.
To assess affects or dispositions, some feasible methods can be utilized like:
 Teacher observations
 Student’s self-reports
 Peer ratings
 Journals
 Reflection Notes

Technically, it is very important that an assessment method is appropriate to make sure that a learning target is
properly assessed. The table below shows summarizes how a learning target could be matched by an appropriate
assessment method.

Target-Method Match Table

Learning Selected Written Response Performance/Product Personal

Target Response Assessment Communication

Knowledge Good Strong Partial Strong

Can assess Can assess elements Can assess elements of Can assess elements
isolated elements of knowledge and knowledge and of knowledge and
of knowledge and relationships among relationships among them relationships among
some relationships them in certain contexts them
among them
 Reasoning Good Strong Partial* Strong
Can assess many Can assess all Can assess reasoning Can assess all
but not all reasoning targets targets in the context of reasoning targets
reasoning targets certain tasks in certain
contexts

Skill Poor Poor Strong Partial

Cannot assess skill Cannot assess skill Can observe and assess Strong match for
level; can only level; can only skills as they are being some oral
assess prerequisite assess prerequisite performed communication
knowledge and knowledge and proficiencies; not a
reasoning reasoning good match
otherwise

Product Poor Poor* Strong Poor

Cannot assess the Cannot assess the Can directly assess the Cannot assess the
quality of a product; quality of a product; attributes of quality of quality of a product;
can only assess can only assess products can only assess
prerequisite prerequisite prerequisite
knowledge and knowledge and knowledge and
reasoning reasoning reasoning

Affective Poor Poor Partial Strong

Cannot assess the Cannot assess the Can assess some of the Can directly assess
quality affective quality affective elements the of quality of the attributes of
learning targets learning targets; can affective learning targets quality of affective
only assess learning targets
prerequisite
knowledge and
reasoning

* = modification © 2011 Pearson Assessment Training Institute, Portland, OR www.assessmentinst.com

A. EXPLANATION
Answer the following questions.
1. Why is it important that an assessment method is aligned to a learning target?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________.

2. How important are alternative assessment methods? What are the advantages of using alternative assessment
methods in assessing skills, products and dispositions/affective learning targets?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________.

B. Graphical Presentation
Using a Venn diagram, illustrate the similarities and differences of skill, product and disposition or affective learning
targets in terms of:
a. Type (what it measures) b. Methods used to assess
 After learning this lesson:

1. I realized that ___________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________.

2. As a future teacher, I can apply the concepts I learned through_____________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________.

Assessment Planning
Choose a topic in your learning area, formulate a learning target, and specify the assessment method to be used in
assessing the given learning target.

Name: Course & Year:

School: Topic:

Type of Learning
Learning Target Assessment Method
Target

Skills

Product

Disposition/
Affective