Assessment in Learning 2
Assessment in Learning 2
ASSESSMENT IN LEARNING 2
A Module
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.
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:
In short, the purpose for using alternative assessments is to assess students’ proficiency in performing complex
tasks that are directly associated with learning outcomes.
Advantages and
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.
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.
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.
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?
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2. Elaborate: “Alternative assessments are used to determine what students can and cannot do, in contrast to what
they do or do not know.”
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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.
School: Date:
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
There are four models of alternative assessment. These are Authentic Assessment, Developmental Assessment,
and Emergent Assessment.
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?
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.
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.
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.
A. EXPLANATION
Answer the following questions.
1. Why is it important that an assessment method is aligned to a learning target?
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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?
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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:
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.
School: Topic:
Type of Learning
Learning Target Assessment Method
Target
Skills
Product
Disposition/
Affective