4 BASIC CATEGORIES OF METHODS OF

ASSESSMENT

DR VT MABALANE
Planning and designing assessments – the basics,
when to do it and how?

What has alignment to do with assessment?

• Assessment is an integral part of the learning process
and, ultimately, should aim to improve the quality of
learners learning.
• When designing, running and assessing a topic, it is
vital to know and be able to clearly communicate to
the learners what the learners should be able to do
upon completing a topic, and what they will have to
demonstrate in order to pass it.
Matching assessment with learning outcomes/ aims

Learning outcomes/aims/
There should be a clear
Objectives (Whatfor?) are
relationship between
statements that predict
learning aims/ objectives
what learners will gain as
(SKVA) and assessment.
a result of learning’
 Matching assessment with learning outcomes/ aims

• Soremember:
Ensure the assessment method assess the stated learning aims.

• Ensure the assessment method does not assess any significant

learning aims that are not explicitly stated as such.

• Assessment should never go beyond the learning aims. For example,

if the learning aims states that the learners should be able to “select
an appropriate method”, then the assessment task should not go
beyond this limit by asking to “analyse the method”.
 Matching assessment with learning outcomes/
aims

•A carefully thought-out learning aim will give a solid indication to the

lesson of what kinds of assessment are appropriate, and of the skills
and knowledge the learner will have to demonstrate to pass.

• The clearer the learner aim, the easier it will be to devise an

appropriate assessment
Making assessment more effective, efficient and interesting for
you and your learners

• All too often assessment is an end-product, a non-avoidable chore that is

used to evaluate, measure and box learners.

• There is more to the process of assessment than this.

• Provide a variety of different assessments.

• When referring to methods of assessment, we mean the approach used to
assess learning.
Making Assessments more effective, efficient and interesting for
learners

• How much time should be spent on assessment?

• Involve others in the assessment process (peer/self/group

assessment)’

• Making feedback more effective

 Selected response and short answer
FOUR (4) BASIC
Extended written response
CATEGORIES OF
METHODS OF Performance assessment
ASSESSMENT Personal communication
 • Consist of those in which learners select
Selected the correct or best response from a list
response provided.
and short • Formats include multiple choice,
answer true/false, matching, short answer, and
fill-in questions.
• Learners’ scores are figured as the
number or proportion of questions
answered correctly.
• More of recall questions.
 • Requires learners to construct a written answer in response to a
question or task rather than to select one from a list.
• An extended written response is one that is at least several
sentences in length.
• Compare, Analyse, Interpret, Solve, Describe, Discuss, Explain, etc.
Extended • two types of predetermined scoring criteria
written - One type gives points for specific pieces of information that
response are present, eg - stages, part of a poem, features etc.
• The second type of criteria can take the form of a rubric, such as a
general rubric for making comparisons, which can be applied to any
exercise calling for comparison.
• Scores therefore also take one of two forms: number or percentage
of points attained, or rubric scores.
 Performance Assessment
• Based on observation and judgment;
• Focuses on a performance or product and make a judgment as to its quality.
• Performance assessments have two parts:
1. Performance task or exercise
- A performance task is any learning activity or assessment that asks learners to perform to
demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and proficiency.
- Performance tasks yield a tangible product and/or performance that serve as evidence of
learning.
2. Scoring guide.
• Again, the scoring guide can award points for specific features of a performance or
product that are present, or it can take the form of a rubric, in which levels of quality are
described.
 Performance Assessment

• Role play, simulation, and Dramatic performances are one kind of

collaborative activities that can be used as a performance-based assessment.
• Learners can
- create,
- draw,
- perform, and/or
- provide a critical response.
- Examples include recital, dramatic enactment.
- There may be prose or poetry interpretation.
 Performance Assessment

• This method is great for collecting information about knowledge,

reasoning, skills and mastery of content.
• Some ways of assessment for personal communication:
• instructional question and answer,
• interviews,
• classroom discussions,
• oral examinations,
• journals, logs.
 Personal communication
• Using personal communication as an assessment tool is
something that happens daily in classrooms and a crucial
part of formative assessment.
• It allows a teacher get a snapshot of learners learning in
their daily lesson
• It helps about the planning of the course of the lesson as it
gives information that guides me to make adjustments.
 Personal communication
• Find out what students have learned through interacting with
them.
• Eg:
Looking at and responding to learners’ comments in journals and
logs
Asking questions during instruction
Interviewing students in conferences
Classroom discussions
Listening to learners as they participate in class
Giving examinations orally
 How to evaluate personal communication
Evaluated in one of two ways.

Sometimes the questions we ask require students to provide a simple, short

answer, and all we’re looking for is whether the answer is correct or incorrect.

Questions during instruction usually call for these short answer oral
responses .

Other times, student oral responses are longer and more complex,
parallel to extended written response questions .

Just as with extended written response, we evaluate the quality of oral responses using a rubric or scoring guide.
 3 Targets used to provide evidence of students'
proficiency Summary

• Clarity of learning target and criteria for judging response

quality, it can assist in providing descriptive feedback to
learners, for instructional planning, and for learner self-
reflection and goal setting.
• If planned well and recorded systematically, information from
personal communication can be used as the basis for
assessments of learning.
 3 Targets used to provide evidence of students' proficiency
Summary
• Assessing knowledge and Understanding:
• Teachers should possess a keen sense of the limits and contents of
the domain of knowledge.
This is important to test students’ knowledge and understanding of
the content.
• Assessing Reasoning: This is referred to as the strength of
personal communication.
Teachers are able to evaluate learners' reasoning and analyze how
the students arrived at their answers.
Questioning facilitates understanding and enhances reasoning.
 3 Targets used to provide evidence of students' proficiency
Summary

• Assessing Performance Skills: This involves the learners'

ability to use language to convey their thoughts and ideas.
Teachers ask learners strategic questions to make
inferences and help students grow.
• When utilizing personal communication as an assessment it
is essential to start with a clear vision and develop it into
thoughtful probes. This generates quality information.
 TARGET - METHOD MATCH
• Requires to think deeply about ‘how’ to assess what we are
teaching.
 assessing knowledge target
Assessing reasoning proficiency
Assessing performance Skills targets
Assessing proficiency in Creating Products
Exam scope
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