ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING

Unit 3: Traditional and constructivist assessment

Traditional assessment – constructivist assessment– difference – traditional and

constructivist teacher –Purposes of assessment in a 'constructivist' paradigm: to engage
with learners' minds in order to further learning in various dimensions – Assessment for
learning and assessment of learning; relative merits and demerits – Assessment of
different types of content –Achievement, Performance, Values, Attitude and Aptitude.–
Assessment for different purposes – Placement, Diagnosis and Grading

3. 1 TRADITIONAL ASSESSMENT

 Traditional assessments usually produce a written document, such as a paper , test,

or quiz.
 Take place at the end of a chapter , unit, or course of study.
 Use the following types of questions

* True / False

* Short- Answer.

* Multiple Choice.

* Fill in the blanks.

* Matching.

* Essay.

 Students are usually tested individually.

 Students receive a numerical score or grade, which often contributes to a students
final grade.
 Subject areas are usually tested in isolation.
 Also known as standardized assessment or summative assessment.

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3.2 TRADITIONAL TEACHER

 Lecture all day long.

 Prevent change.
 Teach to the test.
 Controller of the learning environment.
 Decision maker.
 They regard students as having “knowledge holes’ that need to be filled with
information.
 They regard students as having “ Knowledge holes’’ that need to be filled with
information.
 The lesson’s content & delivery are considered to be most important.
 Students master knowledge through drill &practice(refe learning).

3.3 CONSTRUCTIVISM
 Knowledge is constructed by learners through an achieve, mental process f
development.
 Learner are the builders & creators of meaning & knowledge..

3.4 CONSTRUCTIVIST ASSESSMENT

 Theory – based on observation.

 Scientific study – about how people learn.
 It is also known as formative assessment.
 Focuses on the process that the individual learner takes in the process of
knowledge creation.
 Its purpose is to improve the quality of student learning

3.5 ROLE OF TEACHER IN CONSTRUCTIVIST

 To prompt & facilitate discussion.

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  Guiding students by asking questions that will lead them
 To develop their own conclusions on the subject.

Major role of teacher

Three major roles for facilitators to support students.
 Modeling.
 Coaching.
 Scaffolding. .
Modeling
Behavioral Modeling
 Overt performance.
 Perform activities identified in the activity structure.
Cognitive Modeling
 Covert cognitive processes
 Articulates the reasoning that learners should use while
engaged in the activities.
Coaching
 Complex & inexact.
 Good motivate learners,
 Analyzes their performance.
 How to learn about how to perform.
 Provokes reflection & articulation of what was learned.
 Involves responses that are situated in the learner’s task performance

Scaffolding
 Systematic approach to supporting the learner.
1. Focusing on the task.
2. The environment.
3. The teacher.
4. The learner.

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  Provide temporary framework to support learning & student performance
beyond their capacities.
 Support for cognitive activity that is provided by an adult when the child &
adult are performing the task together.

3.6 PURPOSES OF ASSESSMENT IN A 'CONSTRUCTIVIST' PARADIGM

Constructivist:

 Encouraging students to use active techniques (experiments, real – world problem

solving).
 The constructivist view of learning point towards a number of different teaching
practices.
 Students in the constructivist classroom ideally become “Expert Learners” students
learn “HOW TO LEARN”

3.7 TO ENGAGE WITH LEARNERS' MINDS IN ORDER TO FURTHER

LEARNING IN VARIOUS DIMENSIONS

Dimension of learning is a comprehensive model that uses what researchers &

theorists know about learning to define the learning process.

Its premise is that five types of thinking

- what we call the five dimensions.

- essential to successful learning.

Framework of Dimension

The dimension framework will help to

1. Maintain a focus on learning.

2. Study the learning process.

3. Plan curriculum, instruction & assessment that takes into account the five
critical aspects of learning.
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Dimension of Learning

The types of thinking what we call the five dimension of learning which are
essential to successful learning.

1. Attitudes & perceptions.

2. Acquire & integrate knowledge.

3. Extend & refine knowledge.

4. Use knowledge meaningfully.

5. Productive habits of mind.

Attitudes & Perceptions

Affect students ability to learn.

Examples:

“If students have negative attitudes about classroom task, they will probably put
little effort into those tasks”.

Effective instruction, helps student to positive attitudes & perceptions about the
classroom & about learning.

Acquire & Integrate Knowledge

 Relating the new knowledge to already know.

 Organizing that information & making it long – term memory.

Extend & Refine Knowledge

 Learning does not stop with acquiring & integrating knowledge.
 Learners develop in-depth understanding through the process of extending &
refining their knowledge.
 Common reasoning processes used to extend & refine their knowledge are the
following.
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 o Comparing.
o Classifying.
o Abstracting.
o Inductive reasoning.
o Deductive reasoning.

Use Knowledge Meaningful

Effective learning occur when we use knowledge to perform meaningful tasks.

Example:

Learn about tennis racquets by talking to a friend or reading a magazine article

about them. We really learn them & decide what kind of tennis racquet to buy.

In dimensions of learning model, there are six reasoning processes, constructed to

encourage the meaningful use of knowledge.

o Decision making.
o Problem solving.
o Invention.
o Investigation.
o System analysis.
o Experimental analysis.

Productive Habits of Mind

Effective learners developed powerful habits of mind that enable them to

1. Critical Thinking.

 Be accurate & seek accuracy.

 Be clear & seek clarity.
 Make an open mind
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 2. Creative Thinking.

 Persevere.
 Push the limits of your knowledge & abilities .
 Generate, trust & maintain your own standards evaluation.

3. Self – Regulated Thinking.

 Monitor your own thinking.

 Plan appropriately.
 Identify & use necessary resources.

3.8 BENEFITS OF CONSTRUCTIVISM

 Children learn more & enjoy learning more when they are actively involved, rather
than passive listeners.
 Concentrates on learning how to think & understand.
 Constructivist learning is transferable.
 Gives students ownership of what they learn, they learn more likely to retain &
transfer the new knowledge to real life.

3.9 ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING

 Enables teachers to use information about students knowledge, understanding &

skills to inform their teaching.
 Teacher provide feedback to students about their learning & how to improve.
 Helps students know how to improve.
 Recognizes all educational achievement
 Develops capacity for self & peer – assessment.
 Part of effective planning.
 Focuses on how students learn.
 Central to classroom practice.
 Key professional skill.
 Sensitive & constructive.
 Promotes understanding of goals/criteria.
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  Fosters motivation.

3.10 ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING

“It is the process of gathering , interpreting , recording & using information

about pupils responses to an educational task ’’

 Assess what students have learned.

 Students are not directly involved in the assessment process.
 Certify student’s competence.
 Promote ranking or sorting of students.
 Reveal student’s level of understanding.
 Teacher – assess student’s learning.

3.11 RELATIVE MERITS AND DEMERITS OF ASSESSMENT FOR

LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING

S.N ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING

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1. Formative assessment Summative assessment.
2. Focuses on the process Focuses on the outcome
3. Monitor student learning to provide Provide teachers & students with
ongoing feedbacks that can be used information about the attainment of
by instructors to improve their knowledge.
teaching & by the students to
improve their learning.
4. Helps to identify students strengths The goal is to evaluate student learning at
& weaknesses & target the end of an instructional unit by
comparing it against some sort of standard
some or bench mark.
5. Help faculties recognize where Assess whether the results of the object
students are struggling & address being evaluated met the stated of goals.
problems immediately.
6. Low – stakes – low or no point High stakes or high point value
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 value.

3.12 ASSESSMENT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONTENT –ACHIEVEMENT,

PERFORMANCE, VALUES, ATTITUDE AND APTITUDE

1. Achievement Assessment.

 An achievement test is a test of developed skill & knowledge.

 Teacher to measure whether the students have acquired the components concepts
as on achievement.

Function
Achievement has two main function.
1. Prognosis function. (How much students acquire component of concepts?)
2. Diagnosis function. (What are the causes of not acquiring components of concepts?)

Learning outcomes

Achievement tests measure the learning outcomes or educational outcomes

classified in two forms.

1. The cognitive outcome of education (Knowledge, Comprehension, Application,

Analysis, Synthesis ,Evaluation)

2. The non- cognitive outcomes of education. (Flexibility in thinking, Balance

judgement, Critical perception, Educability, Cultural awareness. etc)

2. Performance Assessment.

 Measures students skill based on authentic tasks such as activities, exercise or

problems that require students to show what they can do.
 Students demonstrate their understanding of a concept or topic by applying their
knowledge to a particular situation.
Example:

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 Students might be given a current political map of India showing the names &
locations of places & a similar map from 1945 & be asked to identify & explain
difference & similarities.

3. Values Assessment

 A high – stakes testing process known as value assessment.

 The analysis involves an examination of student scores over time, to provide an
index of growth.
 Each students scores are compared to his or her previous scores.
 Knowledge of a students rate of growth is important in evaluating the achievement
of individual students, as well as in summarizing the effectiveness of the
instruction being delivered at the classroom, school building, district or state level.

Uses

 Value assessment can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of instruction & high
effective teachers.
 Values assessment provide a more sensitive & descriptive picture of how schools
or districts perform from year to year.
 Provide the new dimension to the analysis of student test scores.

4. Attitude Assessment

 Attitudes are internal systems, individual’s external behaviour is generated by

inner tendencies.
 Measurement of attitudes it is necessary that the immediate circumstance be
controlled.

Methods Of Measuring Attitudes

The social psychology has evolved methods for the measurement of
attitude.

1. Opinion scales.

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 The opinions of individuals concerning different objects, problems &
persons.
Forms of opinion scales:
1. Thurston scale construction method.
2. Likert scale construction method.
3. Cuttman scale construction methods.

2. Rating scales.
The attitude are evaluated not on the basis of the opinion of the subjects but
on the basis of the opinions & judgement of the experimenter himself.

Means of collection data:

1. Non – Verbal Behaviour:
Accepting or rejecting customs.
2. Verbal Behaviour:
Expressing concurrence or objection.
3. Secondary Expressive:
Facial expression etc.
4. Clinical type interview.
5. Personal documents:
Autobiography, letters, diary etc.
6. Projective techniques:
Ink blot test.
Types Of Rating Scales
1. Rank order scale.
2. The percentage of population scale.
3. Indirect scales.

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5. Aptitude Assessment.

What is aptitude?

A natural disability to do something.

Aptitude Test

Aptitude tests are used for guidance, as well as prediction of success in

some occupation.

Important aptitude tests

1. Differential Aptitude Tests

2. General Aptitude Tests.
3. Mechanical Aptitude Tests.

1. Differential Aptitude Tests

Measure an individual performance with regard to various aspects of Intelligence.

It is a battery of tests which consists of seven tests.

1. Verbal Reasoning Test – 30 Minutes.

2. Numerical Ability Test – 30 Minutes.

3. Abstract Reasoning Test – 30 Minutes.

4. Space Relations Test – 30 Minutes.

5. Mechanical Reasoning Test – 30 Minutes.

6. Clerical Speed & Accuracy Test – 6minutes.

7. Language Spelling & Sentences – 35 Minutes.

2. General Aptitude Tests Battery (GATB)

Is used for vocational counselling, rehabilitation & occupational selection.

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 Battery of tests:

1. General learning ability.

2. Verbal aptitude.

3. Numerical aptitude.

4. Spatial aptitude.

5. form perception.

6. clerical perception.

7. motor co –ordination.

8. finger dexterity.

9. manual dexterity.

3. Mechanical Aptitude Test

It consists of many test – perceptual speed, mechanical information, spatial

visualization. It is required in selection of many jobs & highly skilled jobs.

Important Mechanical Aptitude Test:

1. Minnesota mechanical assembly test.

2. Minnesota spatial relations.

3. Minnesota paper – form board.

4. Johnson “O” Cannor’s wiggly blocks

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3.13 ASSESSMENT FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES – PLACEMENT, DIAGNOSIS
AND GRADING

Placement Assessment

College & universities uses to assess college readiness & place students into their
initial classes.

Diagnostic Assessment

 Diagnostic assessment is a type of assessment which examines what a student

knows & can do prior to a learning being implemented.
 To diagnose strengths & areas of need in all students.

Grading Assessment

A grade is a teacher's standardized evaluation of a student’s work.

Types of grading system:

1. Absolute grading systems.

 Fixed Percent Scale.

 Total Point Method.
 Content – Based Method.

2. Objective based grading.

3. Comparative grading methods.

 Grading on the Curve.

 Distribution Gap Method.
 Standard Deviation Method.

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