CURRICULUM BASED

ASSESSMENT
TOOLS
ASSESSMENT: Scoring tools
• PURPOSE:
• To equip teachers with assessment skills in their areas
of specialization
• LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Participant will…
1. Enhance their skills in developing and Applying
Scoring tools in their area of Specialization
Critical content
• The use of rating scale in assessment

• The role of checklists in assessment

• Assessment Rubrics and Grading

 Rating scales
• These are used by the teacher to record observations on the
learners. The learners can also use them as self-assessment tools.
• It usually has more three points that illustrate how frequently,
consistently or independently a learner demonstrates a learning
outcome. (Mwebi, 2018)
• It involves the use of descriptive words such as ‘always’, ‘ usually’ ,
‘sometimes’ and ‘never’ to assist learners pinpoint specific
strengths and needs.
• Rating Scales allow teachers to indicate the degree or frequency
of the expected learning in terms of behaviours, skills and
strategies displayed by the learner.

• Rating scales state the criteria and provide three or four response
selections to describe the quality or frequency of student work.
Rating scales Cont….

• Rating scales also give students information for setting goals and improving
performance.
• In a rating scale, the descriptive word is more important than the related number.
The more precise and descriptive the words for each scale point, the more reliable
the tool.
• Effective rating scales use descriptors with clearly understood measures, such as
frequency.
• Scales that rely on subjective descriptors of quality, such as fair, good or
excellent, are less effective because the single adjective does not contain
enough information on what criteria are indicated at each of these points on the
scale.
Features of Rating scales
Rating scales should:
• have criteria for success based on expected outcomes
• have clearly defined, detailed statements.
• The learners can visually compare their work to the
standards provided.
• Have statements that are chunked into logical sections
or flow sequentially.
• Include clear wording with numbers when a number
scale is used
Features of a rating scale…Cont
• be short enough to be practical
• highlight critical tasks or skills
• indicate levels of success required before proceeding
further, if applicable
• sometimes have a column or space for providing
additional feedback
• have space for other information such as the student’s
name, date, course, examiner, and overall result
• be reviewed by other instructors
Sample Rating scale
• Task: Tools handling assessment
Expected learning outcome: The learner will select
the proper tool for each task and use it both skillfully
and safely.
Criteria for success: All skills must be performed
“Average” or better.
Performance area Needs Average Above Average Comment
Improvement s

Selects the proper tool

Uses the tool skillfully

Uses the tool Safely

Guidelines for preparation of Rating scales
1. Review the learning outcome and associated criteria for success.

2. Determine the scale to use (words or words with numbers) to represent the levels of
success.

3. Write a description for the meaning of each point on the scale, as needed.

4. List the categories of performance to be assessed, as needed

5. Clearly describe each skill.

6. Arrange the skills in a logical order, if you can.

7. Highlight the critical steps, checkpoints, or indicators of success.

8. Review the rating scale for details and clarity.

9. Format the scale ie customize it

10 Ask for feedback from other instructors before using it with students.
Checklists
• Checklists are used for assessing content -rich items. For
example, a checklist on a learner’s assignment highlights
outcomes a learner has successfully completed.
• They outline the criteria for specific behaviors related to
the skill or skill area.
• It is usually a two-point assessment tool that
demonstrates that a learner has achieved the learning
outcomes, either yes or not yet,( Mwebi, 2018)
• Usually offer a yes/no format in relation to student
demonstration of specific criteria.
• They may be used to record observations of an
individual, a group or a whole class.
Group Tasks
• In your base groups discuss and provide feedback on
the following:
1: Using the background information provided, give a
comprehensive definition and descriptors of Rating scale
and Checklist
2.Develop a rating scale drawn from any topic/ strand in
your teaching/ learning area ( Area of specialization)
3. Develop a suitable checklist in your teaching/
learning area
 Assessment Rubrics: Background Information
.

• Rubric consist of a set of score points and related descriptors

that articulate the criteria and performance levels in a learning
arranged in a measure of quality.
• The criterion describes what a completed piece of work looks
like.
• Grading should be solely based on learners’ achievement in
meeting the learning outcomes of the subject areas.
• A rubric is a performance-based assessment tool.
• Teachers use rubrics to gather data about their students’
progress on a particular assignment or skill.
• Simple rubrics allow students to understand what is required in
an assignment, how it will be graded, and how well they are
progressing toward proficiency.
Elements of a Rubric

1) Performance criteria;

2) Rating scale;

3) Indicators.

The rubric defines what is expected and what will be

assessed.

Consider the rubric provided for participation and group

work.
Sample of rubric

Criteria
Performance Area 4 point
3 2 1 s
1.Level of Engagement in
class
2.Preparation
3.Problem solving
Sample Rubric for English Language
Performance Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Indicators Limited Adequate Proficient Exemplary
Criteria

Summarizing a Provides unclear Provides Provides a Provides a

story summary that incomplete substantial comprehensive
includes summary that summary that summary that
inaccurate includes basic includes relevant includes meaningful
participation information information information
Represents ideas Represents ideas Represents ideas Represents ideas Represents ideas
in a way that does in a way that in a way that in a way that
little to capture generally thoughtfully insightfully
the story captures the story captures the story captures the story
Tells story events Provides a vague Provides a Provide a mostly Provides accurate
telling that makes simplistic telling accurate telling telling that makes
few connections that makes that makes skillful
to story events shallow meaningful connections to
connection to connections to story events
story events story events
Orally presents Little attention to Adjusts volume Adjust volume Adjust volume
volume and tone and tone of voice and tone of voice and tone of voice
of voice with to partially to substantially to captivate the
minimal audience engage the engage the audience
 An example from Grade Curriculum
Designs
LEARNING AREA: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
GRADE 5
Strand Sub Strand Specific learning Suggested learning experiences Key inquiry
outcomes question
1.1 1.2 Plants By the end of the Learners are guided to collect green . What is the
LIVING 1.1.1
THINGS sub strand the plants in their locality. main
Classificati learner should be Learners are guided to take difference
on of able to: excursion to identify and classify between
plants a) classify plants flowering and non-flowering plants in flowering
into their locality plants and
flowering and non- Learners are guided to use digital non-
flowering devices such as camera phones and flowering
demonstrate tablets to take photos of flowering plants.
precautions and non-flowering plants in their
taken when locality
handling harmful In groups learners discuss the
plants in the precautions taken when handling
environment. harmful plants.
specify the In groups learners discuss the
importance importance of
of flowering plants. flowering plant.
develop interest in
 Assessment Rubric…
Indicators Exceeds expectation Meets expectation Approaching Below expectation
expectation

Classify plants into Correctly classifies plants Correctly classifies plants Sometimes classifies
flowering and non- into flowering and non- into flowering and non- plants With guidance classifies plants into
flowering flowering and assist others flowering into flowering and non- flowering and non-flowering
flowering

Correctly demonstrate Correctly demonstrate Sometime demonstrate

Demonstrate With guidance demonstrate
the precautions taken precautions taken the precautions taken
precautions taken when the precautions taken when
when handling harmful when handling when handling harmful
handling harmful plants handling harmful plants
plants and assist others harmful plants plants

Correctly Specifies the

Correctly Specifies the Sometimes specifies With guidance specifies the
Specify the importance importance of
of flowering plants. importance of the importance of importance of flowering
flowering plants and
flowering plants. flowering plants. plants.
assist others.
Group Tasks on preparation of assessment Rubrics

• In your base groups discuss and provide feedback on

the following:
• Step 1: Identify a performance task that is to be
undertaken within the subject/ learning area.
• Step 2: Identify the curriculum outcomes relevant to
the task.
• Step 3: Develop four levels of performance with
descriptors: (Level 4- exemplary, Level 3- excellent,
Level 2- Adequate, Level 1- Limited).Participant
determines; what exemplary performance level looks
like.
Group Tasks Cont….
• What qualities distinguish exemplary performance from
other levels?
• Step 4: Grading of a learner’s performance that
incorporates the following content:
• Communicates performance on curriculum outcomes,
• Indicates learners progress in relation to the curriculum
learning outcomes over time,
• Comments will focus on learners strength and areas of
improvement,
• Parents action and response ,
• Provide information on lateness and absenteeism,
• A section on learners achievement related to social and