Assessment of Learning 2 Dr. Polemer M.

Cuarto

UNIT 2
Learning Targets for Performance- and Product-Oriented Assessment

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the unit, the students should be able to:
1. Defined and explained the alternative assessment and related concepts
2. Demonstrated an understanding of the different principles in assessing learning using alternative
methods

Module Content

What are the Learning Targets Appropriate for Alternative Assessment?

𝐵𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑚’𝑠 𝑇𝑎𝑥𝑜𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝐸𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑂𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠
Educational objectives are specific statements of student performance at the end of an instructional
unit. Educational objectives are sometimes referred to as behavioral objectives and are typically stated with
the use of verbs. The most popular taxonomy of educational objectives is Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational
Objectives. Bloom’s Taxonomy consists of three domains: cognitive, affective and psychomotor. These three
domains correspond to the three types of goals that teachers want to assess: knowledge-based goals
(cognitive), skill-based goals (psychomotor) and affective goals (affective). Hence, there are three taxonomies
that can be used by teachers depending on the goals. Each taxonomy consists of different levels of expertise
with varying degree of complexity. The succeeding sections describe the taxonomies for the psychomotor and
affective domain.
Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives in the Affective Domain describes the first level of
expertise: receiving, responding, valuing, organization and characterization by a value or value complex.
Table 2.1 provides an elaboration of this taxonomy. This will be discussed further in unit 4 on assessment of
affective learning.
𝑇𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 2.1 𝑇𝑎𝑥𝑜𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝐸𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑂𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐴𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝐷𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛
Level Description Illustrative Verbs Sample Objective
Receiving Awareness or passive Asks, chooses, holds, Listens attentively to the
attention to a identifies, listens instruction of the
phenomenon or teacher
stimulus
Responding Active attention and Answers, complies, Participates actively in
response to a particular participates, practices, the focus-group
phenomenon or writes discussion
stimulus
Valuing Attaching value or worth Completes, Demonstrates belief in
to a phenomenon or demonstrates, the value of the election
object differentiates, explains, process
Valuing may range from justifies
acceptance to
commitment
Organization Organizing values into Adheres, defends, Defends the importance
priorities by comparing, integrates, organizes, of graduate education in
relating and synthesizes the career of a teacher
Assessment of Learning 2 Dr. Polemer M. Cuarto

synthesizing specific
values
Internalizing Values / Having a personal value Acts, displays, Displays commitment to
Characterization by a system that is now the influences, solves, helping economically
Value or Value Complex characteristics of the verifies disadvantaged students
learner

In terms of educational objectives in the psychomotor domain, Bloom and colleagues did not propose
levels unlike in the affective and cognitive domains. However, other scholars like Elizabeth Simpson (1972)
built a taxonomy for the psychomotor domain from the work of Bloom. In Simpson’s Taxonomy of Educational
Objectives in the Psychomotor Domain, seven levels of expertise are described: perception, set, guided
response, mechanism, complex overt response, adaptation and origination.

𝑇𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 2.2 𝑇𝑎𝑥𝑜𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝐸𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑂𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑃𝑠𝑦𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝐷𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛

Level Description Illustrative Verbs Sample Objective
Perception The ability to use Adjusts, describes, Detects nonverbal cues
sensory cues to guide detects, identifies, from participants
motor activity selects
Set The mental, physical Begins, displays, Shows motivation to
and emotional sets that knows, recognizes, learn a new skill
predispose a person’s shows, states
response to different
situation
Guided Response Demonstration of a Copies, performs, Performs the
complex skill through follows, reacts, mathematical operation
guided practice like responds by following the steps
imitation and trial and demonstrated by the
error teacher
Mechanism Learned responses Assembles, dismantles, Plays the guitar
have become habitual fixes, manipulates,
and movements can be plays
performed with some
degree of confidence
and proficiency
Complex Overt Performance of motor Assembles, dismantles, Demonstrates one’s
Response acts that involve fixes, manipulates, expertise in playing the
complex movement plays guitar
patterns in a quick, (Similar with mechanism
accurate and highly but performed in a more
coordinated manner accurate, more accurate
Characterized by and quicker way)
automatic performance
and performance
without hesitation
Adaptation Psychomotor skills are Adapts, alters, modifies, Modifies dance steps to
well developed and the rearranges, varies suit the abilities of one’s
person can modify groupmates
movement patterns to fit
special requirements
Assessment of Learning 2 Dr. Polemer M. Cuarto

Origination Creating new movement Arranges, builds, Creates new steps for a
patterns to fit a particular combines, creates, contemporary version of
situation or specific designs a classic dance hit
problem
Learning outcomes
emphasize creativity
based upon highly
developed skills

Bloom’s taxonomies of educational objectives for affective and psychomotor domains are able to
provide teachers with structured guide in formulating more specific learning targets in the classroom. The
taxonomies serve as guide for the teachers in both instruction and assessment of student learning in the
classroom. The challenge is for teachers to identify the levels of expertise that they expect the students to
achieve and demonstrate. This will then lead to the identification of the assessment methods required to
properly assess student learning. Higher level of expertise in a given domain are assumed to require more
sophisticated assessment methods or strategies.

Learning Targets
A learning target is a statement on what students are supposed to learn and what they can do
because of instruction. Learning targets are more specific compared with educational goals, standards and
objectives and lend themselves to more specific instructional and assessment activities. Learning targets
should be congruent with the standards prescribed by the program or level and aligned with the instructional
or learning objective of a subject or course. Teachers formulate learning targets from broader standards and
learning objectives. The learning targets should be clear, specific and meaningful to students. Thus, learning
targets are more effectively stated in students’ point of view, typically using the phrase, “ I can..”. For example,
“I can differentiate between traditional methods and alternative methods of assessments”.
The purpose of learning targets is to effectively inform students of what they should be able to do or
demonstrate as evidence of their learning. Therefore, learning targets should specify both the content and
criteria of learning. With specific learning targets formulated, appropriate classroom instruction and
assessment can be designed.
The most common typologies of learning targets are knowledge, reasoning, skill, product and affect
(also known as disposition). Table 2.3 summarizes these types of learning targets.

𝑇𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 2.3 𝐷𝑒𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑆𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑇𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑡𝑠

Types of Learning Description Sample
Targets
Knowledge Targets Refers to factual, conceptual and I can discuss the research design
procedural information that students that I used for my thesis.
must learn in a subject or content area

Reasoning Targets Knowledge-based thought processes I can justify my choice of Analysis

that students must learn of Variance (ANOVA) as my
It involves application of knowledge in statistical analysis tool for my
problem solving, decision making and thesis.
other tasks that require mental skills.
Assessment of Learning 2 Dr. Polemer M. Cuarto

Skills Targets Use of knowledge and reasoning to I can perform Analysis of

perform or demonstrated physical skills Variance (ANOVA) on research
data using the SPSS software.
Product Targets Use of knowledge, reasoning and skills I can write the results and
in creating a concrete or tangible discussion section of my thesis
product. manuscript.
Affective Targets Refers to affective characteristics that I can appreciate the role of a
students can develop or demonstrate thesis adviser in the completion
because of instruction of a thesis.

What are the Appropriate Alternative Methods of Assessment of Learning Targets?

While all the five types of learning targets (knowledge, reasoning, skills, product and affect) can be
assessed by the used the alternative methods of assessment, three types of learning targets can be best
assessed using alternative assessments. These are skills, product and affect.
Stiggins e al. (2006) defined skills type of learning as one’s use of knowledge and reasoning to act
skilfully. In other words, skills refer to learning targets that require the development and demonstration of
behavioral or physical task. To be able to demonstrate skills or act skillfully, students must be able to possess
the knowledge and reasoning ability related or relevant to the skills to be demonstrated.
On the other hand, Stiggins et al. (2006) described product learning targets as the use of knowledge,
reasoning and skills to create a concrete product. Thus, products refer to learning targets that require the
development of a tangible and high-quality product or output. Students are expected to create products that
have certain core attributes that will serve as basis for evaluating its quality.
Meanwhile, affect or disposition was defined by Stiggins et al (2006) as students’ attitudes about
school and learning. In practice, we look at affect or disposition to encompass a broad range of noncognitive
attributes beyond attitude that may affect learning and performance, including motivation and interest and
other affective states. The development of affect/disposition simultaneously occurs as a student learns
concepts and skills in the classroom.
Table 2.4 provides further examples of learning target for skills, products and affect across different
subject areas:

𝑇𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 2.4 𝑆𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑇𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝐴𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑆𝑢𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠

Subject Area Typology of Learning Sample Learning Targets
Targets
English Skills Participate in conversation with others
Products Write an argumentative essay where arguments are
justified by providing factual or empirical data as support
Affect Enjoy reciting a poem in front of a class
Assessment of Learning 2 Dr. Polemer M. Cuarto

Physical Education Skills Dribbles the ball to cross the half-court

Products Create a three-month personal fitness plan
Affect Show determination to complete the physical task
Mathematics Skills Measure angle using protractor
Products Given the data, construct a histogram with normal curve
using SPSS
Affect Demonstrate patience in solving problems
Science Skills Use laboratory equipment properly
Products Prepare a report about a field observation
Affect Consider the safety of others in the conduct of an
experiment
Social Studies Skills Participate in civic discussions on current social issues
Products Create a timeline for the 2017 Marawi Siege
Affect Argue with others regarding a social issue in a
constructive way

Once the learning targets are identified, appropriate alternative methods of assessment can be
selected to measure student learning. In terms of skills, having the required skills to apply one’s knowledge
and reasoning skills through a performance of a behavioral or physical task is a step higher than simply
knowing or being able to reason based on knowledge. Hence, skills targets are best assessed among students
through performance-oriented or performance-based assessment as skills ate best gauged through actual
task performance.

In terms of products, a student’s knowledge, reasoning and skills are all required before one can
create a meaningful product or output. Obviously, product targets are best assessed through product
assessment. Given the need to also give value to the process of creating a product, performance assessment
is also typically used vis-à-vis product assessment.
For affect or disposition, a student may already hold a particular affect or disposition in relation to a
particular lesson or learning target and such affect may change or not depending on the learning and
instructional and assessment experiences of the student. Affect or disposition is vest assessed through
affective assessment or the use of self-report measures (checklists, inventories, questionnaires, scales) and
other alternative strategies to assess affective outcomes.

Table 2.5 presents a simple matrix of the different types of learning targets best assessed through
alternative assessment methods.

𝑇𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 2.5 𝑀𝑎𝑡𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑇𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝐴𝑙𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑀𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑑𝑠

Learning Targets Performance- Product Oriented Portfolio Self-report Scale
Oriented
Skills ●●● ●●● ●●● ●
Product ●●● ●●● ●●● ●
Affect ● ● ●●● ●●●
Note: More dots mean better matches.

Across the different alternative methods of assessments, teachers can expand the role of assessor
to other students (peer assessment) and the students themselves (self-assessment). This allows assessment
to become really authentic. There are also other methods or strategies for alternative assessment and it is up
to the teachers to select the method of assessment and design appropriate tasks and activities to measure
the identified learning targets.
Assessment of Learning 2 Dr. Polemer M. Cuarto

-End of Module 2-