Lesson 6.

Affective Domain
From http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html
http://www.ruelpositive.com/development-affective-assessment-tools

The Taxonomy in the Affective Domain

Bloom's Taxonomy: Affective Domain Affective2 This domain includes the manner in which we
deal with things emotionally, such as feelings, values, appreciation, enthusiasms, motivations,
and attitudes.
Descriptors of the Major Categories in the Illustrative Verbs:
Affective Domain:
Receiving: Awareness, willingness to hear, Examples: Listen to others with respect.
selected attention. Listen for and remember the name of newly
introduced people.

Keywords: asks, chooses, describes, follows,

gives, holds, identifies, local
Responding: Active participation on the part Examples: Participates in class discussions.
of the learners. Attends and reacts to a Gives a presentation. Questions new ideals,
particular phenomenon. Learning outcomes concepts, models, etc. in order to fully
may emphasize compliance in responding, understand them. Know the safety
willingness to respond, or satisfaction in
responding (motivation). rules and practices them.
Keywords: answers, assists, aids, complies,
conforms, discusses, greets, helps, labels,
performs,
Valuing: The worth or value a person Examples: Demonstrates belief in the
attaches to a particular object, phenomenon, democratic process. Is sensitive towards
or behavior. This ranges from simple individual and cultural differences (value
acceptance to the more complex state of diversity). Shows the ability to solve
commitment. Valuing is based on the problems. Proposes a plan to social
internalization of a set of specified values, improvement and follows through with
while clues to these values are expressed in commitment. Informs management on matters
the learner’s overt behavior and are often that one feels strongly about.
identifiable.
Keywords: completes, demonstrates,
differentiates, explains, follows, forms,
initiates, invites, joins, justifies, proposes,
reads, reports, selects, shares, studies, works.
Organization: Organizes values into Examples: Recognizes the need for balance
priorities by contrasting different values, between freedom and responsible behavior.
resolving conflicts between them, and Accepts responsibility for one’s behavior.
creating an unique value system. The Explains the role of systematic planning in
emphasis is on comparing, relating, and solving problems. Accepts professional
synthesizing values. ethical standards. Creates a life plan in
harmony with abilities, interests, and beliefs.
Prioritizes time effectively to meet the needs
of the organization, family, and self.

Keywords: adheres, alters, arranges,

combines, compares, completes, defends,
explains, formulates, generalizes, identifies,
integrates, modifies, orders, organizes,
prepares, relates, synthesizes.
Characterization by Value Set. Has a value Examples: Shows self-reliance when working
system that controls their behavior. The independently. Cooperates in group activities
behavior is pervasive, consistent, predictable, (displays teamwork). Uses an objective
and most importantly, characteristic of the approach in problem solving. Displays a
learner. Instructional objectives are concerned professional commitment to ethical practice
with the student's general patterns of on a daily basis. Revises judgments and
adjustment (personal, social, emotional). changes behavior in light of new evidence.
Values people for what they are, not how they
look.
 Keywords: acts, discriminates, displays,
influences, listens, modifies, performs,
practices, proposes, qualifies, questions,
revises, serves, solves, verifies.

Introduction:Cognitive and affective domains are inseparable aspects of a learner. Each

completes one another with respect to the learners’ important domains.

1. Methods of Assessing Affective Targets

There are three feasible methods of assessing affective traits and dispositions. These methods are: teacher
observation, student self-report, and peer ratings. (McMillan, 2007). Since affective traits are not directly
observable, they must be deduced from behaviour or what students say about themselves and others.
There are variety of psychological measures that assess affective traits, but due to sophistication of such
instruments, classroom teachers rarely use them. Instead, own observations and students self-reports are
mostly used.
There are three considerations in assessing affect. These are:
1. Emotions and feelings change quickly most especially for young children and during early
adolescence. Which means that to obtain a valid indication of an individual student’s emotion
or feeling, it is necessary to conduct several assessments over a period of time. A single
assessment is not enough to see what prevalent affect is. It needs to be repeated over several
times.
2. Use varied approaches in measuring the same affective traits as possible. It is better not to
rely on a single method because of limitations inherent in the method. For example, students’
self-report maybe faked hence may significantly meddle in the results. (However, if the self-
reports are consistent with the teacher’s observation, then a stronger case can be made.)
3. Decide what type of data or results are needed, is it individual or group data? Consideration
of what the purpose of assessment is will influence the method that must be used. For
reporting or giving feedback to parents or interested individuals about the learner, individual
student information is necessary. Thus, multiple methods of collecting data over a period of
time and keeping records to verify judgements made is appropriate. If the assessments is to
improve instruction, then results for group or whole class is more proper you use. This is one
of the usefulness of affective assessment. It is more reliable to use anonymous student self-
reports.

1.1 Teacher Observation

Teacher observation is one of the essential tools for formative assessment. However, in this chapter, the
emphasis is on how to use this method so that teachers can make more systematic observations to record
student behaviour that indicates the presence of targeted affective traits.
In using observation, the first thing to do is determine in advance how specific behaviours relate to the
target. Its starts with a vivid definition of the trait, then followed by list of student behaviours and actions
are identified initially by listing what the students with positive and negative behaviours and say. Classify
those and create a separate list of the positive student behaviours and another list for the negative student
behaviours. These lists will serve as the initial or starting point of what will be observed. Contained in the
table below are some possible student behaviours indicating positive and negative attitude toward
learning.
Student Behaviours Indicating Positive and Negative Attitudes Toward Learning

POSITIVE NEGATIVE

Rarely misses class Is frequently absent

Is frequently tardy
Rarely late to class Rarely asks questions
Asks lots of questions Rarely helps other students
Helps other students Needs constant supervision
Works well independently without supervision Is not involved in extracurricular activities
Is involved in extracurricular activities Says he or she doesn’t like school
He or she likes school Rarely comes to class early
Comes to class early Rarely stays after school
Stays after school Doesn’t volunteer
Volunteers to help Often does not complete homework
Completes homework Doesn’t care about bad grades
Tries hard to do well Never does extra credit work
Completes assignments before they are due Never completes assignments before the due date complains
Rarely complains Sleep in class
Is rarely off-task Bothers other students
Rarely bothers students Stares out window

 
These behaviors provide foundation in developing guidelines, checklists or rating scales. The positive
behaviors are called approach behaviors while the negative ones are termed avoidance
behaviors. Approach behaviors result in less direct, less frequent, and less intense contact. These
dimensions are helpful in describing the behaviors that indicate positive and negative attitudes.
These behaviors may serve as a vital input on how to perform observation, particularly the teacher
observation.
McMillan (2007) suggested that the best approach is to develop a list of positive and negative behaviors.
Although published instruments are available, the unique characteristic of a school and its students are not
considered in these instruments when they were developed.
After the list of behaviors has been developed, the teacher needs to decide whether to use an informal,
unstructured observation or a formal one and structured. These two types differ in terms of preparation
and what is recorded.
 1.1.1 Unstructured Observation
Unstructured observation (anecdotal) may also be used for the purpose of making summative judgements.
This is normally open-ended, no checklist or rating scale is used, and everything observed is just simply
recorded. In using unstructured observation, it is necessary to have at least some guidelines and examples
of behaviors that indicate affective trait. Thus it is a must to determine in advance what to look for,
however it should not be limited to what was predetermined, it also needs to be open to include other
actions that may reflect on the trait.
Unstructured observation is more realistic, which means teachers can record everything they have
observed and are not limited by what is contained in a checklist or rating scale.
1.1.2 Structured Observation
Structured observation is different from unstructured observation in terms of preparation needed as well
as in the way observation is recorded. In structured observation, more time is needed since checklist or
rating forms are to be made since it will be used to record observations. The form is generated from a list
of positive and negative behaviors to make it easy and convenient in recording.
Below are the things that should be considered if teacher observation method will be used to assess affect.

 Determine behaviors to be observed in advance.

 Record student’s important data such as time, data, and place
 If unstructured, record brief descriptions of relevant behaviour
 Keep interpretations separate from description
 Record both positive and negative behaviors
 Have as much observations of each student as necessary
 Avoid personal bias
 Record immediately the observations
 Apply a simple and efficient procedure

1.2 Student Self-Report

 There are varied ways to express students’ affect as self-report. The most common and direct way
is while having a casual conversation or interview. Students can also respond to a written
questionnaire or survey about themselves or other students.
1.2.1 Student Interview
 There are different types of personal communication that teachers can use with their students, like
individual and group interviews, discussions, and casual conversations to assess affect. It is
similar to observation but in here, there is an opportunity that teachers may have direct
involvement with the student wherein teachers can probe and respond for better understanding.
1.2.2 Surveys and Questionnaire
 The second type under self-report method is questionnaires and surveys. The two types of format
using questionnaires and surveys are: (a) Constructed-Response format; and (b) Selected-
Response format.
Constructed-Response format
             It is a straight forward approach asking students about their affect by responding to simple
statement or question. Another way to implement constructed-response format is by means of an
 essay. Essay items provide more in-depth and extensive responses than that of the simple short
sentences. Reasons for their attitudes, values and beliefs are expressed better using essays.
Selected-Response format
            There are three ways of implanting the selected response format in assessing affective learning
outcomes. These are rating scale, semantic differential scale, and checklist.
The advantage of selected-response formats is that it assures anonymity. It is an important aspect when
considering the traits that are personal such as values and self-concept. This self-response formats are
considered to be an efficient way of collecting information.
Checklist for Using Student’s Self-Response to Assess Affect (McMillan, 2007):

 Keep measures focused on specific affective traits

 Establish trust with students
 Match response format to the trait being assessed
 Ensure anonymity if possible
 Keep questionnaires brief
 Keep items short and simple
 Avoid negatives and absolutes
 Write items in present tense
 Avoid double-barreled items

1.2.3 Peer Ratings

Peer ratings or appraisal is the least common method among the three methods of assessing affect
discussed in this chapter. Because of the nature of learners, they do not always take this activity seriously
and most often than not they are subjective in conducting this peer rating. Thus, peer rating is seen as
relatively inefficient in terms of nature of conducting, scoring, and interpreting peer ratings. However,
teachers can accurately observe what is being assessed in peer ratings since teachers are very much
engaged and present inside the classroom and thus can verify the authentically of results of peer rating.
The two methods of conducting peer ratings are: (a) guess-who approach; and (b) socio-metric approach.
These approaches can be used together with observations and self-reports to strengthens assessment of
interpersonal and classroom environmental targets.
 

2. Utilizing the Different Methods or Combination of Methods in Assessing Affect

Each of the three methods (observation, self-report, peer ratings) that was discussed previously has its
own advantage and disadvantages. In choosing for which method or methods to use, consider the
following factors:
2.1 Type of affect that needs to be assessed;
A general reaction to something or someone can best be gathered through observation. However, if
attitude components is to be diagnosed, a self-report will give a better information. Observation can be
supported by peer rating method if the target is socially-oriented affect.
2.2 If the information needed is from grouped or individual responses; and
If grouped response and tendencies are needed, selected response self-report method is suited because it
assures anonymity and is easily scored.
 2.3 The use of information
If the intention of the affective assessment is to utilize the results as supporting input to grading, then
multiple approaches is necessary and be mindful of the possibility of having fake results from self-report
and even from peer judgement.
 

3. Affective Assessment Tools

The affective domain encompasses behaviors in terms of attitudes, beliefs, and feelings. Sets of attitudes,
beliefs, and feelings comprise one’s value. There are various assessment tools that can be used to measure
affect.
3.1 Checklist
Checklist is one of the effective assessment strategies to monitor specific skills, behaviors, or dispositions
of individual or group of students (Burke, 2009).
Checklists contain criteria that focus on the intended outcome or target. Checklists help student in
organizing the tasks assigned to them into logically sequenced steps that will lead to successful
completion of the task. For the teachers, a criteria checklists can be used for formative assessments by
giving emphasis on specific behaviors, thinking skills, social skills, writing skills, speaking skills, athletic
skills or whatever outcomes are likely to be measured and monitored. Checklists can be used for
individual or group cases.
3.1.1 Criteria for Checklists
In planning for criteria that will be used in checklists, the criteria must be aligned with the outcomes that
need to be observed and measured. Generally criterion is defined as a standard that serves as reference for
judgement or decision. Popham (1999) explains that when teachers set criteria, the main emphasis is to
use these criteria in making judgement regarding the adequacy of student responses and the criteria will
influence the way the response is scored.

3.1.2 Why Use Checklists

Checklists should be utilized because these

1. Make a quick and easy way to observe and record skills, criteria, and behaviors prior to final test or
summative evaluation.
2. Provide information to teachers if there are students who need help so as to avoid failing.
3. Provide formative assessment of students of students’ learning and help teachers monitor if students are
on track with the desired outcomes.

 
3.2 Rating Scale
According to Nitko (2001), rating scales can be used for teaching purposes and assessment.

1. Rating scales help students understand the learning target/outcomes and to focus students’ attention to
performance.
 2. Completed rating scale gives specific feedback to students as far as their strengths and weaknesses with
respect to the targets to which they are measured.
3. Students not only learn the standards but also may internalize the set standards.
4. Ratings helps to show each student’s growth and progress.

Example: Rating Scale (Attitude towards Mathematics)

Directions: Put the score on the column for each of the statement as it applies to you. Use 1 to 5, 1 being
the lowest and 5 the highest possible score.

  score

1.      I am happy during Mathematics class.  

2.      I get tired doing board work and drills.  

3.      I enjoy solving word problems.  

 
3.2.1 Types of Rating Scales
The most commonly used type of rating scales are:
Numerical Rating Scales
                        A numerical rating scale translates the judgements of quality or degree into numbers. To
increase the objectivity and consistency of results from numerical rating scales, a short verbal description
of the quality level of each number may be provided.
Example:
To what extent does the student participate in team meetings and discussions?
1          2          3          4
Descriptive Graphic Rating Scales
            A better format for rating is this descriptive graphic rating scales that replaces ambiguous single
word with short behavioural descriptions of the various points along the scale.
Example:
To what extent does the student participate in team meetings and discussions?

Development Of Affective Assessment Tools 

1. Methods of Assessing Affective Targets

 There are three feasible methods of assessing affective traits and dispositions. These methods are: teacher
observation, student self-report, and peer ratings. (McMillan, 2007). Since affective traits are not directly
observable, they must be deduced from behaviour or what students say about themselves and others.
There are variety of psychological measures that assess affective traits, but due to sophistication of such
instruments, classroom teachers rarely use them. Instead, own observations and students self-reports are
mostly used.
 
There are three considerations in assessing affect. These are:

1. Emotions and feelings change quickly most especially for young children and during early
adolescence. Which means that to obtain a valid indication of an individual student’s emotion or feeling, it
is necessary to conduct several assessments over a period of time. A single assessment is not enough to see
what prevalent affect is. It needs to be repeated over several times.
2. Use varied approaches in measuring the same affective traits as possible. It is better not to rely on a single
method because of limitations inherent in the method. For example, students’ self-report maybe faked hence
may significantly meddle in the results. (However, if the self-reports are consistent with the teacher’s
observation, then a stronger case can be made.)
3. Decide what type of data or results are needed, is it individual or group data? Consideration of what the
purpose of assessment is will influence the method that must be used. For reporting or giving feedback to
parents or interested individuals about the learner, individual student information is necessary. Thus,
multiple methods of collecting data over a period of time and keeping records to verify judgements made is
appropriate. If the assessments is to improve instruction, then results for group or whole class is more proper
you use. This is one of the usefulness of affective assessment. It is more reliable to use anonymous student
self-reports.

______________________________________________________________________________
 3.2.2 Common Rating Scale Errors
The table below contains the common rating scale errors that teachers and students must be familiar with
in order to avoid committing such kind of errors during assessment.

Error Description
Occurs when a teacher tends to make almost all ratings towards the high end of
Leniency Error
the scale, avoiding the low end of the scale.
A teacher tends to make almost all ratings toward the low end of the scale. This
Severity Error
is the opposite of leniency error.
Occurs when a teacher hesitates to use extremes and uses only the middle part
Central Tendency Error
of the scale.
Occurs when a teacher lets his/her general impression of the student affect how
Halo Effect
he/she rates the student on specific dimension.
Occurs when a teacher has a general tendency to use inappropriate or irrelevant
Personal bias stereotypes favouring boys over girls, from rich families over from middle-
income families, etc..
 Occurs when a teacher gives similar ratings to two or more dimensions that the
Logical Error
teacher believes to be related where in fact they are not related at all.
Occurs when the raters, whose ratings originally agreed, begin to redefine the
Rater Drift
rubrics for themselves.
 
3.3 Likert Scale
Another simple and widely used self-report method in assessing affect is the use of Likert scale wherein a
list of clearly favourable and unfavourable attitude statements are provided. The students are asked to
respond to each of the statement.
Likert scale uses the five-point scale: Strongly Agree (SA); Agree (A); Undecided (U); Disagree (D); and
Strongly Disagree (SD).
The scoring of a Likert scale is based on assigning weights from 1 to 5 to each position of scale. In using
attitude scale, it is best to ask for anonymous responses. And in interpreting the results, it is important to
keep in mind that these are verbal expressions, feelings and opinions that individuals are willing to report.
Example: Likert Scale
Directions: put a check on the column for each of the statement that applies to you.
Legend:           SA – Strongly Agree, A – Agree, U – Undecided, D – Disagree, SD – Strongly Disagree

(SA)
  (A) (U) (D) (SD)
4 3 2 1
5

1.      I am happy during Mathematics class.          

2.      I get tired doing board work and drills.          
3.      I enjoy solving word problems.          

3.3.1 Constructing Likert Scale Instrument

Below are the steps in constructing Likert scale instrument:

1. Write a series of statements expressing positive and negative opinions toward attitude object.
2. Select the best statements expressing positive and negative opinions and edit as necessary.
3. List the statements combining the positive and negative and put the letters of the five-point scale to the
left of each statement for easy marking.
4. Add the directions, indicating how to mark the answer and include a key at the top of the page if letters
are used for each statement.
5. Some prefer to drop the undecided category so that respondents will be forced to indicate agreement or
disagreement. 

3.4 Semantic Different Scale

Another common approach to measuring affective traits is to use variations of semantic differential.
These scales use adjective pairs that provide anchors for feelings or beliefs that are opposite in direction
and intensity. Students would place a check between each pair of adjectives that describes positive or
negative aspects of the traits.
Example: Traits/attitude toward Mathematics subject
Mathematics
Boring __  __  __  __  __  Interesting
                        Important ___  ___ ___ ___ ___  Useless
Semantic differential like other selected-response formats, is that it makes it easier to assure anonymity.
Anonymity is important when the traits are more personal, such as values and self-concept. It is also an
efficient way of collecting information. Though this may be an efficient way note that it is not good to ask
too many questions. It is important to carefully select those traits that are concerned or included in the
defined affective targets or outcomes. It is also a good point to have open-ended items such as
“comments” or “suggestions”.
3.5 Sentence Completion
The advantage of using the incomplete sentence format is that it captures whatever comes to mind from
each student. However, there are disadvantages too for this. One is students’ faking their response
thinking that the teacher will notice their penmanship, hence students will tend to give answers favourable
to be liked responses of the teacher. Another is scoring, which takes more time and is more subjective
than the other traditional objective formats.
 

PREPARED BY:

CRISTINA P. TENDER
Faculty, BEEd Department