LESSON 3: Measurement, Testing, Assessment and Evaluation

I. Definition of Terms:

 MEASUREMENT
 comes from the Old French word “mesure” which means “limit or quantity”
 it is a QUANTITIVE description of an object’s characteristic or attribute
 Process of determining the quantity of achievement of learners by means of
appropriate measuring instrument. (Calderon and Gonzales, 1993)

 TESTING
 formal, systematic procedure for gathering information (Russel & Airasian, 2012)

♣ TEST
 a TOOL or INSTRUMENT used to measure the learning progress of a student
 a tool comprised of a set of questions administered during a fixed period of time
under comparable conditions of all students
 Tests are the most dominant form of assessment. The issue concerning its
effectiveness to measure and effectively evaluate learning is resolved if questions
target and reflect learning outcomes and covers the different learning domains
 TESTS are traditional assessment. They may not be the best way how much the
students have learned but they still provide valuable information about student
learning and their progress.

 TYPES OF TEST

♣ According to Mode of Response

 ORAL TEST (viva – voce)

 answers are spoken

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Minimize discrimination (dyslexic) Stressful (some students)
Favors to extrovert/eloquent students Not appropriate in abstract reasoning
Avoid Plagiarism

 WRITTEN TEST
 activities wherein students either select or provide a response to prompt
 it has its strong points
 can be administered to a large group at one time
 can also be used to assess lower and higher levels of cognition provided that
questions are phrased appropriately.

 PERFORMANCE TESTS
  activities that require students to demonstrate their skills or ability to
perform specific actions
 tasks are designed to be authentic, meaningful, in-depth and
multidimensional.
 it is a measurement, often making use of manipulative materials, which
involves no, or a minimum of verbal instruction.

♣ According to Ease of Quantification of Response/Scoring

 OBJECTIVE TEST
 can be corrected and quantified quite easily
 scores can be readily compared
 test items have a single or specific convergent response

 SUBJECTIVE TEST
 elicits varied responses
 test questions may have more than one answer
 scores are likely to be influenced by personal opinion or judgment by the
person doing the checking

♣ According to Mode of Administration

 INDIVIDUAL TEST
 given to one person at a time

 GROUP TEST
 administered to a class of students or group of examinees simultaneously

♣ According to Test Constructor

 STANDARDIZED TEST
 prepared by specialists who are versed in the principles of assessment
 scoring procedures and interpretations are consistent
 results serve as an indicator of instructional effectiveness and a reflection
of the schools’ performance
 provides exact procedures in controlling the method of administration and
scoring with norms and data concerning the reliability and validity of the
test.

 NON – STANDARDIZED TEST/TEACHER-MADE TEST

 prepared by teachers who may not be adept at the principles of test
construction
 constructed haphazardly due to limited time and lack of opportunity to
pre-test the items or pilot test
 used to measure subject or course achievement
 constructed by teachers to determine how much the students achieved the
 goals or objectives of the learning tasks.
♣ According to Mode of Interpreting Results

 NORM-REFERENCED TEST
 evaluative instruments that measure a student’s performance in relation
to the performance of a group on the same test.
 comparisons are made and the student’s relative position is determined.

 CRITERION-REFERENCED TEST
 describe each student’s performance against an agreed upon or pre-
established criterion or level of performance
 criterion is the range of well – defined instructional objectives or outcomes

♣ According to Nature of Answer

 PERSONALITY TESTS
 measure the ways in which individual’s interest with other individuals or in
terms of the roles an individual has ascribed to himself and adopts in the
society.
 it has no right or wrong answers
 it measures one’s personality and behavioral style
 determine personality strengths and weaknesses

 ACHIEVEMENT TESTS
 measures students’ learning as a result of instruction and training
experiences
 Summative – basis for promotion (after instruction)
 a measurement of what has been learned by the student of the subject matter
taught in school.

 APTITUDE TESTS
 determine a student’s potential to learn and do new tasks
 a predictive measure of a person’s likelihood of benefit from instruction or
experience in a given field.
 College Scholastic Aptitude Test (measures student’s ability and predicts
success in college
 CAREER APTITUDE TEST: aids in choosing best line of work based on
interests and skills (before instruction)

 INTELLIGENCE TEST
 measures learners’ innate intelligence or mental ability
 a test which measures the intelligence quotient (IQ) of an individual. (genius,
very superior, high average, low average, borderline, or mentally defective)
 Its function is to establish the ability to think abstractly or to organize parts
of a situation into a coherent whole.
 predictor of academic achievement
  SOCIOMETRIC TEST
 measures interpersonal relationships in a social group

 TRADE OR VOCATIONAL TEST

 assesses an individual’s knowledge, skills and competence in a particular
occupation
 successful completion of the test, the individual is given certification for
qualificatio

♣ Other Kinds of Test

 PROGNOSTIC TEST
 predicts how well a person is likely to do in a certain school subject or task

 PREFERENCE TEST
 a measurement of vocational or avocational interest or aesthetic judgments by
requiring the examinees to make forced choices between members of paired
or grouped items.
 DIAGNOSTIC TEST
 a measurement which identifies the weaknesses of an individual’s
achievement in any field and which serves as basis for remedial instruction.

 SPEED TEST
 measures the speed and accuracy of the examinee within the time limits
imposed. “alertness test”

 ACCOMPLISHMENT TEST
 a measure of achievement in which this test is usually for individual’s subjects
in the curriculum as a whole.

 SCALE TEST
 series of items arranged in the order of difficulty.

 PLACEMENT TEST
 used to measure the type of job an applicant should fill or the student be
enrolled after ceasing from school.

 Functions of Testing

a. Instructional Functions

1. Tests facilitates the clarification of meaningful learning objectives. When constructing

tests, teachers are reminded to go back to the learning objectives. If they are committed
to these, teaching-learning activities and assessment tasks provide mutual support.
 2. Tests provide a means of feedback to the instructor and the student. They can be used
for self-diagnosis. Students can assess their own learning and performance. Test results
guide teachers in adjusting their pedagogical practices to match students’ learning
styles. The impact of a test on teaching and learning is called wash back. The effect may
be beneficial or harmful to teachers and learners tend to tailor instructional activities
and learning processes to the demands of the test.
3. Tests can motivate learning. In a meta-analysis study, it was shown that frequent testing
increases academic preparation (study time) and academic achievement. Frequent
testing also produces a more positive attitude among students.
4. Tests can facilitate learning. The effect of testing had been studied by researchers
indicating improved performance when learners are given the opportunity to practice
retrieval before giving the final test. Prompt feedback informs students how they are
doing. By acting on teacher’s feedback, student can improve in subsequent
performance.
5. Test are a useful means of overlearning. Overlearning means continued study, review,
interaction or practice of the same material even after concepts and skills had been
mastered. Preparation for a scheduled test induces overlearning.

b. Administrative Functions

1. Tests can provide a mechanism of quality control. Through tests, a school can
determine the strengths and weaknesses of its curricula. Administrators can devise
ways to improve outcomes and assessment, implement and check for improvement.

2. Tests facilitate better classification and placement decisions. Test results allow
administrators to group students according to their level of ability. Through
classification system, schools can assign or transfer students to a gifted or remedial
program.

3. Tests can increase the quality of selection decisions. In using test for classification
purposes, schools can select students for specific programs. Through testing, a
teacher can select students who would benefit. For instance, in tutorial or remedial
programs.

4. Tests can be a useful means of accreditation, mastery or certification. Test provide a

means of certifying knowledge and skills like the Licensure Examination for Teachers
(LET) conducted by PRC.

c. Research and Evaluation

Tests are useful for program evaluation and research. Test are utilized in studies
that determine effectiveness of new pedagogical techniques.
 d. Guidance Functions

Tests can be of value in diagnosing an individual’s special aptitudes and abilities.

By giving intelligence tests, aptitude tests and personality inventories, along with
interviews and counselling sessions, a guidance counsellor can help students develop
their study and management skills, choose which program to take and select a career
path to follow.

 EVALUATION
 Process of determining the quality or worth of achievement in terms of certain standards.
 Process of summing up the results of measurements or tests, giving them some meaning
based on value judgements.

 ASSESSMENT
 a vital element in the curriculum development process.
 used to determine students’ learning need, monitor progress and examine their
performance against identified student learning outcomes

 OBE begins with a clear-cut statement of the learning outcomes – what the students
should know, understand and be able to do.
 Assessment tasks should provide evidences of how learners can use acquired knowledge
academically and professionally in appropriate ways.

 TRADITIONAL ASSESSMENT
 a conventional method of testing which usually produce a written document,
such as quiz, exam, or paper.

 AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT
 a form of assessment in which students are asked to perform real-world tasks
that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills

TRADITIONAL ASSESSMENT AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT

SELECTING A RESPONSE PERFORMING A TASK

Multiple - Choice Test about Rules in Basketball Let the students play basketball

CONTRIVED
REAL – LIFE
Unrealistic Games (Basketball Game on Android
Play Basketball in the Court
Phones)

RECALL/RECOGNITION CONSTRUCTION/ APPLICATION

Write the steps in doing the different basketball skills Demonstrate the different basketball skills

TEACHER – STRUCTURED STUDENT – STRUCTURED

INDIRECT EVIDENCE DIRECT EVIDENCE

Written test Basketball Game
 AREA 1
 The use of qualitative descriptions to describe student’s performance.
 Evaluation does not involve measurement or tests….
ex. OBSERVATIONS are non-test procedures which can be used to diagnose
learning problems among students

AREA 2
 Non – Test measure for evaluation.
ex. Ranking used by teachers in assigning grades

AREA 3
 Convergence of the three.
 Teacher-made tests fall in this region

AREA 4
 Non-evaluative Test Measures
 Proficiency Test for Research. Test scores used in correlational studies (Test-
scores and motivation)

AREA 5
 Non-evaluative
 Non-Test Measures
 Assigning numerical codes to responses in research studies like nominal scales
(Labeling educational attainment)

 Evaluation, measurement and test are ALL FORMs of assessment because they provide
information about the learner and his/her achievement. However, Tests comprise only a
subset of assessment tools.

II. PURPOSES OF ASSESSMENT

A. Assessment FOR Learning (AfL)

 pertains to diagnostic and formative assessment tasks
 used to determine learning needs, monitor academic progress of students DURING a
unit or block of instruction and guide instruction. In here, students are given on –
going and immediate descriptive feedback concerning their performance.
 Teachers can make adjustments when necessary in their teaching methods and
strategies to support learning. Teachers can decide whether there is a need to
differentiate instruction or design more appropriate learning activities to clarify and
consolidate students’ knowledge, understanding and skills,

EXAMPLES:
 Pre – test  Concept Maps
 Written Assignments  Focused Questions
 Quizzes  Recitation, etc.

B. Assessment AS Learning (AaL)

 employs tasks or activities that provide students with an opportunity to monitor and
further their OWN – LEARNING – to think about their personal learning habits and
how they can adjust their learning strategies to achieve their goals.
 It involves metacognitive (assessing your own understanding/performance) processes
like reflection and self-regulation to allow students to utilize their strengths and work
on their weaknesses by directing and regulating their learning. Hence, students are
responsible and accountable for their own learning.
 Assessment as learning is also a formative which may be given at any phase of the
learning process

EXAMPLES:
 Self-Assessment
 Peer Assessment
 Journal
 Solve and Check (Check your own paper)
 WIP (Work – in – Pair)

C. Assessment OF Learning (AoL)

 a summative and done at the END of a unit, task, process or period.

 to provide evidence of a student’s level of achievement in relation to curricular
outcomes.
 use for grading, evaluation and reporting purposes
 Evaluative feedback on the student’s proficiency level is given to the student
concerned, likewise his/her parents and other stakeholders
 It provides the foundation for decisions on student’s placement and promotion
EXAMPLES:
 Midterm/Final Examination  Project/ Output
 Portfolio  Oral/ Group Presentation
 III. RELEVANCE OF ASSESSMENT

In order to make assessment work for everyone – students, teachers, and other players
in the education system should have an understanding of what assessment provides and how it
is used to explain the dynamics of student learning.

Students. Through varied learner-centered and constructive assessment tasks, students

become actively engaged in the learning process. They take responsibility of their own learning
with the guidance of their teacher.

Teachers. Assessment informs instructional practice. It gives teachers information about

a student’s knowledge and performance base. It tells them how their students are currently
doing. Assessment results can reveal which teaching methods and approaches are most effective.

Parents. They should be involved in the assessment process. They are valued source of
assessment information on the educational history and learning habits of their children, most
especially for preschoolers who do not yet understand their development progress.

Administrators and Program Staff. They use assessment to identify strengths and
weaknesses of the program.

Policymakers. Government agencies can set or modify standards, reward or sanction

schools and direct educational resource.