MODULE 1: BASIC CONCEPTS AND DEFINITION

LESSON 3: ROLES OF ASSESSMENT IN INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS

Introduction
Assessment in learning has a role to play in supporting and improving student learning. The most important
part of assessment is the interpretation and use of the information that is gleaned for its intended purpose.
Assessment is embedded in the learning process. As teachers and students work towards the achievement of
curriculum outcomes, assessment plays a constant role in informing instruction, guiding the student’s next steps,
and checking progress and achievement. Assessment information is used to make decisions that support further
learning. Thus, Assessment must be planned with its purpose in mind.

Course Outcomes: discuss on the role of assessment in making instructional decisions to improve
teaching and learning; and

Learning Objectives: At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge on the different roles of assessment;

CLASSIFICATION OF THE ROLES OF ASSESSMENT

1. Assessment OF Learning – It will answer the question: What the students have learned?
- It is where assessment informs students, teachers and parents, as well as the broader educational
community, of achievement at a certain point in time in order to celebrate success, plan interventions and
support continued progress. This is also known as Summative Assessment.
2. Assessment FOR Learning – It will answer the question: How can we help the students more?
- It is where assessment helps teachers gain insight into what students understand in order to plan and guide
instruction, and provide helpful feedback to students.
-These includes Placement Assessment, Diagnostic Assessment and Formative Assessment
3. Assessment AS Learning
- it is where students develop an awareness of how they learn and use that awareness to adjust and advance
their learning, taking an increased responsibility for their learning. This is activated by conducting self-
Assessment and Formative Assessment.

THE ROLES OF ASSESSMENT IN INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT – given after instruction
Summative assessment is intended to measure learning outcomes and report those outcomes to students,
parents, and administrators. In an educational setting, it generally occurs at the conclusion of a class, course,
semester, or academic year. In the context of a course summative assessments are typically used to assign
students a course grade. It is also referred to in a learning context as “assessment of learning”. Performance-
based assessment is similar to summative assessment, as it focuses on achievement. A well-defined task is
identified and students are asked to create, produce, or do something, often in settings that involve real-world
application of knowledge and skills. Proficiency is demonstrated by providing an extended response.
Performance formats are further differentiated into products and performances. The performance may result in
a product, such as a painting, portfolio, paper, or exhibition, or it may consist of a performance, such as a speech,
athletic skill, musical recital, or reading.

Specific Features:
- It is used to certify what students know and can do and the level of their proficiency/mastery or
competency at the end to the course, unit, chapter, grading period or semester.
- Examples: Unit tests, chapter tests, long tests, quarter exams, Midterm Exams, Final Exams
- Its results reveal whether the instructions have successfully achieved or not
- This determines the readiness of the students before moving to the NEXT UNIT
- The results of summative tests are rated expressed whether in letter or numerical grades, on the basis of
a standard set of mastery.
- The results are communicated to the students, parents and other stakeholders for decision making

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT – occurs during instruction

Formative assessment is generally carried out throughout a course or project. In an educational setting, formative
assessment is used by teachers to consider approaches to teaching and next steps for individual learners and
the class, and would not necessarily be used for grading purposes. Formative assessment also referred to as
"educative assessment" or “assessment for learning” is used to aid learning. Assessment for learning is defined
as “all those activities undertaken by teachers and/or students, which provide information to be used as feedback
to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged” (Black and William 2004).
Specific Features:
- This is conducted to monitor the instructional process and progress then it determines whether learning
takes place as planned
- It is in this assessment where teachers continuously and regularly monitor the student’s level of
achievement and progress with respect to the learning objectives
- The main function is IMPROVEMENT/MASTERY/LEARNING PROGRESS rather than grading
- Diagnostic by nature which is used to identify the students learning successes and failures so that
adjustment in instruction and assessment can be done
- It can be done thru formal and/or informal methods such as short quizzes, daily quizzes, seat works, drills,
assignments, group works, unrecorded activities, board works, graded and ungraded quizzes, oral
recitations/questioning and etc.
- It is facilitated in order to check the readiness of the students before moving to NEXT LESSON
- This is part of instruction designed to provide crucial feedback for teachers and students

Uses of Formative Assessment to Students:

1. Reinforcement – Results of formative assessment should inform the students whether they have
mastered a lesson or not. The results of this assessment are communicated clearly and properly to
students for them to know their strengths and weaknesses and the progress of their learning. Providing
feedback that helps students find means to improve leaning
2. Diagnosis – The errors made by the students in the formative evaluation diagnose the weaknesses of
the students as bases for remedial instruction

Uses of Formative Assessment to Teachers:

1. Handling Errors – The teacher should handle errors made by the majority of the students. These
errors should be reviewed by the class.
2. Quality Control – if the teacher keeps records of the past performances of the students on the results
of formative evaluations, he can make use of this record as basis for remedial instructions and
improvement of instruction by using different techniques, strategies, aids and devices
3. Forecasting – The results of summative test can be predicted on the basis of formative evaluation.

DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT – before and/or During Instruction

- This is used to determine students recurring or persistent difficulties
- This is usually used before teaching a NEW LESSON
- It searches for the underlying cause of learning problems that do not respond to formative evaluation
- It helps formulate a plan for detailed remedial instruction
- It helps to identify misconceptions, interests, or learning style preferences
- It applies to all modes of assessment
- It can be based from a variety of information sources: portfolios, work in progress – on going activities,
teacher observation, interview, formal and informal conversation, parent-teacher conference and etc.

PLACEMENT ASSESSMENT – occurs before instruction

- The results of this assessment places students in specific learning groups to facilitate teaching learning
process
- Teachers use this assessment to know what their students currently know and use this as a starting
point of instruction
- Its purpose is to assess the needs of the learners to have basis in planning for a relevant instruction
- Classification test: sectioning, college admission test, pre-test

Assessment as Learning
Assessment as Learning is the process of Introspection (from Latin introspicere, “to look within”). The definition
of introspection is self-examination, analyzing yourself, looking at your own personality and actions, and
considering your own motivations. An example of introspection is when you meditate to try to understand your
feelings.

Through this process students are able to learn about themselves as learners and become aware of how they
learn – become metacognitive (knowledge of one’s own thought processes). Assessment as Learning is the use
of ongoing self-assessment by students in order to monitor their own learning, which is “characterized by
students reflecting on their own learning and making adjustments so that they achieve deeper understanding.”
(Western and Northern Canadian Protocol for Collaboration in Education [WNCP], 2006)