ASSESSMENT

Concept analysis:

The terms Assessment, Evaluation, Measurement, and Testing are often confusing.

Many people use them interchangeably, yet they are distinct. Some researchers

attest that assessment includes evaluation, testing and measurement. Here are

some of the differences:

Measurement: It is how we rate and determine the performance of a learner,

numerically (Nasr, 2021). It is the administration and scoring of tests. When

testing, one attaches a numerical value or number to some knowledge or skill.

Therefore, testing is a form of measurement. Measurement in education

refers to units, symbols, percentages, ranks, or raw scores. These are

acquired through administering a test. The major limitation to measurement

through testing is that it is prone to subjectivity.

Assessment: refers to various methods and tools used by facilitators to

evaluate, measure, and document learners’ progress, skills or educational

knowledge. Nasr, (2021) says, it involves detecting, analysis, and interpreting

student’s learning and progress. From the definition above, it can be said to

be any method used to better understand the current knowledge that a learner

possesses. Assessment, therefore, provides a comprehensive account of an

individual’s performance as it both the qualitative and quantitative.

Evaluation: Grounland, (1981) says, it is the systematic process of

determining the extent to which instructional objectives are achieved by

pupils. Some of the tools of the evaluation process are tests, questionnaires,

textbook analysis, and observation. Evaluation is usually held for

judgements and passing decisions. Evaluation of the teaching and learning

process, looks at the strengths and weaknesses, threats, opportunities and

many more.

Assessment is an integral part of the teaching and learning process. It is applied to

determine the extent to which educational goals have being met. It is often used

interchangeably with testing, but not limited to tests. It involves putting value to a

piece of work. It can be formally (written exercises, tests and examinations) or

informally (observations, and oral responses) applied. Sometimes facilitators may

ask learners to assess themselves or their peers work through some form of quizzes

or commenting on their colleagues’ work. It is against this background that,

assessment is defined by Ioannou-Georgiou, (2003) as a general term which

includes all methods used to gather information about children’s knowledge, ability,

understanding, attitudes, and motivation. Watson, (2019) views it as collecting

evidence, both graded and non-graded, about a students’ progression in the course.

In line with the definitions above, assessment can therefore be viewed as the use of

a variety of methods and tools by facilitators to evaluate, measure, and document

the learners’ progress, skills or educational knowledge. Thus, assessment goes

beyond testing cognitive skills by pencil and paper technique which for many people

is measurement. Watson further avers that Assessment is generally used to

understand the state or condition of learning through the use of both observations

and measurement in an attempt to better understand students’ learning in a course.

Yambi, (2018) identifies four basic components of assessment as:

2) Motivating students to study.

3) Evaluating the teaching methods.

4) Ranking the students' capabilities in relation to the whole group evaluation.

Why do we assess?

Purpose of assessment for teachers/facilitators:

i) To measure specific elements of learning such as the level of knowledge a

learner has about concepts and skills the facilitator is planning to teach.

ii) To determine the level of learner performance in a learning environment.

That is, the ability to comprehend, analyse and handle historical

information.

iii) To provide diagnostic feedback. That is, assessment informs

teachers/facilitators about the learning difficulties that learners are facing.

iv) To identify learners’ strengths and weaknesses/knowledge gaps so that

educators/facilitators can provide specialized academic support to monitor

students’ learning.

v) Assessment can be used for purposes of feedback which leads to

reinforcement and motivation.

vi) It provides feedback on the effectiveness of instruction and gives learners

a measure of their progress.

vii) To evaluate whether the educational goals and standards of the lessons

are being met.

help learners? What is the best approach to use? What is working for

learners? Etc.

ix) It provides evidence of what has been learnt for both facilitators and

learners. —to what extent are learners accomplishing the learning

outcomes they are taught. This can inform facilitators, programs, and

institutions if they need to make changes in what they teach and how they

teach it.

x) To carry out curriculum evaluation and refinement. This will help policy

makers on decisions concerning the curriculum.

xi) To determine grades.

xii) It serves as a quality assurance mechanism

Purpose of assessment for learners:

i) It focuses learners’ attention on what is important.

ii) Promotes retention and transfer of learning.

iii) Promotes self-evaluation and self-monitoring by the use of well-defined

expectations and criteria.

iv) It motivates learning by communicating progress concerning what a

learner knows and is able to do.

v) To show evidence of what a learner is able do.

vi) It also informs learners on educational and carrier decisions

Types of assessments

Assessment can be divided into two. That is, formative assessment and summative

assessment.
Formative Assessment:

Formative assessment is also known as continuous assessment, educative

assessment, classroom assessment, or assessment for learning.

In order for learners to gain insight into their learning and their understanding,

frequent feedback is critical. This is usually attained through ‘dialogue’ between the

teacher and the learner that takes place during the learning process. It entails the

use of classroom assessment to monitor and support on-going teaching and

learning. Furthermore, formative assessment can be used for diagnostic processes

to gauge weaknesses of learners and assist teachers to provide effective remedies.

It is given periodically during instruction so as to get a feedback. It is usually used for

monitoring. It is important both to the teacher and to the learners. The whole idea is

to improve but they should not be used for grading. They are usually limited in

scope. It should not test factual knowledge but it should go on to test higher order

skills. Some tests have got a formative role. For example, end of topic test.

Summative assessment:

It is also known as assessment of learning.

It comes at the end of the course of instruction. It is used for grading and

certification. They can also be used to assess the effectiveness of instruction. It aims

at getting valid and reliable information about the learners concerned. It entails the

use of tasks/activities to measure, record and report on a learners’ capacity to recall,

apply and analyse with regard to specific body of knowledge. Therefore, when it is

applied at school level, teachers/facilitators should exercise extreme caution in the

selection of test items.

Formative <---------------------------------> Summative

Informal <---------------------------------> Formal

Continuous <----------------------------------> Final

Process <---------------------------------> Product

Divergent <---------------------------------> Convergent (objective tests)

In teaching and learning, assessment can be administered as assessment for

learning, assessment as learning and assessment of learning. To distinguish

between the three, Assessment for Learning (AfL), also referred to as Formative

Assessment is described by Bennett, (2017) as a teaching strategy used by

classroom practitioners to assess students’ comprehension and understanding of a

skill or lesson during the learning and teaching process. In History and Heritage

Studies, this can be done through questioning techniques in class, observations,

classwork, homework, group discussions, weekly tests and end of chapter tests.

Eberly, (2017) contends that this type of assessment provides educators with

ongoing feedback and allows them to identify at-risk students early, adjust instruction

accordingly and immediately and monitor students’ progress. Furthermore, the

approach helps to determine if the current instruction and intervention is positively

impacting students’ achievement or if adjustments need to be implemented in order

to promote learning.
Closely associated with Assessment for Learning, is Assessment as learning (AaL)

which is also formative in nature. Rowe, (2012) notes that Assessment as Learning

occurs when students are their own assessors. The main focus on this approach is

to teach students the metacognitive processes (thinking about thinking/ knowledge of

one’s own thought processes) to evaluate their own learning and make judgements

(Edmunds 2006). Assessment strategies such as games and quizzes, projects, role

play, debates and many more are used to determine what learners know and what

they can do. This approach encourages students to take responsibility for their own

learning, it also involves teachers and students creating learning goals to encourage

growth and development. Better still, it provides ways for students to use formal and

informal feedback and self-assessment to help them understand the next steps in

learning. Above all, the strategy encourages peer assessment, self-assessment and

reflection.

Contrary to the above approaches which are formative in nature, is the Assessment

of Learning (AoL) which attempt to measure students attainment at the end of a

period of learning (Rahman & Majumder, 2015). Assessment of Learning is

sometimes referred to as Summative Assessment (Bennett, 2017). It is usually done

at the end of a unit, term, year or course (end of unit tests, chapter tests, end of term

examinations, national examinations, Cumulative work over an extended period such

as a final project) in order to rank or grade students. Its effectiveness as an

opportunity for learning depends on the nature and quality of the feedback.

Assessment of Learning is usually used to plan future learning goals and pathways

for students. It provides evidence of achievement to the wider community, including

provides a transparent interpretation across all audiences.

Tasks:

1) Compare and contrast formative and summative assessment in History.

2) Discuss the role of assessment in History.

3) Using practical examples from History, clearly illustrate the relationship

between assessment for learning, assessment of learning and

assessment as learning.

4) Discuss the value of continuous assessment in History.

5) Discuss ways in which teachers’ assessment practices can help

improve historical thinking.

6) Assess the claim that National Standardised Assessments in Zimbabwe

significantly influence the teaching and learning of history?

REFERENCES:

Bennett, J. (2017) Assessment FOR Learning vs. Assessment OF Learning. The

Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation at Carnegie Mellon
University. “What is the difference between formative and summative
assessment?” Accessed May 3, 2017.

[Link]

Ioannou-Georgiou, S. (2003) Assessing Young Learners (Resource Books for

Nasr, Y. (2021) Relationship among Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation.

Rowe, J. (2015) Assessment as Learning.

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