CHAPTER 3:

Appropriateness and Alignment of

Assessment Methods to Learning
Outcomes
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

At the end of Chapter 3, students are

expected to:
• Match learning outcomes with the appropriate
assessment method.
 Taxonomy of Learning Domains
• Learning outcomes are statements of performance expectations: Cognitive,
Affective, and Psychomotor.
• These are the broad domain of learning characterized by the change in a learner's
behavior.
• Within each domain are levels of expertise that drives assessment.
• These levels are listed in order of increasing complexity.
• Higher levels require more sophisticated methods of assessment but they facilitate
retention and transfer of learning (Anderson, et al., 2005.
• Importantly, all learning outcomes must be capable of being assessed and measured.
• This may be done using direct and indirect assessment techniques.
A. COGNITIVE (Knowledge-Based)

• It is designed to help teachers understand and implement a standards-based curriculum.

• The cognitive domain involves the development of knowledge and intellectual skills.
• It answers the question, "What do I want learners to know?" The first three are lower-
order, while the next three levels promote higher-order thinking.

• Marzano & Kendall (2007) came up with their own taxonomy composed of three systems
(Self- system, Metacognitive System and Cognitive System) and the Knowledge Domain.
• Their Cognitive System has four levels. Knowledges Comprehension; "Analysis and
Knowledge Utilization.
• The Knowledge component is the same as the Remembering level in the revised
Bloom's Taxonomy 'Comprehension' entails synthesis and representation
 • Analysis involves processes of matching, classifying, error analysis, generalizing and
specifying.
• The last level. Knowledge Utilization, comprises decision-making, problem-
solving, experimental inquiry and investigation processes essential in problem-based and
project-based learning.

B. PSYCHOMOTOR (Skills-Based)

• The psychomotor domain focuses on physical and mechanical skills involving

coordination of the brain and muscular activity.
• It answers wers the question, "What actions do I want learners to be able to perform
• Dave (1970) identified five levels of behaviar in the psychomotor demain Imitation,
Manipulation, Precision, Articulation, and Naturalization.
 • In his taxonomy, Simpson (1972) laid down seven progressive levels Perception,
Set, Guided Response, Mechanism, Complex Overt Response,
Adaptation and Origination.
• Meanwhile, Harrow (1972) developed her own taxonomy with six categories organized
according to degree of coordination: Reflex movements, Basic fundamental
movement, Perceptual, Physical activities, Skilled movements, and
Non-discursive communication.

AFFECTIVE (Values, Attitudes and Interests)

• The affective domain emphasizes emotional knowledge.
• It tackles the question, "What actions do I want learners to think or care about?"
• The affective domain includes factors such as student motivation, attitudes appreciations
and values.
TYPES OF ASSESSMENT METHODS
• Assessment methods can be categorized according to the nature and characteristics of
each method.
• McMillan (2007) identified four major categories selected-response, constructed response,
teacher observation and student self- assessment.
• These are similar to carpenter tools and you need to choose which is apt for a given task.
• It is not wise to stick to one method of assessment.
• As the saying goes, " if the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem
as a nail.
1. SELECTED-RESPONSE FORMAT
• In a selected-response format, students select from a given set of options to answer a
question or a problem.
• The teacher can assess and score a great deal of content quickly.
• The licensure examination for teachers is a selected response assessment.
• Scantron sheets and optical mark readers make it easy to score a large number of items
efficiently
• Teachers commonly assess students using questions and stems that are multiple-choice,
alternate response (true/false); matching type and interpretive.
• Multiple choice questions consist of a stem (question or statement form) with four or five
answer choices (distracters).
• Matching type items consist of a set or column of dexcriptions and words, phrases or
images.
2. CONSTRUCTED-RESPONSE FORMAT
• In a selected-response type, students need only to recognize and select the correct answer
Although selected-response items can be composed to address higher-order thinking skills,
most require only identification and recognition.
• The constructed response type is more useful in targeting higher levels of cognition
• A constructed-respune format (subjective) demands that students create or produce their
own answers in response to a question, problem or task in this type, items may fall under
any of the following categories: Brief-constructed response items, performance tasks essay
items: or oral questioning.
 Brief-constructed response items
• require only short responses from students. Examples include sentence
completion where students fill in a blank at the end of a statement: short answer
to open-ended questions: labelling a diagram, or answering a Mathematics
problem by showing their solutions.

Performance assessments
• require students to perform a task rather than select from a given set of options.
• Unlike brief-constructed response items, students have to come up with a
more extensive and elaborate answer or response.
• Performance tasks are called authentic or alternative assessments because students are required
to demonstrate what they can do through activities, problems and exercises.
• As such, they can be a more valid indicator of students' knowledge and skills than other
assessment methods.
 Essay assessments
• involve answering a question or proposition in written form. It is powerful in the sense that
it allows students to express themselves and demonstrate their reasoning. An essay item
that requires a few sentences is called restricted-response.

Oral questioning
• is a common assessinent method during instruction to check on student understanding
When done formally, oral questioning may take the form of an interview or conference.
• By mastering the art of questioning, the teacher can keep students on their ties, receive
acceptable responses, elicit various types of reasoning from the students and at the same
time strengthen their confidence.
3. TEACHER OBSERVATION
• Teacher observations are a form of on-going assessment, usually done in combination with
oral questioning.
• Teachers regularly observe students to check on their understanding.
• By watching how students respond to oral questions and behave during individual and
collatiorative activities, the teacher can get information if learning is taking place in the
classroom.
• Non-verbal cues communicate how learners are doing.
• Teachers have to be watchful if students are losing attention, mishehaving, or appear non-
participative in classroom activities.
• It would be beneficial if teachers make observational or anerdotal notes to describe how
students learn in terms of concept building, problem solving, communication skills, etc
4. STUDENT SELF-ASSESSMENT
• Self-assessment is one of the standards of quality assessment identified by Chappuis,
Chappuis & Stiggins (2009).
• It is a process where the students are given a chance to reflect and rate their own work and
judge how well they have performed in relation to a set of assessment criteria
• Students track and evaluate their own progress or performance.
• There are self- monitoring techniques like activity checklists, diaries and self-report
inventories

MATCHING LEARNING TARGETS WITH ASSESSMENT

METHODS
• In an outcome-based approach, teaching methods and resources that are used to support
learning as well as assessment tasks and rubrics are explicitly linked to the program and
course learning outcomes.
 • Constructive Alignment provides the "how-to by verifying that the teaching-learning
activities
(TLAs) and the assessment tasks AT) activate the same verbs Hence, it is vital that the teacher
consider the domain of learning and the level I of thinking he/she would like to measure.
• The performance verbs in the ILOs are indicutors of the methods of assessment suitable to measure
and evaluate student learning.
• A learning target is defined as a description of performance that includes what learners should
know and be able to do. It contains the criteria used to judge student performance. It is derived from
national and local standards. This definition is similar to that of a learning outcomes.
• Knowledge and simple understanding pertains to mastery of substantive subiect
matter and procedures. In the revised Bloom's taxonemy. this covers the lower order thinking skills
of remembering, understanding and applying.
• Selected-response and constructed-response items are best in assessing low-level learning targets in
terms of coverage and efficiency. A vast amount of knowledge can be assessed even in a limited time
and such test formats are easy to correct.
• Reasoning is the mental manipulation and use of knowledge in critical and creative ways.
• Deep understanding and reasoning involve higher order thinking skills of
analyzing, evaluating and synthesizing. In checking for deep understanding and prasoning, essays
are best. They can be used to assess complex learning outcomes because students are required to
demonstrate their reasoning and thinking skills.
• To assess skills, performance assessment is obviously the superior assessment method. When
used in real-life and meaningful context, it becomes an "authentic assessment". Performance
assessments are suited for applications with less-structured problems where problem
identification; collection, organization, integration and evaluation of information, and originality
are emphasized Miller, Linn & Gronlund, 2009). Additionally, they are used when students are
tasked to conduct an oral presentation or physical performance, or create a product.
• As mentioned, products are most adequately assessed through performance tasks. A product is
a substantial and tangible output that showcases a student's understanding of concepts and skills
and their ability to apply, analyze, evaluate and integrate those concepts and skills. As you can
see, it subsumes all levels of the cognitive domain.
• Student affect cannot be assessed simply by selected-response or brief-constructed response
tests. Affect pertains to attitudes, interests and values students manifest.
• The best method for this learning target is self-assessment. Most commonly, this is in the form of
students' responses to self- report affective inventories using rating scales
• In a study conducted by Stiggins & Popham (2009), there are two affective variables influenced
by teachers who employ assessment formatively in their classes: academic efficacy (perceived
ability to succeed and sense of control over one's academic well- being) and eagerness to learn
• These are strengthened through self-assessment. Students' behavior and reactions to instructional
activities are certainly perceptible.
• Hence, observation is also a good tool to assess affective qualities like wellness, honesty/Integrity,
personal discipline, etc.
• Oral questioning may also work in assessing affective traits. Telling and enlightening results can
be obtained when the student is honest in revealing his/her feelings.
• As for performance assessment, this method can be used to assess a student's affect when the
teacher conducts observations during execution of the task.
• However, as McMillan (2007) asserted, observations done in a performance assessment are
usually non-systematic, and the teacher has to make an unbiased interpretation and inference
about a student's affect.
• The K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum has a balanced assessment program.
• It utilizes both traditional and authentic assessment tools and techniques to get valid and reliable
evidences of student learning.
• Notice that tests and oral participation are utilized to measure lower-order thinking skills.
THANK YOU!