Quennie N.

Quiobe
BSED 3-A

July 18, 2012 Eng110

UNCOVERING THE ROLE OF ASSESSMENT IN THE TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS

In the pursuit of accomplishing the desired goals of learning, the first thing that a teacher must do is to assess the performance of their students, its because only through assessment that a teacher may identify what his students already know and what they dont. The results produced by assessments can also be used as a yardstick to gauge a students performance and progress. Assessing the students also helps in determining the proficiency and competency in a student. It is only through assessment that one can know if learning has taken place. Assessment can be identified as a means to enhance and improve the experience of learning. As future educators its only right to know the nature of this important aspect of educational system. On studying assessment, it is important that we are able to identify key terms that are widely used in the subject, first up is evaluation. According to Hopkins & Stanley evaluation is the process of summing up the results of measurements or tests, giving them some meaning based on value judgments. In the educational point of view, evaluation is identified as a systematic process by which the extent of instructional objectives being achieved by the students is determined. Objectives are the intended learning outcomes and it is the paramount consideration in evaluation. In many instances evaluation is often confused to assessment. There are four types of evaluation: diagnostic evaluation which is used to determine the learning difficulties of students, formative evaluation which provides feedback to the students performance, placement evaluation which defines students entry behaviors and summative evaluation which determines the extent to which objectives of instruction have been attained. Another key term being utilized in the learning assessment area is measurement. Measurement is the process of collecting, quantifying and ordering information on an individual, attribute or object. However, when connected to education measurement is the device or instrument that we use to measure students achievement, skills, attitude, intelligence, personality or anything that can be expressed quantitatively. To distinguish measurement from evaluation one must take note that former involves the application of an instrument example is when you use checklists, portfolios or rating scales while the latter involves the formation of judgements concerning certain data. Measuring is more precise and more objective, while evaluating is less precise and more subjective; nevertheless both are important part of the instructional process. Perhaps the most common device used to measure students achievement, skills and attributes is through the use of tests. Tests are instruments or tools used to gather data for the purpose of making intra or inter individual comparisons, they may be categorized as

standardized, informal (teacher-made), oral, written, mastery, survey, speed, power, verbal, nonverbal or performance. We must also be clarified that we should not treat the terms test and testing as having the same meaning, to point it out, testing is a technique of obtaining information needed for evaluation purposes. We must ensure that the test connotes validity, reliability and usability. A test is considered valid when it measures what it is supposed to measure. When does reliability enter the scene? Its when the test is taken again by the same students under the same circumstances yet the score average is almost unchanged or constant, however also taking into consideration whether the time between the test and retest is of reasonable length. Lastly, a test must possess practicality, it is important that a test contemplates to the principle of being practical since this will also affect the administration, scoring, interpretation and application of said test, in this important characteristic of a good test the low cost and proper mechanical make-up are the ones being referred to. Now that we already know the nature of test and testing, I think its only proper that we recognize the reasons why tests are given and how students, teachers and administrators benefit from them. So, why do we give tests? We simply give tests because of the need of feedback both intended for the teacher and the learner. It also paves way to determine the effectiveness of a teaching method or technique, whether a strategy is still substantial or not. Another reason why we give tests is for revision purposes, it serves as a basis to determine what aspect of a curriculum is needed to be changed or revised. Students, teachers and administrators benefit from tests in various ways, students benefit for the purpose of mastery, motivation and feedback; teachers gain from it the identification of instruction goals, the results of performances and for the suggestion of areas that need more emphasis; lastly, administrators benefit because they are able to know the success of a program objective and provides them insights on where teaching must be strengthen. Let me narrow down the discussion by focusing into language assessment which is known to be a process of using language tests to accomplish particular jobs in language classrooms. It is a field connected to the area of applied linguistics that focuses on the assessment of L1 and L2 in the school, college or university. It assesses an individuals listening, speaking, reading, writing and cultural understanding skills. The main purpose of language assessment is to enhance the mainly the linguistic skills of Filipinos. Concerning the types of assessment, there are three categories under the test design formats; the time-tested format, the alternative classroom-based format and the technology-based design format. Time-tested formats includes multiple choice matching type, true or false, fill in the blanks, cloze test, dictation, essays and oral interviews. Multiple choice tests are often referred to as recognition type, it can be stem-andoptions variety, setting-and-options variety, group-term variety, structured, or contained-option variety.

Matching type is a paper and pen assessment that contains a set of defined terms usually in two columns. TRUE or FALSE, there are given statements which the examinee has to think and decide whether the statements are true or false, right or wrong. It develops the analytical ability of students. In fill in the blanks, important words are omitted in a given statement and students are expected to complete the sentence. Cloze tests are much more complex than the ordinary fill in the blanks, this type of tests utilizes paragraphs. Dictation is a type of test that challenges students memory and its main purpose is to check the proficiency of the students about the language being learned through their listening ability. Essay type tests are effective tools to minimize guessing, develop critical thinking, minimize cheating and memorizing, and develop good study habits, it is easy to construct and economical, Oral interviews are great ways to assess the range of vocabulary a student has, it is also used to rate the fluency of the learner. The alternative classroom-based formats are the use of portfolios, self-assessment, peer assessment, conferencing, use of diaries and learning logs, and use of checklists and observation logs Portfolios are systematic, purposeful, and meaningful collections of students work in one or more subject areas. There are three basic models of portfolio the Showcase model, consisting of work samples chosen by the student, the Descriptive model, consisting of representative work of the student, with no attempt at evaluation and Evaluative model which consists of representative products that have been evaluated by criteria. Self-assessment involves taking an inventory of ones likes, dislikes, personal characteristics, values, wants, and needs. In Peer assessment, students are involved in monitoring and making judgements about aspects of their own or peers learning. They learn directly by constructively critiquing their own and others work in parallel. A Learning Log is basically a log or record or journal of ones learning- a personal record. Technology-based design format Computer- based, computer adapted test, audiotapedbased oral proficiency interview and the web-based testing.

Technology-based design formats are assessments which include the use of the web, computer software or an electronic gadget. To end the discussion let me point out an important reminder that we future teachers must remember, that is, to never underestimate the role of assessment in student learning. Although assessment is probably the last step in the instructional cycle, we must be reminded that assessment plays a big role in order to improve the quality of our instruction.

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