Assessment and Evaluation of Student Learning
Distinctions to master
Assessment and evaluation are not synonyms. Diagnostic assessment precedes learning; formative assessment accompanies it and informs teaching; summative assessment certifies achievement. Know the difference between assessment of learning and assessment for learning, and between criterion-referenced and norm-referenced evaluation.
Quality criteria
A good assessment instrument is valid (measures the targeted knowledge), reliable (consistent results), and fair (accessible to all pupils). Items should match the taxonomic level of the objective (recall, application, analysis). Know how to build a marking grid and how to formulate clear instructions.
Traps
Questions often confuse formative and summative purposes, or present a test that measures something other than the stated objective (a validity problem). Another trap is treating a low average as proof of pupil failure without questioning item quality. Beware of confusing remediation with simple repetition.
Worked example
A teacher wants to check whether pupils can apply a rule, but the test only asks them to recite it: the instrument lacks validity. Rule of thumb: align objective, task and marking criterion - if one of the three shifts, the assessment is flawed.