Assessment methods should possess qualities in order to be efficient in
reflecting students’ performance. It is very important for assessment methods
to have these qualities since these are means for the teacher to obtain data
and information about each student’s extent of learning. If these are not
present, then the evaluation and assessment would be questionable. It will also
not give clear answers as to whether or not instructional objectives and goals
were met
Generally, assessment methods should
possess the following:
a. Validity
b. Reliability
c. Fairness
d. Practicality and Efficiency
Validity.
Validity is
perhaps the most important thing to be taken into account in preparing or
selecting an instrument to be used in assessment. Of course, as teachers, we
would first and foremost want that the data or information we get in using an
instrument should serve its purpose.
For example, a teacher wants to know if his approach in presenting a
math lesson effective in improving the mathematics ability of his students. Of
course, the teacher would give a test, perhaps making the students solve a
series of problems, in order to assess the extent of mathematical ability of
his students. For his test to be valid
and to truly reflect the mathematical ability of his students, the test should
provide enough samples of the types of word problems covered in his
instructional objectives. If the teacher will only give easy problems or only
very difficult ones, or only problems involving just one part of the lesson, the
test will not provide enough data and information that can lead to valid conclusions.
Specifically, if the
unit is all about “Addition of Fractions” and with a general objective that
students should be able to add all kinds of fractions, will a test with only
questions or problems involving adding similar fraction considered valid? Of
course, No. This is an example of content validity. For the test to have
content validity, a teacher should consider that students have enough experience
with the task posed by the items. The teacher should also cover necessary
material and how this material given a degree of emphasis for the students to
answer the items or questions correctly.
The other aspect of content
validation includes format of the instrument. This involves the clarity of
printing, size of type, adequacy of work space (if needed), appropriateness of
language, clarity of directions, and so on. Regardless of the sufficiency of
the questions in a test, if they are given in an inappropriate manner, a
teacher still cannot obtain valid results. For example, if a test in English
for grade 6 uses words that are for college level, then the test would still not
give valid results. Thus, it is also important that the characteristics of the
intended sample be kept in mind.
Aside from content
validity, there are also criterion validity and construct validity. Criterion
validity refers to the degree to which information provided by a test agrees
with information obtained on other, independent test. There is usually a
criterion, or a standard for judging, based on another instrument against which
scores on an instrument can be checked. Construct validity, on the other hand
refers to the degree to which the totality of evidence obtained is consistent
with theoretical expectations.
Reliability.
This means that there
should be consistency on the scores retrieved from the students using the same
instrument or test. This refers to how dependable or stable the instrument is
for each individual from one administration of an instrument to another and from
one set of items to another.
For example, a teacher gives a test
intended to measure comprehension skills. If the test is reliable, we would
expect that students who receive a high score the first time they take the test
to receive a high score the next time they take the test. The scores would not
necessarily be identical, but they should be close.
However, the scores retrieved from a test
can be reliable but not always valid. Furthermore, a test that gives unreliable
scores cannot provide valid inferences. If scores are entirely inconsistent for
a person, they provide no valuable information. There is no way of knowing
which score to use to infer an individual’s ability, attitude, or other
characteristic.
Generally, the relationship between
reliability and validity is as follows:
a.
Reliability and validity always depend on the context in which an instrument is
used. Depending on the context, an instrument may or may not yield reliable or
consistent scores.
b.
If the data are unreliable, they cannot lead to valid and legitimate inferences
c.
As reliability improves, validity may improve, or it may not.
d.
An instrument may have good reliability but low validity,
e.
What is desired, of course, is that test should both have high reliability and
high validity.
Fairness
Fairness in the context of assessment
could be described in various ways. For assessment to be fair, teachers should
inform students about the goals and objectives of the assessment and what
methods of assessment will be used. They also should tell the students how
their progress will be evaluated in order for them to organize and manage their
resources like time and effort. This is the reason why most of the teachers, at
the beginning of the school year, discuss the grading system and how will they
assess and evaluate the students in their subject.
Fairness
also involves the idea that assessment is done not to discriminate learners.
The purpose is to measure the extent of learning and not to judge the learner.
Assessment should as well free from
biases and prejudices held by the assessor or the teacher. For example, a
naughty child shouldn’t be given low grades in Math just for the main reason of
his behavior and not his mathematical ability (author: guilty…hehehe). Teachers
should also avoid stereotyping like girls are better in language while boys
excel more in Mathematics. Also, favoritism should be avoided to avoid halo
effect or the tendency for the teacher to give favor and more consideration to
the students whom they prefer as compared to other students.
Practicality
and Efficiency
Assessment is practical and efficient
if first, the teacher has the competence to administer it. It also should be
implementable and does not require too much time or resources. It shouldn’t be
too complicated which may cause difficulty in scoring and misinterpretation of
the results. This may also cause the assessment to be inefficient since it
would require a lot of time for feedback which is actually very important in
drawing out significant conclusions.
For example, a teacher would give a
test administered only using only tablets. This may sound practical to affluent
schools but if this would be imposed to a school where students belong in low
income families, then this method of assessment is considered impractical and
inefficient. Again, it is important that the characteristics
of the intended sample be kept in mind.
P.S. Wew. I'm not that good with assessment, research, statistics, etc...so a lot of brain juices were used for this post….hehe…I
did a lot of contextualizing to make this as comprehensible and as simple as
possible. I should mention my references to give credit to the authors and to
just let you know that I didn’t just surmise what I have written here…hehehe
References:
De Guzman-Santos, Rosita (2007). Advanced methods in educational assessment and evaluation. Assessment
of learning 2. Lorimar Publishing:Quezon City
Fraenkel, Jack R., Wallen, Norman E., Hyun, Helen H. (2012). How to design and evaluate research in
education. Eighth edition. Mcgraw-Hill: New York
