LESSON 1
BASIC CONCEPTS, THEORIES, AND PRINCIPLES IN ASSESSING LEARNING USING
ALTERNATIVE METHODS
What is an Alternative assessment?
Assessment
- Generally defined as the process of gathering quantitative and/or qualitative data for the
purpose of making decisions.
Assessment of learning
- The systematic and purpose-oriented collection, analysis, and interpretation of evidence
of student learning in order to make informed decisions relevant to the learners.
Assessment for learning
- The use of assessment to identify the needs of students in order to modify instruction or
the learning activities in the classroom.
- It is formative in nature, and it is meant to identify gaps in the learning experiences of
students, so they can be assisted in achieving the curriculum outcomes.
Traditional Assessment
- Refers to the use of traditional assessment strategies or tools to provide information on
student learning.
- Typically, objective (e.g. multiple choice) and subjective (e.g. essay) paper-and pencil
tests are used to assess students.
- Are often used as the basis for evaluating and grading students.
- Commonly used in classrooms because they are easier to design and quicker to be
scored.
Alternative Assessment
- Refers to the use of alternative or non-traditional assessment strategies or tools to
collect information on student learning.
- Examples: performance-oriented and product-oriented assessment methods.
Features of alternative assessment (Silvestre-Tipay 2009)
1. Assessment is based on authentic tasks that demonstrate learner’s ability to accomplish
communication goals.
2. Instructor and learners focus on communication, not on right and wrong answers.
3. Learners help to set the criteria for successful completion of communication tasks.
4. Learners have opportunities to assess themselves and their peers.
Performance assessment
- Refers to assessing student learning by requiring a student to perform a task or develop
a product as a demonstration of one’s learning.
- The focus of the assessment is on providing opportunity for the students to apply what
they have learned through task performance and/or product creation.
- The emphasis is on assessing what students know and what they can do.
Portfolio assessment
- It pertains to students’ construction and use of portfolios in a purposeful and systematic
manner in order to document their progress in the attainment of learning targets.
Portfolio
- Is a collection of learning and performance artifacts by a student and is typically
accompanied by personal narratives and reflections.
- The use of portfolio allows students to document and demonstrate their
accomplishments in the classroom and provide opportunities to the learner and their
teachers to evaluate the progress in a given period of time (Tolentino 2009).
Other alternative strategies for assessing learning are assessment of non-cognitive learning
outcomes through performance rubrics (for psychomotor) and rating scales and checklist
(for affective or dispositional outcomes)
The use of rubrics and scales may also provide opportunities for using self-assessment and
peer assessment, which allow for more comprehensive assessment of student learning and
performance in the classroom.
