Assessment and Evaluation

Why Consider Assessment and Evaluation?

Much research in education around the world is currently focusing on assessment and evaluation. It has become clear, as more and more research findings accumulate, that a broader range of attributes need to be assessed and evaluated than has been considered in the past. A wide variety of ways of doing this is suggested. Assessment and evaluation are best addressed from the viewpoint of selecting what appears most valid in allowing students to show what they have learned.

In Student Evaluation: A Teacher Handbook (1991) the difference between the various forms of evaluation is explained. Student evaluation focuses on the collection and interpretation of data which would indicate student progress.

Phases of the Evaluation Process

Evaluation can be viewed as a cyclical process including four phases: preparation, assessment, evaluation, and reflection. The evaluation process involves the teacher as a decision maker throughout all four phases.

• In the preparation phase, decisions are made which identify what is to be evaluated, the type of evaluation (formative, summative, or diagnostic) to be used, the criteria against which student learning outcomes will be judged, and the most appropriate assessment strategies with which to gather information on student progress. Decisions made during this phase form the basis for planning during the remaining phases.
• During the assessment phase, teachers identify information-gathering strategies, construct or select instruments, administer them to the student, and collect the information on student learning progress. The identification and elimination of bias (such as gender and culture bias) from the assessment strategies and instruments, and the determination of where, when, and how assessments will be conducted are important considerations.
• During the evaluation phase, the information gathered during the assessment phase is used to make judgments about student progress. Based on the judgments (evaluations), decisions about student learning programs are made and reported to students, parents, and appropriate school personnel.
• In the reflection phase, ponder the successes and shortfalls of the previous phases. Specifically, evaluate the utility and appropriateness of the assessment strategies used, and make decisions concerning improvements or modifications to subsequent teaching and assessment.

Figure 4:

Process of Student Evaluation

Student Evaluation

Evaluation in Career Guidance is an integral part of the total program. Several principles guide the evaluation of students participating in the Middle Level Career Guidance Program. The evaluation should:

• be an integral part of the teaching-learning process;
• be a planned, continuous activity;
• reflect the intended outcomes of the career guidance curriculum;
• assist teachers in meeting student needs and providing appropriate programs for students' developmental levels;
• include not only measurement but also interpretation and judgment;
• be sensitive to socio-demographic differences such as culture, gender, and geographic location;
• use assessment techniques for formative, diagnostic and summative purposes;
• provide information within the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains;
• respect the confidentiality of student information;
• be fair and equitable, giving all students opportunities to demonstrate the extent of their knowledge, skills and abilities;
• provide positive, supportive feedback to students;
• encourage active participation and student self-appraisal to foster lifelong learning;
• foster students' abilities to relate knowledge to life experiences;
• be regularly communicated to parents/guardians and students in a meaningful manner;
• include the communication of a teacher's overall evaluation plan to students in advance.

Students should be made aware of the objectives of the Middle Level Career Guidance Program and the procedures to be used in assessing performance relative to the objectives.

Program Evaluation

Program evaluation is a systematic process of gathering and analyzing information about some aspect of a school program in order to make a decision, or to communicate to others involved in the decision-making process. Program evaluation can be conducted at two levels: relatively informally at the classroom level, or more formally at the classroom, school, or school division levels.

At the classroom level, program evaluation is used to determine whether the program being presented to the students is meeting both their needs and the objectives prescribed by the program. Program evaluation is not necessarily conducted at the end of the program, but is an ongoing process. For example, if particular lessons appear to be poorly received by students, or if they do not seem to demonstrate the intended learnings from a module, the problem should be investigated and changes made. By evaluating their programs at the classroom level, teachers become reflective practitioners. The information gathered through program evaluation can assist teachers in program planning and in making decisions for improvement. Most program evaluations at the classroom level are relatively informal, but they should be done systematically. Such evaluations should include identification of the areas of concern, collection and analysis of information, and judgement or decision-making.

Formal program evaluation projects use a step-by-step problem-solving approach to identify the purpose of the evaluation, draft a proposal, collect and analyze information, and report the evaluation results. The initiative to conduct a formal program evaluation may originate from an individual teacher, a group of teachers, the principal, a staff committee, an entire staff, or a school division central office. Evaluations are usually done by a team, so that a variety of background knowledge, experience, and skills is available and the work can be shared. Formal program evaluations should be undertaken regularly to ensure programs are current.

To support formal school-based program evaluation activities, the Saskatchewan School-based Program Evaluation Resource Book (1989) has been developed to be used in conjunction with an inservice package.

Curriculum Evaluation

Curriculum evaluation, at the provincial level, involves making judgments about the effectiveness of provincially authorized curricula. It involves gathering information (the assessment phase) and making judgments or decisions based on the information collected (the evaluation phase), to determine how well the curriculum is performing. The principal reason for curriculum evaluation is to plan improvements to the curriculum. Such improvements might involve changes to the curriculum document and/or the provision of resources or inservice to teachers. It is intended that curriculum evaluation be a shared, collaborative effort involving all of the major education partners in the province.

In the assessment phase, information will be gathered from students, teachers, and administrators. The information obtained from educators will indicate the degree to which the curriculum is being implemented, the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum, and the problems encountered in teaching it. The information from students will indicate how well they are achieving the intended objectives and will provide indications about their attitudes toward the area of study. Student information will be gathered through the use of a variety ofstrategies including paper-and-pencil tests (objective and open-response), performance (hands-on) tests, interviews, surveys, and observation.

The information collected during the assessment phase will be examined and recommendations will address areas in which improvements can be made. Curriculum evaluation is described in greater detail in Curriculum Evaluation in Saskatchewan (1991).