Learners Evaluation: Meaning, Purpose, Process

1. Learners Evaluation: Meaning, Purpose, Process Konstantinos Karampelas, PhD

2. 1) Why Evaluation? • The central educational function of school is to enable young people to learn what is valuable and significant. • This is done through activities, which are considered to be appropriate and worth-carrying out.

3. 1) Why Evaluation? • In fact and according to Dewey (1916), the concept of education is primarily adjectival and evaluative as it peaks out activities and experience that mix certain evaluative standards. • Evaluation therefore is essential part of educational practice.

4. 1) Why Evaluation? • Evaluation has been criticized to be consuming considerable amount of time from the teachers. • But it has been thought to be necessary to identify learners strengths and weaknesses helping this way effective lesson planning, effective teaching and school improvement.

5. 2) Assessment vs. Evaluation • Assessment in the context of learners achievements, in the relation to the goals of learning is a process of making judgments about the extent of their achievements. • Assessment refers to all information gathered about pupils in the classroom either through formal tests, essays or homework or through observation or interaction.

6. 2) Assessment vs. Evaluation • Evaluation is wider. Assessment is part of evaluation (Harlen, 2001). • The distinction of course is not very clear.

7. 3) Purpose of Assessment: 3.1) the main goals • To assist in children learning by identifying their strong and weak points and progress done generally and individually in particular subjects and skills. • To summarize achievements. • To monitor performance of learners. • To assist in research (Harlen, 2000; Kyriakou, 2001) .

8. 3) Purpose of Assessment: 3.2)formative vs summative assessment • Assessment may be formative or summative. • Formative refers to the task done in order to gather information on the learners prior knowledge, experience, skills, which will then be used in lesson planning.

9. 3) Purpose of Assessment: 3.2)formative vs summative assessment • Summative assessment refers to the task which aims to reflect the progress of the learner over a certain period of time. • Both types of assessment can be useful. • Teacher must decide which one to implement depending on the case (Muijs & Reynolds 2001).

10. 4) Process of Assessment: 4.1) the phases • Gathering evidence about learning, using appropriate methods. • Judging the evidence in relation to the goals of learning. • Interpreting the judgment. • Taking action.

11. 4) Process of Assessment: 4.2) Gathering Evidence Evidence gathered must be: • Reliable, which means they reflect the actual performance, so as to be useful for generalization. Reliability is guaranteed by repeating tests to check if similar performance is being observed. • Valid, which means they assess, what is intended to be assessed. Validity has to do with the content of the test.

12. 4) Process of Assessment: 4.2) Gathering Evidence Gathering Evidence may be done through: • Observation of regular class work or interaction. • Introducing special activities into the class. • Studying the products of regular work and activities. • Giving tests.

13. 4) Process of Assessment: 4.2) Gathering Evidence Tests There are three types of tests that can be used: • standardized, • teacher-made, and • alternative assessment activities (Muijs & Reynolds, 2001).

14. 4) Process of Assessment: 4.2.1) Standardized Tests • Standardized tests compare the performance of a learners with pre-set standards (curriculum or syllabus). Such are the national exams. • They are compatible to theory and research findings. • They restrict teachers flexibility.

15. 4) Process of Assessment: 4.2.2) Teacher-Made tests • Teacher –made tests can be used more frequently than standardized. • They allow more flexibility in terms of size, question and activity types and content. • They can provide more direct feedback to learners.

16. 4) Process of Assessment: 4.2.3) Alternative Assessment Methods • This can be performance assessment, based on discussion, role play, observation, experiment • It can also be assessment of a portfolio of the learner.

17. 5) Judging the Evidence There are three bases of evidence judging: • Criterion referenced, which refers to comparing the child performance to the curriculum. (Did the child learn what the curriculum wants?) • Norm referenced, which refers to comparing the child performance with other children (What, how well did the other children learn that?) • Comparing the child current performance to past performance (Is the child performing better than before?)

18. 6) Interpreting Judgments • Interpreting judgments aims at generalization. • The context and restrictions, limitations must always be taken into consideration.

19. 7) Taking Actions • Feedback into teaching, aiming to improvement of teaching. • Feedback to the children, aiming at self-awareness and improvement. • Report progress, aiming at school improvement (Muijs & Reynolds, 2001).

20. 8) ICT and Evaluation ICT can be very useful for evaluation, mostly thanks to: • The creation of large data banks. • The selection of appropriate learning and ranking activities and system, available on the web. • They can help benchmarking and exchanging ideas and support with other colleagues and schools.

21. 8) ICT and Evaluation • A variety of hardware and tools, such as camera, which can help gathering a wealthier variety of data, including not only subject matter but attitudes, body movements, speech issues. • Facilitating correction of exams, as with scanned multiple choice tests (Muijs & Reynolds, 2001; Kelly, 2001).

22. 9) Classroom Assessment Techniques • Classroom assessment is a set of techniques aiming to gather data about learners and their progress, in order to help the teachers in their work. • The techniques are mostly simple, non-graded, anonymous, in-class activities that give both you and your students useful feedback on the teaching-learning process (National Teaching and Learning Forum, 2006).

23. 9) Classroom Assessment Techniques Classroom Assessment Techniques may include: • Simple questionnaires. • Partially completed diagrams. • Envelopes with written questions.

24. 9) Classroom Assessment Techniques • Classroom Assessment differs from the usual tests, as it aims more directly at course improvements and not just to decide grades. • The main goal is to identify what pupils have learnt, where they have problem to understand something and why.

25. 9) Classroom Assessment Techniques To use the CAT, the teacher should: • Decide what he/she wants to learn from a classroom assessment. • Choose a Classroom Assessment Technique (CAT) that provides this feedback, is consistent with the teaching style, and can be easily implemented in the class.

26. 9) Classroom Assessment Techniques • Explain the purpose of the activity to learners, then conduct it. • After class, review the results and decide what changes, if any, to make. • Let the learners know the conclusions drawn from the CAT and how they will be used (National Teaching and Learning Forum, 2006).

27. 10) Characteristics of CAT • Learner Centered. The learners and learning process should be the main focus. • Teacher Directed. The individual teacher has the autonomy to decide what to assess, how to assess, and how to respond to the information gained through the assessment. The teacher is not obliged to share the result of Classroom Assessment with anyone outside the classroom. • Mutually beneficial

28. 10) Characteristics of CAT • Focus on Learning Process Improvement. • Context-Oriented. • On-Going By using a number of simple Classroom Assessment Techniques that are quick and easy to use, teachers get feedback from students on their learning • Rotted in Good Teaching practice (Angelo & Cross, 1993).

29. 11) How to start with CAT • Step 1: Planning Select one, and only one, of your classes in which to try out the Classroom Assessment. Decide on the class meeting and select a Classroom Assessment Technique. Choose a simple and quick one. • Step 2: Implementing Make sure the students know what you are doing and that they clearly understand the procedure. Collect the responses and analyze them as soon as possible. • Step 3: Responding To capitalize on time spent assessing, and to motivate students to become actively involved, "close the feedback loop" by letting them know what you learned from the assessments and what difference that information will make.

30. 12) Suggestions for Successful start Five suggestions for a successful start: • If a Classroom Assessment Technique does not appeal to your intuition and professional judgment as a teacher, don't use it. • Don't make Classroom Assessment into a self-inflicted chore or burden.

31. 12) Suggestions for Successful start • Don't ask your students to use any Classroom Assessment Technique you haven't previously tried on yourself. • Allow for more time than you think you will need to carry out and respond to the assessment. • Make sure to "close the loop." Let students know what you learn from their feedback and how you and they can use that information to improve learning (Angelo & Cross, 1993).

32. 13) Self -Appraisal • Self Appraisal and self-evaluation is necessary for teachers. • It should be based on the teachers’ comments on his/her work, performance.

33. An example of lesson plan for primary science. (Ollerenshaw & Ritchie, 1997)

34. 13) Self -Appraisal • Is my subject expertise adequate for the work I do? (focus) • Do I plan my lessons well with clear aims and a suitable lesson content and structure? (focus) • Do I use a variety of learning activities? (activities) • Do I maintain a level of control and order that is conducted to learning? (activities)

35. 13) Self -Appraisal • Are my explanations and instructions clear and pitched at the right level for pupils to understand? (investigation) • Do I monitor pupils learning closely during the lesson and give help to those having difficulties? (investigation) • Are my lessons suitable for the range of abilities and skills of the pupils I teach, that is cooperation skills, communication skills etc? (investigation)

36. 13) Self Appraisal • Do I prepare the materials needed for the lesson such as worksheets and apparatus in good time? (resources) • Do I distribute questions around the classroom well and use both open and closed questions? (assessment) • Do I mark work, including homework, thoroughly, constructively and in good time? (assessment) • Do I have a good relationship with pupils, based on mutual respect and rapport? (Kyriakou, 2001)

37. 14) General Conclusions and Instructions • Remember that for all members of the learning organization, the process of evaluation is a meaningful and challenging experience. • It enhances educational activities as integral parts of effective teaching, staff development and school improvement.

38. 14) General Conclusions and Instructions • Be clear about what you have done, what you have grasped and where you are going next. • Collect evidence of what is happening in your classroom and analyze that evidence to evaluate whether a particular approach is achieving its purpose.

39. 14) General Conclusions and Instructions • Collaborate with your colleagues, testing the conclusions drawn from the evidence against professional views of others. • Prepare the learners for the examinations by allowing them to write at a time, test questions and model answers for specific topics, in formats consistent with course exams, when it is still possible to make corrections.

40. 14) General Conclusions and Instructions • Support the children self-assessment. Self-assessment highlights weaknesses and problems of the organization. It opens different directions of teaching which had not been part of the initial planning. • Encourage the students to keep record of the actual steps they take in carrying out a representative assignment to obtain details information of the most difficult elements of the process.

41. (Kelly, 2004)

42. (Kelly, 2004)

43. Appraisal to leadership (Kelly, 2004)

44. 15) Resources • Angelo, T.A. and Cross, P.K. (1993). Classroom Assessment Techniques, A Handbook for College Teachers. 2nd Ed. San Fransisco: Jossey Bass. • Arrends, R.I., (1998). Learning to Teach. Boston, MA: McGray-Hill. • Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and Education, New York: The Free Press. • Fullan, M. (2001). The New Meaning of Educational Change. 3rd London: Routledge-Falmer. • Fullan, M., 2001. The New Meaning of Educational Change. 4th Ed. New York & London: Teachers College Press • Harlen, W,. (2000). The Teaching of Science in Primary Schools. 3rd Ed. London: David Fulton Publishers. • Kelly, A. (2001). Benchmarking for School Improvement: A Practical Guide for Comparing and Improving Effectiveness, London: Routledge-Falmer.

45. 15) Resources • Kelly, A. (2004). The Intellectual Capital of Schools. Dordrecht/Boston/London: Kluwer Academic Publishers. • Kyriakou, C., 2001. Effective Teaching in Schools. Theory and Practice. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes Ltd. • Muijs D. & Reynolds D., (2001).Effective Teaching: Evidence and Practice. London: Paul Chapman Publishing. • National Teaching and Learning Forum, (2006). Classroom Assessments Techniques [online]. Available from: http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/bib/assess.htm (last accessed 5 July 2010). • Ollerenshaw C. & Ritchie R., 1997. Primary Science: Making it Work. 2nd Ed. London: David Fulton Publishers. • Pring, R., 2000. Philosophy of Educational Research. London: Continuum. • Stiggins, R.J. (1987). Prolifing Classroom Assessment Environments. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Council on Measurement in Education, San Fransisco.

46. Thank you for your attention! Good Luck!