First, it’s important to define what assessment is. As educators, I think that we can all agree on the importance of assessment as a process of collecting, examining and using data which is verifiable by means of observation, or experiment.  This evidence can then be used to determine acquisition of learning outcomes, or to make inferences about learning.  The process of evaluation creates measurable and clear student learning outcomes.   Assessment must be purposely designed to improve student performance, rather than just to survey it.  A deliberate systematic method for gathering, analyzing, and interpreting evidence will aid in relating learning to expectations, which in turn provides improvement in student learning.   Methods used to gather data include, but are not limited to initial, formative, summative, diagnostic, objective, subjective, informal, and formal assessment. Assessment then, refers to all activities teachers employ to help students learn, and to measure students’ progress.

Bill Hill, PhD, director of the Kennesaw State University Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning said the following, “Evaluating student achievement of expected learning outcomes should be treated as evidence-based research on the teaching and learning process.”  He goes on to define what evidence-based assessment is by stating, “I want us to begin to think about assessment in the same way as [APA] (American Phsychological (sic) Association) is looking at evidence-based therapy. Let’s think about what we’re doing in assessment as evidence-based teaching and learning—that we want to know we’re accomplishing what we’re intending to accomplish, and we’re basing that on evidence.”  Evidence-based assessment involves examining the tools, techniques, and issues that educators should consider when crafting lesson plans, preparing course outlines, designing rubrics, or other assessment tools.  Consequently, educators can use empirical data from evidence-based assessments to assist students to achieve their educational goals, and to reach their full potential as learners.  

Works Cited:

Educators advised to use evidence-based assessment

www2.apa.org/monitor/nov06/evidence-based.aspx

Educative Assessment. Designing Assessments To Inform and Improve Student Performance.

Wiggins, Grant

https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED418997

Filed under: Teaching Tips

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