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Running head: ASSESSMENT PURPOSES TRAINING MANUAL

Assessment Purposes Training Manual


Stephanie Cosentino
CUR/528
July 10, 2017
Professor Justin Atwood
ASSESSMENT PURPOSES TRAINING MANUAL 2

Purpose of Assessment for Adult Education

Assessment is used for two main reasons: improvement and accountability. Assessment

can help improve the quality of teaching, learning, programs and services, and planning and

decision making. Furthermore, Assessment can validate current programs, services, and

teaching and learning efforts and thereby secure continued support for them by demonstrating

their effectiveness to concerned audiences (Suskie, 2009, pg. 58).

The table below summarizes the different purposes of assessment as seen from the

different perspectives of students/trainees, teachers/trainers, administrators/departments, and

schools/organizations.

Perspective Purpose of Assessment

Student/Trainee Students are able to determine if they have learned the content that was

presented to them. Assessment gives students a chance to receive

feedback in the form of a grade and written comments from the teacher.

Grades and feedback can motivate students to work harder. Assessments

also allow students to identify their strengths and weaknesses, and help

them focus on improving in areas that are considered weaknesses.


Teacher/Trainer Teachers and trainers are able to analyze whether students or trainees

have met the learning goals and objectives. This allows teachers/trainers

to monitor and adjust their instruction according to areas of weakness

on the assessment. Teachers/trainers may also use the assessment results

to plan for future instruction and assessments. Teachers/trainers

continually analyze their methods and approaches in order to achieve


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the best possible results.


Administrators/ Administrators and department heads are able to determine if teachers

Departments or trainers are being effective in the classroom and/or workplace.

Assessments allow administrators and department heads to analyze

results and find ways to improve instruction.


School/ Schools and organizations are able to determine if the school or

Organization organization is on the right track. They can ascertain if changes need to

be made in the curriculum and/or instructional approaches used in the

classroom and/or workplace. Since schools and organizations are

measured against certain standards and criteria, assessments allow them

to discover how they rank in comparison. This goes along with

accountability, or demonstrating the effectiveness of teaching and

learning efforts, programs, and services to a variety of audiences

(Suskie, 2009, pg. 61).

Higher learning institutes such as colleges and universities receive

federal student aid funds, so they must ensure that they are producing

high quality learning opportunities and that students are achieving

learning goals.

There are three main types of assessment: Diagnostic Assessment, Formative Assessment, and

Summative Assessment. These are described in detail below.


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Image by Computing Technology for Math Excellence

As shown in the graphic above, learning can be measured by three types of assessments.

Diagnostic assessments measure student knowledge before instruction. Formative assessments

measure learning during instruction. Summative assessments measure learning after instruction.

It is important to have a clear


purpose when assessing students.
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Diagnostic Assessments

Diagnostic assessments provide information about the learners prior knowledge,


skills, strengths, and weaknesses prior to instruction. They are used to guide
curriculum planning.

Weaknesses
Strengths
These assessments may cause an
These assessments give
instructor to make an incorrect
instructors a starting point for
assumption about a students
instruction based on the learners
ability level.
knowledge and skill level.
It takes adequate time and
These assessments help keep
planning in order to administer
students from being bored
these types of assessments in
because they ensure that
advance so that their results can
instructors arent teaching
be taken into consideration when
content is common knowledge.
designing curriculum.

Scenario: An instructor is planning to teach an advanced written communication course in the

fall. The diagnostic assessment would be given during the summer before the course is scheduled

to run. This would allow the instructor enough time to determine where instruction needs to

begin and what topics and objectives should be covered.

Rationale: A diagnostic assessment is the best choice in these circumstances because it allows

the instructor to get an idea of what content needs to be included and what content can be

omitted.
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Sample Diagnostic Rubric:

Articulating Thoughts Through Written Communication

(Author Unknown, DePaul University, 2017)


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Formative Assessments

Formative assessments are assessments that are used during the learning process.
The purpose is to improve students learning.

Strengths Weaknesses
These assessments allow These assessments may yield
instructors to get an idea of how surprising results since they can
their students are doing on a be given any time and students
regular basis. arent necessarily prepared for
them. In other words, these types
These can be done quickly and
of assessment are normally
dont require a lot of
impromptu, and students dont
preparation. For example,
study for them.
students can be asked to
complete a short quiz or an exit Another weakness is that
ticket at the end of a class teachers need to think ahead and
period to see what they learned consider what type of formative
during the class. assessment would be most
useful.
Most of these assessments are
simple and easy to create.

Scenario: An instructor creates and administers a 5-question quiz at the end of a lesson to gauge

student learning. She does this at the end of each lesson so she knows if she needs to reteach any

content before moving on to the next learning objective.

(Note: A chapter or unit is normally made up of several to many different lessons, so this would

be considered during the learning process. A summative assessment would be administered at

the end of the chapter or unit.)


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Rationale: Short quizzes are types of informal assessments that are used during the learning

process to inform the teacher of their students progress. A formative assessment, such as a short

quiz like this, is the best choice for assessing the students learning during instruction because it

provides valuable information to the instructor. If most students answer the questions correctly,

the instructor knows she can move on. If most students fail to answer the questions correctly, the

instructor knows she needs to monitor, adjust, and reteach the content.

Sample Formative Assessment Rubric

Genetics Quiz
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Summative Assessments

Summative assessments are assessments that are used after learning occurs. The
purpose is to evaluate students learning and mastery of the learning objectives.

Weaknesses
Strengths
These assessments often require
These assessments allow the greatest amount of time to
instructors to determine if the create.
learning objectives were met.
Instructors must consider what
Summative assessments provide types of questions they will ask
a good overview of the and what format to use for the
effectiveness of the teaching that test. They must write the
was done before the test or questions and ensure they are
performance assessment was accurate, reliable, and valid or
administered. create a rubric to measure the
results of a performancebased
assessment.

Scenario: An instructor wants to use a performance-based assessment that requires his students

to develop a presentation to summarize what they have learned during the unit.

Rationale: This type of assessment is the best choice because it allows students to demonstrate

the learning that has occurred over a period of time. The instructor can then use the data from the

assessment to determine how effective the instruction was, and to discern areas of strengths and

weaknesses so adjustments can be made to future instruction.


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Sample Summative Assessment Rubric

Power Point Presentation

UNSATISFACTORY (1) COMPETENT (2) PROFICIENT (3) ADVANCED (4)

Ideas and Information is incomplete Information is not Information is Information is


Content or inaccurate always clear accurate but not accurate and current
Weight = 3 Minimal use of technology Some use of necessarily current Effective use of
demonstrated technology Moderate use of technology
demonstrated technology demonstrated
Lacks sense of purpose
or central theme Does not relate content demonstrated All information relates
to larger context Information somewhat well to the overall
relates to the overall purpose
purpose

Organization Sequencing is unclear Sequencing is Sequencing is Inviting opening page


Weight = 1 Slides are inconsistent
inconsistent consistent draws the audience
Some pages are One page appears to inside
Slides lack closure
Details are logical and
incomplete be incomplete
Unclear connections Some details are not effective
among sections logical or effective Layout of slides
provide good direction

Presentation Layout is confusing or Layout of some pages Layout of most pages The layout is clear
inappropriate is easy to follow is easy to follow and easy to follow
Weight = 1
Missing some Backgrounds and text Some backgrounds Backgrounds and text
are effective, but
backgrounds and/or text are not effective work well together
some issues with text
Many issues with contrast Issues with contrast contrast Multimedia adds to
between backgrounds between backgrounds Multimedia main purpose
and text and text sometimes doesnt
Multimedia is not included Multimedia does not add to the main
purpose
add to the main
purpose
Mechanics Extensive errors in Many errors in Very few errors in Grammar and usage
Weight = 1 grammar or usage grammar or usage grammar or usage are correct
Many punctuation Some punctuation Minor punctuation Punctuation is
mistakes mistakes mistakes accurate
Frequent spelling errors Some spelling errors Minor spelling errors Spelling is generally
correct
Slides need extensive Slides need some Slides need little
editing editing editing Slides need little or no
editing

Total =
____ /24
Comments/
Feedback:

(Rogers, No Date)
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How are Formative and Summative Assessment Alike and Different?

Image by kingcolemedia.com

Conclusion:

Assessments can vary, from being simple to complex. A variety of assessments are used

for different purposes. It is important for the instructor to determine which type of assessment is

needed and why.


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References

Author Unknown. (2017). Example analytic rubric: Articulating thoughts through written

communication. DePaul University/Teaching Commons website. Retrieved from

https://resources.depaul.edu/teaching-commons/teaching-guides/feedback-

grading/rubrics/Pages/types-of-rubrics.aspx

Rogers, Al. (No Date). Power Point evaluation criteria. Global SchoolNet Foundation and

CyberFair Contest. Pinterest website. Retrieved from

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/165788830010733119

Suskie, L. (2009). Assessing student learning: A common sense guide (2nd ed.). San Francisco,

CA: Jossey-Bass.

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