Educational Psychology:
Theory and Practice
Chapter 13
Assessing Student Learning
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ISBN: 0-205-37338-0
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2003
Organizing Questions
What Are Instructional Objectives
and How Are They Used?
 Why Is Evaluation Important?
 How Is Student Learning Evaluated?
 How Are Tests Constructed?

Organizing Questions
What Are Authentic, Portfolio, and
Performance Assessments?
 How are Grades Determined?

Instructional Objectives
Instructional/Behavioral Objective
 Performance
 Conditions
 Criterion

Planning Lesson Objectives
Writing Specific Objectives
 Writing Clear Objectives
 Performing a Task Analysis

Identify Prerequisite Skills
 Identify Component Skills
 Plan how component skills will be
assembled into the final skill.

Planning Lesson Objectives

Backward Planning
Unit Objectives and Unit Tests
 Lesson Plans and Lesson Assessments

Linking Objectives and
Assessment
Assessment
 Teaching
Objectives
 Learning
Objectives

Using Taxonomies and
Instructional Objectives

Bloom’s
Taxonomy
Knowledge
 Comprehension
 Application
 Analysis
 Synthesis
 Evaluation

Using Taxonomies and
Instructional Objectives
Using a Behavior
Content Matrix
 Affective
Objectives

Research on Instructional
Objectives
“…instruction is effective to the
degree to which objectives, teaching,
and assessment are coordinated with
one another.” (p. 468)
Importance of Evaluation


Evaluation As Feedback
 Feedback for Students
 Feedback to Teachers
Evaluation As Information
 Information to Parents
 Information for
Selection
 Information for
Accountability
Importance of
Evaluation
“One important
use of evaluation is
to motivate
students to give
their best efforts.”
(p. 471)
Criteria for Increasing Student
Effort Through Evaluations







Important Evaluations
Soundly Based Evaluations
Consistent Standards
Clear Criteria
Reliable Interpretations of Evaluations
Frequent Evaluations
Challenging Evaluations
How is Student Learning
Evaluated
Formative Evaluations
 Summative Evaluations
 Norm-Referenced Evaluations
 Criterion-Referenced Evaluations

Evaluation for Incentive and
Feedback
“…Traditional grades should be
supplemented by evaluations that are
better designed for incentive and
feedback.” (p. 475)
Evaluation for Comparison
with Others
Use multiple assessment
opportunities.
 Test learning when it is completed,
not as it is developing.

Principles of Achievement
Testing
Achievement tests should measure clearly
defined instructional objectives.
 Achievement tests should measure a
representative sample of learning tasks
included in instruction.
 Achievement tests should include items
appropriate for measuring desired learning
outcomes.

Principles of Achievement
Testing
Achievement tests should fit the particular
uses that will be made of the results.
 Achievement tests should be reliable.
 Achievement test results should be
interpreted with caution.
 Achievement tests should improve
learning.

Making Assessments Fair
Writing
Assessments
 Giving
Assessments
 Scoring
Assessments
 Interpreting
Assessments

Using a Table of
Specifications
Do test items emphasize material covered
in class?
 Have important areas been overlooked or
under emphasized?
 Are all levels of instructional objectives
tested?
 Does test language correspond to
language and reading level used in
lessons?

Using a Table of
Specifications
Is there Adequate Time to Generate
Responses?
 Were Model Answers or Essential
Component Outlines for Short Essay
Items written?
 Are Items Weighted Appropriately?

Writing Selected-Response
Test Items
Multiple Choice Items
 Stem
 Distractors
 True-False Items
 Matching Items
 Writing ConstructedResponse Items
 Fill-in-the-Blank Items

Writing and Evaluating Essay
Tests
Short Essay Items
 Long Essay Items
 Advantages and Disadvantages of
Essay Items

Characteristics of WellWritten Essay Items
Specify detail required in the
response and its expected length.
 Specify what students are to
address.
 Match items with instructional
objectives.
 Avoid general directives.

Characteristics of WellWritten Essay Items
Pre-write a response to essay items
to judge time necessary to complete
the item.
 Rewrite the item to point students
clearly toward the response.
 Require students to answer all items.

Writing and Evaluating ProblemSolving Items
“A problem-solving
assessment requires
students to organize,
select, and apply
complex procedures
that have at least
several important
steps or components.”
(p. 490)
Problem-Solving Evaluation
Elements
Problem Organization
 Procedures
 Solution
 Logic Specific to the Detail or
Application of the Given Information
was Sound.

Guidelines for Partial Credit
Write model responses before giving
partial credit for such work as essay
writing, mathematical problem solving,
laboratory assignments, or any work
evaluated according to the quality of its
various stages.
 Tell students in sufficient detail the
meaning of the grades given to
communicate the value of the work.

Authentic, Portfolio, and
Performance Assessments

Portfolio Assessment

Uses and Problems
Performance Assessment
 Effectiveness of Performance
Assessment
 Scoring Rubrics for Performance
Assessments

Grading

Establishing Grading Criteria
A = Superior; Exceptional; Outstanding
Attainment
 B = Very Good, but Not Superior; Above
Average
 C = Competent, but Not Remarkable Work or
Performance; Average
 D = Minimum Passing, but Serious
Weaknesses are Indicated; Below Average
 F = Failure to Pass; Serious Weaknesses
Demonstrated

Assigning Letter Grades

Absolute Grading Standards
Pre-established Percentage Scores
 Criterion Referenced Grading
 Advantages and Disadvantages


Relative Grading Standards
Grading on the Curve
 Advantages and Disadvantages

Assigning Letter Grades
Performance
Grading
 Scoring Rubrics
for Performance
Grading
 Other Alternative
Grading Systems


Assigning Report
Card Grades
Scores on Quizzes
and Tests
 Scores on papers
and Projects
 Scores on
Homework
 Scores on Seatwork
 Class Participation
 Deportment
 Effort

Principles in Report Card
Grading
Grades should never be a surprise.
 Grades should be private.
 Restate that grades are only one
method of student evaluation.

End of Chapter 13