Assessment for Learning

Thinking about assessment

1. Why do we assess?
2. How do we assess?
3. What do we assess?

http://www.edutopia.org/healthier-testing-made-easy

http://www.edutopia.org/
Thinking about assessment
1. Why do we assess?
2. What do we assess?
3. How do we assess?
 Purpose Characteristics

Assessment

Objects
(What is Mode
assessed?)
 Diagnosis Guidance Evaluation of Reliability
Usability practicality
teachers, institutions, curricula

Prediction
Validity equity

Purpose
Selection (formative /
summative) Characteristics
Grading

practical portfolios
application
comprehension analysis oral
written aural
projects
synthesis

knowledge coursework

Assessment
evaluation
Items investigations
options chosen / free
Concepts & responses
Procedures continuous

Occasions
Objects
Mode discrete
(What is
assessed?) timed

Procedures & tools allowed

Circumstances
Reporting
Mathematical
open book
Processes
Judging &
Disposition take home
Recording
group work
Problem
Solving Communication

Reasoning criterion-referenced norm-referenced

 Diagnosis Guidance Evaluation of
teachers,
institutions,
Prediction curricula

Purpose
Selection (formative /
summative)

Grading Assessment
 oral practical
written aural projects
Assessment portfolios
coursework
Items
investigations
options chosen /
Mode free responses
Occasions continuous

discrete
Procedures &
Reporting Circumstances timed

tools
Judging & allowed
Recording
group work open book
criterion-referenced norm-referenced take home
levels of cognition (e.g. Bloom's Taxonomy)
Bloom's Taxonomy - Google Search

application Assessment
comprehension analysis
synthesis
knowledge
evaluation

Concepts & Objects

Procedures
(What is
assessed?)
Mathematical
Processes
Disposition
Problem Solving
Communication see e.g. Process Standards from NCTM
Overview: Standards for School Mathematics

Reasoning http://standards.nctm.org/document/chapter3/index.htm
 Reliability
Validity practicality

Characteristics

Usability

Assessment
equity
 Framework of School Assessment Practices

Formative Assessment Summative Assessment

informs learning and teaching measure attainment

Learning & Internal External

Teaching Assessments Assessments
Process

http://www.emb.gov.hk/index.aspx?langno=1&nodeID=2410
http://www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?langno=1&nodeID=2410
EDB - Assessment for Learning

http://www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?langno=1&nodeID=2410

A FRAMEWORK OF SCHOOL ASSESSMENT PRACTICES

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT Leads to SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

(informs learning and teaching) more successful results (measures attainment)

Learning and Teaching

Internal Assessments External Assessments
Process
z Sharing learning objectives z Diversity z Tests / examinations which z Territory-wide
with students  Different modes of are used to assign grades or System Assessment
z Effective questioning (e.g. assessment (e.g. pen and levels (e.g. end of school term / (formerly known as
wait / pause time, a variety paper tests, classroom year) Basic Competency
of question types – open / observations, assessment z Recording Assessment System
closed questions, for learning resource  For tracking students’ Assessment) of
content-centred to bank (web-based learning progress Chinese, English and
student-centred) assessment), projects, z Reporting Mathematics
z Observation (e.g. body portfolio) to match  Qualitative feedback, z Hong Kong
language, facial expression) learning objectives and reducing reliance on Attainment Test (at
z Peer learning (e.g. listening processes grades and marks schools’ discretion to
and reflecting on other  Different parties (e.g. self use these tests for
students’ answers in whole / peer / teachers / parents) assessing students’
class setting)  Different strategies to performance)
z Effective feedback (e.g. clear assess the quality of
advice for improvement / learning (e.g. setting
reinforcement) assessments that are both
z Active involvement of challenging and suitable
students in their own for students’ competence)
learning z Tests which are used
z Raising students’ diagnostically to inform
self-esteem learning and teaching (e.g.
spelling, comprehension,
Maths tests)
z Opportunities for students to
learn and exhibit their
progress and achievement in
learning rather than compare
marks with others

Feedback Loop
(Adapted from Shirley Clarke )

( Updated 22 Dec 2003)

http://www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?langno=1&nodeID=2410
 Formative Summative
assessment assessment

measure what students measure students'

know and are learning achievements and
as they go along; performance, mainly
gather information for used for providing
planning the future comprehensive and
learning activities in summary description
which students and of student
teachers are to be performance and
engaged progress in learning
 Validity Reliability

how far an assessment consistency of

is measuring what it assessment results;
claims to measure; confidence in getting
appropriate similar results from
interpretation of the same group of
assessment results students under same
circumstances
 Criterion- Norm-
referenced referenced

measure a student's measure a student's

achievement against achievement in terms
a specified set of of his position
criteria or standards, compared with other
not against other students from the same
students known group
Expectations from different stakeholders

Assessment is often used for more than one purpose

and different groups of people expect it to perform
different functions. For example, a teacher might want
to know what a student does not understand so that
help can be provided. But an employer or a university
might only be interested in a student's final grades.
Many of the problems in assessment arise because
different groups of people have different assessment
expectations.

Falvey et. al. (1994) p.6

Alternative Assessment

• As opposed to traditional form of paper-and-pencil tests and

examinations
• Attempts to assess a range of abilities rather than knowledge
(of facts and skills) only
• Adopts a ‘process approach’ in assessment rather than focuses
on the product of learning
• May take many forms and should be integrated with other
classroom activities
• Tries to collect from students rich evidence of desirable
mathematical learning outcomes - thus trying to capture a more
comprehensive profile of mathematical achievement instead of
a numerical figure or grade
An important point to note:
“The complexity of learner performance cannot be described
by a single set of scores or a single type of assessment
activities. Both formative and summative assessments are
necessary for providing a comprehensive profile of student
performance.” (p.39)
“A wider range of assessment activities is recommended so
that teachers can get adequate information to organize
students’ learning experiences.” (p.44)
“However, it should [also] be understood that not every
learning outcome can be readily assessed and we should let
different stakeholders understand it as well.” (p.39)

Report on Holistic Review of the Mathematics Curriculum (2000)

http://cd.ed.gov.hk/maths/document/document.htm
 Black, P., Harrison, C., Lee, C., Marshall, B. and Wiliam, D.
(2003). Assessment for Learning: Putting it into Practice.
Maidenhead: Open University Press http://library.hku.hk/record=b3859574

Black, P. and Wiliam, D. (1998a) Assessment and classroom learning.

Assessment in Education, 5( 1): 7-71.
http://library.hku.hk/record=b1966404

Black, P. and Wiliam, D. (1998b) Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards
through Classroom Assessment. London: School of Education, King's
College. See also Phi Delta Kappan, 80( 2): 139-48.
http://library.hku.hk/record=b1399986
Assessment and classroom learning
Paul Black; Dylan Wiliam
Assessment in Education; Mar 1998; 5, 1; Academic Research Library
pg. 7

Inside the Black Box

Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment

By PAUL BLACK AND

DYLAl'" \VILIAM

Finn evidence shows that

formative assessment is 011
essC11tialCOmpOllellt of
classroom worl.' and that its
development can raise
standards ofachieve1l1C11t, Afr.
Black and llfr. lViliam point
01lt. Indeed, they k,l0W of 110
other way ofraising stOlldards
for which such a strongprima
facie case COIl be made.

R
AISING the standards oflearn·
ing that are achieved through
schooling is an important nation-
al priority. In recent years, gOY·
emments throughout the world
have been more and more vigorous in mak-
ing changes in pursuit of this aim. Nation-
al, state. and district standards; target sel-
ting; enhanced programs for the external
testing of students' performance; surveys
such as NAEP (National Assessment of
Educational Progress) and TIMSS (Third
International Mathematics and Science
Study); initiatives to improve school plan-

PAUL BLACK is professor emeritus in the

Schoolo/Education, King's College. London.
where DYLAN W/UAM is head ofschool and
professor 0/ educational assessment.

Illustration by A. J. Garces OcrOBER 1998 139

Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
A Poverty of Practice (Black & Wiliam, 1988b)

The most important difficulties with assessment revolve around

3 issues.

effective learning
● The tests used by teachers encourage rote and
superficial learning even when teachers say they want
to develop understanding; many teachers seem
unaware of the inconsistency.
● The questions and other methods teachers use are not
shared with other teachers in the same school, and
they are not critically reviewed in relation to what they
actually assess.
● For primary teachers particularly, there is a tendency
to emphasize quantity and presentation of work and to
neglect its quality in relation to learning.
A Poverty of Practice (Black & Wiliam, 1988b)

The most important difficulties with assessment revolve around

3 issues.

negative impact
● The giving of marks and the grading function are
overemphasized, while the giving of useful advice and
the learning function are underemphasized.
● Approaches are used in which pupils are compared
with one another, the prime purpose of which seems
to them to be competition rather than personal
improvement; in consequence, assessment feedback
teaches low-achieving pupils that they lack "ability",
causing them to come to believe that they are not able
to learn.
A Poverty of Practice (Black & Wiliam, 1988b)

The most important difficulties with assessment revolve around

3 issues.

managerial role of assessments

● Teachers' feedback to pupils seems to serve social
and managerial functions, often at the expense of
the learning function.
● Teachers are often able to predict pupils' results on
external tests because their own tests imitate them,
but at the same time teachers know too little about
their pupils' learning needs.
● The collection of marks to fill in records is given
higher priority than the analysis of pupils' work to
discern learning needs; furthermore, some teachers
pay no attention to the assessment records of their
pupils' previous teachers.
Reference Materials from EDB in HK
Mathematics Education Section, Curriculum Development Institute. (2003) Assessment for Learning (Secondary
Mathematics); The Open-ended Questions. Hong Kong: the Printing Department.
Mathematics Section of Advisory Inspectorate Division (1996). Setting and Marking of Homework Assignments.
Hong Kong: Education Department.
Mathematics Section of Advisory Inspectorate Division (1997). A Guide to Internal Assessment. Hong Kong:
Education Department.

..

1991

Uploaded
to ILN
Assessment for Learning (Secondary
Mathematics) The Open-ended Questions

Examples of open-ended
questions and samples of
students' work can be found
in this booklet.

It is prepared by the
Mathematics Education
section of EDB and
distributed to schools in
2003.
Teachers are currently in the midst of the
curriculum reform. They face several issues that
require particular attention. One of these is the
change in the concept of assessment: from
"assessment of learning" to "assessment for
learning" (which is recommended and emphasized
in the CDC Report "Learning to Learn - The Way
Forward in Curriculum Development" (CDC,
2001)). To realize this assessment concept,
diversified assessment tools and strategies are
encouraged to assess students' performance on
different aspects of their learning.

CDI (2003) p.1

Purpose of Assessment
In the past, assessment was used as a measure of
success and failure by simply giving a grade to
students and was regarded as a terminal activity.
However, assessment has nowadays taken on a
broader meaning than what we usually perceive.
For example, Rowntree (1977) considered
assessment as a way of getting to know students
and the quality of their learning and Ramsden
(1992) described it as a way of teaching more
effectively through understanding what students
know and do not know while Wiggins (1998, p.7)
held that the primary aim of assessment is to
"educate and improve student performance, not
merely to audit it".
CDI (2003) p.1
Traditional assessment items in mathematics such as
multiple-choice items, fill-in-blank items and close-ended
items are popularly used in schools of Hong Kong.
However, complex thinking and learning involve processes
that cannot be reduced to a routine and knowledge is a
complex network of information and abilities rather than a
series of isolated facts and skills (Gibbons, 1992). There
are aspects like the 3Cs (i.e. creativity, critical thinking skill
and communication skill) which could not be appropriately
assessed by these items. Moreover, the report on the Third
International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)
1999 (Mullis, et.al., 2000) pointed out that Hong Kong
students performed well in solving routine and
computational questions, but they did not perform equally
well on non-routine questions which require them to think
and communicate their thoughts and ideas.
CDI (2003) p.2