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Assessment is defined as the process by which the quality of
an individual's work or performance is judged. In Zambian Schools, assessment
of learning is usually carried out by teachers on the basis of impressions
gained as they observe their pupils at work or by various kinds of work and
tests given periodically. When different tests are given as an on-going
process, such assessment is known as continuous assessment.
Evaluation
on the other hand, is what follows once an assessment has been made. It
involves the judgement about the effectiveness and worth of something for which
the assessment has already been made - usually a teaching objective. Evaluation
in the context of education is a process used to obtain information from
testing, from direct observations of behaviour, from essays and from other
devices to assess a student's overall progress towards some pre-determined
goals or objectives. It includes both a qualitative and a quantitative description
and involves a value judgement or overall student's behaviour.
PURPOSE OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment
is founded on following purposes:
1. To discover the knowledge and skills possessed by
someone before embarking on a learning task. This is done through pre-task
assessment.
2. To assess the progress and development of knowledge
and skills during the process of learning. Formative assessment is suitable for
this kind of work.
3. To locate particular difficulties in the acquisition
of knowledge and skills. Diagnostic or remedial assessment is quite effective
in this area.
4. To measure the outcome of learning. Summative
assessment plays a major role in this direction.
5. One of the teacher's objectives in his/her teaching,
amongst others, is to stimulate the acquisition, understanding and application
of knowledge. It therefore seems perfectly reasonable and desirable that the
teacher should also want to explore the extent to which these objectives have
been achieved.
6. Beyond the classroom there are employers and
professions who require some assurances about the level of competences reached
by prospective students or pupils. These assurances must be expressed as
accurately as possible and in terms which are readily and easily understood by
all the people concerned. For example, examination marks in high schools are
used to provide one such criterion.
7. To foster learning and improve teaching
8. To motivate the learners and learning process.
9. To evaluate the teaching and learning process.
10. To help build a positive and realistic self-image.
11. To provide information to parents about the
achievements of their children.
TYPES OF ASSESSMENTS
A. Formative Assessment: This is when assessment gives information and evidence
about learners learning. Formative assessment is an on-going process.
Observations are made and information is collected about the learners.
The
information collected is used to guide the teachers and the learners, help them
and direct the teaching and learning. Formative assessment can be both formal
and informal
Role of Formative Assessment
i.
To motivate the
learners extend their knowledge and skill and establish sound values.
ii.
To provide healthy
habits of study
iii.
To help learners
solve problems by using what they have learned.
iv.
To help the
teacher improve teaching methods and learning materials.
B. Summative Assessment: This sums up progress and achievement of the learners.
Summative Assessment consists of both continuous assessment and formal
assessment.
C. Criterion-Referenced Assessment: This type
of assessment gives specific information about what an individual learner
knows, understands and can do regardless of the performance of others. In
short, it measures the learner's performance against pre-determined
expectations. It focuses on what a learner can do or not do in relation to a
given objective.
The diploma
programme stresses the use of criterion-referenced level of achievement in
relation to the basic competencies.
Percentage
marks must be related to criteria for assessing a learner's achievement. These
criteria are meant to measure the learner's performance clearly. Example: 50%
is passing mark for primary schools and 40% is a passing mark for Tertiary.
D. Norm-Reference Assessment: This is when you compare a learner's performance
against the performance of the class as a whole. Certain "norms" are
established and the learners are judged against those norms and classified
according to the set norm or the performance as "pass" or
"fail".
N.B: The grade seven external examinations for instance
are both summative and norm-referenced. The performance of each candidate is
judged against those who take the examination that year. The average
performance of the pupils is taken into account. Cut-off points can be
determined by each province.
E. Informal Continuous Assessment: This is
when you assess and record the progress of the learners as you teach. This is
normally structured in a subjective way. What this means is that the progress
can be gathered from a number of situations in the classroom.
F. Formal Continuous Assessment: In this
case an assessment situation is set up. An activity is organized to
specifically assess certain competences in the learners. This can be done
through projects, presentations, tests, puzzles, etc.
Principles of Continuous Assessment
1. It should be
based on the basic competences contained in the syllabus and should relate to
the real life of the learners.
2. It should go beyond the recall of
knowledge
3. It should monitor progress in relation
to the learning outcomes.
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