Module 3 Assessment Reader

ASS 1 Continuous Assessment

The information gathered by continuously assessing learner progress can be used for many purposes.
These include the following:
1. To diagnose learner strengths and needs (so that appropriate teaching can be provided).
2. To provide feedback to teachers about how well they are teaching (so that they can
make needed changes and continue doing things that are effective).
3. To inform and guide instruction (for example, to help a teacher decide if remedial
teaching is needed by some learners or if the whole class needs more teaching on a
topic).
4. To inform learners how well they are learning (so they continue to do good work and
so that they know when they need to improve).
5. To make clear to learners what they are expected to learn.
6. To motivate and focus learner attention and effort (to help them learn better).
7. To evaluate and grade learner achievement.
8. To provide a record of progress (for the teacher, school, parents and learners).
9. To predict a learner’s readiness for future learning.
10. To provide a basis for instructional placement (for example, in groups during lessons,
for remedial work, and for promotion).
11. To ensure and improve the effectiveness of your college.

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ASS 2 Assessing Large Classes

Larger class sizes pose significant teaching challenges, not least in the assessment of student learning.
Perhaps most troubling, large classes may limit the amount of feedback provided to students.
In response to the pressures and challenges of assessing larger groups of students, academic staff are
responding through:

 greater attention to the communication of clear assessment criteria to students;

 the development and use of marking guides to be used by teaching and assessing teams;
 the increasing use of various forms of exemplars to guide student efforts — as well as to guide
marking and grading — including the modelling of discipline-based thinking, writing and
performance; and
 The continuous refinement and dissemination of assessment policy and practice in relation to large
student groups.

The issue of workload is central in any decisions about assessment of large classes for it is a serious one
for students and staff alike. Staff teaching large student groups invariably undertake an informal,
qualitative weighing-up of the efficiency of assessment tasks vis-à-vis their educational effectiveness.
There is little doubt that establishing an effective assessment program — developing criteria, guides,
exemplars and models; discussing and refining them and communicating them to students and other staff
— will have an initial negative impact on workload for staff with coordinating responsibilities. However,
this preparatory work is likely to lead to three gains. The first is a reduction in the time required for
marking due to a higher quality of student submission. The second is a resolution of some of the potential
issues likely when many staff are involved in marking and grading, through a streamlining of marking and
grading practices. Finally, the availability of clear, transparent criteria and examples of work will
contribute positively to the overall quality of teaching and learning.

Five assessment challenges created by large classes

The assessment of large student cohorts presents five distinct though interrelated challenges:

1. Avoiding assessment that encourages shallow learning.

2. Providing high quality, individual feedback
3. Fairly assessing a diverse mix of students
4. Managing the volume of marking and coordinating the staff involved in marking
5. Avoiding student copying.

In an effort to manage these challenges, academic staff have increasingly turned to group and on-line
assessment. Carefully planned and managed group work does appear to help address many of the
assessment challenges listed above. Similarly, the use of appropriate on-line assessment can also help
address some of the challenges of assessing large classes (for example, multiple-choice and/or short
answer questions which can be automatically marked can provide feedback to students that is otherwise
not possible).

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1. Avoiding assessment that encourages shallow learning

There is little doubt that growing class sizes encourage academic staff to focus on time-efficient
assessment techniques. One unwelcome consequence of a focus on efficiency would be any tendency
toward assessing learning at the lower levels of intellectual complexity; that is, assessment tasks that
merely reward superficial, shallow or reproductive approaches to learning and that fail to direct students
into the type of study that leads to the higher-order learning objectives of university education.
Assessment methods demanding less complex analysis and synthesis than in the past, or demanding less
rich forms of student response, may significantly diminish the quality of learning in higher education.

Attempts to assess large numbers of students in time-efficient ways may have resulted in approaches to
assessment that might not be educationally desirable. For example, in some disciplines there appears to be
a growing reliance on exam-based assessment with large classes, with an increased use of multiple-choice
and short-answer or “tick-a-box” questions. Of course, well-developed written examinations can provide a
high level of validity and reliability in measurement of some types of learning. However, academic staff
need to judge the appropriate proportion of assessment that should be conducted through this method
alone. The efficiencies of assessing learning through exams, particularly if the marking is routine or
automated, are counterbalanced by the limitations of a single method of assessment, particularly one that
might not encourage the development of the full range of higher-order cognitive skills. Even at their best,
many students find examinations as a sole assessment method impersonal, particularly in first year.

Another response to the pressures of larger classes, often in disciplines where examinations are less
commonly used, is to lower the word-length requirements on written assignments. One staff member has
commented about this tendency that it is “a distinct disadvantage to students, especially those going on to
write 100 000 word postgraduate theses”. As with many complex issues, there are no simple answers to
these and other challenges in assessing large classes. Awareness of the limitations — and possible
negative consequences for the quality of student learning — of particular approaches to assessment tasks
is crucial, as this is likely to guide assessment-related decisions toward compromises that reflect both
efficiency and educational effectiveness. The employment of less frequent and where possible, cumulative
summative tasks with more formative feedback that guides student efforts on the next task might be useful
in some circumstances.

2. Providing high quality, individual feedback that guides student learning

Timely, individual feedback is central to guiding learning. But to provide such feedback to hundreds of
students simultaneously within a timeframe that ensures such feedback can be incorporated into student
learning is a daunting prospect. Students appreciate detail in the feedback they receive to identify
weaknesses and to understand how they might improve future efforts. The structure of the overall
assessment regime is therefore critical. If feedback is given on an early assessment task but later
assessment tasks within the same subject offer little or no opportunity to incorporate learning from this
feedback, students are likely to feel disadvantaged. Timing of feedback is also critical. There is little point,
from a student point of view, in receiving feedback at the end of a subject when there may be no
opportunity to apply the improved understanding.

One approach to providing feedback for large students groups is to use on-line assessment item banks with
marking provided either automatically or by a graduate assistant or tutor. While this might be a time and

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resource efficient method and appropriate in some circumstances, there is one significant limitation in
terms of feedback: under such an arrangement teaching staff will receive little if any direct feedback
themselves about students’ levels of understanding. In addition, students often find automated or
anonymous marking impersonal and prefer more personal interaction with their teachers, even if this
interaction is limited to written communication in the form of comments and/or grades.

Notwithstanding these issues, the following suggestions might provide assistance for staff teaching
large groups of students and who are looking for ways to provide formative feedback to them:

 Assess early in the semester — this gives time for feedback and possible improvement
 Provide students with marking criteria prior to their undertaking the assignment to guide progress
and help develop independent learning skills
 Prepare a list of the most common or typical problems in assignment submissions and/or exam
responses along with explanations/model answers:
o publish a single sheet containing these on the subject homepage
o prepare and make available multiple copies of an audiotape detailing these
o provide brief, general feedback on these verbally to students as a group in
lectures/tutorials
 Use a standardised feedback sheet that incorporates the stated criteria
 Where possible and appropriate, use on-line tutors
 Use on-line discussion boards with a framework and initial model for discussions so students can
assist each other with assignments – be clear about how collaboration, collusion and copying
differ
 Use on-line products that provide hints/help and feedback on student attempts at problem-solving,
answering quiz questions and other assignment tasks
 Use a website/subject homepage to provide basic information and FAQs and answers related to
assessment
 After using and marking multiple-choice tests, provide students with written rationale and
explanation for correct or high scoring answers and/or resources for further reading

3. Fairly assessing a diverse mix of students

Generally speaking, larger classes mean a more diverse and complex student mix. Diversity in educational
background and ability is particularly significant in larger classes partly because of the critical mass of
differences. The issue of varying levels of student ability or readiness and that of marking workload in
large classes are closely related. Sometimes large classes are used to teach ‘service’ or compulsory
subjects to students from a wide range of courses. In these situations, student diversity in backgrounds,
pre-requisite knowledge, expectations and level of interest in the subject matter can be profound.
Some suggestions:
 Require first year students to undertake a foundation unit — already compulsory in some
universities — to develop necessary academic/study skills and/or skills to successfully undertake
assessment tasks
 Early in the semester, briefly survey students about their prior knowledge and expectations to
identify possible issues that may adversely affect assessment
 Set an early ‘hurdle task’ where students at risk of failing written assessments are identified and
offered assistance from the university learning support/development centre
 Organise the provision of ‘support’ tutorials – supplementary workshops for essay writing or other
necessary assessment-related skills from the appropriate university service
 Ensure the provision of English-language assistance for students who need such help

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 Where possible in assessment tasks (assignments or exams), ask students to consider how
concepts relate to their discipline/vocational area (i.e. accept more than one ‘right’ answer)
 Assign students to tutorials on the basis of their discipline/course, rather than randomly — the
focus of these smaller classes are then more likely to be aligned with their interests
 Ensure that tutorials follow lectures (rather than vice versa) and that assessment-related issues are
discussed and addressed in detail in these smaller groups
 Develop variations in the assessment tasks that target the discipline background of the different
sub-groups of students.

4. Managing the volume of marking and coordinating the staff involved in

marking: The time required for the sheer volume of marking for large student groups can be
significant. However, some steps can be taken to optimise the use of staff time. It is useful where possible
to develop student skills and understanding related to the assessment requirements prior to their
undertaking assessment tasks in order to lessen the marking workload associated with poor quality
submissions. Other strategies likely to be helpful include:

 providing clear marking criteria to students

 making past exam papers and model answers readily available
 providing exemplars of various levels of work (‘Below acceptable’ through to ‘High Distinction’
or equivalent) to illustrate the differences for students
 For written assessment (assignments or essay-based exams): modelling in, for example, critical
analysis, essay writing and use of appropriate style and format
 Directing all students to resources and support for academic/study skills (including printed and on-
line resources, workshops and individual tuition) and articulating an expectation that they will be
used by students

Other strategies that might be helpful in optimising the task of marking include:
* On-line, computer-based or web-based exams or tests
* Developing joint assessment with another subject in the course – this may help to link concepts and
develop coherence as well as lessen the load.

Some of these problems can be reduced or eliminated through the following suggestions:
 Provide paid professional development in the area of assessment for all staff
 Provide consistent criteria to all staff involved in marking
 Ensure the marking criteria are understood by all staff
 Provide model answers, including examples of very good, moderate and poor assignments/exam
answers
 Provide marking guides
 Ask all staff to use a standardised feedback sheet incorporating stated criteria
 Ensure avenues of clear communication between staff are in place
 Provide assessment mentoring for inexperienced markers
 Use moderation if necessary

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6. Avoiding student copying: There is a general perception that the likelihood of plagiarism
is exacerbated by large classes. If this is the case, one reason students may deliberately cheat in a large
class is because they may feel somewhat anonymous and “lost in the crowd” and therefore believe they are
less likely to be caught. Alternatively, if students in large classes plagiarise unintentionally this might be
as a result of having limited or no opportunity to check referencing and/or collaboration conventions with
a lecturer or tutor. A lack of clear understanding of assessment requirements is particularly an issue for
some first year and many international students, for whom higher education referencing and collaboration
‘rules’ are unfamiliar. The key to minimising plagiarism in large classes is in the design of assessment
tasks.

Source: Resources on Teaching Large Classes: An Australian Universities Teaching

Committee managed by the University of Queensland has developed suggestions, help and resources related to
the teaching of large classes, including assessment issues. See www.tedi.uq.edu.au/largeclasses, in particular
the sections ‘Teaching and Assessment in Large Classes’ and ‘Large Classes Across the Disciplines’.

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ASS 4 Guidance on Testing

When do you test?
Formally – on particular occasions or at regular intervals – as decided by you, the teacher, or
imposed on you by the educational institution
Informally – all the time – in order to:
 establish what students know, what they have understood, and what they are able to do
 check the results of your teaching
Why do you test?
 to measure progress
 to measure the effectiveness of teaching
 to motivate learners
 to plan future teaching
 to determine which course or class students should attend (i.e. for promotion to next level)
 to give a clear level of attainment for reports & certificates
Types of Test
1) Placement (entry): To determine which level/course/class would be most suitable for new
students. It should cover all the topics areas and skills and range from easy to very difficult. It
should be simple to administer and yield a range of marks.
2) Diagnostic: To focus specifically on areas of difficulty, and reveal exactly what are the problems
that need attention in future teaching.
3) Progress: To measure progress at an intermediate stage of a course and give feedback to students,
teachers and administration authorities. It should only test what has been taught.
4) Achievement / attainment: To arrive at a final measure (grade) of what has been achieved at the
end of a course. It should only test what has been taught.
5) Proficiency: To measure overall proficiency in the subject – not specifically linked to a course of
teaching. The standard achieved may be linked to a qualification for future study or employment.
Qualities of a Good Test
 Validity – a test should measure what it intends to measure, and nothing else. For example, a
listening test (language) should not include marks for the grammatical accuracy of the answers. A
progress or achievement test should not include areas outside the course.
 Reliability – a test should get the same results with a group of students if administered a second
time (providing no teaching or learning has taken place in between). Similarly, the test should be
objective so that different examiners will award the same marks.
 Discrimination – there should be a range of performance levels within the students in order to
focus clearly on their individual strengths and weaknesses. Thus a test where all the class gets
100% serves little purpose.
 Motivation – a test can have a positive effect on students when presented as a clear goal/aim.
Similarly, the results can be motivating in terms of showing students their progress over the
course. Thus a progress test where none of the students score over 50% can be said to be too
difficult and de-motivating.
 Administrable – a test should be able to be administered without complications and be marked
quickly and easily by a range of examiners. Thus, multiple choice type answers and/or clear and
specific marking criteria work well.

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ASS 4 General guidelines for setting different type of test formats

Guidelines in writing true/false items

 Ensure that the item is unequivocally true or false
 Avoid the use of negative statements, specially double negatives
 Avoid the use of specific determiners or qualified statements
 Avoid trivial statements. Each should deal with important aspects of learning
 Avoid including two ideas in one statement unless cause effect relationships are being
measured
 Make true and false statements approximately equal in length
 Include approximately the same number of true statements as false ones.

Guidelines in writing completion and short answer items

 Word the item so that the required answer is both brief and specific
 Don’t take phrases directly from textbooks.
 Use direct questions as `much as `possible rather than incomplete statement
 Don’t include too many blanks
 the parts of the questions should in general be open ended but requires short answers
 The questions should in general be easy at the start and grow progressively more difficult
towards the end of the set.
 the questions should be self contained and not dependent upon a correct response to an
earlier one
 appropriate space should be provided on the question paper for the length of the response
expected from the student
 the questions asked should be consistent as much as possible with the objectives

Guidelines in writing multiple-choice items

 the central question or problem should be clearly stated in the stem
 all the distracters should be feasible and plausible

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 there should be no ambiguities in the stem or the possible responses

 all the possible responses should be of approximately of the same length and parallel in
structure
 the response should be grammatically correct
 responses should be so constructed that no clues can be obtained from other alternatives
 the stem should be constructed so as to assess the level of knowledge specified in the
objective
 the stem should be written at the appropriate language level for the pupils answering the item
 keep the stem short and the alternative choice should not be greater than five
 avoid tricky questions or negative wording
 refrain from using words such as always, never, all, none
 vary the position of the best answer
 Use the alternatives none of the above and all of the above rarely. If possible avoid at all.
 Break any of these rules when you have a good reason for doing so.

Guidelines in writing matching items

 give clear instructions
 keep the two sets of items homogeneous (use only homogeneous material in a single
matching exercise)
 Using a heading for each column that accurately describes its content
 try to order the responses
 be conscious of the layout and format
 create more responses than premises
 Place all of the items for one matching exercise on the same page.
Guidelines in writing essay items
 Restrict essay questions to those learning outcomes that can not be satisfactorily measured by
objective tests.
 Formulate questions that will call for the behavior specified in the learning out come.
 Phrase the question so that the student task is clearly indicated.
 Indicate an approximate time limit for each question.

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 Avoid the use of optional questions.

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