Summary Note for Measurement and Evaluation

 

Unit One Summary: Concepts of Test, Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation in Education

Introduction In teaching, we often check if students have learned what we taught. This is called evaluation. This unit explains the meanings and differences between test, measurement, assessment, and evaluation.

Key Concepts

1. Measurement
• Measurement is giving a number to something. For example, scoring 80/100 in a math test is measurement.
• It tells "how much" but not whether it is good or bad.
2. Assessment
• Assessment is collecting and organizing information to understand learning.
• It uses tools like tests, quizzes, observations.
• It does not include value judgment, but shows progress.
3. Evaluation
• Evaluation includes both assessment and judgment.
• It tells us if a program or student performance is good or needs improvement.
• Evaluation helps in decision-making and planning.

Purposes of Evaluation in Education

• To know if teaching goals were achieved.
• To improve teaching and learning.
• To guide students in their learning paths.
• To inform parents and administrators.
• To support decisions on promotions, placement, or certification.

Types of Evaluation

1. Formative Evaluation
• Done during the teaching process.
• Helps to improve learning and adjust teaching.
• Example: Classwork, assignments, weekly quizzes.
2. Summative Evaluation
• Done at the end of a term or program.
• Measures the final achievement.
• Example: WAEC, NECO, promotion exams.

Factors for Successful Evaluation

• Use the right tools and techniques.
• Ensure tests are valid and reliable.
• Keep the process fair and objective.
• Prepare teachers properly.

Simple Definitions

• Test: A tool used to measure what a student knows.
• Measurement: Giving a score or number to what the student did.
• Assessment: Collecting and organizing student information.
• Evaluation: Judging the student’s work using the assessment data.

Activity Practice (PGDE Level)

1. Q: What is the difference between assessment and evaluation?
• A: Assessment collects information; evaluation uses that information to make a judgment.
2. Q: Give an example of a formative evaluation.
• A: A weekly spelling test.
3. Q: What is the purpose of summative evaluation?
• A: To judge how well students learned after the teaching is finished.

 

 

UNIT TWO: ASSESSMENT AND CLASSROOM TESTS

1. Introduction

This unit explains how assessment and tests are used in the classroom to measure learning and guide teaching.

2. Objectives

By the end, learners should understand the purpose of assessment, Bloom’s taxonomy, stages and types of assessments, and what classroom tests aim to achieve.

3. How to Study This Unit

You should focus on learning new words, doing the activities, and thinking about how to use these ideas in your own classroom.

4. Purpose of Assessment

Assessment helps measure student progress and supports teaching, guidance, and administrative decisions in school.

5. Classroom Functions

Assessment shows how well students are doing, how effective the teacher and materials are, and helps encourage students.

6. Guidance Functions

Assessment helps the teacher understand each pupil’s strengths and weaknesses and guide them in learning or career choices.

7. Administrative Functions

Assessment results are used for reporting to parents, placing students, and improving school programmes.

8. The Concept of Continuous Assessment

Continuous assessment means checking students’ progress often using different tools over time, not just one final exam.

9. Advantages of Continuous Assessment

It gives regular updates on learning, helps students improve steadily, supports better teaching, and avoids last-minute cramming.

10. Using Continuous Assessment to Improve Teaching and Learning

• a) Motivation: Giving feedback quickly helps students learn better and stay interested.
• b) Individual Differences: It helps teachers support different kinds of learners in the class.
• c) Record Keeping: Teachers can keep track of student progress and use it for help or guidance.
• d) Examination Malpractice: It reduces cheating by spreading assessment across time, not just one exam.

11. Characteristics of Continuous Assessment Tests

• They are regular and well-planned.
• They come in many forms (oral, written, practical, etc.).
• They are based on what has just been taught.
• They count as part of the final grade (often 40%).
• Teachers usually create the tests, sometimes centrally.
• They must be valid, reliable, and varied to be good.

1. Problems of Continuous Assessment

·         Many classrooms have too many students, and not enough trained teachers to assess them properly.

·         Teachers are often too focused on covering the syllabus for exams and may skip regular assessments.

·         Different teachers use different test styles and grading, making it hard to compare results fairly.

2. Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
Educational goals are grouped into three areas:

·         Cognitive domain: Thinking skills like remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, creating, and evaluating.

·         Affective domain: Attitudes, interests, values, and feelings.

·         Psychomotor domain: Hands-on skills and physical tasks like drawing or lab work.

3. Stages in Assessment Practice

·         Know what you want students to learn.

·         Decide what behaviour shows learning.

·         Create tasks that show this behaviour.

·         Use the right tool to assess.

·         Take action based on the results (feedback, re-teach, record).

4. Stages in Cognitive Assessment

·         Preparation: Break lessons into small parts with clear goals.

·         Practice: Teach well, involve students, test them.

·         Use of Outcome: Give feedback, record scores, and guide further learning.

5. Assessing Psychomotor Outcomes

·         Use practical tasks (e.g. lab work, drawing, role play) to assess.

·         These skills also include knowledge, not just physical actions.

6. Assessing Affective Outcomes

·         These involve honesty, respect, obedience, self-control, and teamwork.

·         Use tools like observation, interviews, rating scales, and questionnaires.

·         Assessment aims to give helpful feedback, not just grades.

7. Old vs Modern Assessment Practices

·         Old: Focused mainly on final exams, caused stress, only tested memory.

·         Modern: Includes continuous assessment, supports better learning, includes attitude and skills.

8. What is a Test?
A test is a small task used to measure what a student knows or can do after learning. It is part of assessment, which is broader.

9. Purpose of Tests

·         To check if learning goals were achieved.

·         To monitor student progress.

·         To find out what was not learnt.

·         To place students in the right level (e.g. class or job).

·         To diagnose learning problems.

·         To predict future performance.

10. Aims and Objectives of Classroom Tests

·         Tell the teacher how well students are doing.

·         Show student progress.

·         Group learners as weak, average, or strong.

·         Help decide who moves to the next class.

·         Improve teaching methods.

·         Certify learning at the end of a course.

·         Test new teaching ideas (e.g. for research).

UNIT 3: TYPES OF TESTS, CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD TESTS AND TEST CONSTRUCTION (PGDE Standard Simplified)

INTRODUCTION: In Unit 1, we learned what tests are and why we use them. In this unit, we learn about the different types of tests, the qualities of a good test, and how to construct one.

OBJECTIVES: By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

1.      List the different kinds of tests.

2.      Describe and construct each type.

3.      Identify the characteristics of a good test.

4.      Explain these characteristics in detail.

5.      Apply the characteristics when writing your own test.

TYPES OF TESTS: A. Based on how many skills they test:

1.      Discrete Point Tests – These test one skill or knowledge item at a time. Example: Fill in the blank: 2 x 5 = ___

2.      Integrative Tests – These test many skills at once (e.g., essays, comprehension). Example: Write a story about your holiday.

B. Based on their purpose:

1.      Placement Test – Used to decide which level/class a student belongs in.

2.      Achievement Test – Measures what a student has learned in a course.

3.      Diagnostic Test – Finds out a student’s weaknesses or learning problems.

4.      Aptitude Test – Checks if a student is naturally good at a subject/task.

5.      Predictive Test – Helps guess future performance based on current results.

6.      Standardized Test – Pre-tested on large groups with known average scores.

7.      Continuous Assessment Test – Measures progress over time (e.g., weekly tests).

8.      Teacher-made Test – Made by the teacher for their own classroom use.

ACTIVITY: Which test type matches each of the following? i. End-of-term exam = Achievement Test ii. Test before a course = Placement Test iii. Final test in a program = Achievement/Standardized Test iv. JAMB = Predictive/Standardized Test

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD TEST:

1.      Validity – It measures what it is supposed to measure.

2.      Reliability – It gives consistent results each time.

3.      Accuracy – It reflects the true ability of the student.

4.      Mix of test types – Includes both discrete and integrative types.

5.      Linked to Objectives – The test reflects what students were taught.

6.      Properly Selected Materials – Covers the syllabus and suits student level.

7.      Variety – Includes different tasks (e.g., multiple choice, writing, solving problems).

SUMMARY:

·         Discrete tests = One item at a time.

·         Integrative tests = Many skills at once.

·         Tests are built for different purposes (placement, achievement, diagnostic, etc).

·         Good tests must be valid, reliable, cover course content, and match learning goals.

ASSIGNMENT: a. Create a test in your field. Ensure it's valid, reliable, and varied. OR b. Pick a test and assess how good it is. Suggest how to improve it. OR c. Explain: "Test types are determined by the purpose of the test."

 

UNIT FOUR: BASIC PRINCIPLES OF TEST CONSTRUCTION (SUMMARY)

OBJECTIVES: By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

1.      Construct different types of test.

2.      Identify and apply principles of test construction.

3.      Use these principles to prepare quality classroom tests.

KEY POINTS:

1. Planning a Test:

·         Define the purpose of the test (e.g., diagnose weakness, test learning, check methods).

·         Decide what content has been taught and what should be tested.

·         Identify appropriate test types (multiple choice, essay, short answer).

2. Defining Objectives:

·         Use clear, behavioural action verbs (e.g., list, define, explain).

·         Avoid vague terms (e.g., understand, appreciate).

3. Specifying Content:

·         Choose which topics or skills you want to test.

·         Ensure it aligns with curriculum.

4. Test Blueprint (Table of Specification):

·         A two-way table showing:

o    Topics (content areas)

o    Process objectives (cognitive levels: knowledge, comprehension, application, etc.)

·         Assign percentages to each topic and skill based on emphasis during teaching.

5. Types of Test Items:

·         Multiple Choice: Has one correct answer with distractors. Clear stem and similar-length options.

·         Short Answer: Fill-in-the-blank, matching, ordering. Simple, short, precise answers.

·         Essay: Open-ended. Tests understanding, interpretation, application.

6. Basic Principles of Writing Test Items:

·         Clear, simple instructions.

·         Questions should match syllabus.

·         Avoid trick questions or unnecessary negatives.

·         Only one correct answer per item.

·         Essay questions should allow expression, critical thinking, and real-life application.

ACTIVITIES:

·         Fill-in-the-gaps, identify correct options, construct multiple-choice, short answer, and essay questions.

ASSIGNMENT: Construct:

·         3 multiple choice questions

·         3 short answer questions

·         3 essay questions Then explain how you applied the test construction principles in each.