Assessment and Evaluation
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Assessment & Evaluation in Saskatchewan
(Ministry of Education, 2010)
Assessment is derived from the Latin word assidere which implies "to sit beside". In the educational context, teachers sit with their students on a daily basis in order to understand their learning needs. We often confuse assessment with evaluation. If assessment is to collect information on student learning, evaluation is the culminating act of interpreting the information gathered for the purpose of making decisions or judgements about students' learning and needs, often at reporting time.
Several principles serve to guide educators when students are assessed and evaluated.
- Assessment and evaluation should be planned, continuous activities derived from the the curriculum outcomes.
- A variety of assessment and evaluation techniques should be used.
- These techniques should be communicated to students in advance.
- Assessment and evaluation practices should be fair and equitable.
- Assessment and evaluation practices should help students by providing encouragement.
- The diverse needs of students should be considered when planning assessment and evaluation.
- Results should be communicated to students and parents in meaningful ways.
Assessment in Prairie South School Division
In addition to the Ministry's recommendations, our school division also holds these guidelines in regard to assessment and evaluation:
- Students are the key assessment users.
- Assessment should be balanced between its formative use (to improve learning) and its summative use in evaluation.
- Assessment should be constructive; it should focus on achievement and progress.
- Assessment and instruction are interdependant.
- Assessment expectations and curricular outcomes should be communicated clearly to students from the beginning.
- Meaningful and appropriate assessments should related to authentic (real world) tasks and should gather evidence that is triangulated (student products, discussions and observations
Teacher Documents for Division Assessment Planning
Assessment Terminology
Achievement Assessment as Learning Assessment for Learning: Assessment of Learning Assessment Literacy Assessment Options/Methods/Strategies Assessment Plan Assessment Timing Assessment Types Authentic Assessment Backward Design Balanced Assessment Bias
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Checklist Common Assessment Content Standards Criteria Descriptive Feedback Diagnostic Assessment Evaluation Formative Assessment Grade Grade level of achievement Indicators Learning Targets Mark"
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Percentile Performance Performance Assessments Performance Task Portfolio Rating Scale Reliability Rubric Standardized Tests Student Learning OutcomesT Student Led Conference Summative Evaluation Table of specifications Validity
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A comparison of the three general forms of assessment is summarized as follows:
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Assessment
for Learning
(formative)
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Assessment
of Learning
(summative)
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Assessment
as Learning
(formative)
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Purpose
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Decides next steps in learning and teaching
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Determines the extent of student learning to date
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To help the student critically analyze their learning
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Timing
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Continual, minute by minute, day by day
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Periodic, at the end of a period of learning
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Periodic events contribute to continual metacognitive awareness
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Process
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Engages teachers in providing differentiated instruction, feedback to students to enhance their learning, and information to parents in support of learning.
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Involves the teacher’s use of evidence of student learning to make judgements about achievement.
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Engages the learner, with teacher guidance, to reflect on and monitor one’s own learning
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Relationship
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Relates to progress and learning growth
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Relates to level of proficiency in relation to preset standards
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Relates to progress and learning growth
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Information
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Flows between student and others (teacher, student, parent)
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Flows from student to teacher
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Determined within the learner through feedback from others
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Last Updated on Friday, 18 February 2011 14:51
Assessment Schedule