Classroom Assessment Tests
Ongoing in the classroom throughout the year Usually at the end of month, term or year
Many different tasks One exam or few tests per subject
Carried out by the teacher Can be administered by someone else other than the teacher
Developed by the teacher Often written by others
Marked by the teacher Often marked by others
Assessment and Evaluation
Sometimes there is confusion about the difference between assessment and evaluation. Some people use the words interchangeably. In this guide we distinguish the two terms by emphasizing that assessment is the process of collecting information for decision-making whereas evaluation involves making a judgment about the quality of a learner’s performance based on assessment results.
The examples below illustrate this useful distinction.
Example 1:
Assessment: During a Grade 1 lesson, in which a teacher is teaching the learners to identify square shapes, the teacher gathers information on whether learners can identify square shapes. Suppose the learners cannot identify the square shapes from among a randomly presented set of triangles, rectangles, circles, and squares.
Evaluation: The teacher judges that the ability of learners to identify square shapes is not good. The teacher decides that re-teaching is necessary. So he/she groups the learners and they practice drawing big and little squares, circles, and triangles.
Example 2:
Assessment: During a Grade 1 lesson, in which a teacher is teaching the learners to identify circles, the teacher gathers information that establishes that the learners can identify circles.
Evaluation: The teacher judges that the ability of learners to identify circles is very good. The teacher decides to go on to teach the next lesson.
Table 2: Basic concepts related to classroom assessment
Term Definition
Evaluation The process of making a value judgment or making a decision about a student's product or performance.
Assessment The process of collecting information about the performance of a student.
Test A test is one kind of assessment tool but there are many other ways that teachers collect information about students' learning.
Performance assessment task An assessment activity that requires a student to demonstrate his / her achievement by producing an extended written or spoken answer, by engaging in group or individual activities or by creating a specific product
Rubric Criteria that are developed by teachers or other evaluators to guide the analysis and evaluation of student processes or products. Rubrics used for grading usually include a scale with clear performance descriptions for each point on the scale.
Types of Rubrics Holistic and analytic rubrics
Portfolio A purposeful collection of student work that provides evidence of students' achievements and progress over a set period of time.
Assessment Plan A way of organizing assessment activities in a school term taking into account the learning objectives and CEAS requirements.
Table 3: Types of Assessment Tasks
Tasks Commonly Used for Tests Tasks Commonly Used for
Performance Assessment
Selected Response Questions Brief Constructed Response Tasks Constructed Response Tasks
• Multiple choice questions
• True and False
• Matching
• Fill in the blanks
• Short answer
• Label a drawing Performances
• Oral presentation
• Role play
• Science activity
• Songs Products
• Essay/composition
• Project
• Drawing
• Report
Ongoing in the classroom throughout the year Usually at the end of month, term or year
Many different tasks One exam or few tests per subject
Carried out by the teacher Can be administered by someone else other than the teacher
Developed by the teacher Often written by others
Marked by the teacher Often marked by others
Assessment and Evaluation
Sometimes there is confusion about the difference between assessment and evaluation. Some people use the words interchangeably. In this guide we distinguish the two terms by emphasizing that assessment is the process of collecting information for decision-making whereas evaluation involves making a judgment about the quality of a learner’s performance based on assessment results.
The examples below illustrate this useful distinction.
Example 1:
Assessment: During a Grade 1 lesson, in which a teacher is teaching the learners to identify square shapes, the teacher gathers information on whether learners can identify square shapes. Suppose the learners cannot identify the square shapes from among a randomly presented set of triangles, rectangles, circles, and squares.
Evaluation: The teacher judges that the ability of learners to identify square shapes is not good. The teacher decides that re-teaching is necessary. So he/she groups the learners and they practice drawing big and little squares, circles, and triangles.
Example 2:
Assessment: During a Grade 1 lesson, in which a teacher is teaching the learners to identify circles, the teacher gathers information that establishes that the learners can identify circles.
Evaluation: The teacher judges that the ability of learners to identify circles is very good. The teacher decides to go on to teach the next lesson.
Table 2: Basic concepts related to classroom assessment
Term Definition
Evaluation The process of making a value judgment or making a decision about a student's product or performance.
Assessment The process of collecting information about the performance of a student.
Test A test is one kind of assessment tool but there are many other ways that teachers collect information about students' learning.
Performance assessment task An assessment activity that requires a student to demonstrate his / her achievement by producing an extended written or spoken answer, by engaging in group or individual activities or by creating a specific product
Rubric Criteria that are developed by teachers or other evaluators to guide the analysis and evaluation of student processes or products. Rubrics used for grading usually include a scale with clear performance descriptions for each point on the scale.
Types of Rubrics Holistic and analytic rubrics
Portfolio A purposeful collection of student work that provides evidence of students' achievements and progress over a set period of time.
Assessment Plan A way of organizing assessment activities in a school term taking into account the learning objectives and CEAS requirements.
Table 3: Types of Assessment Tasks
Tasks Commonly Used for Tests Tasks Commonly Used for
Performance Assessment
Selected Response Questions Brief Constructed Response Tasks Constructed Response Tasks
• Multiple choice questions
• True and False
• Matching
• Fill in the blanks
• Short answer
• Label a drawing Performances
• Oral presentation
• Role play
• Science activity
• Songs Products
• Essay/composition
• Project
• Drawing
• Report