TOPIC 9

Evaluation of Learning Effectiveness

Introduction

This topic has three sections namely; meaning of evaluation, purpose of evaluation and lastly types
of evaluation.

Topic Objectives
By the end of the topic the learner should be able to:
1. Define the terms in the topic.
2. Describe the purpose of evaluation in instruction.
3. Identify the different types of evaluation used in teaching and learning.

Meaning of Evaluation

Evaluation is the process of judging what is good or desirable. It involves judging the quality or
value of a performance or a course of action. It is a continuous process of collecting and
interpreting information (data) in order to assess decisions made in designing a learning system.

Definition of Terms

Assessment is the process of collecting, synthesizing and interpreting information to aid in

decision making. It is a general term that encompasses all the ways that a teacher uses to gather
and use information in the classroom instruction process.

A test is a formal, systematic and usually paper and pencil procedure used to gather information
about pupils performance. It is only one of the many strategies of assessment. Other assessment
strategies include observation, oral questions, projects and portfolios.

Measurement is the process of quantifying or assigning a numerical value to performance. An

example is when a teacher scores a test to produce a mark such as 4 out of 5. It is a process that
involves using observation, rating scales and any other device that allows one to obtain information
in a quantitative form for the purpose of judging and making decisions (evaluation).

Purpose of Measurement and Evaluation

1. Administrative purposes i.e. placement, selection and admission.

2. Guidance - career choices, personal problems.
3. Instructional purposes:
 Provides the teacher with information on what the student can do.
  Helps the teacher to gauge the entry level of students.
 Helps in determining the extent to which the course objectives have been achieved.
 Helps a teacher to determine and evaluate his teaching techniques.
 Helps learners to have good habits in their studies.
 Helps learners to identify their strengths and weaknesses.
 It increases the motivation of the students.
 Helps learners to understand or know the goals of the teacher.

Types of Evaluation

Types of evaluation are:

1. Diagnostic Evaluation - to diagnose a problem , the strength or weaknesses of an instruction

process or the learner.
2. Formative Evaluation - monitoring of the process or judging the process while it is forming
or still in progress with the view of improving learning or teaching.
3. Summative Evaluation - done at the end of the instructional process to gauge the outcome
of the process.

Evaluation is part of the learning process.

 It helps a teacher to determine whether the objectives have been stated in measurable
term.
 It also helps when collecting information you require for evaluation.
 Provides one with parameters for designing the test.

Criteria for Planning for Classroom Evaluation

 Specify the purposes of evaluation (Why do you want to evaluate?).

 Specify the content of evaluation. (What are you going to evaluate the learners over?)
 Specify the timing (How often and when?)
 Specify the methodology i.e. tests, homework, observation, projects, portfolio e.t.c.

Types of Tests

1.Essay Tests.

 Requires a student to organize and express himself in her own words.

 Consists of a few questions that require detailed answers.
 Quality of an essay test depends on the skill of the person setting and marking the exam.
 They are relatively easy to prepare but hard to mark very accurately.
 Brings out the real performance of a learner if well done.

Limitations
  May have poor content sampling
 They have low reader reliability.
 Students do not always understand what the question is asking and therefore are not sure
how to respond.

Ways of improving essay type tests

 Restrict the subject matter to be connected by the question.

 Define the learner’s task clearly.
 Provide adequate time in relation to what is required.
 Check the adequacy of the question.

2. Objective Tests

 Require a learner to fill in a short answer of one or two word or choose among several
available alternatives.
 Have more questions and take less time to answer.
 Quality depends on the skill of the person constructing.
 They permit guessing hence may not reflect to real potential of a learner.

Examples of objective questions

 Short answer items

 Matching items
 True-false items
 Multiple choices

Categories of tests
1. Criterion Referenced Tests.
 These are tests designed to measure students’ performance against a fixed set of
predetermined criteria or learning standard.
 Used to evaluate whether a student has learned a specific body of knowledge or acquired
specific skill set (driving test).
 They are used to measure proficiency.
 A certain percentage could be set as high stakes tests to make decisions on academic
achievements.
 They compare a student's performance with a set standard or criteria.

Examples of criterion referenced tests

 Entry behavior test - to establish individual difference before instruction identify itself.
 Pre-test - done before instruction to gauge what learners know based on the objectives and
known pre-requisite knowledge.
 Embedded test - administered throughout the lesson (monitoring).
  Post-test - done after the lesson to establish the attainment of objectives.

2. Norm Referenced Tests.

 Designed to rank the test takers.

 Designed to measure students’ performance in comparison to the performance of other
students of a similar peer group (norm group).
 There is normal distribution or bell curve (standardization may occur). Recorded in
percentages, there’s ranking of test takers.
 It discriminates between high achievers or low achievers.

3. Standardized and non-standardized tests

 Standardized tests are administered and scored in a consistent manner to ensure legal
defensibility held on fixed dates set.
 Non standardized tests are flexible in scoring format. May be used to determine the
proficiency level of a learner, motivate them and provide feedback to learners. Time and
difficulty are varied.

PLANNING A TEST.

What do you consider when planning for a test?

 Identify the purpose of the test and the target learners.

 Specify the particular objectives to be tested. It involves specifying the learner's behavior
to be measured by the item and samples of learning outcomes that will be accepted. Hence
you have to capture various levels of interested abilities and skills, in line with Bloom's
taxonomy namely; knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and
evaluation.
 Outlining the content to be covered in terms of weeks work, months’ work e.t.c.
 Decide the type of questions to be used eg essay, objective. It also includes the number of
questions and duration of the test.

A Test Plan.

Types of questions No. of questions Marks Duration

Multiple

True / false

Short answer

Essay
 Table of Test Specification

Preparing the test plan which involves preparation of a table of specification ensures that the test
items:
 adequately cover the syllabus.
 are balanced and comprehensive.

Hence the table of specification is a scheme prepared by the teacher by considering the range of
content to be assessed, time available, range on educational objectives and distribution of items
against each level of the three domains of educational objectives.

An example of the Table of Specification based on Bloom's taxonomy

Content Intellectual process

topic

Topic Knowledge comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation Total

The Bible 1 1 1 1 4

Creation 1 2 1 1 1 6

Faith in 1 2 1 1 5
God

Sinai 1 1 1 1 1 5
Covenant

Total 4 6 3 2 2 3 20

Weighing 20 30 15 10 10 15 100
of
abilities

After having the table of specification you can go straight to constructing test items.

 You then produce a marking scheme.

 The marking scheme and the question paper can be evaluated for moderation purpose to
establish validity and reliability.
Administering the Test

 Inform learners in good time.

 Have a register of attendance.
 Ensure examination rooms are well lit and free from disruption.
 Sitting arrangement should be considered to check on cheating.
 Write on the board starting and finishing time.
 Announce any necessary instruction before starting.
 Remain in the examination room to attend to learners. Announce time i.e. after half
duration 30 minutes to the end and 10 minutes to end.

Scoring the Test Scripts

 test scores should be based upon topics that were taught and items that are clearly written.
 make sure the same rules are used to score all learners.
 you should be alert to some distracters that may affect the objectivity of scores namely;
writing style, grammar, spelling, neatness, scorer fatigue and prior performance.
 define what constitutes a good answer before administering the test.
 score all answers to the first question before moving on to the succeeding question.

Using the Test Results

 Learners want information about their test performance so you as a teacher should provide
this information. This may be done through comments written on their scripts to indicate
what they did well and how they can improve.
 Go over the results with the pupils.
 Take keen interest in test items that students did not perform well in so that you may clear
any misconceptions and indicate the nature of the desired answer.
 Note that some students who may have inhibitions such as shyness may require to discuss
with you as the teacher privately.

Principles of Effective Evaluation

 Evaluation should be continuous i.e. entry behavior in the process of learning and of the
programme or learning and post implementation level.
 Consistent with the learning objectives.
 Should be comprehensive and should have a variety of skills being measured.
 Should observe the principles of validity and reliability.
 Tests should measure what it intends to measure and results are consistent when
administered under similar conditions at different times (reliable).
Summary

This has been the last topic of the course. The topic has covered evaluation of learning
effectiveness by defining meaning of evaluation, the purpose of evaluation and the types of
evaluation in the instructional process.
The next section is summative evaluation of the course.