Subject: : Assessment in Learning 1

Course No. : Prof Ed 106

Professor : Grace F. Fradejas, MAEd English, Assistant Professor III

Module 6: Preparing for Assessment

● Topic Introduction:

This module discusses the procedure in preparing Table of Specifications for tests or
examinations. The purpose of a Table of Specifications is to identify the achievement domains
being measured and to ensure that a fair and representative sample of questions appear on the
test. Teachers cannot measure every topic or objective and cannot ask every question they might
wish to ask. A Table of Specifications allows the teacher to construct a test which focuses on the
key areas and weighs those different areas based on their importance. A Table of Specifications
provides the teacher with evidence that a test has content validity, that it covers what should be
covered.
.
● Learning Outcome:
1. Ensure that there is a match between what is taught and what is tested
2. Design a test based on the list of course objectives, the topics covered in class, the amount
of time spent on those topics, textbook chapter topics, and the emphasis and space provided
in the text
3. Explain how a Table of specifications is prepared

● Objectives
1. identify the achievement domains being measured
2. ensure that a fair and representative sample of questions appear on the test
3. construct a test which focuses on the key areas and weighs those different areas based on
their importance

● Lesson Proper
I. Introduction:
We have learned before that assessment always begins with specification of
objectives. We have also learned that instructional objectives are statements which
express what the student is expected to do, when and how he is expected to do it.
Furthermore, we learned that objectives are classified into 3 domains and that there
should be objectives from each domain in our lessons.

II. A. Aligning instructional objectives with learning outcomes and learning activities
Instructional objectives spell out the action verbs that specify learning outcomes.
Learning Outcomes are end results. Learning activities are means to an end. Learning
 outcomes should match with leaning activities to make sure that the specified instructional
objectives have been followed, and that valid assessment can be done of its results.

III. Preparing a Table of Specifications

After instructional objectives have been set, after instructional activities have
been done to achieve desired learning outcomes, assessment follows. Assessment
completes the instructional cycle.

The most common forms of assessment are formative and summative tests. The
teacher now has some questions to consider before preparing the test:

1. What types of competencies should be measured as evidence of learning

2. How many items should be written to adequately measure student performance?
3. What type of assessment instrument will best measure and evaluate student
performance?

Question 1 can be answered by:

a. list of competencies being adopted by the school
b. lessons in lesson plans

The DepEd has a list of competencies by grade level and by grading periods. These
competencies are the focus of assessments given to students.

Another source of answer as to what competencies will be tested is the teacher’s lesson plan
where lessons and objectives are recorded religiously.

Question 2 focuses on how many items will be representative and adequate in measuring and evaluating
student performance. This can be answered by preparing a Table of Specifications.

What is a Table of Specifications?

It is:
• A written plan needed for the construction of an achievement test
• Presents the:
1. learning outcome to be tested,
2. number of recitation days,
3. number of items for each learning outcome to be tested,
4. percentage of items and
5. Item placement

1. Learning outcome t0 be tested:

• Expressed as instructional objectives
• Written in behavioral terms
• Contain both behavior and content or topic/subject-matter

2. Number of recitation days

• Specifies the number of days a teacher developed a particular skill or objective
 • can be determined by looking at the lesson plan of the teacher in a particular grading
period

3. nUmber of items for each outcome to be tested

• Can be determined by using the formula

No. of items per objective = no. of recitation days per objective x total no. of items
Total no. of recitation days

For example: Objective No. 1 was taught for 3 days (as reflected in the lesson plan).
Teacher A is preparing a 50-item test and has a total of 20 recitation days for the given
period. Number of items for Item No. 1 would be:

=3 (days objective was taught) X 50 (total no. of test items)

20 (total number of recitation days)

= 150/20

=7.5

Since we cannot have 7.5 as number of items, we can either round up the number to 8 or
retain it as 7, depending on the rule for rounding off numbers. This means that for item no.
1, we have to prepare 7 or 8 items in our test.

4. Percentage of items
• Can be determined by dividing the number of items by the total number of items

Example:
The teacher decided to prepare a 50-item test. After solving for the
representative number of items for objective No. 3, he/she came up with 5 items for that
objective. The percentage of items for Objective N0. 3 is 5/50 which is .1 or 10%.

5. Item Placement
• Specifies the location in the entire test of a particular number of items
• Used for if a teacher Wants to determine which of the skill/competency is mastered or not
mastered by the students

IV. Types of TOS (Table of Specifications)

1. One-Way Table of Specifications

2. Two-Way Table of Specifications
A. The One-Way Table of Specifications

Objective No. Of Number % of Item

Recitati of Items Items Placement
on Days

1. Identify topic sentence in a 5 4 1-4

paragraph
2. Restate main idea of a paragraph 5 4 10 5-8

3. Identify supporting details in a 3 2 5 9-10

paragraph
4. Classify ideas under proper 5 4 10 11-14
headings
5. Give title to a paragraph 5 4 10 15-18
6. Give title to a poem 4 3 8 19-21
7. Sequence events as they happen 5 4 10 22-25
in a story.
8. Make a 3-point sentence outline 8 7 18 26-32
9. Make a 3-point topic outline. 10 8 20 33-40
TOTAL 50 40 100

Explanation:

Teacher Ana is about to write a summative test in Grade V English for the third grading period.
She decided to give a 40-item test. When she went over her lesson plans for that grading period, she
discovered that there were nine objectives/topics covered and that there were 50 recitation/class days..
She then proceeded to prepare her One-Way TOS so that she could begin writing the test.

For objective/topic No.1, her lesson plan showed her that the topic was taught for 5 days. Using
the Formula for getting the number of items per outcome to be tested which is

No. of items per objective = no. of recitation days per objective x total no. of items
Total no. of recitation days

= 5 X 40
50
= 4
 To get the percentage of items she simply divided 4/40 (no. of items/total number of items) and
multiplied the quotient by 100; hence she got .1 X 100 = 10%. She also decided to place the items for
objective no.1 as items 1-4 of her test.

Doing the same to all the other objectives resulted to her completed One-Way TOS above.

It should be noted that there are times when the number of items is not a whole number. The
teacher should decide on the number depending on the weight/emphasis/importance of the particular
objective. For example for a 45- item test with 20 recitation days, an objective discussed for 6 days will
result to 13.5 items. The teacher may either write 13 or 14 on the TOS. The purpose is to come up with
the desired total number of items which in this case is 45. The same is true when rounding up or
rounding down numbers in percentage of items. Here the purpose is to come with with a 100% total.

B. The TWO-WAY TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS

Explanation:

In the Two-Way Table of Specifications the teacher decides on the total number of items of the
test. Here, she plans to assess the higher and lower thinking skills of the learners, thus objectives are
classified into the hierarchy of Bloom’s Cognitive domain which are knowledge, Comprehension,
application, analysis , evaluation and synthesis. The total number per objective/lesson is computed using
the formula used in One-Way TOS:

No. of items per objective = no. of recitation days per objective x total no. of items
Total no. of recitation days

For instance, after computing for the number of objectives for Objective No. 1, the result
showed that there should be 7 items for the said objective, the teacher then decides how
many items should be placed under Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis,
Evaluation and Synthesis. The first three (Knowledge, Comprehension, Application test
the lower order thinking skills while the remaining three test the higher order thinking
skills (HOTS). As a general rule, there should be more items testing the HOTS.
 Under Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy of Behavioral Objectives in the Cognitive Domain, there
are verbs that may be used to measure each of the levels in the hierarchy which are
Remembering. Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating and Creating. For example,
“define, memorize, repeat, enumerate” fall under “remembering” , while “assemble,
generate. Construct” fall under “creating”. Objectives in the lesson plan begin with these
verbs and the teacher can easily see in which level the objectives belong based on the
behavioral terms used. Thus, in placing the items in the TWO_WAY TOS, the teacher puts
the items under the right column representing the level.

This type of TOS ensures that learners are assessed not only for their lower thinking skills
(knowledge, Comprehension, Application) but also the higher order thinking skills (analysis, synthesis,
Evaluation).

The following are TOS styles used by DepEd. They are combinations of both ONE-WAY and
TWO-WAY TOS.
References:

Abadines, A. (2015)..How to create a table of specifications (TOS) in 5 easy steps. Retrieved from
https://jenaisle-candidthoughts.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-to-create-table-of-
specification.html
Chase, CI (1999). Table of specifications . Retrieved from http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/?
q=assessment/quality_test_construction/teacher_tools/table_of_specifications

Rivera, A. (2016).Table of specifications with an overview of test construction. Retrieved from

https://www.slideshare.net/sirarnelPHhistory/table-of-specifications-tos-and-test-
construction-review

Name: Date submitted:

Course: Yr. level:
 Module 4: Preparing for Assessment

Activity No. 1: Complete the following One-Way Table of Specifications.

Objectives Recitat No. of Items % of Item Placement

ion Items
Days

1. Give the place value in a 3-digit number 2

2. Write numbers through 1000 in symbols 3
3. Skip count numbers by 50s up to 1000 1
4. Identify ordinal numbers up to the 20th 4
5. Express money as pesos and centavos through 3
Php 100
6. Express Roman numerals in equivalent Hindu- 2
Arabic through L (50).
7. Add 2 to 3-digit numbers with sums up to 999 4
8. Add 2 to 3-digit numbers with zero in any 5
addends without regrouping
9. Add 2 to 3-digit numbers with zero in any 4
addends with regrouping
10. Show properties of addition in adding 2
numbers
Total 3 50 100
0

B. Using the objectives in Activity

A, prepare a Two-Way Table
of Specifications.