Basic Concepts, Theories,

and Principles in Assessing

Learning Using Alternative
Methods
Desired Significant Learning Outcomes:
In this lesson, you are expected to:
Explain the alternative assessment and
related concepts; and
Demonstrate an understanding of the
different principles in assessing learning
using alternative methods of assessment.
 Significant Culminating Performance Task and
Success Indicators
 At the end of the lesson, you should be able
to prepare an assessment plan to show
understanding of the concepts and principles in
assessing learning using alternative methods of
assessment. You are considered successful in this
culminating performance task if you have
satisfied at least the following indicators of
success:
Performance Task Success Indicators
Developed a matrix of the Explain the alternative
difference between the assessment in terms of the
traditional and alternative matrix developed.
assessment of learning

Propose a plan or strategy Plan assessment practices that

for assessing student apply the principles in assessing
learning based on the core learning using the alternative
principles in assessing assessment methods
learning using alternative
methods of assessment
 Aside from traditional assessment, what
other assessment forms/strategies can be
used in teaching students to capture a
more comprehensive understanding of
their learning progress?
 How do you plan to implement the
different assessment strategies you
mentioned, considering the cultural and
linguistic context, either in a Filipino or
English language setting?
 What is an alternative assessment?
Assessment
Is generally defined as the process of
gathering quantitative and/or qualitative data
for the purpose of making decisions,
whereas assessment of learning can be
defined as
the systematic and purpose-oriented
collection, analysis, and interpretation of
evidence of student learning in order to make
In contrast, assessment for learning
refers to the use of assessment to
identify the needs of students in order to
modify instruction or the learning
activities in the classroom.
Assessment for learning is formative in
nature, and it is meant to identify gasp in
the learning experiences of students, so
they can be assisted in achieving the
 In practice, most teachers use traditional
assessment methods to assess and evaluate the
learning of students in the classroom.
 Traditional assessment
 Refers to the use of traditional assessment
strategies or tools to provide information on the
student learning.
 Typically, objective (e.g., multiple-choice) and
subjective (e.g., essay) paper-and-pencil test are
used to assess students.
 They are more commonly used in classrooms
 Because they are easier to design and quicker to
be scored.
 Alternative assessment
 Refers to the use of alternative or non-traditional
assessment strategies or tools to collect
information on student learning.
 Examples of alternative forms of assessment are
performance-oriented and product-oriented
assessment methods.
 The core of alternative assessment is the need to
design and implement assessment tasks or
activities that refrain from using traditional paper-
and-pencil test, which typically assess cognitive
learning outcomes and thus have right or wrong
answers.
 The following are features of alternative
assessment (Silvestre-Tipay 2009, p.58):
 Assessment is based on authentic task that
demonstrate learners’ ability to accomplish
communication goals;
 Instructor and learners focus on communication,
not on right and wrong answers;
 Learners help to set the criteria for successful
completion of communication tasks; and
 Learners have opportunities to assess themselves
and their peers.
 While the practice of assessing learning using
traditional methods like paper-and-pencil test is
still common in many classrooms, there is an
emerging trend toward the use of alternative
assessment or assessment using nontraditional
methods, which in theory and practice can
capture learning targets and learning outcomes
in more authentic ways.
 Indeed, the use of alternative assessment can
lead to more authentic assessment of
learning.
 While traditional assessment typically uses paper-and-
pencil test, alternative assessment is more concerned
with performance assessment or performance-based
assessment.
 Performance assessment refers to assessing student
learning by requiring a student to perform the task or
develop a product as a demonstration of one’s learning.
 The focus of the assessment is on providing opportunity
for the students to apply what they have learned through
task performance and/or product creation.
 The emphasis is on assessing what students know and
what they can do. If the task to be demonstrated closely
resembles what is typically performed or experienced in
the real world (high degree of realism), then performance
 Another alternative method of assessing learning is
through portfolio assessment,
 which pertains to students’ construction and use of
portfolios in a purposeful and systematic manner in
order to document their progress in the attainment of
learning targets.
 A portfolio is a collection of learning and performance
artifacts by a students and is typically accompanied by
personal narratives and reflections. The use of a portfolio
allows students to document and demonstrate their
accomplishments in the classroom and provide
opportunities to the learners and their teachers to
evaluate the progress in a given period of time (Tolentino
2009).
 A portfolio assessment is also allows the assessment of
Other alternative strategies for assessing
learning are assessment of non-cognitive
learning outcomes through performance rubrics
(for psychomotor outcomes) and rating scales
and checklist (for affective or dispositional
outcomes).
 The use of rubrics and scales may also provide
opportunities for using self-assessment and
peer assessment, which allows for a more
comprehensive assessment of students
learning and performance in the classroom.
Different models of alternative
assessment
 The three most common models of
nontraditional assessment are:
(1) Emergent Assessment,
(2) Developmental Assessment, And
 (3) Authentic Assessment.
 Emerging assessment is based on Michael
Scriven’s goal free evaluation model (1967).
 In this model, the assessment focuses on
determining the “effects” of instruction on
students. The emphasis is on the assessment of
both the intended and unintended effects or
learning outcomes.
 Hence, assessment is not limited to collecting
information if the intended learning outcomes
defined were met or not, but also gives
importance to unintended learning outcomes
whether positive or negative.
 Emergent assessment examines how and what the educational
program and instruction are doing to address the needs of
students.
 The assessor should have no preconceived notions or biases
regarding learning outcomes or instructional goals.
 With this model, assessment is more qualitative and the
assessor uses multiple methods to record all data accurately
and determine their importance and quality.
 Hence, categories emerge from the observations of the
assessor. In this model, direct and indirect evidence of student
learning are both collected.
 Direct evidence refers to tangible and compelling evidence of
what students have and have not learned, whereas indirect
evidence refers to proxy sign for learning that are less tangible
and less compelling compared to direct evidence.
 Developmental assessment, on the other hand, focuses on
determining the extent that students have developed their
competencies from instruction.
 This model adopts a pre-test and post-test methodology to
collect information if a student have developed or improved
after instruction.
 It involves a comparison of what students can do at different
time points and/or different contexts to assess if there is
progress.
 Developmental assessment is said to be useful for assessing
learning outcomes based on students’ development rather
than a final product.
 Assessors should have adequate knowledge of how a skill or
attribute develops so appropriate assessment strategies and
tools can be designed.
 Authentic assessment is the most popular model
for alternative assessment.
 It is an approach in the assessment of student
learning that refers to the use of assessment
strategies or tools that allow learners to perform or
create a product that is meaningful to the learners as
they are based on real-world contexts.
 The authenticity of assessment tasks is best
described in terms of degree and not in terms of the
presence or absence of authenticity.
 Hence, an assessment can be more authentic
assessment are the ones allow performances that
most closely resemble real-world tasks or application
 The following can be used as criteria in
determining if an assessment task or
activity is authentic or not (Silvestre-Tipay
2009):
 The assessment tasks or activity can …
 Be built around topics or issues of interest to the
students;
 Replicate real-world communication context and
situations;
 Involve multistage task and real problems that
require creative use of language rather than simple
repetition;
 Require learners to produce a quality product or
performance;
Different principles in assessing learning
using alternative methods
 There are many principles in the
assessment of learning using alternative
assessment or nontraditional methods.
 Based on the different readings and references
on these principles, the following may be
considered as core principles:
 Assessment is both process- and product –
oriented.
 An assessment gives equal importance to
student performance or product and the process
they engage in the Perform or produce a product.
While traditional assessment methods are
focused on assessing student products or
outputs, non-traditional or alternatives methods
like performance assessment and portfolio
assessment give value to the product developed
by students, as well as in the process student
have undergone to develop the product.
 Assessment should focus on higher-order
cognitive outcomes.
 For assessment to the valid and authentic, it
should require students to demonstrate their
knowledge. However, the focus should be on
providing tasks or activities that should allow
students’ demonstration of higher-order cognitive
outcomes (e.g., creating, analyzing) or skills (e.g.,
creativity, critical thinking). The use of
nontraditional or alternative methods of
assessment like performance assessment allows
the assessment of both lower-order and higher-
order cognitive outcomes in ways that are more
authentic.
 Assessment can include a measure of non-
cognitive learning outcomes.
 Traditional assessment focuses on knowledge and
other cognitive learning outcomes. However,
psychomotor and affective outcomes are also
important learning outcomes, and there are
learning targets that are non-cognitive in nature.
Hence, an assessment should also consider the
assessment of these non-cognitive outcomes.
Nontraditional assessment tools like rubrics, scales,
and checklist allow the measurement of non-
cognitive learning outcomes that allow a more
complete and assessment of student learning.
 Assessment should reflect real-life or real-
world contexts.
 Assessment tasks or activities should be
authentic. The assessment should closely, if not
fully approximate real-life situations or
experiences. Authenticity of assessment can be
thought of as a continuum from least authentic
to most authentic, with more authentic tasks
expected to be more meaningful for students.
Performance assessment is optimal if the
performance task to be demonstrated is similar
or close to what is expected in the real world.
 Assessment must be comprehensive and
holistic.
 Assessment should be performed using a variety of
strategies and tools designed to assess student
learning in a more integrative way. Assessment should
be conducted in multiple periods to assess learning
over time. Moreover, the use of both traditional
assessment and alternative assessment strategies
and tools should be considered. Nontraditional
methods of assessment (e.g., use of rubrics, scales)
allow the possibility of multiple assessors, including
the use of self and peer assessment. This ensures that
students are being assessed in a more comprehensive
and holistic way.
 Assessment should lead to student learning.
 This means that assessment should be like
classroom instruction. This principle is consistent
with the concepts of assessment for learning and
assessment as learning. Assessment for learning
refers to the use of assessment to identify the
needs of students in order to modify instruction or
the learning activities in the classroom. In
assessment as learning, assessment tasks, result,
and feedback are used to help students practice
self-regulation and make adjustments in order to
achieve the curriculum outcomes.
THANK YOU!