What is Assessment?

“Assessment in general requires making expectations and standards for quality explicit and public, systematically gathering evidence on how well performance matches those expectations and standards, analyzing and interpreting the evidence, and using the resulting information to document, explain, and improve performance” (Angelo, 2002).

Purpose of Assessment

• Improve - The assessment process should provide feedback to determine how the institution and its departments/ units can be improved.
• Inform - The assessment process should inform department heads and other decision-makers of the contributions and impact of the department/unit to the development and growth of students.
• Prove - The assessment process should encapsulate and demonstrate what the department/ unit is accomplishing to students, faculty, staff and the general public.
• Support - The assessment process should provide support for campus decision-making activities such as department/unit review, strategic planning, as well as external accountability activities such as accreditation.

Types of Assessment

• Formative Assessment - It is a type of assessment that takes place during the operations or learning process; primary purpose is to improve programs and/or performance.
• Summative Assessment - It is a type of assessment that takes place at the end of the learning process or a specified time period; used for making decisions about resources, people, institutions (accountability).

Assessment Methods

• Direct Method - It is a method that  provides direct examination or observation of knowledge skills, attitudes and behaiviors against measurable outcomes.
• Indirect Method - It is a method that provides the perception or self report of the extent or value of learning experience.

 Assessment Process