What is Assessment?

In general terms, assessment refers to the process of gathering information for a specific purpose. Most often, we conduct assessments with the intention of making a decision. The insights gained from assessments can be used to allocate resources, plan improvements, or set policy. Assessment is used in many contexts, including business, education, healthcare, and public policy. The type of assessments we conduct, and their purpose depends on the context in which they are conducted. For example:

· In a personal context, we might say, "I will assess my options" or "I need to assess the situation." What we mean is we plan to gather information to help me make a decision.

· In a business, a supervisor may conduct a performance assessment to determine an individual's ability to complete a specific task correctly. The decision they make based on the information they collect might be to provide training or to invite the individual to pursue alternative employment.

· A company may conduct a risk assessment to identify potential risks associated with a particular activity, project, or decision. The purpose of the assessment might be to decide whether to proceed with the project or identify what steps to take in order to mitigate potential risks.

· Many companies must conduct environmental assessments to identify the potential impact of human activities or projects on the natural environment. The results of the assessment will determine whether the company can continue with the project or activity.

· In the medical profession, doctors provide regular health assessments to evaluate an individual's physical, mental, and social well-being and identify any health issues so we can recommend appropriate interventions.

Regardless of the context, assessment is an evidence-based decision-making process that relies on our ability to establish clear criteria and then collect accurate and pertinent information.

Educational Assessment

In an educational context, assessment involves systematically documenting empirical evidence about a student's knowledge, skill, ability, or attitudes related to specific learning objectives.

Educational assessment is a critical component of the teaching and learning process. This dynamic process helps educators identify not only what students know but also how they learn and what they are capable of achieving. Assessments can take various forms, from informal observations and quizzes to formal standardized tests, performance assessments, or projects, each serving different purposes and providing insights into a student's abilities. The ultimate goal of educational assessment is to guide educational decisions, improve teaching methods, and support personalized learning for students, ensuring that educational objectives are met and that all students have the opportunity to succeed academically.

Assessment and Evaluation

Before we explore the topic of assessment further, we need to understand the difference between two terms – Assessment and Evaluation. These related terms are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings and purposes.

Assessment refers to the process of gathering information about an individual's knowledge, skills, abilities, or other characteristics. The primary purpose of assessment is to gather accurate, often quantitative, information about an individual so we can communicate and compare results.

Evaluation, on the other hand, refers to the process of making judgments or decisions based on the results of an assessment. An evaluation aims to make value-based judgments about an individual's performance or cognitive ability; this often requires we establish evaluation criteria. For example, an assessment provides an objective description of a student's learning. Based on the assessment results, the evaluation will make an informed value-based decision about the quality or adequacy of the student's ability (e.g., the student's achievement met the standard or it did not). The criteria we use to make a judgment about a college student's ability may differ from those used for an elementary student. The assessment is the same; however, the evaluation is different. What may be adequate for an elementary level student, might not meet expectations for the college student.

The difference between these two terms is subtle. Assessment is descriptive, while evaluation involves judgment. Assessment is the process of gathering information, while evaluation is the process of making decisions based on the results of an assessment. An assessment becomes an evaluation when we make a determination about an individual based on assessment results.

Types of and Purposes for Assessment

Assessment serves multiple purposes in education, including:

Measuring Student Learning: Summative assessments measure achievement, enabling teachers to determine what students have learned (accountability) and verify they have accomplished the expected learning outcomes (certification). These types of assessments are most often evaluations.

Informing Instructional Planning: Formative assessments help teachers make informed decisions about the instructional needs of their students. The results of a formative assessment can help teachers plan the scope and focus of their instruction.

Assessing Readiness and Need: Placement assessments are a form of formative assessment that helps teachers determine a student's readiness for the planned instruction or whether a student needs to participate in the proposed instruction.

Diagnosing Learning Problems: Diagnostic assessment is used at an individual level rather than a group level. The results of a diagnostic assessment are used to identify specific misconceptions a student may have or provide reasons why they failed to accomplish a specific task (got the question wrong). The results of a diagnostic assessment are used to provide detailed feedback to students – not just that they got a question wrong but also why they may have answered a question incorrectly or unsuccessfully completed a task.

Study Guides: Research has shown that using tests can be an effective study technique (Karpicke & Blunt, 2011). For example, taking a test-your-understanding quiz can help students improve their retention and recall of information. The results can provide valuable feedback for students helping them identify areas where they need to improve. In addition, taking practice tests can reduce test anxiety as students become more comfortable with the testing process and the types of items used in an assessment.

Evaluating Program Effectiveness: The results of assessments can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of educational programs and initiatives, helping teachers and schools make data-driven decisions about improving the education they provide. However, when evaluating a program, assessment results are but one piece of evidence that should be considered.

Instructional Designers will need to create assessments for several of these purposes. This may include creating a test your understanding quiz, a unit review, or a summative assessment at the end of the course to certify a student has accomplished the expected learning outcomes. Unfortunately, not all assessments are valid measures of what they intend to measure, and the results cannot be used for their intended purpose. This is why an instructional designer needs to learn how to create learning objectives and quality assessment instruments that align with the goals of the instruction.