Research Proposal on "Assessment Theories and Practices"

Research Proposal 3 pages (1142 words) Sources: 5 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Education

Assessment Theories and Practices

Assessment theory and practices are communicated in many ways using a number of different terms whose concepts over the years have been defined more or less differently. This has been partly caused by the shifts in the models in educational philosophy. This lack of agreement on an exact meaning has cause a lot of confusion in the thinking and information surrounding the two main terms of assessment and evaluation. The two terms have been used more or less interchangeably even though there is a difference in the meanings of the two concepts that should be noticed, at least by professional educators and by school authorities and politicians (Lysne, 2006).

The term evaluation involves some degree of judgment regarding goodness, worth and values. It is more sensitive to cultural values and general purposes of education as stated in most of the national school legislations. "The assessment concept, on the other hand, has been more influenced by the Stimulus Response (SR)-paradigm, and in theory and practice tends to lean more on testing procedures, in order to secure the most objective measuring of student outcomes, preferably expressed in standards of excellence"(Lysne, 2006).

Assessment methods often refer to various strategies and techniques that teachers might use to acquire assessment information. These strategies and techniques include, but are not limited to, observations, text- and curriculum-embedded questions and tests, paper-and-pencil tests, oral questioning, benchmarks or reference sets, interviews, peer -- and self-assessments, standardized criterion- referenced and norm referenced tests, performance assessments, writing samples, exhibitions, portfolio assessment, and project and product assessments (Principles for Fair Student Assessment Practices for Education in Canada, n.d.).

The assessment concept is mostly used in connection with testing and the judging of the potential of individual's intellectual recourses, attainments and performances. Assessment is often defined as the process of collecting data for the purpose of making decisions about students. The concept of evaluation is used in a much broader way and with a more general meaning. In the area of education it includes all aspects of means and methods in the education of new generations including all types of school settings, general and vocational, along with adult education (Lysne, 2006).

Not to long ago there was a movement to change student achievement, because today's students face a world that will demand new knowledge and abilities. It was believed that the global economy of the 21st century would require students to understand the basics, but also to think critically, to analyze, and to make inferences. In order to help students develop these skills changes in assessments at the school and classroom level, as well as new approaches to large-scale, high-stakes assessment were implemented. Changes in the skills and knowledge were needed for success. A change was needed in the overall understanding of how students learn, and in the relationship between assessment and instruction. These changes lead to improved learning goals for students and schools. Assessment strategies were changed in order to tie assessment design and content to the new outcomes and purposes that were set forth (Critical Issue: Rethinking Assessment and Its Role in Supporting Educational Reform, 1995).

Many educators and policymakers often believe that what gets assessed is what gets taught and that the set-up of the assessment influences the format of instruction. Contrary to popular belief of how students learn, many assessments, particularly traditional multiple-choice and true-false assessments, test facts and skills in isolation, seldom requiring students… READ MORE

How to Reference "Assessment Theories and Practices" Research Proposal in a Bibliography

Related Research Proposals:

Practice? Theory Building Is Requisite Term Paper

practice?

Theory building is requisite to the arranged production of knowledge that is in occupational therapy. Theory nurtures both the expansion of expressed knowledge and the organization of knowledge for… read more

Term Paper 4 pages (1064 words) Sources: 5 Topic: Career / Labor / Human Resources

---

Organizational Behavior Organization Change: Theory and Practice Research Paper

Organizational Behavior

Organization Change: Theory and Practice

W. Warner Burke

Foundations for Organizational Science

Sage Production series, 2002

Evaluating the book Organization Change: Theory and Practice (Burke, 2002) from first… read more

Research Paper 8 pages (2222 words) Sources: 1 Style: APA Topic: Management / Organizations

---

Application of Theory to Practice Middle Childhood Term Paper

Practice (middle Childhood)

The objective of this work is to analyze the importance of understanding the stages of human development in the classroom. Specifically this work will analyze some of… read more

Term Paper 7 pages (1893 words) Sources: 1+ Topic: Education / Teaching / Learning

---

Psychology Assessment Multiple Choice Questions in Light Assessment

Psychology Assessment

Multiple Choice Questions

In light of problems posed by the concept of drive, Premack, one of Skinner's followers, proposes that we consider reinforcement:

In terms of the power… read more

Assessment 3 pages (1116 words) Sources: 0 Topic: Psychology / Behavior / Psychiatry

---

General Systems Theory Discussion Chapter

Practice

Relevant Points

I have chosen to consider Mattaini's and Lowery's (2007) framework, which they call Perspectives for Practice, as a proxy for a model or theory of practice. For… read more

Discussion Chapter 4 pages (1157 words) Sources: 2 Topic: Ethics / Morality

---

View 100+ more related papers  >>