Notes: Classification of Evaluation System | Teaching Aptitude for Teaching Exam - B.Ed Entrance PDF Download

Introduction

Evaluation in education is essential for measuring student learning, identifying areas for improvement, and guiding instructional strategies. 

Types of Evaluation

1. Formative Evaluation

• Formative evaluation involves any classroom interaction that generates information about student learning, which teachers and students use to adjust their teaching and learning methods during the course.
• Origins: The term was coined by Michael Scriven in 1967 and popularized by Benjamin Bloom in 1968 through his book "Learning for Mastery."
• Characteristics:
  Uses quality scales (three-to-five point scales) for qualitative assessment.
  Requires subjective judgment about the presence or degree of certain traits.
• Purpose:
  1. Provide feedback for teachers to modify future learning activities.
  2. Identify and address individual or group deficiencies.
  3. Shift focus from grades to learning processes, enhancing self-efficacy and reducing reliance on external motivation.
  4. Improve students' awareness of their learning processes.
  5. Provide immediate feedback to both students and teachers.
  6. Allow for frequent ongoing assessment to fine-tune instruction and focus on progress.
  7. Encourage dialogue about learning, boost positive motivation, and improve self-esteem.
  8. Help close the gap between current and desired performance.

2. Summative Evaluation

• Summative evaluation assesses participants at the end of a program to determine its outcomes.
• Origins: Coined by Michael Scriven in 1967.
• Methods: Common methods include questionnaires, surveys, interviews, observations, testing, and projects.
• Timing: Conducted after completing units of work, terms, or academic years.
• Characteristics:
  • Provides a formal summary of student progress.
  • Indicates progress and achievement in grade-related or numerical terms.
  • Offers valuable information to students, parents, and teachers about overall performance at specific points in learning.

3. Diagnostic Evaluation

• Diagnostic evaluation identifies the reasons for persistent or recurring learning difficulties that standard corrective measures or formative evaluations cannot resolve.
• Purpose: Find the causes of learning problems and plan remedial actions.
• Methods: Uses observational techniques or specially prepared diagnostic tools.
• Includes pretest results, evaluations of reading strengths and needs, instructional plans, descriptions of tutoring, post-test results, and future instruction recommendations.

Significance of Evaluation

• Instructional Improvement: Helps devise more effective instructional materials and methods.
• Guidance: Assists teachers, supervisors, and administrators in directing and guiding teaching and learning.
• Validation: Measures the validity and reliability of instruction.
• Needs Discovery: Helps teachers discover learners' needs.
• Objective Evidence: Provides objective evidence for effective cooperation between parents and teachers.
• Standards Enforcement: Enforces external standards upon individual classes or schools.
• Parental Understanding: Helps parents understand learners' growth, interests, and potentials.

Evaluation in Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) in Higher Education

Introduced by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 2015 to bring equity, efficiency, and excellence in the Higher Education System.

• Characteristics:
  • Flexibility: Allows students to choose interdisciplinary, intra-disciplinary, and skill-based courses.
  • Uniform Grading System: Evaluates courses with a uniform grading system, which is better than the conventional marks system.
  • Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation: Emphasizes ongoing assessment and computes the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) based on student performance.
  • Weightage: 40% internal assessment and 60% final exam.
  • Internal Evaluation: Includes one test (20 marks), one assignment (10 marks), class participation (5 marks), and overall conduct (5 marks).
• Advantages:
  • Shifts focus from teacher-centered to learner-centered education.
  • Allows students to undertake multiple credits without repeating all courses.
  • Permits learners to choose soft courses of different subjects.
  • Reduces stress and anxiety.
  • Ensures uniformity in education evaluation and assessment.
  • Supports a globally recognized education system.
• Disadvantages:
  • Difficult to measure exact marks.
  • Repeating subjects can lead to irresponsibility.
  • Overburden for students and teachers due to numerous courses.
  • High chance of subjectivity in internal evaluation.
  • Research and innovation can be hampered due to administrative tasks.

Evaluation in Computer Based Testing (CBT)

Increasing shift from traditional assessment to computer-based testing due to cases of cheating in high-stakes exams.

• Benefits:
  • More authentic and accurate.
  • Reduces cheating and proxy testing.

Adoption: Many higher education institutions in India are investing in CBT to ensure integrity and accuracy in evaluation.