Types of evaluation

Norm- referenced
evaluation

Criterion- referenced
evaluation
Evaluation

The process of
determining the worth of
something in relation to
established benchmarks
using assessment
information.
Criterion- referenced
Evaluation

student performance is
assessed against a set of
predetermined standards.
 In criterion-referenced
evaluation, a student's
performance is compared
to established criteria
rather than to the
performance of other
students.
Criterion-referenced
Evaluation involves the
following steps:

identify the expected

learning outcomes
identify the key learning
objectives for instruction
and learning
establish and set criteria
involve students, when
appropriate, in establishing
criteria
plan learning activities that
will help students gain the
knowledge or skills outlined
in the criteria
inform students of the
criteria their work will be
evaluated against prior to
the learning activity
provide examples of the
desired level of
performance
implement the learning
activities
use various assessment
methods based on the
particular assignment and
students
review assessment data
and evaluate each student's
level of performance or
quality of work in relation
to criteria
 report the results of
evaluation to students and
parents
Purpose:

To determine whether

each student has achieved
specific skills or concepts.
To find out how much
students know before
instruction begins and
after it has finished.
Content:
Measures specific skills
which make up a
designated curriculum.
These skills are identified
by teachers and
curriculum experts.
Each skill is expressed as
an instructional objective.
Item Characteristics:

Each skill is tested by at

least four items in order
to obtain an adequate
sample of student
Performance and to
minimize the effect of
guessing
The items which test any
given skill are parallel in
difficulty.
Score Interpretation:

Each individual is
compared with a preset
standard for acceptable
achievement. The
performance of other
examinees is irrelevant.
A student's score is
usually expressed as a
percentage.

Student achievement is
reported for individual
skills.
Example: A student

 spelled every word in the

weekly spelling list
correctly
 solved at least 75% of
the assigned problems
 achieved a score of at
least 80% out of 100 on
 did at least 25 push ups
within a 5 minute period
 read a minimum of one
non-fiction book a week
Advantages of Criterion-
referenced Evaluation
• It evaluates each of the
identified skills of the good
writer.
• It lists for the student
everything the evaluator
wants him or her to work
on.
 Students are not
competing with each
other and are thus more
likely to actively help
each other learn. A
student's grade is not
influenced by the caliber
of the class.
Disadvantages of
Criterion- referenced
Evaluation

It assumes that the quality

of a piece of writing is the
sum of its parts.
 It evaluates a product
without reference to
current instruction.
It can overwhelm both
students and teachers.
Norm- referenced
Evaluation
Norm referenced evaluation
is defined by relative
standing in the class in
relation to some standard or
norm.
student performance is
assessed relative to
the other students
Purpose:
To rank each student with
respect to the
achievement of others in
broad areas of knowledge
To discriminate between
high and low achievers.
Content:

 Measures broad skill areas

sampled from a variety of
textbooks, syllabi, and the
judgments of curriculum
experts.
Item Characteristics:

 Each skill is usually tested

by less than four items
 Items vary in difficulty
 Items are selected that
discriminate between high
and low achievers.
Score Interpretation:

Each individual is
compared with other
examinees and assigned a
score--usually expressed
as a percentile, a grade
equivalent
score, or a stanine.
Student achievement is
reported for broad skill
areas, although some
norm-referenced tests do
report student
achievement for individual
skills.
Example: A student

 Scored above 90% of all

the students in the class
 received a higher grade
point average in English
literature than any other
student in the school
 Ran faster than all but
one other student on the
team
 And one other in the
class were the only ones
to receive a grade of A on
the midterm
 Scored at the 50th
percentile in his group
Advantages of Norm-
referenced Evaluation
They work well in
situations requiring rigid
differentiation among
students where, for
example, program size
restrictions may limit the
number of students
advancing to higher level
courses
They are generally
appropriate in large
courses that do not
encourage cooperation
among students but
generally stress individual
achievement.
They are very easy to
use.
Disadvantages of Norm-
referenced Evaluation
One objection to norm-
referenced systems is
that an individual's
grade is determined not
only by his/her
achievements, but also
by the achievements of
others.
 A second objection to
norm-referenced grading
is that it promotes
competition rather than
cooperation. When
students are pitted
against each other for
the few As to be given
out, they're less likely to
be helpful to each other.