Classroom- Based Evaluation in Second Language Education by Genesee and Upsher
Summary of chapter 4
Collecting information
In this chapter , teachers are exposed to types of information required for assessment, qualities of information , practicality, reliability, validity, and methods of information collection.
In making decisions about second language learning , we use both qualitative and quantitative information .As the book mentions , there is no clear distinction between qualitative and quantitative information. But in general ,having a variety of types of information about teaching and learning can enhance the reliability of your assessment and the validity of your decision making.
In discussing qualities of information, two aspects of quality have been tackled: validity and reliability. At the same time, there are additional matters to be considered when collecting information for evaluation , that’s the practical side of gathering information.
There are practical aspects of information collection . First, cost which answers the question whether the method of information collection is affordable. Second , the administrative time which is trying to answer if there is enough time in class to collect information using this method. Third, compilation time that is if there is enough time to score and interpret the information . Fourth, the administrator qualifications that is if the teachers are qualified to use this method of information collection .Fifth, the acceptability that is if the method of collecting information is acceptable to students, parents, and the community.
Reliability is defined as the freedom from non-systematic fluctuation. There are three general sources of reliability : the first has to do with instability or non-systematic fluctuation in the person or among the people collecting the information this is called assessor –related reliability or rater reliability.The second source of unreliability concerns the person about whom information is being collected. This is called object- related or person- related reliability. The third source of unreliability resides in the procedures used for collecting information. This is called instrument-related reliability. On this occasion I would like to add other sources like environment-related reliability and content /skill- related reliability. A question might be raised at this particular moment that is how can we enhance reliability?
Person–or object-related reliability can be enhanced by assessing on several occasions since human beings often differ in their behaviour according to transitory moods, momentary distractions, time of day, fatigue, or hundreds of other factors beyond the control or the recognition of the test taker or the assessor. Instrument- related reliability can be improved by using a variety of methods of information collection. Unreliability can estimate performance which may result from assessing student performance at times during the day or week when they are not at their best . Unreliability can result from poor or inconsistent record keeping . It is important to mention that reliability is a matter of degree and is usually expressed by indices ranging from .00 to 1.00 , it can only be estimated and not truly calculated.
Validity is the extent to which the information you collect actually reflects the characteristics or attribute you want to know about. It is important to note that there is an important relation between reliability and validity that you should be aware of – an assessment instrument or procedure can be only as valid as it is reliable. We employ different procedures to determine the validity of our assessment information and our methods of collecting it. We describe the three main procedures : content relevance, criterion relatedness ,and construct validity.
Summary of chapter 4
Collecting information
In this chapter , teachers are exposed to types of information required for assessment, qualities of information , practicality, reliability, validity, and methods of information collection.
In making decisions about second language learning , we use both qualitative and quantitative information .As the book mentions , there is no clear distinction between qualitative and quantitative information. But in general ,having a variety of types of information about teaching and learning can enhance the reliability of your assessment and the validity of your decision making.
In discussing qualities of information, two aspects of quality have been tackled: validity and reliability. At the same time, there are additional matters to be considered when collecting information for evaluation , that’s the practical side of gathering information.
There are practical aspects of information collection . First, cost which answers the question whether the method of information collection is affordable. Second , the administrative time which is trying to answer if there is enough time in class to collect information using this method. Third, compilation time that is if there is enough time to score and interpret the information . Fourth, the administrator qualifications that is if the teachers are qualified to use this method of information collection .Fifth, the acceptability that is if the method of collecting information is acceptable to students, parents, and the community.
Reliability is defined as the freedom from non-systematic fluctuation. There are three general sources of reliability : the first has to do with instability or non-systematic fluctuation in the person or among the people collecting the information this is called assessor –related reliability or rater reliability.The second source of unreliability concerns the person about whom information is being collected. This is called object- related or person- related reliability. The third source of unreliability resides in the procedures used for collecting information. This is called instrument-related reliability. On this occasion I would like to add other sources like environment-related reliability and content /skill- related reliability. A question might be raised at this particular moment that is how can we enhance reliability?
Person–or object-related reliability can be enhanced by assessing on several occasions since human beings often differ in their behaviour according to transitory moods, momentary distractions, time of day, fatigue, or hundreds of other factors beyond the control or the recognition of the test taker or the assessor. Instrument- related reliability can be improved by using a variety of methods of information collection. Unreliability can estimate performance which may result from assessing student performance at times during the day or week when they are not at their best . Unreliability can result from poor or inconsistent record keeping . It is important to mention that reliability is a matter of degree and is usually expressed by indices ranging from .00 to 1.00 , it can only be estimated and not truly calculated.
Validity is the extent to which the information you collect actually reflects the characteristics or attribute you want to know about. It is important to note that there is an important relation between reliability and validity that you should be aware of – an assessment instrument or procedure can be only as valid as it is reliable. We employ different procedures to determine the validity of our assessment information and our methods of collecting it. We describe the three main procedures : content relevance, criterion relatedness ,and construct validity.
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