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Bulacan State University

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ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING 2

MODULE 4
AFFECTIVE ASSESSMENT
INTRODUCTION:
It is not surprising that most of the lessons here in Assessment of Student
Learning and other subjects are focused on the cognitive learning aspect. It seems
that less attention is being allotted to affective assessment. It is of significance to deal
it equally as cognitive, especially in our present condition of a pandemic due to the
COVID-19 virus and the effects in our lives of the community lockdown. In fact, in the
past, education has been criticized for paying too much attention to cognitive
outcomes and not being concerned enough with the feelings and attitudes of students.
Students need traits such as being responsible, having integrity, being able to self-
monitor, work collaboratively with others, persevere in the face of obstacles, and a
host of other attitudes, personality characteristics, values, and skills (Mcmillan, 2018).
Cognitive and affective domains must be in complement with each other and
must also be both assessed to complete the whole being of a student. Cognitive skills
are more exhibited and often checked by the teachers. On the other hand, affective
assessment is commonly overlooked in developmental education. (Saxon et al.,
2008). Nevertheless, there are still advantages to systematically setting and assessing
affective traits, which will be the focus of this lesson.

DURATION: 3 hrs.
Learning Objectives: At the completion of this module, students are expected to:
1. formulate competencies for affective;
2. generalize the different types of affective assessment tools; and
3. construct different types of affective assessment tools.

PRE-TEST:
Answer the following questions in three sentences each?
1. How do you see yourself three years from now?
2. What possible actions are you going to do to make your answers in question
number one possible?
3. Who is the most influential person for you? Give three reasons why.
4. Why do you want to be a teacher?

Lesson Proper:
6.1 Essentials of Assessing Affective Traits and Skills
The following are some good reasons for setting and assessing affective traits:
1. Being an involved and productive member of our society.
 2. For effective learning – assessing affective traits leads to understanding the
learners considering their level and interests.
3. Preparing for occupational and vocational satisfaction and productivity (e.g.,
work habits, a willingness to learn, interpersonal skills)
4. Maximizing the motivation to learn now and in the future.
5. Preventing students from dropping out of school.
6. Enhancing students’ beliefs that they are capable of learning (self-efficacy).
7. Enhancing perseverance in the face of difficulty.
8. Enhancing students’ altruism
Currently, most school and school mission statements include affective
outcomes and teachers constantly assess the affective domain informally during
instruction.

6.2 Affective Traits

The term affective has come to refer to a wide variety of traits and dispositions
that are different from knowledge, reasoning, and skills (McMillan, 2007). Strictly,
these are the feelings or emotions we have toward someone or something. However,
attitudes, values, self-concept, citizenship, and other traits usually considered to be
non-cognitive traits involve more than emotion or feelings. Apparently, most kinds of
student affect involve both emotion and cognitive beliefs.
The following are some of the common affective traits as defined by McMillan
(2018):

Figure 6.1
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6.3 Affective Taxonomy of Educational Outcomes
The taxonomy of affective outcomes relates to intangible aspects of students’
lives such as feelings, emotions, or attitudes that represent a hierarchy of acceptance.
It was developed by Krathwohl, Bloom, and Masia in 1964. As an individual moves
up the hierarchy, he or she develops an internalization process. Below is a brief
description of each of the major categories of the affective taxonomy of educational
outcomes.
1. Receiving. At this level, the student is sensitized to the phenomenon of
interest to the extent that he or she is willing to receive or to pay attention to it.
(For example, the learner listens attentively when the teacher explains human
anatomy to the class).
2. Responding. At this level, the student is sufficiently motivated or interested to
the extent that he or she makes an active response. (For example, the student
answers questions related to anatomy that has been asked to the class).
3. Valuing. At this level, the student acknowledges or recognizes that something
has value and is worthwhile. (For example, he or she chooses reading about
the human anatomy as a free-time activity).
4. Organization. The student incorporates values into any period act, organized,
hierarchical value system such that some are more important or internalized
than others. (For example, the student checks for a book or another reference
related to human anatomy out of the library to have an additional reading on
his or her own).
5. Characterization by a value or value complex. At this level, the student
has so completely internalized a value that as a dominant characteristic that
affects behavior in a consistent way. (For example, it is at this level that it will
be widely recognized that “Mark loves mathematics” or “Mark reads and studies
mathematics every time he has a chance to do it.”)

6.3.1 Instructional Outcomes for the Affective Domain

Many educators claim that rarely instructional objectives are set to the level of
organization and characterization. Gallagher (1998) said realistically that generally,
formal education cannot reach these levels, at least in our society. At the very least,
it is not likely that teachers will check to see if students are checking for books to read
on their own time. Also, authors are saying that for an individual teacher to be able to
reach for her/his students at least the third level which is valuing is a great
accomplishment. For these reasons, we have to consider the outcomes of the first
three levels in the taxonomy—those with which formal education typically deals.

In Receiving or Responding, the student:

Recognizes that there may be more than one acceptable point of view.
Develops an awareness of aesthetic factors in TLE.
Is aware of the feelings of others.
Accepts as co-helpers in the classroom other human beings without regard to race,
sex, national origin, religion, or cultural background.

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Develops a sensitivity to the importance of keeping current on matters of a politically
or social nature.

In Responding, the student:

Completes his or her homework on a regular basis.
Complies with school regulations.
Regularly chooses to read as an activity.
Displays willingness to contribute to a group of which he or she is a member.
Accepts responsibility for his or her actions.
Enjoys reading books of various types on a variety of topics.

In Valuing, the student:

Exhibits a sense of responsibility for listening to and engaging in public discussion.
Examines a variety of viewpoints on controversial issues with the intent of forming
his or her own opinion about them.
Encourages participation of the more reluctant members of a group of which he or
she is a member.

6.4: IMPORTANT AFFECTIVE TRAITS AND LEARNING COMPETENCIES

Just like with the cognitive and psychomotor domain, assessing the affective
traits must begin with clear targets. Besides, it will not be of high-quality if the
assessment do not have and begin with appropriate and clear targets. With so many
affective traits, the most important that may crucially affect a student’s learning are to
be considered in setting competencies.
6.4.1 Attitude Targets
Attitudes are internal states and beliefs that vary from positive to negative. The
internal state is some degree of positive/negative or favorable/unfavorable reaction
toward an object, situation, issue, activity, person, group of objects, general
environment, or group of persons (Mcmillan, 2018). Thus, we typically think about
attitudes toward something. In schools, that may be learning, subjects, teachers, other
students, homework, tests, and other referents. Usually, then, you can identify the
positive or negative attitudes that you want to foster or at least monitor.
Some examples are:
A Positive Attitude Toward
 Learning
 School
 Math, Science, English, and other subjects
 Homework
 Classroom rules
 Teachers
 Working with others
 Staying on task
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  Mistakes
 Taking responsibility for one’s acts

A Negative Attitude Toward

 Cheating
 Drug use
 Fighting
 Skipping school
 Dropping out

Attitudes consist of three elements or contributing factors:

1. An affective component of positive or negative feelings
2. A cognitive component describing worth or value
3. A behavioral component indicating a willingness or desire to engage in
specific actions.
The affective component consists of the emotion or feeling associated with an
object or a person (e.g., good or bad feelings, enjoyment, likes, comfort, anxiety).
When we describe a student as “liking” math or “enjoying” art, we are focusing on the
affective component. The cognitive component is an evaluative belief (such as
thinking something is valuable, useful, worthless, etc.). In school, students can think
history is useless and mathematics is valuable. The behavioral component is actually
responding in a positive way. A strong and stable attitude is evidenced when all three
components are consistent.

This tripartite conceptualization has important implications for identifying

attitude targets and competencies. Are we interested in feelings, thoughts, or
behaviors? If we want to have an objective such as “students will have a positive
attitude toward school”, we would need to include all three components in our
assessment because the general rule of the objective would need to be consistent
with the assessment. However, if our target is “students will like coming to school,”
then the assessment should focus on the affective component.

EXAMPLE OF LEARNING COMPETENCY

Students will express satisfaction with the different experiments and activities
in Science by staying on task, cooperatively working with others, and vehemently
following classroom rules.
Our example will try to measure the students‘ attitude toward the things that are
being introduced in Science. Thus, our affective component here is the expression of
satisfaction, different experiments and activities in Science are the cognitive
component describing that valuing is present and staying on task, working with others
and following classroom rules are the behavioral components indicating the
willingness to engage in the experiment. What are the performance levels that will
gauge the satisfaction? Obviously, these are cooperatively and vehemently.

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6.4.2 VALUE TARGETS
Values generally refer either to desirable end states of existence or to modes
of conduct (Rokeach in Mcmillan, 2018). End states of existence are conditions and
aspects of ourselves and our world that we want, such as a safe life, world peace,
freedom, happiness, social acceptance, and wisdom. Modes of conduct are reflected
in what we believe is appropriate and needed in our everyday existence, such as being
honest, cheerful, ambitious, loving, responsible, and helpful. Each of these values can
be placed into categories consistent with different areas of our lives. Thus, you can
think about moral, political, social, aesthetic, economic, technological, and religious
values.
Popham (2017) has suggested some values that he said are sufficiently
meritorious and are clearly related to academic learning and school goals:
■ Honesty. Students should learn to value honesty in their dealings with others.
■ Integrity. Students should firmly adhere to their own code of values, for
example, moral or artistic beliefs.
■ Justice. Students should subscribe to the view that all citizens should be the
recipients of equal justice from governmental law enforcement
agencies.
■ Freedom. Students should believe that democratic nations must provide the
maximum level of freedom to their citizens.

In all of these, Popham still suggests, that teachers should limit the number of
affective traits targeted and assessed.

6.4.3 Motivation Targets

According to Mcmillan, in the context of schooling, motivation can be defined
as the extent to which students are involved in trying to learn. This includes the
students’ initiation of learning, their intensity of effort, their commitment, and their
persistence. In other words, motivation is the purposeful engagement in learning to
master knowledge or skills; students take learning seriously and value opportunities
to learn.
There are two factors that influence motivation: expectations of success and
value of the activity. Expectations refer to the self-efficacy of the student, the
student’s self-perception of his or her capability to perform successfully (more on self-
efficacy below). Values are self-perceptions of the importance of the performance.
That is, does the student see any value in the activity? Is it intrinsically enjoyable or
satisfying? Will it meet some social or psychological need, such as self-worth,
competence, or belonging, or will it help the student to attain an important goal? With
all of these, students will see the relevance of the assessments.
4.3.1 Setting Learning Competencies for Motivation and Value Targets
The expectancy and value theory is the thrust of the learning competencies for
motivation. Like attitudes, it is too vague to use the general definition as an outcome,
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because it is hard to pinpoint the source of the lack of effort and involvement. What
we need to do is to focus on motivation competencies and targets on self-efficacy and
value, differentiated by academic subject and type of learning (e.g., knowledge,
understanding, or reasoning). The following are some examples on how
competencies for motivation can be formulated:
• Students will believe that they are capable of learning how to multiply fractions.
(self-efficacy)
• Students will believe that it is important to know how to multiply fractions. (value)
• Students will believe that they are able to learn how bills are passed in the
Senate. (self-efficacy)
• Students will believe that it is important to know how bills are passed in the
Senate. (value)

6.4.4 Self-Concept Targets

Self-concept is being taken as closely related with self-esteem. Usually,
educators refer to these characteristics when discussing students who have problems
with school and learning such as when an individual student is said to have a low self-
concept.
Mcmillan (2018) clarifies that in setting targets for self-concept, it is helpful to
remember that self-concept and self-esteem are multidimensional. There is a bodily
self, an athletic self, a mathematics self, a social self, and so forth. Each of us has a
self-description in each area, which is our self-concept or self-image. In addition, we
also have a sense of self-regard, self-affirmation, and self-worth in each area (self-
esteem). Thus, a student can have a self-concept that he is tall and thin, but feel very
comfortable with that and accept this description. Another student can have the same
self-concept but feel inferior or inadequate.
As a whole, targets for this trait must be specified as academic self-concept, or
self-concept of academic ability. Making the targets to be more specific especially,
specific to subject areas, with that the resulting information will be more beneficial.

6.4.5 Self-Efficacy Targets

Self-efficacy is a student’s belief that he or she is capable of learning a specific
task or area of knowledge (Bandura on Mcmillan, 2018). These are self-perceptions
of the degree of confidence they have of reaching learning targets. Students estimate
what they think they are able to accomplish and the likelihood of success if they exert
sufficient effort. Students with a positive self-efficacy are more likely to persist and
remain engaged in learning, whereas students with a low self-efficacy tend to give up
or avoid what they believe are difficult tasks. They are skilled at knowing when they
are learning, the degree of effort required for further learning, when they are right or
wrong, and which strategies for learning are needed.

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 Self-efficacy is focused on what can be achieved, not what will be achieved,
(Bandura, 2006), and is conceptually different from self-concept, self-esteem, and
outcome expectations (which are driven but what occurs).

6.4.6 Interpersonal Skill in Learning Targets

Interpersonal skills involve the nature of social relationships that students
have with one another and with the teacher. They constitute a complex set of
interaction skills, including the identification of and appropriate responses to social
cues. Peer relations, friendship, functioning in groups, assertiveness, cooperation,
collaboration, pro-social behavior, empathy, taking perspective, and conflict resolution
are examples of the nature of social relationships that can be specified as targets.
Social interaction is a key element of knowledge construction, active learning, and
deep understanding (Borich & Tombari, 2004).
For each of these broad social relationship areas, specific targets need to be
identified. For example, a target concerned with peer relationships might include
showing interest in others, listening to peers, sharing, and contributing to group
activities. Cooperative skills could include sharing, listening, volunteering ideas and
suggestions, supporting and accepting others’ ideas, taking turns, and criticizing
constructively. Collaborative skills needed to work in small groups could include four
components: (a) basic interaction, (b) getting along, (c) coaching, and (d) fulfilling
particular roles (Borich & Tombari, 2004).
Just the same with the other traits, in identifying interpersonal skill targets, it is
necessary to be very specific about what is emphasized. Examples of possible social
relationships targets are as follows:
■ Students will contribute to small-group discussions.
■ Students will have sustained friendships with two or more other students.
■ Students will demonstrate skills in helping other students solve a problem.
■ Students will demonstrate that they are able to negotiate with others and
compromise

ACTIVITY 1:
Construct two affective targets for attitude, two for motivation and two for social
relationship targets.
1. Attitude targets:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

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 2. Motivation Targets
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

3. Social Relationships Targets

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

6.5 Methods of Assessing Affective Traits

There are three methods used in affective assessments:
1. teacher observation,
2. student self-report, and
3. peer ratings.

Just because affective traits are not directly observable, they must be inferred
from behavior or what students say about themselves and others. And whichever
method we prefer to use, there are several assessment tools that we can develop.
Also, there are three considerations to keep in mind whenever we assess
affect.
First, emotions and feelings (not more stable attitudes) can change quickly,
especially for young children and during early adolescence. This suggests that to
obtain a valid indication of an individual student’s emotion or feeling, it is necessary to
conduct several assessments over a substantial length of time. What we want to know
is the prevalent or dominant affect. And if we rely on a single assessment there is a
good chance that what we measure is not a good indication of the trait.
Second, try to use as many different approaches to measuring affective trait as
possible. Reliance on a single method is problematic because of limitations inherent
in that method.
Finally, decide if we need individual student or group results. This is related to
purpose that will influence the method we use. Examples that follow in the
development of tools for affect could be used for individual or group results.

6.5.1 Teacher Observation

The first step in using observation is to determine in advance how specific
behaviors relate to the target. This begins with a clear definition of the trait, followed
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by lists of student behaviors and actions that correspond to positive and negative
dimensions of the trait.
When observing the students, it is best thing to create a list of their behavior
and actions then group it into positive (approach) and negative (avoidance) behaviors.
Mcmillan (2018) created a list that can guide the teacher on what to be observed in
students’ behavior. Below are the samples of students’ behavior:

Student Behaviors Indicating Positive and Negative Attitudes Toward Learning

POSITIVE NEGATIVE
rarely misses class is frequently absent
rarely late to class is frequently tardy
asks lots of questions rarely asks questions
helps other students rarely helps other students
works well independently without supervision needs constant supervision
is involved in extracurricular activities is not involved in extracurricular activities
says he or she likes school says he or she doesn’t like school
comes to class early rarely comes to class early
stays after school rarely stays after school
volunteers to help doesn’t volunteer
completes homework often does not complete homework
tries hard to do well doesn’t care about bad grades
completes assignments before they are due never does extra credit work
never completes assignments before the due
rarely complains
date complains
is rarely off-task sleep in class
rarely bothers students bothers other students
eyes on work stares out window

After creating a checklist of students’ behavior, it is now time to decide on what

method of teacher’s observation to be used.
1. Unstructured Observation (Anecdotal) – is a method of teacher’s
observation by jotting down notes everything he / she observed about the
behavior of the students. It is normally open – ended, have an ample guidelines
and example of affective traits but should not be limited to the set guidelines.
2. Structured Observation – is a method of teacher’s observation that uses
checklist or rating scale in recording the students’ behavior. The forms are
generated from the list of positive and negative behavior of students making it
easier and convenient in recording data.
6.5.2 Student Self-Report. There are many ways to express students self-report. It
can be through an interview, a casual conversation or a written response to a
questionnaire or survey.

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 1. Student Interview – teachers can conduct personal communication with the
students in different ways. It can be by individual or group interview. It can also
be by discussion or casual conversation where he/she can assess affect. This
is somehow similar to observation but the only difference is that the teacher
can explore and respond to understand more the students.
2. Surveys and Questionnaire – there are two types of format for survey and
questionnaire:
a. Constructed - Response Format – a question asking directly the
students about their affect and can be answered through a simple
explanation. Essay can also be another form of response for this type to
explain and expressed further the reason behind their attitude, values or
beliefs.
b. Selected - Response Format – there are three formats for this type:
rating scale, checklist and likert scale which will be differentiate on the
next topic.
6.5.3 Peer Ratings – this is the least used common method within the three ways
in assessing affect due to its unfairness. Most of the time the students didn’t take this
seriously and possess a biased comment which make this method an unfair one.
However, teachers can verify the authenticity of the statements made by the students
since he / she is engaged and present in the classroom.
Though the teachers can assess the affects through the three ways that have
been discussed, there are still three considerations in assessing affect:
1. Feelings and Emotions – there are quick change of feelings and emotions in
every student especially for the younger children and during their adolescence
period. With these changes, validation should be done in several period of time.
A single statement is not enough to verify the said affect and should be done
over several times.
2. Use of different approaches – the teacher should not rely only in one method
but to conduct different approaches. As an example, students can create a fake
self – report which can meddle the result of assessment unless the self -report
is consistent with the teacher’s observation.
3. Type of Data or Result – the teacher should consider the purpose of
assessment in choosing the method to be used as it can influence the later. In
reporting or giving feedback to the parents or guardian, individual student’s
information is necessary. On the other hand, if the purpose of the assessment
is to improve instruction, discussion with a group or whole class is more proper
to use. With these, multiple methods of collecting data within the period of time
and keeping all the student’s records are necessary.

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6.6 Development of Affective Assessment Tools
Just like in the process-oriented and product-oriented approach to assessment,
we need to develop assessment tools for the Affective Domain. In this way, we can
determine what to look for or at least generate some guidelines and examples of
behaviors that indicate affective trait. Some assessment tools for affective trait will be
the focus of the next discussion.

6.6.1 Checklists
The choice of checklist depends on the time frame (ratings are better for longer
periods of time) and the nature of the behavior. Some behaviors are better and suited
to a simple checklist, such as “follows instructions,” and “complete homework.”
Checklists are usually being used for teacher observation and structured
observation. A structured observation differs from an unstructured one in the amount
of preparation needed and the way we record what is observed. In structured
observation, more time is needed to prepare a checklist or rating form that is to be
used for recording purposes.
The format of the checklist is simple and straightforward. The behaviors are
listed and we make a single check next to each behavior to indicate frequency.
Frequency can be indicated by answering yes or no, observed or not observed, by the
number of times a behavior occurred, or by some kind of rating scale (always, often,
sometimes, rarely, never, occasionally, consistently).
Try to consider the following examples of checklist in assessing the affective
domain.

Figure 6.2
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 Figure 6.3
6.6.2 Rating Scales
Rating scales are used to describe behavior over an extended period of time.
An example of this is the second type on the previous example. Such type of scale is
usually being used in self-report assessments and peer ratings especially that of the
Likert scale.
Checklist 2 now made into Rating Scale Approach:

Figure 6.4
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6.6.3 Self- Report Instrument
Other variations of response choices also exist, and are illustrated in the examples
that follow. Response choices in self-report items should represent a gradient, which
means moving progressively from negative to positive or from low to high.

Figure 6.5

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 Figure 6.6

Scales are mixed in some questionnaires so that there are different scales for
different items. In these types of questionnaires, the response formats are dependent
in terms of terminology and intent of each item. Sometimes the nature of the trait is
named in the item; then the scale gives students choices. For other items the scale
defines the trait being measured.
EXAMPLES:
How important is it for you to be a good reader?
a. extremely important
b. very important
c. somewhat important
d. not important

Science is:
a. interesting
b. dull
c. difficult

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 The following are varieties of self-report instrument especially something that is more
appropriate for younger learners.

Figure 6.7

To make the self-report instruments more attractive to the students, you can
make use of the popular symbols or emojis we are having now in the social media
such as the following. These could be a motivating factor for students to answer the
entire self-report instruments:

Figure 6.8
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Guidelines in Writing Response Items and Self-Report Instruments
1. Use complete sentences or questions as much as possible. This is to facilitate
communication of the essential idea in an item. Thus, the item

I attend school regularly. Agree Uncertain Disagree

is better than one that is constructed as follows:

My school attendance record is: Good Average Poor

2. Avoid jargon, technical or otherwise, in items.

I frequently observe symptoms of attention deficit disorder in my child.

The phrase “symptoms of attention deficit disorder” will lead to misinterpretation

and invalid data because not all are acquaint with the term.
3. Avoid abbreviations. An item using acronyms such as “The WHO condemns
child abuse,” hampers readability and direct communication.
4. Avoid double-or triple-barreled items. Items that contain more than one idea or
question are weak for measurement purposes. For example: “I feel abused by my
parents and teachers.”
5. Avoid leading questions. For example: “Given the booming economy, do you
think Joseph Estrada did a good job during his term as president?” It strongly
suggests an answer to the respondent which should be avoided. The item wording
should not lead respondents to any direction.

6.6.4 Likert Scale

A widely used tool to assess attitudes, for example, is the Likert Scale and is
most familiar to us because it is designed to capture a person’s level of agreement
with statements that present a position. This scale can be adapted to almost any type
of affective trait. Students read statements and then record their agreement or
disagreement with them according to a five-point scale (e.g., strongly agree, agree,
undecided, disagree, strongly disagree). However, numerous modifications to that
basic ordered scale have been used in the social sciences. An individual should
consider one of the categories of response choice options when designing self-report
instruments. These are as follows:

Endorsement: Strongly Agree, Agree, Uncertain, Disagree, Strongly Disagree

Definitely True, True, Don’t Know, False, Definitely False

Frequency: Always, Very Often, Sometimes, Rarely, Never

Intensity: Mild, Moderate, Severe

Comparison: More than last year, About the same as last year, Less than last year

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6.6.5 Semantic Differential
Another impressive affective assessment tool is what is known as Semantic
Differential.
Osgood’s semantic differential scaling approach was developed to answer the
question: What kinds of meaning do people attribute to different things? To answer
this question, he developed a seven-point, bipolar rating scales that could be ranked
from good to bad (the evaluation dimension); from strong to weak (the potency
dimension); and from fast to slow (the activity dimension). Semantic differential scales
are scored in ways similar to Likert scales, and offer an alternate technique for scaling
people on a construct continuum (Chatterji, 2003).
Another common approach to measuring affective traits is to use variations of
the semantic differential. This time the scales use adjective pairs that provide anchors
for feelings or beliefs that are opposite in direction and intensity. The student would
place a check between each pair of adjectives that describes positive or negative
aspects of the trait. In the following examples, the traits are attitudes toward a test
and a subject.

EXAMPLE:
Science Test
3 2 1 0 1 2 3
Fair _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ unfair
Hard _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ easy

History 3 2 1 0 1 2 3
Boring _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ interesting
Important _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ useless
Like _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ hate

Osgood’s approach to scaling is readily applied in schools in more simplified

form, where the focus is only on the value of something, and is basically treated the
scale as uni-dimensional. Thus, educators usually asked the question: What kinds of
value do people attribute to something?

6.6.6 Sentence Completion

A straightforward approach to asking students about what they feel or think is
to have them respond to a simple statement or question. Often, as the following
examples illustrate, incomplete sentences can be used for teacher observation and
self-report methods.

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EXAMPLES:
I think Mathematics is ….
When I have free time I like to ….
The subject I like most is ……….
What I like most about school is ….
What I like least about school is ….
Science is ….
I think I am….
The advantage of this assessment tool is that it taps whatever comes to mind
from each student. We are not cuing students about what to think or suggesting how
they should respond. What we get is what is foremost and most salient in the student’s
mind. If we use this method, be sure to require them to write as much as they can
think about for each item.

6.6.7 Written Reflections

Affective learning targets are considered to be complex; they are difficult, but
not impossible to assess. The most effective and efficient way to assess affect is to
ask the students directly through written reflections. This method has limitations, but
it is still superior to trying to infer affect from behavior.
Reflective practice is not a new thing in the field of education. Mainly for the
reason that in education the main purpose is to acquire learning. Learning is the
foundation of individual and organizational improvement and learning requires
reflection, learning is a function of reflection (York-Barr, Sommers, Ghere, & Montie,
2006). In fact, as early as 1940, George Polya introduced the use of reflective practice
in his four stages of problem solving, wherein he called the fourth stage as “looking
back” which is purely reflections.
Reflection and self-inquiry are the processes that facilitate the development of
metacognitive skills and strategies, and the use of such greatly increases the students’
probability of becoming responsible, lifelong learners when opportunities are created
for them to explore and develop these metacognitive skills. Let us consider this
example:
Create a reflection or self-inquiry exercise to help students plan the process
they will follow in writing a poem or song. For instance, have our students use a list
of questions as they plan their writing:
• What do I already know about poetic devices?

• What experience do I have with poetic devices? Which poetic devices do I have most
experienced with?

• Which poetic devices will I use in this poem/song?

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 • How will each poetic device help my listeners/readers understand what I am trying to
communicate?

• What do I want my classmates to take away from listening to my poem/song? Record

our reflections and thoughts here.

Notice that if we are to use a reflective exercise like this, we can assess not
only the affect but also the cognitive dimensions and can do it in a challenging way
just like performance-based assessment tools.
The next example is also the fourth stage of Polya’s framework on being a
successful problem solver which can also be a model for teachers and students alike
in coming up with a solution to a problem.
Look Back. Encourage students to reflect. Once a solution has been
reached, students should ask themselves the following questions:
• Does the answer make sense?

• Does it fit with the criteria established in step 1?

• Did I answer the question(s)?

• What did I learn by doing this?

• Could I have done the problem using the other way?

Other techniques to assess affect which they described involve methods of

scoring students’ written work. The following illustrates a final assignment used to
assess students’ learning in problem solving course that has been modified to be used
with students at the secondary level.
Example:
Select a problem that you have worked on but not yet solved, and that you
feel you can eventually solve. Then, do the following:

1. Show or describe what you have done so far (It could be that you tell
me where to find your work in your notebook).

2. Assess how you feel about the problem. Is the lack of closure a
concern? Why?

3. Assess what you may have learned in working on the problem so far.

Some would like to assess affect in other ways using abstract forms to capture
not only the critical but also the analytical thinking just like in the next examples.

6.6.8 Reflection Frameworks

Example 1:
Below is a variety of reflection frameworks that can target content and
process as well as affect:

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 Learned?
 I am FEELING….

Things I might THINK

about differently….

Affirmed?
Things I might SAY
differently….

Things I might DO
differently….
Challenged?

Figure 6.9

Figure 6.10

A former student made this reflection framework to be able to assess students’

understanding of a story entitled “The Father” and at the same time with a goal of
knowing their thoughts and insights.
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Figure 6.11

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 York-Barr et al. (2006) used the following as a framework for reflections to every
lesson and was adapted in this module as a reflection guide.

CAPTURE YOUR THOUGHTS

Big Ideas Insights

Question Future
Actions

Figure 6.12

Example 4:
Another example from York-Barr et al (2006) is known as “A 4-Step Reflection
Process” such as the following:

1. What happened? (Description)

• What did I do? What did other students do?

• What was my affect at the time?

• What was going on around us?

2. Why? (Interpretation)

• Why do I think things happened in this way?

• How come I chose to act the way I did?

• What was I thinking and feeling?

• How might the context have influenced the experience?

• Are there other potential contributing factors?

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 3. So what? (Overall meaning and application)

• Why is this event significant to reflect on?

• What have I learned from this? How could I improve?

• How might this change my future thoughts, behaviors, and interactions?

• What questions remain?

4. Now what? (Implications for action)

• Are there other people I should actively include in reflecting on this event? If
so, who, and what would we interact about?

• Next time a situation like this presents itself, what do I want to remember to
think about? How do I want to behave?

• How could I set up conditions to increase the likelihood of productive

interactions and learning?

Example 5:
Lastly, Gibbs (1998) suggested a reflective guideline for nursing students which
we could use also for student teachers or for teacher education subjects and even to
any other general subjects.
REFLECTION ON PRACTICE / EXPERIENCE
This is just one suggested format to help us structure our reflection.
• Nature of Learning Activity
• Knowledge / Skills / Insights Gained
• Implications for Future Nursing Practice
• Plans for Further / Continued Development

Remember that a ‘learning activity’ may be observing practice, undertaking

practice, classroom learning, private study, discussion with colleagues or any other
activity which results in new learning.
One factor that can provide for a successful use of students’ written reflections
is to get them to take the task seriously. This can only be done if students see that
what we are asking them to do is relevant to them and that actions are taken as a
result of their findings. As much as possible, we want to help students understand
that they have nothing to lose but they have something to gain by being cooperative.
We must ensure them that if they will be honest with what they will reveal, such will be
treated with confidentiality.

During (reflection-on-action), personal experiences are reflected on and

reevaluation occurs….During this activity, new data are linked to what is already
known, relationships within the data are established, ideas and feelings are
tested for their authenticity, and thus new personal practical knowledge and
understanding are established. The outcome of this is the state for the design of future
action; in other words, it is the input for reflection to action (Butler, 1996).
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APPLICATION:
FINAL REQUIREMENT:
Choose different affective traits and construct an affective assessment tools of
your own based on the following format:
 One Self-Report Instrument
 One Reflection Framework
 One of your choice from the other types

Find at least five students who could respond to the questionnaire through
online. After they answer all the questions, ask them about their feelings toward the
questions and the clarity of the wording. What do the results look like? Would the
teacher agree with the results? How difficult was it to develop the questionnaire?

REFERENCES:

Azarcon, R. O. (2018). High-Quality Classroom Assessment Methods, Revised

Edition, copyrighted 2018. St. Andrew Publishing House: ISBN 978-971-
014-541-6
Chatterji, M. (2003). Designing and using tools for educational assessment. Boston:
Pearson Education.
Kubiszyn, Tom and Borich, Gary (2000). Educational testing and measurement:
Classroom practice and application. 6th ed. New York: John Wiley and
Sons.
McCombs, B. & Miller, L. (2007). Learner-centered classroom practices and
assessments. California: Corwin Press, SAGE Publications.
McMillan, J. (2007). Classroom assessment: Principles and practice for effective
Standard-based Instruction5th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Mcmillan, J. H. (2018). Classroom Assessment: Principles and Practice that Enhance
Student Learning and Motivation, 7th ed. Pearson Education, Inc. USA
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/102088/chapters/The-Value-of-Affective-
Assessment.aspx
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mewa/html/assessment/checklists.html

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