ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION: UNRAVELING THE NUANCES

These two words have a special significant in the context of education and development, and although many people tend to use these terms interchangeably, there is a distinct difference between the two. Assessments and evaluations are two essential components in the process of teaching and learning. Although teaching, learning, and assessment have been there since forever, people still have dozens of misconceptions regarding them. An assessment is the process of investigating what and how participants are learning/ working, while evaluating involves making a judgment about the quality of participants’ learning/ work.

Assessment is a systematic process of collecting information from diverse sources about something or someone to gauge the skills, knowledge, and usage, whereas the meaning of evaluation is concerned about making a judgment about quality, skills, or importance or something or someone. The basic difference between assessment and evaluation lies in the orientation, i.e. while the assessment is process oriented, evaluation is product oriented.

Understanding the differences between assessment and evaluation is crucial for educators, researchers, and professionals involved in various assessment processes.

A Situation Narrative

Mrs Jayanthi Sharma (generic name) eagerly anticipated the upcoming parent-teacher conferences of the day. She had studied hard as a Childhood Education major and had worked diligently in her first year as a 3^rd Std teacher at ABCD School (generic school).  Jayanthi had planned interdisciplinary lessons, employed inquiry-based learning centers, and met regularly with individual students to ensure that they had mastered the skills as determined by the state standards.

Each student had a portfolio filled with dated representations of their work. Jayanthi understood the importance of specific and timely feedback and had painstakingly provided detailed written feedback on each work sample. She meticulously arranged the portfolios along with anecdotal notes and looked forward to sharing the accomplishments of the students with their family members. As last-minute jitters began to set in, Jayanthi realized that she had no grades for any of the students.

Jayanthi quickly realized she was not as prepared as she had anticipated.

What is Assessment

The word “assess” is derived from the Medieval Latin word “assessee” whose meaning is “fix a tax upon.” Assessment helps the educators to investigate what participants are learning and how well they are learning it, especially in relation to the expected learning outcomes of a lesson. The word assessment often is used to assess skills, abilities, aptitude, performance, and competence.

Thus, it helps the assessor to understand how the assesse understands the lesson, and to determine what changes need to be made to the teaching process. Thus it focuses on learning as well as teaching and can be termed as an interactive process. The purpose of conducting an assessment is to provide constructive feedback so that the assesse (the assessed person) can improve. Assessment is a continuous interactive process where two parties are involved.

What is Evaluation 

The meaning of the word “evaluate” is to make a judgment about something or someone to learn about their abilities or skills or qualities. The word evaluate is derived from the Latin word “valere” whose meaning is to “too strong, be of value, be well, or be worth.”

Evaluation focuses on what has been learned by the participants. The evaluation process is used to make a judgment about the quality of participants’ learning/work. It usually involves assignment of grades/ ranks. Evaluation activities such as examples, papers, etc. are considered to be a formal way to assess the expected outcomes of a course. The evaluation may not only judge knowledge but may also include other components such as attendance, participation in activities, discussions, etc.

The evaluation process may be conducted to compare the skills and qualities of two or more individuals. The person being evaluated must fulfill the criteria set by the evaluator. Unlike assessment, the result of does not provide constructive feedback, but it passes the judgment.

Differences between Assessment & Evaluation

Characteristics of Assessment & Evaluation

One of the most important characteristics of an assessment is it is an ongoing process. This means at various points in the learning process, the instructor uses different tools to measure the individual’s abilities and level of knowledge. Also, assessments are collaborative, consistent, reliable, and tailored to a specific context. 

A good evaluation process is valid, reliable, and practical. Validity means that the evaluation must measure the subject using well-defined criteria that are tailored to the subject. Reliability means that the process must be consistent while practicality suggests that every evaluation should be realistic and achievable within its context of usage.  

Illustrations of Assessment & Evaluation

Assessment & Evaluation In Industry 

To a large extent, both assessments and evaluations are used in similar industries. Like evaluations, assessments are very popular in educational research and human resources. They are used during employee engagement surveys to gather feedback from workers on how to improve the workplace. Different tools come in handy during assessments including concept maps, straw polls, surveys and questionnaires.

Evaluations are also used in the accounting/finance industries to determine the viability of a business. For example, before an investor gives money to an organization, they conduct a company evaluation to know if the business can provide returns on time. Common tools for evaluation include a rubric or some other standard grading criteria, focus groups, case studies, observation, and interviews. 

Assessment & Evaluation in Survey Research 

In survey research, assessments help the researcher to gather feedback on the quality of the systematic investigation. At the same time, assessments help to define and modify the research framework at different points in the process. Evaluations provide useful data for measuring the impact and success of the research. It helps you to determine how much progress has been made in the systematic investigation and if any changes need to be effected along the way. 

Assessment vs Evaluation in Education 

In educational contexts, assessments provide valuable information about a student’s knowledge, how much he has learned, the quality of this knowledge, and the different challenges faced during the learning process. Through assessments, teachers identify learning gaps and address them on time. 

Evaluation provides useful data for building the core of the educational curriculum and improving it from time to time. For the learners, it validates their knowledge and determines how they progress from one level to the next. Data from an evaluation is a great way to show how successful a program is. 

Benefits & Drawbacks of Assessment and Evaluation

Contrast Outline- Assessment & Evaluation

We measure distance, we assess learning, and we evaluate results in terms of some set of criteria. These three terms are certainly share some common attributes, but it is useful to think of them as separate but connected ideas and processes. Assessment and evaluation are integral processes used across diverse fields to measure performance, determine effectiveness, and guide decision-making. By understanding the key concepts, steps, and significance of assessment and evaluation, stakeholders can utilize these processes to improve outcomes, enhance quality, and drive progress. Assessment and evaluation are iterative processes, often involving multiple cycles of data collection, analysis, interpretation, and action. Continuous feedback and improvement are essential to maximize the value and effectiveness of these processes.

Content Curated By: Dr Shoury Kuttappa

MANAGING MANAGERS: COGNITIVE BEHAVIORS- A PERSPECTIVE – CHAPTER – 02

***Continued from Chapter 01 (Covered previously: What does it Entail, What is the difference, the start point, Managing Managers – A/ B/ C/ D/ E/ F/,)

Link to Chapter 01:

MANAGING MANAGERS: COGNITIVE BEHAVIORS- A PERSPECTIVE – CHAPTER – 01

1. Use An Apprenticeship Model

The best training for someone learning to become a manager is individualized attention from their boss. This should not just occur in meetings though. We should do real work together, looking for opportunities to explain what we are doing and how we are doing it. This will allow us to not only teach them but also to observe them in action. We are not going to sit in on all of their one-on-ones (micromanaging..!!) but we should make time to do things like participate in their team meetings, watch them give feedback, or conduct job interviews. Whenever we are observing them, give immediate feedback as long as it is not in front of others in a way that undermines them.

Find ways to see our managers in the act of managing (and then share feedback and observations). We can do this by:

The purpose of observing or shadowing the people we manage is not just to give feedback—it can help us better understand their management and leadership style. It could even be an opportunity for us to learn from them. Pay attention to how they do things differently from us and appreciate those differences.

• Give Them Space & Know How We Are Doing

We do not want to dictate exactly how our employees do their job. We have to allow that individual to lead in his/ her own way. They need to figure out what is authentic to them. This is especially important when there are differences, such as gender, between us and our direct reports. For example, keep in mind that a woman cannot assert authority in the same way as a man and have the same impact.

We will be most supportive to our direct reports if we understand how we are performing as a coach and mentor. We can ask directly or use a 360 tool to assess how we are doing. Make sure that the questions get at indirectly and implicitly whether we are a good role model or not. Are we consistent in what we are asking for and what our expectations are? Also, do not wait for our annual performance review to ask for input. Feedback has to be much more immediate and connected to the work we are doing. So set up the expectation early on that we want to hear how we are doing.

• Get To Know Their Team

It can be tricky to know how much we should interact with our direct reports’ teams. On the one hand, we need to be familiar with the players so that we can give the manager relevant feedback and coaching. But, on the other hand, we do not want to undermine their authority. Do not allow ourselves to get into the situation where we are hearing things they are not telling their manager. Any interactions should be above board with the explicit goal of trying to better understand the team and help the manager. Be clear with everybody that we are aligned and there are no secrets. But do not close off all communication. If there is a serious concern, it’s best to have an open door policy.

Building authentic relationships with our direct report’s direct reports has four significant benefits:

• We Are Not The Domain Expert Anymore

Domain expertise and domain leadership are not the same things. Knowledge, of course, is formative for decision-making and credibility, but it is not the driving force behind helping a group of people work together, get aligned around common objectives, and make progress. The latter depends on our ability to build trust, to communicate honestly, to figure out what motivates each person, and to lay out a clear path of where we are going, and why it’s important to get there. We are likely further from being the domain expert we once were than before. It feels unnerving, to say the least — we are not up-to-date with the latest technologies or trends as we would like to be. But keep in mind that our priority is not in our fluency in the domain. Our priority is making sure the people on our team are the domain experts, and that we are helping them do their best work to contribute to the organization.

• Make The Answer To “Where Are We Going?” Resoundingly Clear.

Vision is undoubtedly important to share as a leader. After all, our team needs to understand where they are going and why it is important to get there. But when we are managing managers, this vision needs to be exceedingly clear. Why? Because the folks we are managing will need to answer the question, “Where are we going?” for their direct reports. Our managers will need to find ways to align the personal visions of their team members with the organization’s shared vision. So if we have not made the answer to the question “Where are we going?” absurdly obvious, the vision becomes watered-down or distorted in some way once our managers share it with their direct reports. As a manager of managers, we must clarify, repeat, reinforce, evaluate, and again clarify and repeat the answer to “Where are we going?” over and over again.

Principles to Remember

Growing Leaders, Not Just Leading Leaders

Naturally, as a manager of managers, part of our role involves growing other leaders in the organization. This does not necessarily mean putting formal training or mentorship programs in place (though, it can help). Growing other leaders can be as straightforward as carving out more dedicated time to ask questions like, ‘Is there anything outside your current role you would like to be contributing toward?’ or ‘What project have you been most proud to work on and why?’ Essentially, we want to consider:

This also means personally exemplifying the kind of leadership we would like to see across the organization. Managers who are leading their teams are taking notes from us, watching us for cues on how to behave, make decisions, and handle situations. Our actions are not just affecting our direct reports anymore — they are affecting their direct reports as well. Everyone is learning from our actions, implicitly.

We will notice that managing managers is not wholly different from managing individual contributors. The fundamentals are the same. Whether we are a manager of managers or of individual contributors, we are still helping a team achieve its desired outcomes. Rather, the points of emphasis differ:

Content Curated By: Dr Shoury Kuttappa