Measurement, Assessment, & Evaluation

Collecting data (assessment), quantifying that data (measurement), comparing quantified assessment data to a standard to make judgments (evaluation), and developing understanding about the data (research) are all essential parts of choosing actions in a Quality classroom. This is true for our students, when they practice self-evaluation and for me. The act of taking the WASL or a math test is an assessment activity. Scoring the WASL or math test is a measurement activity and comparing test scores to a standard is an evaluation activity.

When making individual or group choices in life (or a classroom) what data do you have about your choices and what standards will you use to evaluate your actions? For example, are the behavior standards of students and teachers in typical classrooms the appropriate standards for our classroom? Or, are the state WASL standards appropriate for your student?

Assessing, measuring, and evaluating always raise issues of reliability and validity. Reliability attempts to answer concerns about the consistency of the information (data) collected, while validity focuses on accuracy or truth. The relationship between reliability and validity can be confusing because measurements (e.g., scores on tests, recorded statements about classroom behavior) can be reliable (consistent) without being valid (accurate or true). However, the reverse is not true: measurements cannot be valid without being reliable.