As teachers we have to face many things in our
classrooms for that reason it is necessary to know and understand two special
concepts that play an important role in our profession: Assessment and
Evaluation.
Assessment is an interactive process between students
which provides information for improving student’s achievement and to measure how the students are learning and
understanding. Assessment need some evidences of the learning process that could take the form
of role plays, journals, booklets, portfolios, tests and many other learning tasks. This information
collected is used to make changes in the learning environment, and to assist
them not only to improve their learning but also their study habits.
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On the other hand evaluation is the process in which we use methods and
measures to judge the student’s learning and understanding. It takes place when
we use a mark after the completion of a task, test and quiz or learning
activity.
In other words we can say that assessment is the feedback from the
student to the instructor about the student’s learning. And evaluation is the feedback
from the instructor to the student about the student’s learning.
The following chart shows the clear differences between the two concepts
Chart taken from: http://duke.edu/arc/documents/The%20difference%20between%20assessment%20and%20evaluation.pdf
Nice. Although some iconoclast and skeptical ideas may arise on positivist evaluation, I consider that we, as teachers, should implement both concepts and we have to. As long as we apply alternative assessments in our classroom we give points or marks to activites, for instance. So, the problem stem on the fact of only sticking to the traditional evaluation where tests and grades are the unique demonstration of "learning progress".
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