Curriculum-based assessment is a measurement process that involves the direct use of content from the curriculum used in instruction. It can also be referred to as the criterion-referenced assessment which links the assessment with the materials taught by making the instructor to identify the learner’s achievements and learning problems. Curriculum-based assessment became into use due to the perceived limitations of the traditional measuring methods that were irrelevant to the curriculum and lacked benefits. This method of assessment has been adopted with the assumption that learners can become successful in school when teaching uses materials that suits the learner’s unique abilities.
Curriculum-based assessment is useful in self-evaluation. The instructor can evaluate his or her teaching strategies with the academic achievements of the learner. Data on the performance of learners can be used by the instructor to adjust his or her teaching methods. For instance, if a learner doesn’t perform to the expectations of the instructor or does not make progress in a discipline, the instructor can arrange for a remedial lesson for that particular student to improve his or her weaknesses. In addition, the teacher can as well change teaching strategies and increase the time used in instruction (Blewitt, C. et al. 2020)
Curriculum-based assessment is useful in keeping historical academic reports. Data obtained from the scores can make observable graphical displays of learners’ performance in a simple way for interpretation. These graphs are useful in evaluating learners’ progress. If found that no expected progress has been made, relevant teaching strategies can be applied to bring positive change in learners’ performance. In addition, curriculum-based assessment scores can be used in graphical representation of performance to project future performance, this is important in making learners remain on track in their academic performance
Curriculum-based assessment is well structured to be taught within a specific period of time specified by the instructor. This is important in making the instructor to put more attention to the learner and teaching methods. (Norman, E. and Nelson, P. 2019). Consequently, learner’s abilities can be assessed in relation to the material taught.
Disadvantages of Curriculum-based Assessment
However, curriculum-based assessment evaluates the teacher in relation to the material he or she uses not considering the teaching methods the teacher. Teachers apply varied methodologies in teaching similar subjects thus not relevant to use in judging the teacher. Moreover, the curriculum may contain dry material without proper consideration of the teacher’s environment and thus teachers may use techniques to make what they teach appealing to the learners therefore limiting judgment based on curriculum. (Truckenmiller, A. and McKindles, J. 2020)
Curriculum-based assessment operates on a standardized curriculum ignoring the fact that students’ background varies, this limits restructuring of the curriculum to accommodate the varied abilities and needs of learners. This will require a teacher to teach and discover learner abilities at the same time. Judgment based on curriculum at the expense of individual learner’s ability is theory-oriented instead of the learning outcomes.
Curriculum-based assessment limits creativity due to difficulties in the integration of creativity in the making of curriculum and need for making a curriculum that is easy to be understood by assessors. This method implies direct teaching without inculcating creativity that might be needed outside the classroom setting the fore evaluators may not integrate creativity in such materials.
Curriculum-based assessment lack flexibility because the teacher may not restructure the curriculum especially when evaluated on the material he or she teaches and how well he or she teaches. This proves it difficult for a classroom teacher whose learners are not picking up in a certain discipline to restructure his or her original learning material to avoid strict adherence to the needs of implementation of the curriculum. This limit the teacher from paying much attention to the learners at the expense of the curriculum standards. (Ray, A. 2018)
In conclusion, curriculum–based assessment establish an interplay between the teacher and the instruction materials used, this links gauge the teacher’s strengths and weaknesses, learners’ strengths and weaknesses . Teachers therefore should improvise the curriculum to suit the varied abilities and needs of the learners in their instruction to make the implementation of the curriculum relevant.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Curriculum-based Assessment
Reference
Blewitt, C. Et al. 2020. Do curriculum-based social and emotional learning programs in early childhood education and care strengthen teacher outcomes? A systematic literature review: Journal of …,
Norman, E. and Nelson, P. 2019. The Influence of Trend Estimation Method on Forecasting Curriculum-based Measurement of Reading Performance: Journal of School Psychology: Journal of…,
Ray, A. 2018 Student Work in Curriculum-based Assessment Tasks: An Exploratory Validity Study of Mechanism for Assessing SMP3B
Truckenmiller, A. and McKindles, J. 2020. Expanding curriculum based measurement in written expression for middle school: Journal of…,
