HOW TO DETERMINE LEARNING EVIDENCE
Formal teaching and learning processes need to be justified in terms of how, and at what level, certain learning goals are achieved. However, the previous step was to define the evidence or support that will allow us to establish achievement as consistently as we can. Thus, the selection of evidence becomes a crucial milestone that begs the following questions:
What are the criteria for the selections of evidence?
What type of evidence can I generate?
What examples of evidence can I examine?
In this section, we will review evidence selection criteria as well as types and examples of it. It should be pointed out that the assessment of this evidence corresponds to the construction of instruments, which will be looked at it in the following modules.
LEARNING EVIDENCE AND HOW TO SELECT IT
De Miguel (2000) states that evaluation is a "systematic process of searching for evidence to formulate value judgements that guide decision-making”. Evidence is a key element within the process and refers to a certainty or decisive piece of evidence within a teaching and learning process that determines its achievement. Evidence must be expressed by the students, individually or collaboratively, based on guidelines or specifications established by the teacher and in-line with the entire process.
Definition
In this section, we are not going to assess and grade the evidence; instead, we will establish the typology, relevance, and sufficiency with regard to the established outcomes. For the grading and assessment process, which we will examine in another module, evaluation instruments like guidelines, rubrics, and checklists will be used.
The selection of evidence is an important process and must take into account five quality criteria: coherence, authenticity, sufficiency, challenging, and articulating.
First, evidence must correspond with the goals or outcomes that we have previously set, both at the operational level (conceptual, attitudes, procedures, integrals, etc.) and in the learning and teaching process. Thus, if the training demands very specific evidence, for example, demonstrating the ability to solve specific practical cases, the teaching should not be limited to an expository methodology but should directly connect with the object of the learning.
Coherence
Page 1 of 4
LEARNING EVIDENCE AND HOW TO SELECT IT
The set of evidence must be directly related to the tasks of the discipline or profession being covered in the course. This is what is called authentic evaluation, as it is contextualized and related to training. Inauthentic evidence does not help students learn significant or relevant knowledge.
Authenticity
The evidence, or the evidence set, must be able to cover all the goals or outcomes that have been established in all of its dimensions, components, or elements. We could say that it is a kind of support of what is really needed to certify the learning objectives.
Sufficiency
A piece of evidence must make sense in a specific professional or disciplinary context. However, when the instances of evidence connect with each other and tell a story, it can improve the conditions and meaning of the educational process. This is in contrast to a set of unconnected, isolated evidence which simply has a "sense" of unity towards certain goals.
Articulating
The elaboration of evidence should be a challenge and a motivation for the student, capable of mobilizing meaningful learning, training, and the link with the environment and its needs.
Challenging
EVIDENCE LINKED TO TEMPORALITY
These can also be divided into two types:
Process evidence It is evidence collected throughout a course or in a specific class. Some examples of process evidence are previous work submissions, parts of a project, drafts, etc. Process evidence helps to promote feedback for learning, with the aim of achieving pre-established learning goals, correcting or establishing new areas for improvement.
Outcome evidence They are generated at the end of the process, directly aligned with tangible evidence of learning outcomes, and are effective in fostering significant learning. Examples of such product evidence include:
- Final project reports
- Corrected final tests
- Corrected service prototypes
Page 2 of 4
EVIDENCE LINKED TO THE DIMENSION OR CONTENT TO BE ASSESSED
On the other hand, we have evidence related to different dimensions or content to be assessed, such as: attitude, knowledge, procedures, and performance. The following table explains each one of these types and proposes some examples to guide the practice. However, the examples could be interchanged and be used in more than one. It is important to have some clarity about the intention of the evidence from the pre-established learning goals.
Type of evidence
Description
Example of evidence
Outcomes of observation patterns linked to:
- Willingness towork in a team
- Order and cleanliness
- Rigorousness
- Kind treatment
- Work well done
Corresponds to personal positions, such as values, norms and attitudes. This can be manifested through opinions, physical or non-verbal dispositions, respect for norms, among other elements.
Attitude
Reports containing:
- Application of the theory
- Hypothetical theoretical description
- Resolution of questionnaires
Related to the theoretical or conceptual use of knowledge. However, it also considers principles, facts, or hypotheses.
Knowledge
Reports containing:
- Application of methods
- Application of technical or clinical standards
- Handling of procedures
- Resolution of exercises
They are those pieces of evidences that show the "know-how" from norms, techniques, methods, etc. In this sense, the procedures can be cognitive, psychomotor or both together.
Procedures
- Problem solving and case studies
- Simulations
- Fulfilled projects
- Tests
- Exhibitions
To a certain extent, it integrates the other types of evidence mentioned above. That is, it corresponds to the demonstration or mobilization of an articulated set of knowledge, abilities, skills, contents and values in a predetermined context or situation. Consequently, performances are complex learning, since they consider various dimensions under specific environments and conditions. Performance evidence requires more than one instrument or dimensions to be considered, since being complex, they need different assessment tools (for example, oral presentation observation guidelines and content review, in the case of an exhibition).
Performance
Page 3 of 4
TYPES OF EVIDENCE
We can categorize the pieces of learning evidence in the following way:
Performance
Evidence of outcome
Evidence of learning
Evidence of process
Attitude
Knowledge
Procedures
Linked to temporality
Linked to the dimension or content to be assessed
Conclusion
A backwards-designed educational process should combine the different types of evidence and the predefined learning goals in an organic and articulated way.
Page 4 of 4
3. How to determine learning evidence [EN]SM2
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Transcript
HOW TO DETERMINE LEARNING EVIDENCE
Formal teaching and learning processes need to be justified in terms of how, and at what level, certain learning goals are achieved. However, the previous step was to define the evidence or support that will allow us to establish achievement as consistently as we can. Thus, the selection of evidence becomes a crucial milestone that begs the following questions:
What are the criteria for the selections of evidence?
What type of evidence can I generate?
What examples of evidence can I examine?
In this section, we will review evidence selection criteria as well as types and examples of it. It should be pointed out that the assessment of this evidence corresponds to the construction of instruments, which will be looked at it in the following modules.
LEARNING EVIDENCE AND HOW TO SELECT IT
De Miguel (2000) states that evaluation is a "systematic process of searching for evidence to formulate value judgements that guide decision-making”. Evidence is a key element within the process and refers to a certainty or decisive piece of evidence within a teaching and learning process that determines its achievement. Evidence must be expressed by the students, individually or collaboratively, based on guidelines or specifications established by the teacher and in-line with the entire process.
Definition
In this section, we are not going to assess and grade the evidence; instead, we will establish the typology, relevance, and sufficiency with regard to the established outcomes. For the grading and assessment process, which we will examine in another module, evaluation instruments like guidelines, rubrics, and checklists will be used.
The selection of evidence is an important process and must take into account five quality criteria: coherence, authenticity, sufficiency, challenging, and articulating.
First, evidence must correspond with the goals or outcomes that we have previously set, both at the operational level (conceptual, attitudes, procedures, integrals, etc.) and in the learning and teaching process. Thus, if the training demands very specific evidence, for example, demonstrating the ability to solve specific practical cases, the teaching should not be limited to an expository methodology but should directly connect with the object of the learning.
Coherence
Page 1 of 4
LEARNING EVIDENCE AND HOW TO SELECT IT
The set of evidence must be directly related to the tasks of the discipline or profession being covered in the course. This is what is called authentic evaluation, as it is contextualized and related to training. Inauthentic evidence does not help students learn significant or relevant knowledge.
Authenticity
The evidence, or the evidence set, must be able to cover all the goals or outcomes that have been established in all of its dimensions, components, or elements. We could say that it is a kind of support of what is really needed to certify the learning objectives.
Sufficiency
A piece of evidence must make sense in a specific professional or disciplinary context. However, when the instances of evidence connect with each other and tell a story, it can improve the conditions and meaning of the educational process. This is in contrast to a set of unconnected, isolated evidence which simply has a "sense" of unity towards certain goals.
Articulating
The elaboration of evidence should be a challenge and a motivation for the student, capable of mobilizing meaningful learning, training, and the link with the environment and its needs.
Challenging
EVIDENCE LINKED TO TEMPORALITY
These can also be divided into two types:
Process evidence It is evidence collected throughout a course or in a specific class. Some examples of process evidence are previous work submissions, parts of a project, drafts, etc. Process evidence helps to promote feedback for learning, with the aim of achieving pre-established learning goals, correcting or establishing new areas for improvement.
Outcome evidence They are generated at the end of the process, directly aligned with tangible evidence of learning outcomes, and are effective in fostering significant learning. Examples of such product evidence include:
Page 2 of 4
EVIDENCE LINKED TO THE DIMENSION OR CONTENT TO BE ASSESSED
On the other hand, we have evidence related to different dimensions or content to be assessed, such as: attitude, knowledge, procedures, and performance. The following table explains each one of these types and proposes some examples to guide the practice. However, the examples could be interchanged and be used in more than one. It is important to have some clarity about the intention of the evidence from the pre-established learning goals.
Type of evidence
Description
Example of evidence
Outcomes of observation patterns linked to:
Corresponds to personal positions, such as values, norms and attitudes. This can be manifested through opinions, physical or non-verbal dispositions, respect for norms, among other elements.
Attitude
Reports containing:
Related to the theoretical or conceptual use of knowledge. However, it also considers principles, facts, or hypotheses.
Knowledge
Reports containing:
They are those pieces of evidences that show the "know-how" from norms, techniques, methods, etc. In this sense, the procedures can be cognitive, psychomotor or both together.
Procedures
To a certain extent, it integrates the other types of evidence mentioned above. That is, it corresponds to the demonstration or mobilization of an articulated set of knowledge, abilities, skills, contents and values in a predetermined context or situation. Consequently, performances are complex learning, since they consider various dimensions under specific environments and conditions. Performance evidence requires more than one instrument or dimensions to be considered, since being complex, they need different assessment tools (for example, oral presentation observation guidelines and content review, in the case of an exhibition).
Performance
Page 3 of 4
TYPES OF EVIDENCE
We can categorize the pieces of learning evidence in the following way:
Performance
Evidence of outcome
Evidence of learning
Evidence of process
Attitude
Knowledge
Procedures
Linked to temporality
Linked to the dimension or content to be assessed
Conclusion
A backwards-designed educational process should combine the different types of evidence and the predefined learning goals in an organic and articulated way.
Page 4 of 4