Guidelines of Assessment and Measurement
Al-Madinah International University
1437 / 2016
3rd Edition
Contents
Introduction
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions and Taabi’een to him until the Day of Resurrection .And now, the Al-Madinah International University offers a directory for measurement and Assessment because it is concerned to promote its academic efficiency and educational process in all its aspects (teaching staff, students, content, and Assessment). This directory takes into account many significant aspects the university requires in setting the question bank based on international standards and foundations, hoping to be useful in promoting science and religion.
The guide uses the following concepts as illustrated below:
It is a system that evaluates all educational aspects of the learner: cognitive, skilful and emotional. Cognitive side contains all knowledge, facts, concepts and information students learn. This aspect can be measured by various performance tasks (written and oral) and all types of achievement tests. On the other hands, skilful side contains all types of skills which are related to performative or practical sides, like writing a research, reading a poetical poem or a speech… etc. Emotional side involves everything related to feelings, emotions and psychological sentiments such as tendencies, attitudes and values.
It refers to the Assessment prior to the enrolment of the student in an academic program in order to determine the level of the student in a specific area, to classify and distribute him/her, or suggest the appropriate program for his/her capabilities in that area.
It refers to the Assessment associated with the learning process to measure the academic achievement of the students, and provide a feedback to the student, lecturer and management on the level of performance on a specific subject.
It refers to the Assessment after the semester to measure the objective achievements and its educational outcomes, and to provide a comprehensive feedback of the educational process during the ending educational semester.
Self-Assessment refers to the Assessment that is done by the student himself or by the computer. It aims to inform the student of what he achieved during the semester.
The activities refer to the group of homework that are assigned to a student or a group of students. It aims to identify the student’s points of strength and weakness and to introduce their educational outcomes to them.
Class discussions assess the students by asking them short questions during the lecture. It aims to make the lecturer sure about the students’ acquisition of the required knowledge and skills.
Exam-venue refers to the venue prepared for holding the mid-term and final exams, in accordance with the terms and conditions established by officials of the exams.
2.Assessment Types
The university considers the system of assessment, which relies on the standards generally accepted in the field of education. The types of assessment are numerous, and are distributed over the phases of the study period. These contain pre-Assessment before the enrolment in the program, continuous Assessment during the semester and final Assessment at the end of the semester. These Assessments judge the qualification of students, determine their levels in their area of study, and measure the achievement of goals and outcomes of the educational programs of study during and after the study period, but the types of assessment vary in their effect on the rate of the student. The following is an explanation for this:
2.1 Pre-Assessment
The pre-Assessment aims to determine the applicant’s level of the language proficiency. He is to set for a placement test, which qualifies him to enter the course of his/her choice. In the event of failure, he/she will have to join the short courses in either the Arabic Department or English Department in the Language centre, as detailed below:
The proficiency placement test has to cover the following:
Questions have to involve all language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and grammar.
Questions must contain essay questions so that the applicant can express himself.
The applicant has to sit for an interview that helps the evaluator know his true level. A committee will be assigned to conduct an oral test for the applicant.
The applicant sits for the language proficiency placement test in Arabic or English according to the following considerations:
Language proficiency placement test
Applicants have to pass Arabic language proficiency placement test called MEDIU Arabic Placement Test (MAPT), or English language proficiency placement test called MEDIU English Placement Test (MAPT), or their equivalent for knowing the applicants’ level in the skills of Arabic or English: (listening, speaking, reading and writing). Based on that, the passing marks are as follows:
| Level | English Language | |
| From | To | |
| First | 1 | 46 |
| Second | 47 | 72 |
| Level | English Language | Number of Subjects | |
| From | To | ||
| First | 20 | 46 | Reading, Writing, Composition and Grammar |
| Second | 47 | 72 | Reading, Writing, Composition, Grammar and Phonetics |
It should be noted that
Applicants who fulfil the admission conditions in Arabic Language (Foundation and Bachelor) but they could not pass the second level, are allowed to join the faculty program with having some courses from the second level.
2.2 Continuous Assessment
Continuous Assessment aims to evaluate the level of the students during the semester, from beginning to end, and follows the steps mentioned below:
Classroom discussion is one of the interactive teaching methods. It is based on pinpointing a topic for discussion, and then allows students to decide about tackling it. So, it depends on communication and interaction regarding the exchanged opinions among the learners or between learners and the teacher in the subject under discussion by questions; therefore, they themselves can reach to what their teacher is leading them to.
Classroom discussion is a method of the continuous Assessment that helps the learner to interact with the classroom situation in order that he can contribute to obtain knowledge. It can develop a positive attitude towards exchanging ideas and dialogue for the purpose of the presented topics. Also, it is an effective method for achieving the goals of “analysis, structure and Assessment”.
Classroom discussion has two main types:
A. short classroom discussion
It is a discussion between a teacher and a learner or among the learners themselves under the supervision of a teacher. It lasts for a short period of time not exceeding five minutes in the class period.
B. Long classroom discussion
It takes all the time of the classroom period. It develops from the learners’ information about the topic that will be discussed because the primary purpose for this discussion is to reflect on the ideas and information to reach a solution to the problem at hand.
To achieve the goal, the classroom discussions are required to:
Students are advised to give enough concern for the interaction with the course content for each subject, through utilizing two types of questions: the first type of questions are exercises that at the end of each element of a lesson to assess their level of acquisition, and providing the answers to each question; and the second type is the exercises at the end of each lecture and the questions have to cover all the elements of the lecture. A general result will be provided without giving the correct answer. All of trainings and exercises do not have marks added to the student’s record, because it is intended to show the level of the student’s achievement of the content and it also shows the student his weaknesses.
The academic activities are designed by the lecturer of every subject in order to measure the academic achievement of students. They affect the student average accumulative marks based on the standards of each program according to the academic nature and level through taking into consideration the following points:
Specifications and assessment standards of Assignments for Master Degree programs of Structures B and C, and Research Methodology subject in Structure A
Academic quality is considered a basic element in assessing students’ activities and assignments. Quality is measured with acceptably scientific standards based on particular specifications. These specifications are divided into general and particular specifications.
General specifications
Particular specifications
The particular specifications encompass the following points:
Evaluation Standards
Assignments are assessed according to the evaluation standards classified as A, B, C. and D
| Specifications | A | B | C | D |
| Grades | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Quality tackling of the theoretical framework (references and resources related to the Research objectives and problem, Taking care to use the latest sources and references). | Display and accurate analysis of a wide range of relevant sources, a completely clear understanding and as a whole in the form of a research. | A high level of understanding of the main sources, and using them appropriately. | A number of relevant sources with a sound understanding of the research literature. | Some related sources indicating the effort of reading and understanding. |
| Quality employment of evidences and their analysis | Accurate level in the analysis and discussion with outstanding appearance of the researcher in presenting his dissertation | A good level in the analysis and discussion with with outstanding appearance of the researcher in presenting his dissertation | An appropriate level of analysis and discussion with outstanding appearance of the researcher in presenting his dissertation | An acceptable level in the analysis and discussion with outstanding appearance of the researcher in presenting his dissertation |
| Complementarity or quality linkage between theory and practice | Thorough presentation and analysis of scientific concepts and discussion and linking them to the practical aspects, and drawing the appropriate conclusions. | Good level Presentation and analysis of scientific concepts and discussion and linking them to the practical aspects, and drawing the appropriate conclusions. | An appropriate level Presentation and analysis of scientific concepts and discussion and linking them to the practical aspects, and drawing the appropriate conclusions. | A satisfactory level of Presentation and analysis of scientific concepts and discussion and linking them to the practical aspects, and drawing the appropriate conclusions. |
| Quality attainment in the research structure and organization of its scientific framework | Accuracy in developing and designing the research, and clarifying the problem, objectives, methodology of the research, and its structural and linguistic cohesion. | Good level in developing and designing the research, and clarifying the problem, objectives, methodology of the research, and its structural and linguistic cohesion. | An appropriate level in developing and designing the research, and clarifying the problem, objectives, methodology of the research, and its structural and linguistic cohesion. | A satisfactory level in developing and designing the research, and clarifying the problem, objectives, methodology of the research, and its structural and linguistic cohesion. |
| Quality achievement in displaying and presenting the research | Accuracy in technical output of the research. | A good levelin the technical outputof the research. | An appropriate levelin the technical outputof the research. | An acceptable level in the technical output of the research. |
It aims to assess the achievement of the educational outcomes of mid-term exams for the short course in the Language Centre, and the Programs of Foundation, Bachelor and graduate studies. It affects the rate of students according to the rates adopted by each program.
The third Assessment aims to measure the achievement of the targeted educational course outcomes for the student during the time specified for study. It takes into account one of the following forms in accordance to the academic level of the student and the type of course. They all affect the student’s rate. These forms are as follows.
It is about all the courses which are taught in the university. It affects the student’s rate according to the ratios of each program.
This is confined to the graduate students of Structure A or the complementary research for Structure B, according to the terms mentioned in the Higher Studies Statute for Master and Doctorate degrees.
3. Types of Questions
The types of questions which types of Assessment are based on vary according to the students’ cognitive, behavioural and affective skills which are going to be assessed. When setting Assessment questions, all or most of them should be included. The most important question types and the conditions of setting them are mentioned below.
4. Written Questions
There are many written questions. The most important are the following.
5. Objectives Questions
6. Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) with only one answer
MCQ is made up of two parts: a stem and a set of options. The general rule is to have one correct answer or the best answer.
* The following terms should be considered:
7. Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) with many correct answers
Its structure is like the Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) with only one answer but it differs from it in that all answers are correct with same terms of the first type. The student should choose the best answer.
8. Matching Question
Matching Question is made up of the two lists: the first known as the premises and second list is the responses. Students should choose from the responses the appropriate answer for the items in the premises according to the instructions given. Putting words, sentences or figures in the premises requires from the student hard and diligent work, so that he chooses from the list of responses what commensurate with what is in the premises.
In this kind of questions, the following should be considered.
9. Fill-in-the-space Question
Fill in the space questions have two parts: the question and the set of answers. Phrase the question so that it is apparent where the answer goes in the context of the question, and so that there is only one answer.
In this kind of questions, the following should be considered.
10. True-false question
It is a group of sentences or phrases some of which contain correct information from the textbook while some contain false information. Student is to judge those sentences or phrases as true or false.
In this kind of questions, the following should be considered.
11. Reorder Question
This type of questions is made up of writing words, sentences, phrases, figures, events or incidents unordered. Students should reorder them according to his choice. It may be upward order (from the old to the modern), or downwardly. With figures, they may be reordered from the smallest to the biggest or vice versa. Finally, he should rewrite them in an ordered manner.
12. In this kind of questions, the following should be considered.
13. Essay Questions
This type of questions designed to measure cognitive levels as “Bloom” rating. See Appendix 3 and 4))
And 4)
14. This type of questions aims at assessing:
15. In this kind of questions, the following should be considered.
16. Types of Essay Questions
There are many subjective questions. The most important are the following.
17. Short-answer Essay Question
This question is set with the intention that the answer should not be long. It is very narrow. The area that this question covers is very limited. This type of question normally begins with behavioural verbs such as mention the reasons, define, what is meant by, explain, summarize, give reasons, describe with no more than …., give examples …..
18. Structured Question
It is composed of an introduction followed with the question details. The introduction consists of sufficient information control the student’s answers. It can be in the form of diagram, graph, curve, map, a table, or a literary text.
The questions are usually composed of 3-6 segments, similar to the short-essay questions. It should be relevant to the introduction. Segments can be divided into several parts, starting with the easiest and gradually grow to the most difficult. It should be noted that if the answer is in the same question paper, the required and expected space should be given.
It should be noted that if the answer of a segment depends of other segments in the structured question, then this is called progressive type. However, if the answer of a question segment does not depend on any other segment, then this is called non-progressive type.
19. Extended Free Question
It is an open question where the student answers freely. He can present and order his ideas, compose his phrases, interpret and apply his knowledge in the way he thinks appropriate. He is confined with a certain number of lines, words or a required answer.
20. The Oral Questions
Oral questions are used to measure the achievement of some objectives of the educational areas of materials which require this kind of questions such as the Qur’an subjects, reading, composition and the like. It is complementary to the other types of tests that are used to measure objectives relating to the cognitive part in general.
21. In this kind of questions, the following should be considered
22. Methods of Evaluating the Graduation Project for Bachelor or Case Study of Master of the structure (c), Industrial Training, and the subject of Research Methods in graduate studie
The method of evaluating the graduation project for Bachelor, or a case study in Master Degree, structure (c)
23. It should be distributed as follows:
B. The industrial training:
The guidelines prepared by the faculties should be referred to along with the rules and regulations of studies and examinations.
24. The industrial training
The questionnaire measures many particular aspects of the trainee’s work in the enterprise, including: his knowledge of the work details, planning, organization, decision-making, and cooperation with the rest of the staff for the sake of the performing the work, according to a model prepared for this. Both and the trainee’s supervisor from the industrial corporation and his supervisor from the college share the student Assessment.
25. The distribution of overall assessment grades for the trainee as follows:
A.30% for the trainee’s Supervisor from the industrial corporation,
B. 70% for the supervisor from the faculty
The following issues should be taken into account in the Assessment:
26. The Research Methodologies for postgraduate studies:
Method of evaluating the subject of research methodologies should be as follows:
First: The subject of Research Methodologies is a pass requirement and does not have an exam. It is mandatory to all students.
Second: The student should submit a research plan in this subject for Assessment. The research plan should contain the following chapters:
Chapter I: Introduction
Chapter II: The literature search
Chapter III: Research Methodology
1. Research Design
2. Research Procedures (Research community, Scope, Research sample, method of selecting the sample)
3. Research Tools (contents, and certainty, and sincerity).
4. Exploratory study, data collection and analysis.
Note: These chapters are subject to change depending on the research requirements, and the student’s major.
27. Classification of cognitive levels of questions
Setting up the questions should take into account the learning levels in ascending sequence from the lowest level to the highest level; to measure the student’s ability (cognitive, absorptive capacity, applied, analytical, synthetic and Assessment) according to the levels of “Bloom’s cognitive” as the following:
Level of remembering means to remember the subject that has been already learned before, such as remembering a wide range of the subject ranging from certain facts to complete theories, and all that is required to retrieve the appropriate information. Remembrance of information represents the minimal cognitive level of learning outcomes.
The behavioral acts that can be used in the formulation of the main objectives of this level are: (Recognize -describe -locate-remember-choose-recall-number-list – write).
When writing good questions of this type, the following should be taken into account:
II Level of understanding
Level of understanding defined as the ability to grasp the meaning of the subject content. This shown through the translation of the subject from image to another (Ex.: words to numbers). Interpretation of the subject (Ex.: giving an explanation or a summary). Also, estimating future trends (Ex.: predicting the implications of something and things or a certain act). These outputs represent a step further than just remembering the content of the subject or information.
What distinguishes the understanding of the content of the subject is the way that the learners answer the questions, which is clearly specified, in the sense that the questions contains information that will help the learner to answer questions. There are three types of understanding can be distinguished at this level:
A. Translation
The Assessment of the ability of learners to draft the information given can be measured in different ways, for example to ask the students to write what they have understood using their own style, or express it in another language, or convert symbols into words, or vice versa.
B. Explanation
The explanation questions differ from translation questions because they evaluate more than translation questions. Explanation questions do not require converting of the information in exchange for another part perfectly, but it goes beyond as to ask the student to summarize what they have understood from reading a particular article in the newspaper, or give interpretation of some of the graphs.
C. Reasoning
The learner is asked to determine the outcome of an action in a series of observations, information or state the applications that can be used in a particular subject which is in consistent with the original information.
The following behavioral acts can be used to formulate the objectives of the level of understanding: (translate- interpret- differentiate-distinguish- Give examples- Formulate- predict – summarize- formulate- show cause)
Some examples that signify this level:
Level of application
The Level of application means the ability of learner to use what they have learned in new situations, including the use of rules and laws, ways and concepts, theories. The level of application also includes the ability of the learner to use certain abstractions in the treatment of new attitudes and problems.
To measure the ability of the learner to application, new positions or contain some new elements compared to the position where learning has happened.
The acts which are used for the formulation of the main objectives of the level of application such as (apply, change, organize, use, describe, connect, modify, justify, show, produce, predict…). The following are examples of the skills which signify the level of application:
III. Level of Analysis
Level of analysis refers to the ability of the learner to segment the topic to its key components. It also aims to clarify the relationship between ideas in terms of connectivity and conclusion. The level of Analysis also includes:
The acts which are used in the formulation of goals or questions in the level of analysis are the following: (analyze- distinguish- mark- explain- deduce- connect- interpret.)
Skills which signify the Level of Analysis:
IV. Level of Composition
Level of Composition refers to the learner’s ability to put the parts together; to create an all-new, and could include the preparation of a topic, or a particular lecture (Ex.: group items or partial concepts for the construction of an integrated or comprehensive concept). This may include:
The acts that are commonly used in the writing of the goals of the Level of Composition: (formulate- suggest- write- compose-sketch – collect- plan- classify- organize- produce.)
The skills that signify the Level of composition:
VI. Assessment Level
The Assessment Level refers to ability to judge the validity of the information, or determine the position of a specific problem and to clarify where his opinion about it. It’s a quantitative and qualitative judgment on the subject. Some images that show the learner’s possession of Assessment Level:
Verbs that can be used in the Assessment Level:( judge- decide- compare -draw- distinguish- support- measure- discuss with proofs- defend- make a decision- criticize).
Kills that signify the Assessment Level
4. Learning environment for Assessment types
The table below shows the types of Assessment Online and On-Campus:
| Assessment environments | Assessment | ||
| On-Campus | On-Line | Assessment images | Assessment type |
| Test system to determine the level of language proficiency | Test system to determine the level of language proficiency | Test to determine the level of language proficiency | Pre-Assessment |
| Classrooms | Direct meeting via Wiziq online classroom systemLecturer portal- student portal- questions bank- course
Questions Bank Interactive lessons Wiziq Online system –student portal Discussion rooms. University portal
|
Classroom discussions |
Continuous Assessment
|
| Lecturer Portal- student portal- questions bank- course | Educational activities (Forum, homework, practical applications, quizzes, short research project( | ||
| Questions Bank | Midterm exam | ||
| Interactive lessons | Self-Assessment | ||
| Student portal | Proposal defence | ||
| Classrooms- University portal- student portal | Viva defence | ||
| Questions Bank | Questions BankDiscussion Room
Wiziq and Alim online system The place where the students get training Campus system- student portal |
Final Exam |
Final Assessment |
| Discussion Room | Viva | ||
| Alim’s system and classrooms | Final Exam, research Assessment | ||
| Place where the students get training | Industrial training | ||
| Classroom- campus system- student portal | Research paper | ||
Please refer to the appendices no. (4) & (5) & (6).
Midterm and final exams are done at a place takes into account the following:
| Question pattern | Assessment | |
| Assessment images | Assessment type | |
| Written (objective, essays), Oral (personal interview) | Language proficiency test | Pre-Assessment |
| Written (objective, essays) and oral | Educational activities (Forum, homework, practical applications, quizzes, short research project). | Continuous Assessment |
| Written (objective, essays) and oral | Classroom discussions | |
| Written (objective, essays) and oral | Self-Assessment | |
| Written (objective, essays) and oral | Classroom discussions | |
| Written (objective, essays) and oral | Proposal defence | |
| Written (objective, essays) and oral | viva | |
| Written (objective, essays) and oral | Midterm exams | |
| Oral/discussion | Assessment of research only | Final Assessment |
| Written (objective, essays) and oral | Final exams only | |
| Written (objective, essays) and oral/discussion | Final exams, research Assessment or research project | |
6.Questions Bank System and its areas of development
The question bank system contains the following:
When building the question bank for all undergraduate subject and postgraduate phase, the following should be taken into account:
2. Question and exam setting up
A. First stage steps of preparing questions (preparation, review, approval), should be as the following:
1- Preparation of question from the lecturer.
2- The first review of the questions by the concerned department.
3- The second review by the external evaluator to assess the quality of the question and its evaluation.
4- The approval by the department and the faculty.
Based on appendix no. ().
B. Second stage examination:
1- Determine the schedule of exams and activities (Examination Commission).
2- Determine properties of the exams and activities for the semester (Examination Commission).
3- Determine the halls and times available for exams (educational centres).
4- Set up exams schedule and performance of the exams (Examination Committee, the student).
3. Exam paper specification
The design of examination paper should take a number of general specifications to achieve the desired Assessment outcome as follows:
6.4 Feedback
Questions Bank system should has the property of feedback; to be able to draw a number of conclusions and reports through statistical, academic and educational analysis of the results of students and employ them in the upgrading of the question bank.
The following approximate model shows the types of statistical, academic and educational analysis, and potential benefit from the development of the previous aspects:
The academic quality requirements in the Assessment are as follows.
Integration of all Assessment types with each other in the measurement of the achievement level of the students.<
Assessment types should cover eight areas of the MQA, as illustrated by the following table:
|
Types of the Questions |
Duration | Diversity | Weightage | Criteria | comprehensive |
|
| Self-Assessment (SCORM) ا• Training quizzes
• Exercises |
Long | 2 | 0% | Subjective | Comprehensive | |
| 1 | Oral AssessmentOral discussion | Middle | 1 | 10% | Objective | Fair |
| 2 | Written Essay– formative
– summative |
Middle | 2 | 30% | Objective | Limited |
| 3 | Written Subjective Assessment Multiple choice -single answer –Multiple choice -multi answer –
True and false- Matching– arrange – Fill the blank–
|
Short | 6 | 50% | Subjective | Middle |
| 4 | Practical AssessmentResearch Project
Seminar Presentations |
Long | 2 | 10% | Objective | Fair |
6.Appendices
Appendices (1): Illustration of the valuation method used in the final assessment of students at Centre of Languages, Preliminary Programs and Bachelor Degree:
Appendices: (2) The following is a diagram of the valuation method used in the final Assessment for Postgraduate programs:
Appendecs: (3) Example of exam specificaitons:
The following is a diagram of the Learning Objectives
Appendice: (4)Bloom’s level classifications:
The following is a diagram of the Bloom’s level classifications
Apndecs no (5) Congnitive Domain
The following is a table of the Cognitive Domain
| Cognitive Domain | ||||
| Level | Classification or Level | Description of Behaviour | Examples about an activity will be presented or a presentation and that would be measured | Main words ( verbs which describe the activity which will be done or one which will be measured at each level) |
| 1 | Knowledge | Recalling or differentiating information | Multiple choice exams, , recall a process of something, laws, combat, Quote a law or an action | Order, define, describe, classify, list, remember, Link, produce, select, mention |
| 2 | Comprehension | Understanding a meaning, restatement of data for passwords, explanation, translation, interpretation, elicitation. | Explain or interpret the meaning taken from the text or phrase, propose a solution, the reaction or the solution to a given problem, innovation, examples or metaphors | Explain, repeat, paraphrase, classify, sum up, explain, translate, see, write a report, discus, rewrite, estimate, explain, look, refer, give an example. |
| 3 | Application | The use or application of knowledge, execute theories, the use of knowledge in response to realistic conditions. | activate theory and make it realistic, explain, solve the problem, turn the active | Use, apply, discover, turn, do, solve, produce, create, change, prepare, respond, complete, interact, play the role of. |
| 4 | Analysis | Interpretation of the elements, organizational principles, installation structure, relations and internal relations, quality, credibility-based elements | Select the component parts and functions of a currency or a concept or analyze what an approach or a process, by making a qualitative assessment of the elements, links, relevance and effectiveness, measure requirements and needs | Analyze, index, compare, select, measure, test, try, Link, plan, plot, devise, evaluate, separate |
| 5 | Synthesis | Develop new and distinct structures, systems, ideas, creative thinking processes. | Develop plans or procedures, design solutions, include plans, references, parts, Create a difference, write an agreements or treaties. | Develop, plan, create, invent, design, , debug, format, suggest, make foundation for something, Collect, insert, rearrange, edit. |
| 6 | Evaluation | Develop a new and distinct structures, systems, ideas, creative thinking, effective operations, and concepts, values in terms of importance, outputs, critical thinking, comparison strategic operations, audits, and the provision on an external standard. | Review your options or strategic plans in terms of effectiveness, or effectiveness of the performance costs, produce the financial justifications for display or commercial project, calculate results of developments of plans strategies, perform a detailed analysis about costly hazards in addition to providing recommendations and excuses. | revise, justify , evaluate, view the issue, defend, Report, check, price, argue. |
Appendices no (6) Classification of Behavioural Objectives
6.6 Classification of Behavioural Objectives
The following is a diagram of the Classification of Behavioural Objectives
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