Guidelines of Assessment

Guidelines of Assessment and Measurement
Al-Madinah International University

1437 / 2016

3^rd Edition

Contents

• Definitions
• Assessment types
• Types of Questions
• Learning environments for Assessment types
• Distribution of questions based on the types of Assessment
• Questions Bank System and its areas of development
• Quality of the Assessment
• Appendices

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.

1. Definitions

The guide uses the following concepts as illustrated below:

• Assessment

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.

• Pre-Assessment

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.

• Continuous Assessment

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.

• Final-Assessment

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

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.

• Activities

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 discussion

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

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:

1. Determining the applicant’s proficiency level in the language tested.
2. Assessing his comprehension

• Knowing his vocabulary size

1. Knowing his proficiency in the structures of grammar
2. Knowing the language skills he has
3. Obtaining some data and information to assist the centre in starting the program for those who sat for the language placement test

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:

1. Programs taught in English
2. Applicants who do not have the minimum skills in English Language in the majors taught in English.
3. Applicants who do not fulfil the requirements of passing the English placement test or do not pass the English language interview.
4. Applicants who have TOEFL, IELTs or MEPT two years before the applications, unless he graduated from a university whose medium of teaching is English like the universities in the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, or obtained a degree in the Al-Madinah International University’s majors taught in English

1. Programs taught in Arabic

1. Applicants who do not have the minimum skills in English Language in the majors taught in English.
2. Applicants who do not fulfil the requirements of passing the English placement test or do not pass the English language interview.
3. Applicants are excepted from sitting for the placement test if they have graduated from universities whose medium of teaching is Arabic or obtained a degree in the Al-Madinah International University’s majors taught in Arabic or their mother tongue is Arabic

1. Language certificates: MAPT for Arabic or MEPT for English:

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:

1. English Language Placement Test

2. Arabic Language Placement Test

It should be noted that

1. Applicants who score less than 20% are obliged to join the short course in the basics of Arabic language.
2. Applicants, who score 73% or above, can join the faculty of his choice.

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:

1. Classroom discussion

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.

• Principles of the Effective Classroom discussion

To achieve the goal, the classroom discussions are required to:

1. be meaningful and relevant to the information of educational material.
2. be related to an issue the students or the community are really concerned with.
3. Provide the freedom of expression for learners.
4. Motivate learners to participate in the debate.

1. Self-Assessment

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.

• Academic activities

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:

1. Short courses, and the Foundation Program, Bachelor, and their activities involve what follows:
2. two forums or general applications,
3. three assignments or a project, and
4. Three quizzes.

1. Master stage and its activities involve what follows:
2. Two forums or assignments
3. short research Project

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

1. Assignments should contain five thousand words at least, that is about ten pages.
2. The research structure should consider the essential elements: introduction, research problem, research objectives, research design, and research results.
3. The assignments should be of an academic and research nature, requiring description, thinking, and analysis.

Particular specifications

The particular specifications encompass the following points:

1. Quality tackling of the theoretical framework for the research problems,
2. Quality employment of evidences and their analysis,
3. Complementarity or quality linkage between theory and practice,
4. Quality attainment in the research structure and organization of its scientific framework, and
5. Quality achievement in displaying and presenting the research.

Evaluation Standards

Assignments are assessed according to the evaluation standards classified as A, B, C. and D

1. Please refer to the appendices no. (1) & (2)

1. Mid-Term exam:

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.

1. Final Assessment

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.

1. Final Exam

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.

2. Evaluating the dissertation (research)

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:

1. Answers should be similarly designed
2. The stem should be long while answers short

• Avoid the strange, unaffordable and superficial questions

1. The stem should be clearly phrased, not very short, not having many interpretations, representing a general concern in the life of the learner, and must treat a problem the learner suffers from.
2. The only answer of the question is agreed upon by the subject teachers.
3. All choices should be logical, and closely or slightly related to the question. Also, it is obligatory to avoid answers in which the mistake is intuitively known or that it is not the right answer.

• The number of choices should not be less than 4 or 5 choices because the chance will be wider if the choices are 3 or less. Also, The number of choices should not be more than 7 choices because this will be annoying to the student and distract him in searching the correct answer. In addition, more than 7 choices require very long time to prepare.
• Do not use phrases such as “None of the above”, or “All of the above” as multiple choice because it perplexes the student.

1. The correct answer should not be shorter than the other choices because this will give the student an indication of the correct answer.
2. Avoid using negative of the negative when setting the questions.

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.

1. Conformity of the content that is to say every question in the group belongs to same topic of the other questions in the same group.
2. Ordering the items vertically and systematically so that names should be ordered alphabetically, dates should be ordered chronologically and rates should be ordered according to their degree of difficulty.

• Columns should not be short. In general, questions should not exceed 7 and answers should be two more at least.

1. Questions should be put in two pages so that students do need to turn over the pages many times.

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.

1. Space left should be allocated for the main answer, not for a secondary thing.
2. Space should be at the end of the sentence

• Avoid transmitting sentences or phrases literally from the textbook.

1. Avoid using indicative signals to the correct answer be it a letter, additional word, or definite article.

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.

1. The sentences or phrases must be from what the students studied and not literally transmitted from the textbook or outside of it.
2. Sentences or phrases should be clear and meaningful.

• Sentences or phrases should be either true or false, not possible be both.

1. Sentences should be grammatically and linguistically structured, and equally long

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.

1. Items which should be reordered must belong to the same group (names, events, countries, … )
2. The questions must indicate the criterion of reordering: time, place, or category,…

• The question must show the direction or the point of start and end: old to new or vice versa or anything else.

1. It is preferred to have maximum 5 answers
2. The items should be ordered randomly.

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:

1. Ability to analyse and conclude
2. Ability to express in writing

• Ability to select, organize and relate, information

1. Ability to be creative (if the question requires so)
2. Ability to think evaluatively and critically

15. In this kind of questions, the following should be considered.

1. The question posed should clear and defined. It should tackle a problem familiar by all the examined. This can be achieved by choosing the exact terminologies and revising the questions many times.
2. Avoid words such as ‘when’, ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘mention’, ‘count’, and any other words which are linked to facts and information. It can be possible to use words that can help to achieve the goals such as “why, explain, compare, relate, interpret the reasons, analyse and criticize,..”.

• All essay questions must be compulsory. Questions should be optional unless the learning outcomes require that.

1. Both subjective and objective questions must cover at least 80% of the syllabus.
2. Question must conform to time allocated, and consider the learners’ abilities.
3. Question must assess one specific topic.
4. Question must achieve the different mind operations, such as analysis, comparison, inferences and decisions.
5. Questions must motivate learners to summarize what he read and analyse it, and show his ability to integrate his knowledge complementarily, functionally, intellectually and practically.

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

1. It should give a realistic picture of the student’s linguistic abilities, whether they are related to reading or correct pronunciation, or oral composition, when studying the Arabic language or the foreign languages.
2. It should help to give honest judgments about the student’s ability to conduct debate and dialogue, and the speed of thinking and understanding, and linking pieces of information, and drawing conclusions from them.
3. To provide an opportunity for students to listen to the answers of their colleagues, and use them to repeat information and installed in their minds, thus this should enable them to avoid errors that they make.
4. It should help to correct the mistakes made by students located as they occur. This provides immediate feedback for the learning process.

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)

1. The lecturer supervising this subject is called a guide, and the examiner a resident.
2. The student is required to deliver the final project maximum three weeks before the end of the semester.
3. An evaluator for the project from the same department should be appointed upon receipt of the final receiving the final copy of the search.
4. The process of evaluating the research and its presenting it should be before the end of final exams for the courses, so as not to affect the release of the final results.
5. The overall assessment of the student should be distributed as follows:

• 20% on attendance and the level of progress and the guide is authorized to grant it. The assessment includes the following:

1. Commitment to communicate with the Leader and to respond to him.
2. Seriousness in research and the level of progress.

• 50% on the guide’s final Assessment

23. It should be distributed as follows:

1. 10% for research is free from linguistic and stylistic and spelling errors.
2. 10% for the research methodology and the student’s ability to use the specialized scientific terminologies,
3. 10% for the student’s ability to use sources and references, criticism and analysis and suggestions,
4. 20% for the guide’s Assessment of the student’s performance during the final presentation and delivery and behaviour, and

• 30% is for the evaluator who is appointed by the department through a 15-minute presentation. In this presentation the following should noticed:

1. the student’s ability to provide a comprehensive brief summary,
2. the student’s ability to express and present opinions and ideas, and
3. the student’s behaviour and actions during the presentation.

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:

1. 20%: for the follow-up at the work site,
2. 30%: the trainee’s daily report for his work during the training period, and
3. 20%: the presentation provided by the trainee about the training period, and the results obtained from it.

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

1. Research Background
2. Research Problem
3.  Research Questions / Hypotheses
4.  The objectives of the research
5. Research terminologies
6.  The importance of the research
7. Research Structure

Chapter II: The literature search

1. Theoretical framework.
2. Previous studies.

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.

6. The lecturer of the subject is to evaluate the three chapters provided by the student, in the light of the form prepared for it. The student is obliged to hand them over maximum three weeks before the end of the semester. In case the student fails to pass the test of finalizing of the research plan for the first time, he should be given maximum two opportunities, each of which is two weeks. In the case of failing, he has to re-register the course in another semester.

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:

1. Level of remembering

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 behavioural 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:

1. The questions should match the content of the subject or what has been studied.
2. The same expressions or words should be used at it has been presented in the class without any changes. Examples of this level:

• What happened?
• How much?
• Who is?
• Extract the meaning
• Describe what happened
• Whom you talking with?
• Put true or false

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 behavioural 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:

• Write your own words about…?
• Write a brief overview of the….?
• Which is the main character in…?
• Can you distinguish between … and…?
• What is the difference between … and…?
• What is meant by the word…?

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:

• Use the information.
• The use of methods, concepts and theories in new situations.
• Problem solving using the required skills or knowledge.

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:

• Analyse the elements to get to know what basic elements included in the subject.
• Analyse the relationships that based on existing links between elements or parts of the subject.

The acts which are used in the formulation of goals or questions in the level of analysis are the following: (analyse- distinguish- mark- explain- deduce- connect- interpret.)

Skills which signify the Level of Analysis:

• Noticing models and examples.
• Order branches to reach all.
• Recognize the meaning between the lines.
• Definition of components.

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:

• Production of a unified theme by assembling its component parts.
• Derive a class of relations or grasp the relationship between the overall concept and the partial concepts within the composition.The conditions of good questions for this level:

1. Questions should be new to the learner, differ from those studied or has been given in the classroom.
2. Give the learner enough time to answer the questions.
3. The questions should be suitable to measure higher levels of thinking of the learner.

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:

• Extract the generalities of the facts given.
• Linking the relationships among multiple domains.
• Clarify the overall results.
• The use of the data and the old ideas to create new ones.

 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:

• The learner distinguishes between a right conclusion and another one wrong.
• Give his personal judgment on the weaknesses and strengths when discussing an issue.
• Balance between several views of a topic.

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

• Identify choices based on logical discussions.
• Verify the guide value.
• Identify the aspects that are characterized with subjectivity.
• Compare and approximate between ideas.

4. Learning environment for Assessment types

The table below shows the types of Assessment Online and On-Campus:

 Please refer to the appendices no. (4) & (5) & (6).

•  Exam Centres

Midterm and final exams are done at a place takes into account the following:

• Availability of computers connected to the Internet at an appropriate speed; for performance testing through accredited university examination system.
• The availability of observers, at least for each committee of the Headquarters checksum, and increase the number of observers increased the number of students Committee so that observers for each twenty students, The Observer tasks are as follows:

1. Prepare attendance paper files. Students should write their names and sign before they attempt the exams. The exam committee should also check the names of the students and their identities.
2. Exams’ attendance sheets should be scanned and sent to the officials at all exams’ centers
3. Communicate with officials at all exams centers to get the passwords to access the exams online and to follow up with any amendments happen to the exams.
4. To ensure the computers are safe and connected to the internet.
5. Monitor the students and maintain their commitment to the exams performance rules.
6. Allow the students to get out of the exams hall after the time specified.

1. Distribution of questions based on the types of Assessment

6.Questions Bank System and its areas of development

The question bank system contains the following:

1. Question bank regulations

When building the question bank for all undergraduate subject and postgraduate phase, the following should be taken into account:

• Availability of all types of questions included in the guide when preparing bank questions.
• Cover the questions for all eight areas of the body Malaysian accreditation.
• Integration types of questions with each other in the measurement of cognitive, behavioral and emotional skills to students.
• Connect each question with the by taking in consideration the following:
  • Element/ Component.
  • Degree of difficulty.
  • Degree of discrimination.
  • Learning goal.
  • Learning outcomes.
  • Mental ability.

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:

• Insert the following information in the paper(the name of (faculty, department, and period), Subject name and its code, the title of semi-final exam or Final exam, should identify the semester and the year, should select the suitable period for the exam).
• The questions for the current course should be covered around 80%.
• Measure the educational goals and outcomes; where it is recommended that cognitive side represents 60% of the questions, the skill side (behavioral) represents 30%, and 10% for the emotional side.
• Measure the mental capacity; Remembering capacity should represents 20% of the questions, understanding represents 20%, application ability represents 20%, analysis ability represents 10%, ability to install represents 15%, ability of Assessment and to express an opinion represent 15%.
• Difficulty and ease rates, where it is recommended it should be distributed to 15% easy, 60% average, 15% difficult and 10% very difficult.
• It is necessary to analyse the exams paragraph and extract coefficients of difficulty and discrimination..
• Questions include all types of essay questions and objective questions. There should be combination between them and each one should not be less than 30% percent when generating questions in foundation and bachelor program, except engineering program.
• Questions in master and bachelor degree in engineering must be as the following; depends on the essay questions in final exam.
• Questions must be based on the guild line of assessment and measurement and focus on analysis, structure, , comprehensive, and the level of understanding.
• Ensure exam quality paper among (objectivity, comprehensiveness, loyalty, and persistence).
• Observance of equal opportunities among students through:

1. The high number of exams centers of the university and the time difference between the centers increase the potential to generate more than one exam paper for the same subject to prevent the leakage of questions.
2. Provide an opportunity for each student to choose the subject that be wants to be examined in a timely manner within the framework of the appointments available.

• Develop the question bank system to allow the possibility of generating multiple elective papers per item shall include the following:

1. The proportion of the agreement between the experimental papers, where is recommended that it should be more than 10% of the questions.
2. All exam papers should be equal in all the previous specifications mentioned.
3. Provide an opportunity for students to conduct a pilot test of the one-time, in both midterm and the final exam.

         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:

1. Quality of the Assessment

 The academic quality requirements in the Assessment are as follows.

• Provide training courses for lecturers and those who follow the question bank administrators to raise the level of competence in the development of questions in order to be able to measure the achievement of academic programs, its outcomes, goals, and evaluate the students’ disadvantages and support their advantages.
• Assign the task of assessing the university Assessment system to a measurement and Assessment specialists from outside the university, and check the questions bank system before the final exam; to ensure the readiness of the bank, and after the final exam to follow up on the statistical analysis of the results.
• The distribution of the exam times throughout the semester, so that it covers all parts of the semester so as to speed the discovery of the difficulties faced by students and help to solve them.

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:

• Integration of types of questions with each other in the Assessment of students’ cognitive, behavioural and emotional skills.
• Assessment types should cover eight areas of the MQA, as illustrated by the following table:

8- The Assessment questions should be connected to the goal of the subject and outcomes
9- Integration of the types of questions with each other in terms of time period, diversity of styles, weight, Assessment standards, and the comprehensive coverage of the curriculum parts:

• Flexible exam performance in On-Campus and Online education at different exam centers.
• Questions stay confidential and ensure safety of test performance.
• Iintegration between the necessary elements of the educational process: academic, technical, and administrative, as illustrated in Figure (testing procedures scheme).
• Incorporate decision-making so as to achieve integration expertise, and share tasks and flexible business performance, as shown in Figure (exams overseeing committees).

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:

8. 3 Learning Objectives

The following is a diagram of the Learning Objectives

Appendice: (4)Bloom’s level classifications:

• Bloom’s level classifications:

The following is a diagram of the Bloom’s level classifications

Apndecs no (5) Congnitive Domain

8. 5 Congnitive Domain

The following is a table of the Cognitive Domain

Appendices no (6) Classification of Behavioural Objectives

6.6 Classification of Behavioural Objectives

The following is a diagram of the Classification of Behavioural Objectives