We can't actually know what someone knows, so we use proxy to take indirect measures to try and figure out what the learner really knows. There are so many unknown lurking variables that can skew results (lack of sleep, stress, etc.). We get over these things by increasing the sample size (assessing with lots of items lots of times).
Objectives:
• Audience - who?
• Behavior - what?
• Conditions - constraints, support
• Degree - how well/how much?
I love that this model emphasizes the foundation of outcomes, and that assessment and content are derived (or should be) from the outcomes. The only issue that I am seeing with this theoretical model is that it is telling me that the content/activities are only connected to the outcomes through assessment. The logic is that if the assessment step is done right, then the content (which is based on the assessment) will accurately reflect the outcomes. The logic is sound in theory, which is what all this really is, which is probably why it is so popular. The problem is that we all admit that it is impossible to assess learning directly. Let's bring some more "logic" into this framework. A perfect assessment needs to be direct, or else there will always be lurking variables that will skew and widen the gap between perceived performance and actual comprehension/learning. Assessing learning cannot be direct, only indirect (even though indirect assessments can get pretty close). Thus it is impossible to design a perfect assessment. Following with this logic, if our content is based on our assessment, which can't be perfect, then our content will only have the potential to be imperfect. It will always be hampered by the imperfections in the assessment. This means also that the outcomes will never fully be met. Is it possible that the content can be designed to meet outcomes that can't be perfectly assessed? I believe that it is. The task here is to use the above model first (define outcomes, design assessment, and then design content). Then, the designer should be aware of the weaknesses of the assessment and try and design the content to overcome the weakness in the assessment. One can argue that without a way to assess, there is no way that the designer can know if the content is meeting the outcome. Well, there is NO chance in meeting that section of the outcome (the section that we can't quite accurately assess) if our content design is based solely on the assessment. There is a chance in meeting that section of the outcome if the designer realizes the weakness of the assessment and tries to overcome through the content. Is this a guarantee? No. Will the designer ever know if the content meets this section of the outcomes? No (or else there would be a way to assess it). Is there a possibility that it can meet this section of the outcomes? Yes. In my mind, that possibility is reason enough to try.
Alignment
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