Diversifying
the Methods of Student Evaluation
The Korean Ministry of Education has made efforts to assess
students authentically and holistically, and has tried to develop an evaluation
system in which the evaluation procedures and methods are fair and transparent
enough to receive enthusiastic approval from the public as well as from
professional evaluators.
One prominent feature of the reform package with respect to
evaluation is the diversification of the criteria for evaluating students.
Diverse Evaluation Methods: The reform package recommends
the introduction of alternative methods of evaluation. In the past, most
schools used a norm-referenced evaluation, and students were ranked according
to the average total score they received by combining grades from all
subject areas. Class instruction, until now, has been designed for students
to get good grades on their test scores at the expense of achieving thegenuine
goals and objectives of education.
Consequently, classroom education has failed to develop students
abilities to understand and think in comprehensive and creative ways.
In order to overcome these limitations, the following three principles
were proposed with respect to the school record system:
- The traditional norm-referenced system should be replaced with a new
system of criterion-referenced evaluation;
- The students grades for each subject should be recorded in order of
rank for each individual class, but the total grade point average should
not be ranked; and
- The aim of the record is to give not only a cumulative evaluation but
a diagnostic and formative evaluation.
Beginning in 1998, a variety of assessment techniques have
been introduced in the name of the overarching concept of performance
assessment. As an alternative to the previous paper-and-pencil tests,
a variety of performance-based evaluation methods have been suggested.
Among these are essay tests, oral tests, discussions, demonstration, experiments,
interviews, clinical observations, self-evaluations, peer evaluations,
written reports, research papers, portfolios, etc.
National Curriculum Standards: In order for these new evaluation
practices to take root in schools, two educational policies are being
implemented. One is the policy on "Content and Performance Standards",
which is to function as a criteria in assessing students. It is being
developed and disseminated by the Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation
(KICE) to all elementary and secondary schools.
The school record system has also been improved from the form
of a sheet of paper to a portfolio in which all the student's personal
data are recorded, such as special abilities or interests in a subject,
school attendance, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, participation
in group activities, certificates, awards and personal traits, as well
as traditional evaluation data like grades and the students rank in each
subject.
Student Achievement Evaluation Council: Each school is granted
more power to enhance the objectivity, fairness, transparency and reliability
in the evaluation of students. In the past each teacher, for the most
part, made their own tests for the students they taught. At present, teachers
collaborate on the making of test materials for all students of the same
grade in order to guarantee objectivity and fairness in the test-making
process. Also, test items and students scores are made public and students
who are not satisfied with their score can petition the grade they receive.
A New High School Admission System: The entrance examination for
high schools has now been abolished. Instead, high schools would give
admission to students on the basis of their grade average point (GPA)
and middle school records. High school students recommended by the School
Governing Council, in accordance with the principles set by each college
or university, can apply to colleges or universities without taking college
entrance exams. The new system of evaluating students is expected to contribute
to the advancement of schooling in Korea.
