Quantitative vs qualitative assessment in educational review

To properly evaluate students’ performance, it’s a good idea to implement a structured approach that gauges educational outcomes and aids data-driven decisions using numbers. It’s equally important to capture the nuances that affect student performance.

An effective way to capture and measure these nuances is through the use of both qualitative and quantitative assessments.

Let’s explore these concepts of assessment in education.

What is quantitative assessment in education?

Quantitative assessment in education refers to evaluation methods that use numerical data to measure student performance. These numerical data take the form of percentages or grades to provide quantifiable metrics that can be easily compared or analysed. This assessment technique gauges students’ academic capacity and progress using standardised tools that produce these countable values.

Some examples of quantitative assessment tools are:

• Standardised tests and exams
• Grade Point Average (GPA)
• Rubrics with numeric criteria
• Close-ended surveys and questionnaires with predefined questions and fixed response options
• IQ tests and diagnostic tests

Benefits of quantitative assessment

A major benefit of quantitative assessment in education is the reduction of bias in evaluation. The standardised tools yield consistent results that eliminate the influence of subjective judgement. Also, its objectivity allows the comparison of the performance of different student groups.

Quantitative assessments are efficient as they can be administered to large and multiple student groups simultaneously and graded with minimal effort. Their outcomes help easily determine whether benchmarks are being met.

Limitations of quantitative assessment

Since quantitative assessment focuses only on factual knowledge, it can easily drive educators to concern themselves mainly with test preparation. This can limit the entire teaching and learning experience.

While it can pinpoint areas that students find challenging, it can’t explain how or why as it doesn’t pay attention to the context of the learning process.

Where the tests are of high importance, they can trigger stress and anxiety in both the students and teachers. Also, if an educational institution lacks the resources to provide support for optimal preparation and conducting of the tests, it can adversely affect student performance.

What is qualitative assessment in education?

Qualitative assessment in education refers to evaluation techniques that focus on descriptive and non-numerical data to understand student learning and experiences. To gauge the effectiveness of teaching and the effect of other factors associated with student learning, this assessment method allows students to demonstrate their experience beyond standard systems of numerical measurement.

Qualitative assessment can paint a more detailed picture of student progress by explaining how and why things are. It provides detailed knowledge, helping educators identify each student’s strengths and areas for growth.

Notable examples of qualitative assessment tools in education could include:

• One-on-one or group interviews
• Focus groups
• Reflective journals and essays by students, detailing their learning experiences
• Classroom observations
• Concept maps by students to give a visual representation of their understanding of a topic
• Rubrics with descriptive (non-numeric) criteria

Benefits of qualitative assessment

There are various upsides to using qualitative assessments for educational review. The insight gained from exploring the cognitive, emotional and social aspects of the student learning process can foster the provision of personalised feedback and the adaption of teaching strategies.

It can serve as a more inclusive and accommodating form of assessment as it allows students to express their understanding in different and creative ways. Also, it encourages the development of critical thinking skills as opposed to emphasising the mere recollection of information.

What’s more, this assessment method creates direct contact and helps build rapport with the student group in focus which can make education more interactive and meaningful.

Limitations of qualitative assessment

Qualitative assessments, however, can be prone to subjectivity and bias. This type of assessment can be heavily dependent on the skills of the researcher and different observers might interpret student responses differently.

Any lack of standardisation can affect the consistency and reliability of the assessment results. For this same reason, it can prove challenging to compare assessments across different student groups.

Qualitative assessments can also be challenging for large student groups because the evaluation and feedback process is highly individualised. This assessment method can require significant resources to design and implement; likewise, managing large sets of qualitative data can be complex.

The differences between quantitative and qualitative assessment in education

The major differences between qualitative and quantitative assessment in education are that:

• Qualitative assessments use words and detailed descriptions while quantitative assessments use numerical data
• Qualitative assessments are subjective while quantitative assessments are objective
• While qualitative assessments can be time-consuming, quantitative assessments are generally more efficient
• Qualitative assessments seek to uncover underlying reasons and context while quantitative assessments aim to measure and quantify variables

Though qualitative and quantitative assessments are different, they complement each other. The integration of both is key to a balanced approach to educational review. Find out how to power the learning experience and provide feedback with our robust submission assessment software.