CBSE Internal Assessment | What is Internal Assessment (20 Marks) for Class IX and Class X

CBSE Internal Assessment for Class 9 And 10: The internal assessment has been introduced by the CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) for all subjects, in a new pattern. Many students and parents are not aware of this pattern. They are expecting that schools will give marks based on periodical tests and school notebooks only. But now the format has been changed. Let us discuss here points to be kept in mind for both students and parents for Class 9 and Class 10 assessment tests.

The Assessment scheme will have an 80 marks component for Board examination (class X) and Annual Examination (class IX) in all scholastic subjects along with a 20 marks component of Internal Assessment. Students have to secure 33 percent in total in each of these components.

What is Internal Assessment in CBSE?

One time the year-end examination is complemented and completed with Internal Assessment (IA) that appraises students diversely, at different times and also examines a broad range of curriculum objectives. IA, in effect school-based assessment, performs the dual role of presenting a complete picture of students’ abilities or progress towards fulfilling the aims of education and informing teachers’ of students’ progress and therefore encouraging classroom learning. It also notifies the individual learner about his/ her progress over some time letting them develop strategies to improve learning.

Internal Assessment Parts

IA has mainly three parts. There are:

1. Periodic Assessment (10 Marks)
2. Portfolio (5 Marks)
3. Subject Enrichment Activities (5 Marks)

As discussed, an internal assessment is developmental. The aim is to find out areas for growth and assess the student comprehensively. Let us get all these points in detail.

Internal Assessment – Periodic Assessment

The main objective of the Periodic Assessment is to assess the learning improvement of students. Such assessment arranged at regular intervals gives feedback and insight to teachers regarding learners’ needs and helps them to improve instruction, do remedial teaching and set curricular targets for a student or a group of students. The feedback also helps students to know their mistakes as well as strengths and weaknesses. The students, thus, are qualified for better learning and setting up realistic goals. In essence, this is an assessment for, of and as learning. Periodic Assessment is further divided into two types

• Periodic Tests
• Multiple Assessment

Periodic Tests (05 marks): In the beginning, these would be restricted to 3 in each subject in an academic year and the average of best 2 would be taken for final submission of marks. These tests direct to follow a pattern, which is quite similar to the end of course examination and has a continuously increasing portion of content. Hence, they also tend to prepare students for final summative exams in a more assured manner.

Note: The weightage of this component, however, would be of 05 marks only.

Multiple Assessment (05 marks) 

• Multiple assessments approach relevant to particular learning results are advised throughout the curriculum transaction. The subject teachers would decide the type and frequency of these.
• This would make assessment more thorough and provide schools/teachers versatility to use multiple and different techniques to assess learners such as observation, oral tests, individual or group work, class discussion, field-work, concept maps, graphic organizers, visual representation, etc.
• Hence, the schools are given liberty to use alternate methods of assessment as per the demand of the subject and the context towards addressing the goal of assessment for and as learning.

Attention must be observed that recording of such an assessment is not cumbersome and can be efficiently translated into individual student scores. Thus, acquiring simple scoring criteria and rubrics becomes of equal importance when selecting to use a particular technique. In harmony with the purpose of periodic assessment i.e. to afford feedback to improve teaching and learning, it becomes of equal importance to use follow-up measures in case students are found insufficient in the proficiency of relevant learning outcomes.

Note: The weightage of this component would be of 05 marks.

Internal Assessment – Portfolio

The formulation of portfolios is proposed to broaden the scope of learning and achieve various curriculum outcomes by examining a range of proof of student performances being assessed.

What is a portfolio?

A portfolio is a useful collection of purposely chosen student’s work depicting a selection of performances that are collected over time and represents the learner’s efforts, progress, growth and accomplishment in key areas learning outcomes. It is a tool for assessing a variety of skills not normally testable in a single setting of the traditional written paper and pencil tests.

• The assessment would include self and peer evaluation among others.
• Its use is prescribed as a support to the new instructional approaches that highlight a student’s role in constructing knowledge and understanding.
• For a more simple approach in the first year, it is recommended that the portfolio take the form of a journal or notebook that would include besides classwork, students artifacts selected within a coherent framework along with their reflections.
• Learner here is an active member involved in constructing his or her journey through the portfolio building process of selecting, organizing and reflecting.
• In the second year, schools are expected to develop portfolios.
• This portfolio can be seen both as a process and as a product. As a product, it holds the performance records and documents, a student has produced during the learning course and represents a collection of their learning accomplishments.

As a process, it enables learners to observe their learning systematically, reflect on their performance, redirect their efforts and set future goals.

Purpose of Preparing Portfolios

Usually, a portfolio:

• grants the opportunity of assessing more complex and important aspects of learning areas or subject matter that can’t be assessed through conventional forms of testing;
• gives a profile of learner’s abilities – in-depth growth and progress serve as a solid vehicle for ongoing communication or exchange of information and feedback among various stakeholders – students, peers teachers, administrators. It may even be used to compare achievement across classrooms or schools;
• works as a lens and helps to develop among students’ perception of their learning. The focus on self-assessment and reflection helps students to identify their strengths and weaknesses through facilitating setting up realistic improvement goals. The active role that students play in examining what they have done and what they want to accomplish, not only drives them but also help to develop metacognitive skills which enable them to make adjustments not only in their learning in school but beyond as well;
• grant an opportunity to share own learning with peers and review and give feedback on each other’s work. Peer Assessment thus becomes great support that further promotes a clear understanding and evaluation of personal goals.

Thus, a portfolio, on one hand, helps to discover a common vision of goals and holistic picture of students learning, on the other, increases accountability and contributes to improved teaching and learning. Enabling review of curriculum and instruction, it may also be seen as a tool for curriculum enhancement.

Preparation of a Portfolio

At the starting, it is necessary to know why a portfolio is being created and be clear of the purposes without purpose. Without purpose, it simply becomes a catalog of student’s work. It is recommended that the portfolios be an extension of notebooks developed subject-wise. They would include classwork and homework assignments that would help evaluate learner’s progress. Besides this, portfolio should be a space for the student to display his/her exemplary work in the related area.

The attention should be to promote methods such as annotation, identification of keywords/topics/themes, summarization, and organization of ideas and content. The sample of creative work and testimonies that demonstrate process skills or development of critical thinking or problem-solving merit inclusion as well.

A periodic review of the evidence includes in the portfolio would facilitate self-assessment by learners who would be more aware of their learning and be able to identify their strengths and weaknesses.

The portfolio also provides an opportunity for learners to share and comment on each other’s work. Such peer assessment facilitates understanding of criteria of good work to students. It is advised that such criteria be developed and made clear to students. Initially, this self and peer assessment would be a guided endeavor.

Assessing Portfolios

Students’ portfolios can be efficiently evaluated using a simple scoring rubric. The criteria – the factors to be used in determining the quality of a particular student’s portfolio needs to be carefully developed and shared with students. The key elements of the particular criteria need to be particularized as well. Suggested are some elements to judge student’s portfolio:

• Organization – Neatness and Visual Appeal
• Completion of guided work focused on specific curricular objectives
• Evidence of student’s growth
• Inclusion of all relevant work (Completeness)

Teachers can include other subject relevant criteria and elements to assess portfolios.

A Word of Caution: Portfolios need to be developed in an easy to manage form. They need to be meaningful but simple and accessible. Developing them should not be a burden on students- both in terms of cost and time.

Note: The weightage of this component would be of 05 marks.

Internal Assessment – Subject Enrichment Activities

Subject enhancement activities followed by the secondary school curriculum aimed at the improvement of understanding and skill development. They present in-depth learning that stimulates students to dig deeper into the discipline. These endowment activities need to challenge students and permit them to apply knowledge to the next level. These activities become an important instrument to learn the processes by which knowledge is generated in a particular discipline. They ought to provide an opportunity for students to explore their interests as well along with an understanding of the nature of particular discipline.

The Subject Enrichment Activities must be conducted with rigor and focus. Some suggestions for this are as follows:

• Languages provide ample space and autonomy to subject teachers to develop relevant listening and speaking skills.
• Teachers need to use this opportunity to full advantage and use excerpts from relevant suitable literature to develop vocabulary and heighten students’ awareness and sensitivity.
• The specified activities in practical work in Science and Mathematics need to be conducted in the investigatory spirit incongruence to be the spirit of the subject.
• The focus must shift from confirmatory nature of lab experiments to explorations that focus on the development of science processes.
• Students need to be encouraged to raise questions, generate hypotheses, experiment, innovate and find solutions to questions/problems encountered.

The discipline of Social Science puts the responsibility on concerned teachers to help students to design and execute related projects. It is suggested that social science is the subject relevant to social context, projects are related to Art and culture and include the development of Life Skills too. Art is not only about self – expression but is more about observations a special way of understanding and responding to work. Exploring ideas and meanings through the works of artists/experts/writers/poets, the students would develop imagination and critical awareness.

 Note: The weightage of this component would be of 05 marks.

Internal Assessment Distribution of Periods/Grades

Distribution of Periods/Grades For Internal Assessment In Health and Physical Education (with Work Experience subsumed in it)

The post CBSE Internal Assessment | What is Internal Assessment (20 Marks) for Class IX and Class X appeared first on Learn CBSE.