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Unit 2: Measurement and Evaluation : Concept, Need, Scope, Difference and Relevance

Educational measurement is not a new concept. The teacher has been testing students since times Notes
immemorial in order to know their progress in studies, and to see what type of behavioural changes
have occurred in students, if they are optimal and what direction these behavioural changes have
taken. A teacher wants to know the shortcomings of the method of teaching he uses, for which these
tests have been found to be very important. These tests have become all the more important in the
present age, and it is expected from the future teacher or pupil-teacher that he would gain skill in
constructing several types of tools of measurement and evaluation.
The introduction of evaluation in the educational world is comparatively new. In fact, it was
introduced in this field in order to get rid of the serious shortcomings of measurement. From the
beginning of the twentieth century, three types of important progresses were noted down in the
field of educational measurement, they were testing, measurement and evaluation. This progress in
education is known as progress in measurement. However, in the present times, evaluation is
considered to be an important contribution of psychology and education. Recently, the attention of
educationists and psychologists has been drawn towards evaluation.

2.1 Concept of Measurement

Generally, to measure and show the weight, length and volume of an object in definite units is
called measurement; for example, to show the weight of a person in kilograms, length of cloth in
metres and volume of milk in litres. But the field of measurement is very wide. It includes to define
any characteristic of any object or person or activity in words, symbols or units.
As far as explaining the qualities of objects, persons and activities is concerned, it has been in vogue
from very ancient times, of course, without any definite base of measurement. In the present times,
the bases of most of the qualities of objects, persons and activities have been defined; their standards
and units have been specified; measuring tools and methods have been devised and methods to
demonstrate the results of measurement in brief have been decided. Now, a characteristic of an
object, person or activity is described in definite words, symbols and units in brief. Many scholars
have attempted to delimit the definition of this process. Most scholars are in agreement with the
definition given by James M. Bradefield. In his words :
Measurement is the process of assigning symbols to the dimension of phenomenon in order to
characterise in order to characterise the status of phenomenon as precisely as possible.
--- James M. Bradefield
In this definition of measurement only the measurement of qualities of objects and activities has
been included, and not the measurement of qualities of persons. Though the persons are included
in the objects of the universe; however, the objects are meant to include only concrete materials, so
it is necessary to show the measurement of qualities of the persons separately. This definition of
Bradefield does not point to any such basis of measurement. We are of the opinion that it should
also be necessarily included in it and in that case measurement should be defined as :
Measurement is the process by which a characteristic of an object, person or activity is perceived
and understood on specific standards and is described in standard words, symbols or definite
units.

Factors of Measurement
The above definition of measurement shows that there are four factors of measurement :
(1) The object, person or activity any of which characteristic has to he measured.
(2) The characteristic of that object, person or activity which has to be measured.
(3) The tools and devices of measuring such characteristic.
(4) The person who measures it.

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