1. What’s our objective in testing?
Assessment and Evaluation in the
Islamic Pedagogy

2. OVERVIEW
1. Best Practices in A&E today
2. Key Questions that Challenge our
Conception of A&E
3. An Islamic Perspective
4. Case Studies

3. WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES
§ Establish a foundation of A&E best practices
§ Challenge the purpose of A&E from the Islamic
Pedagogy
§ Reconsider our A&E approaches

4. WHAT IS A&E
Assessment requires the gathering of evidence
of student performance over a period of time to
improve student learning.
Evaluation occurs when a mark is assigned after
the completion of a task, test, quiz, lesson or
learning activity.

5. YOUR CLASSROOM (BRAINSTORM)
§ What methods do you use to assess and
evaluate your students
§ Do these approaches change between subject
areas and grade levels? If so, how?

6. PURPOSE OF A&E: BEYOND
TERMINOLOGY
Assessment for Learning
Assessment of Learning
Assessment as Learning

7. Activity
GROUP TYPES OF A&E WE USE WITHIN
FRAMEWORK FOR, AS, OF

8. 8 BIG IDEAS IN ASSESSMENT TODAY DAMIAN COOPER, TALK ABOUT ASSESSMENT
1. Assessment serves different purposes at different times
2. Assessment must be planned and purposeful
3. Assessment must be balanced and flexible
4. Assessment and instruction are inseparable
5. For assessment to be helpful to students, it must inform
them in words, not just numerical scores or letter grades
6. Assessment is a collaborative process
7. Performance standards are an essential component of
effective assessment
8. Grading and reporting student achievement is a caring,
sensitive process

9. KEY QUESTIONS ABOUT A&E
What is the purpose of A&E?
Who does A&E serve?
Teachers, Parents, Students, Employers, or College Admissions?
What is the impact of A&E?
Intellectual growth, correcting mistakes, stress, agony, frustration, fulfillment,
achievement, joy?

10. Turning to an Islamic Pedagogy
PRINCIPLE OF MUHASABAH

11. WHAT IS MUHASABAH?
I
It is reported that Umar ibn al-Khattab (r), one of the greatest students of the Messenger of God, said:
“Take account of yourself before you are
taken account of.
Evaluate yourselves before you are
evaluated.”
(Mu|annaf ibn Abi Shayba)

12. MUHASABAH EXPLAINED
Spiritually, Muhasabah is
§ divesting the ego of everything standing
between it and its progress in the path to purity.
§ It entails a heightened awareness of oneself at
all times and an evaluation of one’s actions,
words, and even thoughts in light of the Sacred
Law and ethical standard of the Prophet (s).

13. HOW DOES MUHASABAH BROADEN
A&E?
Excellence (in all areas) is the aim
Self-evaluation is primary
Teachers modeling self-evaluation is crucial
Self-evaluation is central to classroom culture (not
limited to evaluating content knowledge)

14. IMPLICATIONS OF MUHASABAH FOR
A&E IN ISLAMIC SCHOOLS
§ Assessment tools facilitate self-assessment
§ Teacher feedback on assessments encourages
growth
§ Teachers model self-reflection
§ Teachers provide opportunities for students to
improve
§ Self-assessment is a process of planning,
acting, reflecting, and revising in all aspects of
the classroom culture

15. EXAMPLE 1: PRE-EXAM PREP
Math exam is in two days
Teacher has committed to hold an exam review/
prep class the day before
Teacher facilitates an exit card to help shape
exam review

16. EXAMPLE 2: ENGLISH PORTFOLIO
Essay is assigned
Students contribute to developing rubric
Teacher feedback on essay outline
Teacher reviews model essay structure
Peer Assessment on first draft
Essays is evaluated by teacher
Student has opportunity apply feedback to a
revision at the end of the course

17. Case Study and Small Group Activity
APPLYING THE PRINCIPLE TO PRACTICE

18. CASES OF A&E
1. Pop Quiz in Islamic Studies
2. Test in Geography
3. Standardized test/exam in Math
4. Group Research Project in Social Studies
5. Oral Presentation in English
6. Homework in Science
7. KG students upholding Classroom Code of
Conduct
8. Maintaining behaviour on a field trip
9. Encouraging positive behaviour at recess
10. Preventing bullying school-wide

19. CASE STUDY INSTRUCTIONS
§ Create a group of 3-4 educators preferably from
the same subject and grade level
§ Select on of the case studies (adjust the case to
suit your teaching area if needed)
§ Consider assessment strategies from list
provided
§ Use the 5 implications of muhasabah, redesign
the assessment tool to address the implications
§ Present your group’s new assessment tool to
the workshop’s participants

20. RECAP OF BIG IDEAS
1. Centrality of muhasabah
2. Student learning is the end goal
3. Take from best practices

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