Umalusi Newslette

between the assessment and a specific set of curriculum specifications for cognitive demand weightings. The Porter index is used to analyse this alignment. Porter focuses the alignment analysis on two dimensions i.e., the content and cognitive domains, represented by topic and level of cognitive demand. That is, it can be applied when analysing alignment between curricula, instructions and assessment. The Porter alignment index creates two tables, one representing the curriculum specifications for cognitive demand weightings; the other for the

specification in the actual examination. Each uses a two-dimensional matrix in which the rows represent topics and columns represent levels of cognitive demand. Evaluating alignment is one way to demonstrate the connection between outcomes and assessment, which can improve the quality of the education system. That is, if learning objectives are aligned to expectancies the possibility of meeting expectancies is greater.

MAKOYA NEWSLETTER September 2020

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