New Assessment and It's Transmutation Table (D.O. No. 8 s.2015)

(Repost from DepEd Official E-Class Record (K to 12 Grading System) Help Desk Facebook Group)

DepEd Order No. 8, series of 2015

True that this DepEd Order has a few imperfections noticeable, but mainly within the promotion, retaining, and ranking procedures alone. But to be fair, the assessment guidelines are clearly stated based on theories and principles. In order to actualize the Zone of Proximal Development, one must conduct religiously the assessment procedures coming from the original standards based assessments of (1) Diagnostic, (2) Formative and (3) Summative Assessments. DepEd Order 8 though used two terms alone where Diagnostic and Formative Assessments are treated as one. This is in order to avoid confusion that Diagnostic Assessments are to be treated as baseline pre-tests alone when in fact in should be done as frequently as it should. Every time the teacher conducts a lesson, an indirect method of diagnostic assessment should accompany it, such that the result of the said assessment directs or redirects the planned lesson towards the actuality of the objective(s). This redirection or direction would include the Formative Assessment procedure. Each lesson uses these methods of Diagnostic and Formative Assessments where the results should be tallied, studied and researched. If the results entails positive outcomes, teachers may now conduct the Summative Assessment of the said unit or chapter of the lesson. If the results of the two prior assessments are negative, this would be the key point of the remedial sessions which are also included in our Individual Class Programs. In other words, if teachers have garnered more than 75% functional literacy of the said competencies within that period/unit/chapter, then they may conduct their Summative Assessments which is recorded in the ECR. The remaining 25% are the students subject for Remedial Sessions in order to cope up with the lacked skills and competencies. The results of the Summative Assessment which were recorded are again studied in order to identify if the said 75% student population did pass the Summative Assessment. If the results are below the said range, all students below it are also subject for Remedial Classes.

In the light of these procedures, it is - theoretically - impossible not to garner a percentile population of passing students below 75% since the Summative Assessment was conducted via the justification of the Formative Assessment results. Neither is it allowed to alter the students' raw scores after the remedial, but they are to cope up - which is the objective of the remedial sessions - in order for them to pass the next Summative Assessment. These process is used over and over until the student will be able to achieve, learn and show the said learning skills and competencies. Grades are merely numbers, the goal of DepEd is to produce Functional Literate Filipinos equipped for the 21st Century Advocacies.

THE TRANSMUTATION TABLE

As I have explained in other threads and discussions, is a mathematical result justified by statistical tools such as frequency of distribution using the condition of two groups (1) Pass and (2) Fail.

*First Consideration*
Since the lowest possible grade a student could have in his/her Report Card is 60, this value is to be considered as the midpoint of all Initial Grades. This is very important to note because 60 as the Lowest Possible Grade after Transmutation is the Lowest Passing Grade within the Table. This would mean, an Initial Grade of 60 is equal to 75 in the Transmutation.

*Second Consideration*
In Transmuting Grades, 100 is to be transmuted equal to itself. Therefore, 100 = 100. This is both Highest Possible Initial Grade and Highest Possible Transmuted Grade. But because 100 is 100, there is no transmutation that occurred in the first place, because when we say "transmutation" it should mean that the Initial Grade is equal to value that is also equal to other initial grades. 100 as an initial grade does not have this condition. Thus, all values less than 100 starting from 99.99 down to the lowest passible passing initial grade of 60.00 is the range of the first condition i.e. Passing Grades. And all grades below 60.00 starting from 59.99 down to 0 is the range for the second condition i.e. Failing Grades.

*Frequency of Distribution*
From 99 down to 75, the number of units inside the transmutation table, we have N=25. As explain in the First Consideration above, 100 is not part of the Transmutation Procedure since it is equal to itself. So we have 25 units under the range of 99.99 to 60. We should now distribute this 25 units within the said range using the formula of HPS of the passing range divided by the LPS of the passing range divided by the said units. We now have (99.99-60.00)/25 = the range distribution for each unit of transmutation. The result is 1.5996 to be exact. But because statistically speaking, we use a marginal of error of .05, we can use the exact two decimal places of the said value without rounding off. The result would be 1.59 which is now the range of each unit. Thus we have, 99.99-1.59=98.40 and this is the first unit inside the transmutation table, that 98.40 going to 99.99 initial grade is equal to 99 as a whole number in the Transmuted Grade. You will repeat the same process until you reach 60.00 which is the Lowest Possible Initial Grade of Passing Condition.

The same procedure is used in the Second Condition which is the Failing Grade Category. The Highest Possible Failing Grade of 59.99 and the Lowest Possible zfailing Grade of 0 are used to determine the range from the units of the transmuted failing grade highest possible score of 74 down to the lowest possible score in the report card of 60. So we count the number of units from 74 to 60 which is equal to 15 = N. The same method, (HPS-LPS)/N is (59.99-0)/15 = 3.9993333. Taking the two decimal account as above, we have 59.99-3.99=56. This is the first unit of our Highest
Possible Failing Grade in the transmutation, such that 56 to 59.99 = 74. Repeating the same process is done all through out the initial grade of 0.

Clearly, what I am trying to explain, once and for all, is that the transmutation grade is justifiable mathematically. And statistical tools were used in order to meet the desired results. This is not just because "trip lang talaga ng deped na ganun ang transmutation basta ba't mayroon lang mailagay". Ever since early 2000's, we have been using zero based system, and until now, we still are. This can be seen from the results of the initial grades. And DepEd tried to raise the numerical value of these zero based system using Justified Statistical Method, and the result is DepEd Order 8's Transmutation Table.

Those who question this should have scientific and statistical research analysis data to justify their claim. Especially those who say "WE WILL ALTER OR MODIFY THE TRANSMUTATION TABLE" either because it is so high or low. DepEd Order 8 is a result of a research study, not just a mere imagination or whatever. Teachers who disclaim, criticize and speak negatively of this transmutation table should ask themselves first "Am I credible enough to use other statistical transmutation?". Even if you claim to say you've been with teaching and/or in DepEd for 20 or so years, learn first what you're talking about. This is not a matter of whim and opinion. Teaching is a scientific process using scientific tools based on scientific studies.

So please, reflect first and know where we should be standing.

Sir Wedz 8/18/15
SECPRT

Source:
Wedzmer Briz Munjilul. DepEd Official E-Class Record (K to 12 Grading System) Help Desk Facebook Group. facebook.com/groups/DepEdECR/permalink/846837102090630/ (Retrieved, 20.April.2016)