Work Sampling System in Early Childhood Education

The Work Sampling System: An OverviewSamuel J. MeiselsSamuel J. Meisels

smeisels@erikson.edusmeisels@erikson.edu

Performance AssessmentPerformance Assessment

Methods that enable children to demonstrate their knowledge, skills,

and personality through performing tasks that are part of their daily

experience.

The best way to evaluate a child’s performance is to study performance, not something else.

Curriculum-Embedded Assessments

Assessments based onstudents’ typical classroom

performance.

The Work Sampling SystemThe Work Sampling SystemA continuous progress, instructional assessment

that uses:• Guidelines and Checklists,• Portfolios, and• Summary Reports

To help teachers document and assess children’s skills, knowledge, behaviors, and academic achievements from preschool (3- year olds) to Grade 6.

Purpose of aPerformance-Based Checklist

Purpose of aPerformance-Based Checklist

• Observe and document children’s skills and accomplishments,

• Keep track of what individual children know and can do,

• Plan developmentally-appropriate classroom experiences throughout the year.

Helps teachers:

Language & LiteracyLanguage & Literacy

• Listening

• Speaking

• Reading

• Writing

• Research

Preschool 4 Developmental Checklist

Preschool 4 Language and Literacy

PortfoliosPortfolios

A purposeful collection of students’ work

Purposes of Portfolio Collection

Purposes of Portfolio Collection

• Shows quality of work

• Demonstrates progress

• Displays work across domains

• Involves children in evaluating their work

• Assists with instructional planning

Summary ReportsSummary Reports

• Combine information from Checklists and Portfolios

• Rate student performance and progress

• Highlight strengths, concerns, and plans.

SUMMARY REPORTS: WSO offers templates and tools for creating Family Reports to share with families.

OUTCOMES REPORTS: WSO aggregates data. Reporting on each of the domains, components, and indicators available.

Can We TrustCan We TrustTeachers’ Judgments?Teachers’ Judgments?

Can We TrustCan We TrustTeachers’ Judgments?Teachers’ Judgments?

Purpose of Study

To evaluate the validity ofthe Work Sampling System (WSS)

as a measure of children’s learning and academic

achievement.

Principal Study Questions

• Is WSS a valid means of evaluating student achievement and progress?

• What is the impact of WSS on families?

• What is the impact of WSS on student learning?

Sample for the Validity Studies

• K – 3, cross-sectional

• N = 345

• 17 classrooms (volunteer), 5 schools

• 70% African-American, 80% free and reduced lunch, 49% male, 8% special needs

Results of the WSS Validity Study (K - 3)

• WSS correlates very well with a standardized, individually administered psychoeducational battery (the Woodcock Johnson-Revised);

• WSS is a reliable predictor of achievement ratings in kindergarten – Grade 3;

• Data obtained from WSS accurately discriminate between children who are and are not at risk.

Accuracy of WSSTeacher Ratings

When two students––one with reading difficulties and one without––are chosen randomly, the student in academic difficulty has an 84% chance of being ranked lower on the WSS Language and Literacy checklist than the student without reading problems.

Parental Reactions toWork Sampling

Parental Reactions toWork Sampling

• Hold positive attitudes toward WSS• Believe that WSS is beneficial• Prefer WSS summary reports to conventional

report cards• Want their children to continue participating in

WSS classrooms

Parents in this study (N = 246; 70% return rate):

How Parental Reactions Are Formed

How Parental Reactions Are Formed

• Parents’ perceptions of teachers’ willingness to use WSS.

• Teachers’ availability to answer parents’ questions about WSS.

Does Instructional Does Instructional Assessment Impact Assessment Impact Children’s Learning?Children’s Learning?

Does Instructional Does Instructional Assessment Impact Assessment Impact Children’s Learning?Children’s Learning?

Impact onAchievement Test Scores

WSS, low-income, urban, minority third and fourth grade students’ (N=96)

performance on the ITBS exceeds the scores of a matched contrast group

(N=116), and those of other students in the district (N=2922).

Conclusions• WSS is a valid and effective assessment of

children’s learning.

• Teachers and families are satisfied with the system and become more so as they have more experience with it.

• Students in WSS classrooms make significant achievement gains.

Benefits of an Observational Assessment System

Benefits of an Observational Assessment System

• Focuses on what children know and can do

• Engages teachers in the assessment process

• Demonstrates progress over time

• Adaptable for diverse students

• Understandable to parents

• Instructional in orientation; not high-stakes

The best way to The best way to improve a child’s improve a child’s performance is to performance is to

teach teach the child, not the child, not test the child.test the child.

The best way to The best way to improve a child’s improve a child’s performance is to performance is to

teach teach the child, not the child, not test the child.test the child.