ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING

MOTIVATING - ENGAGING - PURPOSEFUL

UBCO Candidate Teacher Session

December 2013

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Life seeks organization, but it uses messes to get there.

Organization is a process, not a structure.

Margaret Wheatley

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JOURNALING

Notes to Self (Reminders)

Follow Up (Want to Know More)

Impressions Celebrations (Confirmations)

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Margin Notes

I agree

A question I have about this

“Aha!”Post-Its

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Exploring Quality Assessment

The teaching practice that ensures greater understanding by placing the

student at the heart of their own learning

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Goals

Look at “Quality Assessment” Determine Where We/You Are Now Have a peak at SD 23 VisionResourcesReflect – What are your take-aways?Leave you with question:

AFL – How does it fit with 21st Century Attributes of a Learner

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What Quality Assessment Means to Us?”

ASSESSMENT

DONE RIGHT DONE POORLY

LOOKS LIKE

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ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING QUOTES

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What forms does assessment information take in your classroom?

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Assessment in Your Classroom?

GradeSymbolNumberPercentRaw scoreCommentOther

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“Innovations that include strengthening the practice of formative assessment produce significant and often substantial learning gains.”

—Black & Wiliam, 1998b, p. 140

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Review of Research on Effects of Formative Assessment

Read the excerpt from the article “Inside the Black Box” by Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam.

Note the reported gains in student achievement.

Note important points about effective formative assessment practices.

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What were the effect sizes they reported?

.4 to .7 gain.7 standard deviation score gain =

25 percentile points on ITBS (middle of score range)

70 SAT score points 4 ACT score points

Largest Gain for Low Achievers

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What gives formative assessment its power?What practices do Black & Wiliam recommend as necessary?

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Provision of descriptive feedback, with guidance on how to improve, during the learning

Development of student self- and peer-assessment skills

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Use of classroom discussions, classroom tasks, and homework to determine the current state of student learning/understanding, with action taken to improve learning and correct misunderstandings

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Increase descriptive, reduce evaluative feedback

Increase self- and peer-assessment

Increase opportunities for students to communicate their evolving learning during instruction

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Refining Our Definition of Formative Assessment

Review the definitions of formative assessment offered by other researchers.

Taking into account these definitions, and the practices Black & Wiliam identified, revisit your own definition. How might you change it?

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FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTFormal and informal processes teachers and students use to gather evidence for the purpose of improving learning

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Assessments that provide evidence of student achievement for the purpose of making a judgment about student competence or program effectiveness

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It is the use we make of the assessment information, not the instrument itself, that determines whether it is formative or summative.

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Assessment for Learning

“There are no hard and fast rules, only ideas to be thoughtfully explored and decisions to be made…Just as there are many right ways to teach, no one can tell you exactly how you should assess your students.” Anne Davies

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The Big Idea

Assessment and instruction are inseparable – effective assessment informs learning.

Students become central to all aspects of assessment – it is done with them, not to them.

To be central, students must be partners in all aspects of the assessment process.

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“Learners need assessment like fish need water.”

Anne Davies

Flipping the dynamic -

Make your efforts fruitful

Fish need water like we need air – assessment needs to be constant; ever present; learning from mistakes

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SD #23 District Vision

Indicators of Student Involvement:Students are able to articulate the

learning destination and understand what success looks like

Students have time to learnStudents collect evidence of their own

learning

Quality assessment is the teaching practice that ensures greater understanding by placing students at the heart of their own learning.

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Effective Feedback

Evaluative language is:judgemental, value laden, rewarding or punishing.

Descriptive language is:value neutral, Directive, pinpoints strengths and weaknesses,Specific, implies a better way.

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Students are able to articulate the learning destination and understand what success looks like, students:

Have access to samples showing quality work

Are able to describe what evidence of learning might look like

Set criteria with teachers to define quality

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Students have time to learn, students:

Receive and give themselves specific, descriptive feedback as they learn

Debrief their learning with peers and others; get feedback for learning

Use feedback and self-assess to set goals for future learning

Revisit and reset the criteria as they learn more

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Students collect evidence of their own learning, students:

Present evidence of learning to others and receive feedback

Are authentically engaged in the learning/assessment process

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Other Thoughts…Students should know as much as us – outcomes,

indicators along the way; consider it “like a journey” to Vancouver

PLOs (See the destination – e.g., pictures, samples)Steps (Like stops along the way, Merritt) Students can be taught the meaning of PLO’s –caution

the use of “kid-friendly” languageAsks us to question, “What we are doing because it is

a “fun” activity but it does not fit with learning outcomes” (Our reality - we are pressed for time.)

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Learning occurs when we are making mistakesFeedback is most effective when we are working

on the taskAssessment is imperative at the moment of

greatest needStrategies to consider:

Group work, Cooperative Learning (E.g., KaganPeer assessment3 before meSilent signals – red light/green light

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Tests/Quizzes/Grades

Do not place the student at the centre.

Do not tell the whole story

Are easily reduced to a single grade.

Are so seductive !

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Formative Assessment in Teachers’ Hands

Who is and is not understanding the lesson?What are this student’s strengths and needs?What misconceptions do I need to address?What feedback should I give students?What adjustments should I make to instruction?How should I group students?What differentiation do I need to prepare?

—Chappuis, 2009, p. 9

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Formative Assessment in Students’ Hands

What are students’ information needs?

What formative assessment practices address these needs?

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Formative Assessment in Students’ Hands

Comes to hold a concept of quality roughly similar to that held by the teacher

Is able to monitor continuously the quality of what is being produced during the act of production itself

Has a repertoire of alternative moves or strategies from which to draw

—Sadler, 1989, p. 121

The indispensable conditions for improvement are that the student

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To attain the achievement gains promised by formative assessment, the ultimate user of formative assessment information must be the student.

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Where are you trying to go? Identify and communicate the learning goals.

Where are you now? Assess or help the student to self-assess current

levels of understanding.

How can you get there? Help the student with strategies and skills to

reach the goal.• Atkin, Black, & Coffey, 2001, p. 14

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Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Where am I going?1. Provide students with a clear and understandable

statement of the learning target.2. Use examples and models of strong and weak work.

Where am I now?3. Offer regular descriptive feedback.4. Teach students to self-assess and set goals.

How can I close the gap?5. Design lessons to focus on one learning target or aspect of

quality at a time.6. Teach students focused revision.7. Engage students in self-reflection, and let them keep track

of and share their learning.

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Achieving the Dream

Who will work hardest this year? You or your students?

Dream of Ruth Sutton, AFL advocate:

“That I will leave school ready to play 18 holes of golf and the students will go home exhausted.”

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The Big Question!

In a classroom of between 24 – 30 students how can we keep assessment immediate and ever present for every child?

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Research Findings

Marking does not enhance achievement

The first grade given sets the student’s expectations for the course

Subsequent grades confirm their expectations

Gender influences attitude to grades

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More Discussions and Findings

You need criteria before evaluating.

You need to communicate it clearly.

The purpose or goal must be clear

Without criteria personal preference becomes unspoken criteria.

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Effective Feedback

Evaluative language is:judgemental, value laden, rewarding or punishing.

Descriptive language is:value neutral, Directive, pinpoints strengths and weaknesses,Specific, implies a better way.

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Encompassing the 3 R’s - Relevance, Relationship, Rigor

Relevance purpose of each task is understoodrelevant to lifefosters self-reflection and growthdevelops skills for independent, life- long

learning

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RigorEngagingMotivatingRelevant to lifeFosters creative thinking and problem solving,ExploratoryActive

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RelationshipLearning takes place in an atmosphere of mutual respect

and caringempowering

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Assessment For Learning is

reliable and valid because

3 sources of assessment evidence are

used in a process called

Triangulation

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TRIANGULATIONProducts Conversations

Observation

A KEY COMPONENT OF ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING

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TRIANGULATION

As teachers learn more about various types of intelligence and learning styles they are expanding the ways students can show or represent what they know. This makes it easier for students of all abilities to experience success. Success leads to confidence, enjoyment and empowerment. Learning is enhanced when it evokes a positive emotion. Showing your learning in varied ways is motivating and engaging!

tests diagram poster

diorama model flyer

power point presentation mind map story

picture link project web page

puzzle video songjournal written assignment play

map oral presentation timeline...49

TRIANGULATION

Conversations involve listening to what students have to say about their l learning, face-to-face or in writing – student to student, student to teacher, student to parent

Conversations enliven the learning process, making students think about their learning and helping them relate it to personal experience and prior knowledge. The latest brain research states that every encounter with something new requires the brain to fit the new information into an existing category or network of neurons. If a connection cannot be found the information is dropped.

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CONVERSATION POSSIBILITIES

Pair / Share – Turn to your L shoulder partner (or your R shoulder partner or your face partner ) and share some aspect of your learning.

For example together determine:5 things the pioneers needed in order to survive the 3 steps you can take to be assertive3 things you learned from the film

A tells B then B tells A the most important thing that you learned.

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CONVERSATION POSSIBILITIES CONT’D…

Professor / Student – 1 student teaches the other student the concept just taught.

Class Meetings – for example for conflict resolution

Philosophers Walk – one student performs an activity, summarizes a concept or teaches another student while walking. For example create a story using the key elements while walking around the field with another student – have your story ready to share when you have walked once around the field. Great for a sunny spring day. Make them accountable in sharing activities by having the pairs or group share in some way after.

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CONVERSATION POSSIBILITIES

Brainstorming

Cooperative Group Problem SolvingCreate a skit showing the steps to take when

someone is trying to talk you into something you don’t want to do

Design a bridge according to the criteriaCreate a game using 3 different apparatusPerform an experiment

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MORE CONVERSATION POSSIBILITIES

Oral Presentations Listening to peer assessmentsDiscussing self-assessmentsWritten Comments

Exit Slips – Reflections. When a student leaves the class he is asked to writes down a reflection. For example:

1 thing you learned and 1 question you still have 1 thing you know and one thing you would like to find out about 2 things you feel you did well and one thing you feel you need to work on

Written self-assessments – the possibilities are endless!

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Exit Slips

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Self-Assessment8 Intelligences?

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Written conversation at the end of a term

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Self-Assessment Checklist

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Highlight skills on a rubric for each student

- change the colour of the highlighter as the student progresses

Check off a criteria sheet for each student- add more checkmarks as the student progresses.

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Check off a criteria sheet for each student

- add more checkmarks as the student progresses.

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Recording Observations

Using a class list place # 1,2,3,4 according toyour rating scale. Change the numbers as the

student progresses.

For quick recording place a 1 (or a +) by the student’s name when he is exceeding

and a 3 (or a check - )when he is approaching. Change the numbers or symbols as the student progresses. Leave the rest blank as you know they are meeting. Make comments as necessary.

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Using questionsto observe and engage

student learning

Raise your hand as soon as you have the answer.

Thumbs up for yes, thumbs down for no

Show me with your fingers

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Person 1 answers question. Person 2 sayswhether or not they are correct. Person 3explains why. Students are chosen randomly.

Keep your hand down if you know the answer. Raise your hand if you don’t know and you have a question. There are 2 choices – you know

the answer or you have a question that will help youfind the answer.

Using questionsto observe and engage

student learning

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Other Types of Observations

Observe manipulative activities – For example: Make the time 1:20 on the mini clock – hold it up when

you are finished. Make the fraction 4/6 with the green hexagonal

pattern tiles. Point to question # 3 in your text.

Play Bingo for various concepts such as spelling patterns – observe who can find the answer easily.

Red Cup / Green Cup – students put the small green cup on the outside when they understand and the red cup on the outside when they have a question. In this way they don’t need to raise their hands.

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Small steps will lead to big gains for teachers and students!

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Anne Davies

RESEARCH MATTERS

IF WE KNOW THE RESEARCH, WE CAN SPEAK MORE POWERFULLY

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Seek Out ResearchFinding Time for Professional Learning

Hattie & Timperley (2007) – teacher tests more valid if using formative assessment

Students who struggle most are hurt the most from evaluation

Successful learners can turn an 8/10 to descriptive feedback; struggling learners need more

The more assessment for learning, the more learning

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Mistakes become feedbackOur goal is to multiple feedback – working

differently, not harderBrain research supports need for constant

feedbackStudents should be working harder than

us; they need to learn to picture qualityTalk about learning; involve students in

shaping their learning

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The more marks and numbers, the more evaluative feedback – the less learning takes place (Black & Wiliam; Hattie & Timperley)

We need to teach the language of assessment in order for students to be self-managing

Is what I do help students set criteria around things that are important (e.g., classroom management kinds of stuff?)

Mismeasure of Man (Stephen Gould,1996) – deconstructs Fraser Institute

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Story of emotion – can’t change others’ minds – can invite them in

Molecules of Emotion – Alfie KohenMindset – Carol DueckOthers – Marzano, Fullan, SengeThe Global Achievement Gap – Tony

Wagner (978-0-465-00229-0) Pub. Basic Books

Sousa (emotion attention learning)

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Some of My FAVOURITE Picks

7 Strategies of Assessment – Jan Chappuis

Integrating Differentiated Instruction + Understanding by Design (Tomlinson / McTighe)

Rick Wormeil Meet Me in the Middle Fair Isn’t Always Equal

Kagan Cooperative Learning Resources

Knowing What Counts Series Classroom Criteria A-Z Diane Gossen’s Resources (e.g.,

It’s All About We Building Moral Intelligence – Dr.

Michele Borba

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Anne Davies

Assessment for Learning: Putting it into Practice by P. Black, D. Wiliam, C. Harrison, B. Marshall, and C. Lee

Clarity in the Classroom Using Formative Assessment by Michael Absolum

Knowing What Students Know: The Science and Design or Educational Assessment

- J. Pellegrino, N Chudowsky, and R. Glaser – Editors.

Assessment and Learning edited by John Gardner

Powerful Designs for Professional Learning edited by Lois Brown Easton

Engaging All by Creating High School Learning Communities by Jeanne Gibbs and Teri Ushijima

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Sharon Friesen & Sandra Herbst

Powerful Learning: What We Know about Teaching for Understanding by Linda Darling-Hammond et al.

The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

The Element by Sir Ken Robinson

Leading Change in Your School by Douglas Reeves

A Whole New Mind by Daniel H. Pink

Change Wars by Andy Hargreaves & Michael Fullan (Eds)

Leading at the Edge: Leadership Lessons from the Extraordinary Saga of Shackleton’s Antarctic Expedition by Dennis T. Perkins

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Mary Hill & Paul LeMahieu

Leadership Mindsets by Linda Kaser and Judy Halbert

Using Evidence in Teaching Practice: Implications for Professional Learning by Helen Timperley and Judy Parr

Coaching Educational Leadership: Building Leadership Capacity through Partnership by Jan Robertson

Teaching the New Writing: Technology, Change and Assessment in the 21st Century Classroom edited by Anne Herrington, Kevin Hodgson, and Charles Moran

Working Toward Equity: Resources and Writings for the Teacher Research Collaborative edited by Linda Friedrich et al.

Assessing Writing: A Critical Sourcebook edited by Brian Huot and Peggy O’Neill

Teachers in Professional Communities: Improving Teaching and Learning edited by Anne Lieberman and Lynne Miller

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Beth Reynolds

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

The Shack by Paul Young

Revisiting Professional Learning Communities at Work by Richard Dufour, Rebecca DuFour, and Robert Eaker

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Rick Stiggins

Confidence: How Winning Streaks and Losing Streaks Begin and End by Rosabeth Moss Kanter

The Global Achievement Gap: Why Our Kids Don’t Have the Skills They Need for College, Careers, and Citizenship and What We Can Do About It by Tony Wagner

Measuring Up: What Educational Testing Really Tells Us by Daniel Koretz

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Inside the Black Box

Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment

Paul Black and Dylan WiliamKing’s College London School of Education

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The Power of Feedback

Hattie & Timperley 2007Online Version of Article:

http://rer.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/77/1/81

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Other ideas… sd23co /togetherwelearn

Visual AAC… http://www.aac.ab.ca/pdfs/SL_EnglishP12.pdf

Learning to Love Assessment (Carol Ann Tomlinson)

http://www.aac.ab.ca/public/LearningToLoveAssessmentCT.doc

Become a Member of the AAC!

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Videos….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A-ZVCjfWf8&NR=1&feature=fvwp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CIh7FWv4UA

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Great Website

Alberta Assessment Consortium SiteAAC...everyday assessment tools

for teachers http://www.aac.ab.ca/ID: sd23coPassword: togetherwelearn

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Conclusion

These ideas are not new—they have been part of good teaching all along.

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