Classroom Assessment

LTC 5

ITS REAL Project

Vicki DeWitt Deb Greaney

Director Grant Coordinator

Acknowledgements

Major Writers & Developers Bev Bergdolf (ROE 10) Deb Greaney (LTC 5)

Presenter- Deb Greaney

Topics

The role of assessments in the classroom The various types of classroom assessments The need for and process of matching the target

with the method of assessment. Student involvement into the assessment process. Various tools to be used in the assessment process

Activities

Reflection on current assessment practice Create IBL unit assessment pieces

Role of Classroom Assessments

•Strives to increase achievement•Informs students about themselves•Reflects targets that underpin standards

•Can produce unique results for individuals•Teacher’s role is to promote success•Student’s role is to strive for improvement•Motivates with promise of success

Provide Assessment FOR Learning

•How much did they learn?

•How well did they learn it?

•How well did I teach it?

Assessment OF & FOR Learning

Both assessment FOR and OF learning are important Assessments FOR learning serve to help

students learn more (Classroom Assessment) Assessments OF learning provide evidence of

achievement for public reporting (Standardized Testing)

Assessment Principles

To improve their teaching, teachers must define learning outcomes and measure their attainment.

To improve their learning, students must learn how to use feedback to assess their own progress (= “self-assessment”).

The best assessment derives from teachers’ questions about their own teaching.

Assessment provides an impetus for active student involvement, a proven “best practice”.

TYPES OF ASSESSMENTS Selected response

Essay

Performance tasks

Personal communication

Selected Response/Short Answer Multiple Choice, True/False, Matching, Fill in the

Blank, Label a Diagram, A Sentence Strengths: Aligns well with knowledge and

understanding Bias/Concerns:

Reading may be an issue for some students Insufficient time to respond Poor quality test items Sample size Wrong method for target

Essays Extended written answer to a prompt or exercise Strengths

Aligns well with knowledge, understanding & reasoning Can develop connections

Bias/Concerns Insufficient time to read & score Lack of writing proficiency for some students Sample size Wrong method for target

Performance Tasks Assessments

Demonstrating Skills / Developing Products Strengths

Reflects reasoning proficiency Demonstrates performance skills Demonstrates product development capabilities

Bias/Concerns Unclear or incorrect performance criteria Unfocused tasks Wrong method for target

Personal Communication

Questions & Answers, Conferences, Interviews, Oral Examinations

Strengths Aligns well with knowledge, understanding, reasoning Using in conjunction with other methods can deepen

understanding Bias/Concerns

Time Common language shared by teacher/student Student personalities Keeping accurate records

Target/Method Match

P

S

R

K

Personal comm.

PerformanceEssaySelected response

Target

Rule

SIMPLE TARGET, SIMPLE TASK

COMPLEX TARGET, COMPLEX TASK

Low Level vs High Level Benchmarks

FABLES

1. Describe the characteristics of a fable

2. Explain the use of personification

3. Identify the source of conflict

Analyze a set of fables to show their similarities and their use of conflict, character development, and a moral.

GEOGRAPHY AND WEATHER

1. Describe landforms in the U. S.

2. Explain the water cycle

3. Name the stages of the water cycle in each season.

Compare how seasons and landforms affect changes in weather patterns within regions of the US.

MATH PROBLEM – SOLVING

1. Multiply multi-digit numbers

2. Divide numbers using decimals

3. Multiply and divide numbers to change decimal values and pounds

Use computational results to analyze and compare costs of energy.

Where is YOUR Assessment Target?

Your need to raise your assessment target to that same higher level, and aim for it!

If you hit it, you are teaching to the unit’s benchmarks

Let’s Look at Our Units

Look at each benchmark to define the target of the assessment.

Choose a method that matches that target and will completely assess the benchmark.

Write a brief description of the assessment in the Individual Student Assessment area of the template

Create Your Unit Assessments

What rubrics do you need?Any performance taskFinal team product rubric

What is a Rubric? A set of scoring guidelines for evaluating student

work Rubrics answer the questions

By what criteria should a performance or product be judged?

What does the range in the quality of the performance look like?

Often accompanied by examples of products or performances to illustrate the various scoring points

A Graphic Organizer

Rubric

Scoring Instrument

Sea Creature (Kindergarten)

Colonial Celebration (7)

Performance Criteria

Range of Quality

Student Involvement

Scoring Points

What are the parts?

Checklist

What is it?

Compare or Contrast

What are some examples?

Persuasive ¶

Creating Quality Rubrics

Content Does it cover everything of importance?

Clarity Does everyone understand what is meant?

Are terms defined? Are the levels of quality clearly differentiated? Are there samples of work to illustrate levels of

quality?

Creating Quality Rubrics Practicality

Is it easy to use by teachers and students? Will students understand it? Can students use it to self assess? Is the rubric manageable?

Technical quality/Fairness Is it valid (measures what it should) and

reliable (different raters will give the same score)?

Is it fair?

Some Examples…

Working in teams, examine the rubric examples

Use post it notes to rate each one: Good, Bad or Ugly

Be prepared to share your ratings and reasons behind them

Incorporating Student InvolvementWhat is student involvement? It is anything that helps students

Understand learning targets Engage in self-assessment Watch themselves grow Talk about their growth Plan next steps for learning

Why should we involve students? Motivation Greater understanding of criteria Students monitoring improvements through record keeping

Examples of Student Involvement

Selected Response Student generated question bank QAR questions from IBL units

Essay, Performance Assessment, Personal Communication