Classroom Assessment Practices and the Common Core

Jacque Melin

“…from a teaching-focused-classroom to a learning-focused-classroom…”

Dr. Holliday, Commissioner of Education

Essential Questions

1. How will the Common Core State Standards change curriculum, instruction and assessment practices?

2. How do we develop high quality classroom assessments?

3. How do we increase student involvement in assessment?

1. How will the Common Core State Standards change curriculum, instruction and assessment practices?

Essential Question #1

Film Clip

Todayand

Tomorrow

The ThreeMusketeers

Partner A Talk about the schools of Today!

Partner BPredict about schools of Tomorrow!

Partner CRelate film message to CCSS!

Curriculum

What is taught Textbooks covered,

worksheets completed Academic context Textbook as resource Individual subjects Basics emphasized for

all; thinking skills emphasized for gifted.

What is learned Identify what students

should know and be able to do

Life context Multiple resources Integrated subjects Basics and thinking skills

emphasized for all.

Yesterday Today

Instruction

Teacher centered Organized around time Single teaching strategy Teach once Fixed groups Whole group instruction Passive learning

Learner centered Organized for results Multiple teaching

strategies Reteaching and

enrichment Flexible groups Differentiated instruction Active learning

Yesterday Today

Assessment

Bell curve One opportunity After instruction Paper and pencil based Grades averaged Proving and

accountability Focus and product

Precise and public criteria Multiple opportunities Integrated with instruction Performance based Grades on final

performance Diagnose and prescribe Focus and product and

performance

Yesterday Today

“Common Core State Standards are not intended to be new names for old ways of doing business. They are a call to take the next step. “Excerpt from Common Core State Standards Document

My Confidence with teaching and assessing the Common Core State Standards

is…(1-4 high)

Poll Everywhere

MediatedJournal

Common CoreState Standards and Classroom Assessment PracticesNameDate

Assessment InventoryHigh 5,4,3,2,1 Low

How are you assessing?

Take Away Window

Notes/Quotes Book Nook/ Media Menu

BackofMediatedJournal

Goals

Short Term:

Long Term:

Journal Entry

A Shift in Education

Compulsory Attendance

Compulsory Learning

A Shift in Education

Compulsory learning has forced us to ask:

What do we want students to know and be able to do?

How will we know when they have learned it?

Assessment Inventory

__1. I understand the relationship between assessment and student motivation and use assessment to build student confidence rather than failure and defeat.

__2. I articulate, in advance of teaching, the achievement targets my students are to hit.

__3. My students describe what targets they are to hit and what comes next in their learning.

__4. My students are actively, consistently, and effectively involved in assessment, including learning to manage their own learning through the skills of self-assessment.

__5. My students actively, consistently, and effectively communicate with others about their achievement status and improvement.

How do we develop high quality classroom assessments?

Essential Question #2

YOU DON’T NEED TO REINVENT THE WHEEL, BUT YOU DO NEED TO KICK THE TIRES.

Developing an Assessment Plan1. Determine the standards for the unit

you will be teaching.2. Deconstruct the standards as needed.3. Write the learning targets into the

plan.4. Determine which assessment method

will be used to assess the targets.5. Develop assessment based on plan.

Stiggins, 2006

Standards, Assessments, Highly Effective Teaching and Learning

Standards alone will not change classroom practice.

Standards aren’t written for students.

Teachers must be able to transform standards into the classroom level ‘targets’ that students must ‘hit.’

Standards, Assessments, Highly Effective Teaching and Learning

Targets allow students to build knowledge/skills/reasoning/products over time to a place where they are ready to demonstrate the proficiency required by the standards.

Targets enable teachers to design quality assessments and to plan/select congruent learning experiences.

High School Math Standards

Number & QuantityAlgebraFunctionsModeling GeometryStatistics & Probability

Math Practices

1. Make sense of problems & persevere in

solving them.

2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

3. Construct arguments; critique reasoning of

others

4. Model with mathematics.

5. Use appropriate tools strategically.

6. Attend to precision.

7. Look for and make use of structure.

8. Look for and express regularity on

repeated reasoning

ELA Anchor StandardsReading Key Ideas and Details Craft and Structure Integration of Knowledge and IdeasRange of Reading and Level of Text Complexity  

WritingText Types and Purposes*Production and Distribution of WritingResearch to Build and Present KnowledgeRange of Writing 

Speaking and ListeningComprehension and CollaborationPresentation of Knowledge and Ideas 

LanguageConventions of Standard EnglishKnowledge of LanguageVocabulary Acquisition and Use

6-12

History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

Overview of Standards for History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

Reading

•Anchor Standards are the same as ELA

•Knowledge of domain-specific vocabulary.

•Analyze, evaluate, and differentiate primary and secondary sources.

•Synthesize quantitative and technical information, including facts presented in maps, timelines, flowcharts, or diagrams.

Overview of Standards for History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

Writing

•Anchor Standards are the same as ELA

•Write arguments on discipline-specific content and informative/explanatory texts.

•Use of data, evidence, and reason to support arguments and claims.

•Use of domain-specific vocabulary.

Deconstructing Standards -

Standard/Benchmark

Knowledge

Reasoning

Skill

Product

Standard/Benchmark: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Type: Knowledge Reasoning Skill Product

Learning Targets – Teacher Friendly LanguageWhat are the knowledge, reasoning, skill or product targets underpinning the standard or benchmark?

Knowledge Targets Reasoning Targets Skill Targets Product Targets

“I Can” / Learning Targets – Student Friendly LanguageWhat are the knowledge, reasoning, skill or product targets underpinning the standard or benchmark?

Knowledge Targets Reasoning Targets Skill Targets Product Targets

http://mid-illini.org/Common_Core_Resources.html

Also: Turn on Your Brain – for ELA 9 and 10http://turnonyourbrain.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/common-core-i-can-statements/

Kentucky Website

See Sample Assessment Plans

You have a plan - now what?

How Are You Assessing?

At your table divide into two groups, identify all the assessments you use. With the total group at your table compare and contrast the ways you assess student learning. Identify the most commonly used and the most unique approaches, record in your journal.Discuss what you do with the results and student work?

04/21/23Draft

Formative Assessment Cycle

Heritage, M. Formative Assessment and Next-Generation Assessment Systems: Are We Losing an Opportunity. National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student

Testing (CRESST).

Where am I

going?

Where am I now?

How can I close the

gap?

What classroom culture is required?

The “Black Box” Findings Black and WiliamImproving student learning through assessments depends upon five factors: Providing feedback to students Students’ active involvement in their own

learning Adjusting teaching to take account for results

of assessment Recognizing influence of assessment on

students’ motivation and self-esteem Ensuring students assess themselves and

understand how to improve

Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards through Classroom Assessment,” KAPPAN, 1998.

04/21/23Draft

Assessment for LearningFive Keys to Quality Classroom Assessments

Stiggins, et al. (2004), p 13

Developing Quality Items

Target-Type Match

Writing Good Questions

Sampling Avoiding Bias

Selected Response

Extended Written Response

Performance Assessment

Selected Response

Target Type

Match

Writing Good Questions

Sampling

Avoiding Bias

KnowledgeandReasoning

Keep wording simple and focused.Ask a full question in the stem.Eliminate clues to the correct answer within the question or across questions in a test.Answers should not be obvious.Highlight critical words.

3 to 5 items per target

Avoid items designed to mislead or deceive students into answering incorrectly.Keep vocabulary consistent with students’ level of understanding.Keep reading level appropriate.

Test Item Quality Checklist

Take a couple of minutes to read through the checklist.

As you read through the checklist, mark all the items that you do as you develop selected response assessments.

Now give yourselves a pat on the back if most or all of the items were checked off.

Use your professional filters

Questions for assessments may be taken from textbooks, black-line masters, sample test banks, or previously administered classroom tests.

Even when you have a perfect question – things don’t always go right.

How do we increase student involvement in assessment?

Essential Question #3

Student Involvement

“When students are required to think about their own learning, articulate what they understand, and what they still need to learn, achievement improves.”

Black and Wiliam, 1998; Sternberg, 1996; Young 2000

Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Where Am I Going?Strategy 1: Provide a clear and understandable vision of the

learning target.Strategy 2: Use examples and models of strong and weak work.

Where Am I Now?Strategy 3: Offer regular descriptive feedbackStrategy 4: Teach students to self-assess and set goals.

How Can I Close the Gap?Strategy 5: Design lessons to focus on one aspect of quality

at a time.Strategy 6: Teach students focused revision.Strategy 7: Engage students in self-reflection and let them

keep track of and share their learning

What The Student Does

Step One: Looks over the corrected test and marks on the form “Identifying Strengths and Areas for Improvement” whether each problem/question is right or wrong.

Step Two: Reviews the wrong problems/questions and decides if the error was due to a simple mistake or to not knowing how to do the problem or understand the question.

Clear Targets and Student Goal Setting

x

x

x

Write numerals in expanded…

3

Write numerals in expanded…

2

Write numerals in expanded…

1

Don’t get it

Simple mistake?

Wrong?Right?Learning Target

Problem

Assessment Iceberg

04/21/23Draft

Directions

Part 1

Part 2

http://www.k12.wa.us/smarter/

Extended Written Response

Target Type

Match

Writing Good Questions

Sampling Avoiding Bias

Knowledge,Reasoningand Product (written)

1. Set the context.2. Specify the

reasoning.3. Point the way.

1 task per target.Don’t give student choices.

Design good rubrics.Set clear criteria.Reflect target you are assessing.Keep reading level as low as possible.Devise clear instructions.

Sample Extended Written Response Question

During the term, we have discussed both the evolution of Spanish literature and the changing political climate in Spain during the 21st century. (Context)Analyze these two dimensions of life in Spain, citing instances where literature and politics may have influenced each other: Describe those influences in specific terms. (Reasoning) In planning your response, think about what we learned about prominent novelists, political satirists, and prominent political figures of Spain. (5 points per instances, total = 15 points). (Point the Way)

Performance Assessment

Target Type Match

Writing Good Questions

Sampling Avoiding Bias

Knowledge, Reasoning, Skills, Products

Novel and engaging tasksProvide information that will help students “Blueprint” for success

Multiple samples may be needed to get an accurate picture of performance.

Performance criteria provide a clear and accurate picture of quality.

Evaluating Your Performance Assessment

Did your assessment tool take into account whether learners were engaged in a real-world task or application?

Did your assessment allow students an equal opportunity to perform?

Did your assessment allow students to use higher-level thinking and problem-solving skills?

Did your assessment allow students to achieve one criteria while advancing to another?

Did you create a rubric to evaluate the students' progress throughout the task?

Did you allow the students to help develop goals and criteria for the evaluation of the task?

Developing Quality Rubrics

Metaguide to Developing Rubrics

Stiggins, 2006, p. 203

Common Problem with Rubrics Counting items when quality is

what really counts Leaving out things that are

important Including things that are trivial Using unclear language or terms

Rubric Resources

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/assess.html

http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/resources/rubrics/index.htm

Developing assessments will become easier the more you do.

Final Thought

Students may not hit the target today…

the important thing is that they remain willing to shoot at it again tomorrow.

Team Reading/Resources

Resources

Chappuis, S. & Stiggins, R. Finding balance: Assessment in the middle school classroom, middle ground, October 2008, 12 (2), 12-15. Retrieved from:

http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/MiddleGround/Articles/October2008/Article1/tabid/1755/Default.aspx

Stiggins, R.J., Arter, J.A., Chappuis, J. & Chappuis, S. (2006). Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing it Right-Using it Well. Portland, OR: ETS.

Jakicic, C. , Presentation Handouts, Solution Tree

5-3-1 Think-Pair-Share Activity

Narrow your ideas to 1 word that captures the essence of the day.

On your own, think of 5 words or phrases related to what you learned today.

At your table, share your ideas and pick 3 key ideas that best represent your table.

Share your word with the whole group.

Your Goals

Journal Entry: How will the CCSS change your curriculum, instruction and/or assessment practices?

Short Term Long Term