KNOW THY IMPACT: The Power of Common Formative Assessments Tami HicksWVEC Professional Development Cooordinator

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WSTcVDwH3s

JOHN HATTIE VISIBLE LEARNING Common formative assessments are designed to give students specific feedback on the clear target to be achieved, along with suggestions on how to reach that target on subsequent assessments. Students need to understand that this feedback will not be graded but that it will be used by their teachers to design specific instruction to help them improve. After a review of almost 8,000 classroom studies focused on determining the impact of feedback on student improvement, John Hattie (1992) declared: The most powerful single modification that enhances achievement is feedback. The simplest prescription for improving education must be dollops of feedback (Hattie, 1992, p. 9).

The Power Of COMMON Assessments Schools with the greatest improvements in student achievement consistently used common assessments. Reeves, 2004

What are Common Formative Assessments? Assessments for learning that are typically created collaboratively by a team of teachers responsible for the same grade level or course on identified essential learning.

Why Common Formative Assessments?Gather accurate information about student achievement across a subject area and grade level while learning is in process. (Assessment for learning)

Use assessment process and results effectively to promote maximum student learning success

Identify and evaluate instructional strategies that are effective in helping students acquire the intended knowledge.

The Two Tools of AssessmentNo single assessment can meet everyones information needsTo maximize student success, assessment must be seen as an instructional tool for use while learning is occurring, and as an accountability tool to determine if learning has occurred. Because both purposes are important, they must be in balance.NEA, 2003

Two Purposes of Assessment: Important Distinctions

Diagnosis Assessment FOR Learning Evaluation Assessment OF Learning

Assessment FOR LearningFormative: Given before and during the teaching process Diagnostic: Intended to be used as a guide to improve teaching and learningProvides teachers with information they need to create appropriate work for groups of learners or individual studentsNot typically used to assign gradesAnswers key questions: Do students possess critical pre-requisite skills and knowledge? Do students already know some of the material that is to be taught?Bravmann, 2004

Assessment OF LearningSummative assessment for unit, quarter, semester, grade level, or course of studyProvides status report on degree of student proficiency or mastery relative to targeted standard(s)Helps teachers judge effectiveness of their teaching practicesSupports the assignment of gradesAnswers question: Have students achieved the goals defined by a given standard or group of standards?Bravmann, 2004

GOAL FOR TEACHERS USING CFAs: Focus On LearningWhat do we want our students to know, understand and be able to do?- Unpacking Standards (I can statements for students)

How will we know when they have learned it?Data Protocols and Common Assessments

How will we respond when some students have not learned and how will we respond when some students have learned? Interventions, Re-teaching, Extending and Enriching Learning by Doing. Dufour, Dufour, Eaker, Many. Solution Tree.2006

What Capacities Do Teachers Need to Effectively Use Common Formative Assessments?ARTICLE Highlight/underline key words Write any thoughts in marginsVIDEOS Which capacities do you see being exhibited by teachers in these videos? CAPACITY INVENTORY Think of your teachers Where do they fall on inventory?

TEACHING CHANNEL VIDEOS

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/guide-instruction-with-cfasGUIDING INSTRUCTION WITH COMMON FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/common-formative-assessmentUSING COMMON FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS TO IMPROVE TEACHING AND LEARNING

PLCs TIME FOR TEACHERS Focus on LearningFocus on CollaboratingFocus on Results

Do you have PLCs at your school? When, and how often, do they occur?How do they operate? What is the focus?

All Teams Engage In An Ongoing Cycle of: Gathering evidence of current levels of student learning

Developing strategies to build on strengths and address weaknesses in that learning

All Teams Engage In An Ongoing Cycle of: Implementing the strategies and ideas

Analyzing the impact of the changes to discover what was effective and what was not

Applying the new knowledge in the next cycle of continuous improvement

All Teams Engage In An Ongoing Cycle of Continuous Improvement

Data: Gather Evidence of Student Learning

The Basic Picture-PLC

Analyzing evidence of student learningExamining Data ProtocolsClarifying essential student learning Unpacking StandardsDeveloping common formative assessmentsInstructional practices that impact student learningExamining student work Standards in Practice

DEVELOPING COMMON ASSESSMENTS Teams Need to be trained in the process of writing CFAsTeams need time together on a regular basis Admin needs to engage with teams on regular basis When students included, achievement increases even more

Tips for Writing CFAs: http://teachingquality.org/content/blogs/bill-ferriter/ten-tips-writing-common-formative-assessments

In a nutshell, PLC teams collectively

Decide whats important to teach. Decide how theyll know that students learned it. Decide what theyll do if they dont learn it or if they already know it. Do it study it tweak it and keep the cycle going!!

Assess all students with the same rigor, on the same targets

Usually are Not graded. (formative) If teachers feel they must be used for grades then students should be given additional opportunities to demonstrate learning.

Should identify students who need additional time and support for learning.Common Formative Assessments:

Assess all students with the same rigor, on the same targets

Usually are Not graded. (formative) If teachers feel they must be used for grades then students should be given additional opportunities to demonstrate learning.

Should identify students who need additional time and support for learning.Common Formative Assessments:

BASIC PROCESS Identify essential learning outcomes and power standards. Unwrap the standards.Develop accurate and aligned assessment items. Establish proficiency levels.

Clear PurposeClear TargetsSound DesignEffective CommunicationStudent InvolvementLearning Team Common Assessment Process

Clear Targets

Endurance are students expected to retain the skills/knowledge long after the test is completed?

Readiness for the Next Level of Learning is this skill/knowledge preparing the student for success in the next grade/course?Doug ReevesTo separate the essential from the peripheral, teachers carefully apply 2 criteria to each target:

Recommended # of CFA Items

Grade Levels# of CFA ItemsGrades K-1Approximately 5-8 Grades 2-3Approximately 8-10Grade 4-5Approximately 10-15Grades 6-8Approximately 15-20Grades 9-12Approximately 20-25

WHERE ITEMS CAN COME FROM Unit chapter tests/assessmentsTeacher Created assessments Past ISTEP/ECAs from IDOE site Using example items from IDOE for new standards OTHER?

Assessment MethodsSelected Response-Multiple choice, true/false, matching, short answer, fill-in

Extended Written Response (constructed response)-Requires student response that is at least several sentences in length. Scoring guide.

Performance assessment-Observation and judgment as to quality of performance or product. Requires scoring guide.

Personal communication-Requires interaction with students..can be time consuming.

Target-Method Match Chart

Selected Response & Short AnswerExtended Written ResponsePerformance AssessmentPersonal CommunicationKnowledgeMastryGood match for assessing mastery of elements of knowledge Good match for tapping understanding of relationships among elements of knowledgeX Not a good matchCan ask questions and infer mastery-time consumingReasoningProficiencyGood match only for assessing understands of some patterns of reasoningGood match. Can provide window to reasoning proficiencyCan infer some reasoning proficiency by observationCan ask student to think aloud and probe with follow-up questionsSkillsX Not a good match.X Not a good match.Good match. Can observe and evaluate skills as they are being performed.Strong match when skill is oral communication proficiency. Not good otherwise.Ability to Create ProductsX Not a good match. Strong Match for written products. Not a good match if not a written productGood match. Can Assess the attributes of the product.X Not a good match

The Process of Developing CFAs: Laying The Standards Foundation - Steps 1-6Step 1: Choose Important TopicStep 2: Identify Matching Priority StandardsStep 3: Unwrap Matching Priority StandardsStep 4: Create Graphic OrganizerStep 5: Determine the Big IdeasStep 6: Write the Essential Questions

The Process of Developing CFAs: Creating The Assessment Steps 7-10Step 7: Write Selected-Response ItemsStep 8: Write Constructed-Response Items (extended or short)Step 9: Write Essential Question-Big Idea DirectionsStep 10: Create Answer Key & Scoring Guides for Constructed-Response Items

CFAs A SummaryPeriodic assessments collaboratively designedMatching pre- and post-assessmentsSimilar in design to high stakes testsItems should represent priority standardsBlend of item types including selected and constructed response Administered several times a yearResults analyzed in Data TeamsResults used to inform planning and instruction

Teachers will need support with..Writing Common Formative AssessmentsHow to analyze the assessments and apply to classroom instructionInstructional Strategies to add to their toolboxes Regular TIME to review data, evaluate IMPACT, modify instruction, content and assessments; and continuously reflect as professional teams.

What will you do to KNOW YOUR IMPACT? What will your next steps be?

GROUP DISCUSSION PERSONAL NOTES GROUP/INDIVIDUAL NEEDS??

WVEC HERE TO HELP!! Tami HicksPD CoordinatorEMAIL: thicks@esc5.k12.in.us

PHONE: 765-58

***Some schools use the pre/post assessment model.*The WSFCS focus on learning centers around 3 questions that encompass knowing and understanding the essential standards/goals/objectives of our content; common formative assessments and the ways we know students have learned as well as how we use that information; what will we do when some of our students have not learned and some have..interventions, reteaching, extending and enrichingWhat will we do to ensure high levels of learning for all students? **********Table 4.1 p.100*