Planning Classroom Assessments

Starting with the End in Sight…

Assessment “Influenced” Instruction

• What is to be assessed influences instructional decisions– Instruction-Influence Assessment

– Assessment-Influence Instruction

Curriculum Instruction Assessment

Curriculum Instruction Assessment

Begin with the End…

Backward Design Model (Wiggins & McTighe)• Identify the desired results– What is the curricular aim?

• Goals / Objectives

• Determine acceptable evidence– How will I measure student progress?– Assessment

• Plan learning experiences and instruction– How will I promote learning?– Instruction

Identifying the Curricular Aim

What to Assess?• Cognitive Targets– Intellectual operations

• Affective Targets– Attitudes, interests, and values

• Psychomotor Targets– Deals with large and small muscle skills

Synthesis

Analysis

Application

Comprehension

Knowledge

Dr. Benjamin Bloom• 1956 Taxonomy of Educational Objectives– Chief domain in schools = Cognitive Domain

EvaluationJustify, Defend

Predict, Write, Infer

Compare, Contrast, Categorize

Choose, Use, Interpret, Solve

Describe, Discuss, Explain

Define, List, Label, Name

Cognitive Taxonomies

• Method of classifying the cognitive level of objectives, items, and activities– Purpose • Used to call attention to the variety of abilities and skills

toward which you can direct instruction and assessment

– Greater variety of cognitive levels = greater opportunity to learn

Higher Order Thinking

Example Questions…• How does that work?• What would happen if?• Why is that important to know?Example Objectives…• Students will learn how to connect the text that was

read or heard to real life experiences. (SYNTHESIS)• Students will be able to discuss how characters are

alike and/or different. (ANALYSIS)

Curriculum Development

• What we teach is based on the curriculum– Content Standards = Knowledge & Skills• What students should KNOW and be able to DO

– Performance Standards = Level of Proficiency• Essential qualities of the work or performances• Criteria for establishing proficiency

Content and Criteria

• Content = What will be learned– National Standards– State Course of Study– District Goals & Objectives

• Criteria = How the learning will be judged– Grades– Levels of performance• “Proficient”

Learning Targets

Content + Criteria = Learning Targets• A statement of student performance that includes:– a description of what the students should know,

understand and/or be able to do at the end of the unit of instruction

– the criteria for judging the level of performance demonstrated.

• There are two types of learning targets– Macro Targets --- GOALS– Micro Targets --- OBJECTIVES

What to Assess…considerations

Identify the Curricular Aims (Goals and Objectives)

• Use an Assessment Plan or Table of Specification

• Collaborate with Colleagues• Focus on Standards to be Assessed– How are state content standards assessed?– What are content standards for specific content

areas? (example: NCTM, NSTE, IRA)

Table of Specifications

Ensures a representative sample of relevant tasks to be included on the assessment

• Guides the selection of test items and assessment tasks– Provides evidence of CONTENT Validity

• Steps in the process…– Prepare the instructional objectives– Outline the content– Prepare the Table

Types of Assessment Items

• Informal Assessment– Formative

• Traditional Assessment– Formative or Summative

• Performance Assessment– Formative and/or Summative

• Portfolio Assessment– Formative and/or Summative

TOS-Assessment Plan

Learning Objective(s) (Leveled)

Criteria or Target

Assessment Methods or Tools

When/How Assessment was Accomplished

Assessment Plan

Educational OutcomesAlabama State Course of Study Objective(s):

Unit Plan, Assessment Plan, Informal Assessment Example (wiki)

Remember…Three Steps

• Step One– Identify what should students be able to KNOW and

DO?• Step Two– Determine how students will demonstrate their

understanding?– What evidence will we have of proficiency?

• Step Three– Plan instructional activities ALIGNED with steps one

and two