Setup of Categories & Assessments in PowerTeacher Gradebook Grades … · 2017-08-18 · Setup of Categories & Assessments in PowerTeacher Gradebook Grades 7 -12 User Guide August

Nova Scotia Public Education System

Setup of Categories & Assessments in PowerTeacher Gradebook Grades 7-12 User Guide

Revision Date: August 2, 2017


August 2, 2017

2

1 Overview ......................................................................................................................................................3

2 Steps for Successfully Configuring Gradebook Grades 7-12 ........................................................................5

3 Weighting Categories ...................................................................................................................................6

3.1 Category Weights in an Outcomes-Referenced Framework ...............................................................6

3.2 Weighting in an Outcomes-Based Framework ....................................................................................7

4 Weighting Assessments ...............................................................................................................................8

4.1 Weighting Assessments in an Outcomes-Referenced Framework ......................................................8

4.2 Weighting Assessments in an Outcomes-Based Framework ...............................................................9


August 2, 2017

3

1 OVERVIEW

Grade 7-12 teachers are responsible for generating a percentage grade for students at the end of each reporting period that accurately reflects achievement of the learning outcomes addressed. To this end, the initial setup and the ongoing tracking of student assessment information must be purposeful and should be a reflection of the teacher’s planning process.

Teachers are encouraged to configure PowerTeacher Gradebooks at the beginning of a reporting term to reflect the instruction and assessment that will occur during the reporting period. This begins by creating organizational categories that relate to the major components of the curricular outcomes such as strands, modules or units.

Teachers are encouraged to enter assessments in their Gradebook at the beginning of an instructional unit based on their assessment plan and in response to student feedback. Both formative and summative assessments may be entered, each one linked to the appropriate curricular outcomes.

Using Points: Points possible for each assignment should be determined so that each summative assessment has an appropriate impact upon the percentage generated for students. In determining points possible for an assignment, teachers should consider the complexity of the task, the number of outcomes being assessed, the time spent on instruction and the timing of the assessment itself. The weighting feature should always be set to 1.00 to eliminate another layer of weighting not visible to parents or students in the student/parent portal. Here is a sample setup of an assessment using points.


August 2, 2017

4

Using Achievement Levels: Points are always set to zero for each assignment. When assigning achievement level scores under each outcome, teachers should consider the depth of understanding and skill application being assessed in each assignment. Here is a sample assessment setup using achievement levels.

PowerTeacher Gradebook can be a very effective tool for teachers as they track and communicate student achievement over time. The remainder of this document offers considerations for its successful configuration and use for teachers of grades 7 through 12.


August 2, 2017

5

2 STEPS FOR SUCCESSFULLY CONFIGURING GRADEBOOK GRADES 7-12

•Develop a Yearly Plan for the course using the Curriculum Document and any other supporting documents

•Identify units, modules, strands, curricular outcomes and a timeline for instruction

•Consider instructional methods and strategic assessment, both formative and summative as part of the Assessment Plan.

1: Plan

•In PTGB, create Categories to reflect the Yearly Plan•Category names should be specific to the major components to the course, such as names of specific units, modules, or strands.

•New categories can be created, unused categories can be deleted and existing categories can be renamed, however the data stored in the category from previous years will remain attached.

2: Create

•If using points by assignment:•In the Grade Setup in PTGB, categories can be assigned percentage weights that reflect:•teacher's yearly plan•the complexity and number of outcomes in a unit•the instructional time required

•If using achievement levels by outcome:•Under the Outcomes Tab in the Preference section of PTGB, final outcome scores are calculated using one of the following settings Mean, Weighted Mean, Mode, Highest, or Most Recent (recommended) If using the Most Recent setting, teachers can modify the number of most recent scores and the weight of each most recent score to reflect their classroom assessment practices.

•See Weighting sections below

3:Weight

•Develop an Assessment Plan for each unit. Consider both formative and summative assessments and ensure evidence is collected using a variety of methods-Conversations, Observations and Products/Performances (COP)

•Enter assessments in PTGB using points or achievement levels to reflect student achievement

•Formative assessments need not be included in Final Grade Calculations.•If using points, formative assignments should have the ‘Include in Final Grade’ box unchecked

•If using achievement levels by outcome, leave the ‘Include in Final Grade’ box unchecked to communicate to parents the assignment is formative and exemptthe outcome score in PTGB

4: Assess


August 2, 2017

6

3 WEIGHTING CATEGORIES

3.1 CATEGORY WEIGHTS IN AN OUTCOMES-REFERENCED FRAMEWORK

Based on the Yearly Plan, categories have been created in PTGB to reflect the specific components of the curriculum for each course.

In this example, two categories will be addressed in the first reporting period Q1 (or T1). As there are more complex benchmark learning outcomes in Numbers & Operations, it is weighted more heavily.

Based on the Yearly Plan, three additional units will be addressed in S1. Categories have been added and weighted according to the number and complexity of outcomes within each unit.

With this configuration, the ongoing grade generated by PTGB more accurately reflects student achievement of outcomes.


August 2, 2017

7

3.2 WEIGHTING IN AN OUTCOMES-BASED FRAMEWORK

A new feature in PTGB now enables teachers using an outcomes-based framework to assign weights to outcomes in determining a final percentage grade. In the Grade Setup, under the Standards Weight option, teachers can add outcomes (standards) based on the yearly plan and assign weightings to each outcome according to the complexity and importance in the development of the course curriculum. Weightings of outcomes should always be reflected in a teacher’s Assessment Plan and clearly communicated with parents and students in the Communication Plan.


August 2, 2017

8

4 WEIGHTING ASSESSMENTS

4.1 WEIGHTING ASSESSMENTS IN AN OUTCOMES-REFERENCED FRAMEWORK

Based on the Assessment Plan, assessments have been entered into PTGB. With equal 1.00 weights, the ‘Points Possible’ value of each assessment reflects the relative importance or ‘worth’ of the assessment in the final grade. Quizzes scored out of 10, for example, are worth twice as much as weekly assignments scored out of 5; and a major unit assignment scored out of 20 is worth 4 times as much as the weekly assignments scored out of 5.

In the example above, some formative assessments are entered and have 0 ‘Points Possible’. These ‘check ins’ are used by the teacher to collect anecdotal evidence and communicate progress using the Comment Box without numerical scores. Formative assessments can also include points possible but coded as ‘not included in final grade’ and may or may not have anecdotal comments attached. Formative assessments are for practice and provide feedback to inform teaching and learning.


August 2, 2017

9

4.2 WEIGHTING ASSESSMENTS IN AN OUTCOMES-BASED FRAMEWORK

In an outcomes-based framework outcomes are attached to assignments and achievement level scores are used to indicate the level of achievement by outcome or clusters of outcomes. Points possible are always set to zero. Achievement level scores that reflect more recent evidence of learning, depth of understanding and complexity of the outcome being assessed are weighted more heavily in determining the final outcome scores. Final outcome scores are used to determine a grade.


August 2, 2017

10

To setup Final Outcome Scores in PTGB go to Tools, Preferences, and select the Outcomes Tab. Final Outcome Scores are generated using one of the following selected settings Mean, Weighted Mean, Median, Mode, Highest, or Most Recent (recommended). When using the setting Most Recent, teachers can modify the number of most recent scores and the weight of each most recent score to reflect their assessment practices as shown in this example.

Formative assessments are entered and also have 0 ‘Points Possible’. These ‘check ins’ can be used by the teacher to collect anecdotal evidence and communicate progress using the Comment Box or can include achievement level scores under the outcomes addressed but should be exempted from inclusion in final outcome scores and coded as ‘not included in final grade’ by leaving this box unchecked. The scores will still remain visible and aid teachers in tracking learning trends over time to inform professional judgments about student achievement.

Documents

Setup of Categories & Assessments in PowerTeacher Gradebook Grades … · 2017-08-18 · Setup of Categories & Assessments in PowerTeacher Gradebook Grades 7 -12 User Guide August