Assessing projects:A framework
Leticia MoraesCultura Inglesa São Paulo
11 April 2018
#iatefl2018ylt
Assessing projects: a framework
Alternative assessment
Projects
Evidence oflearning
Learners show
what they cando
Alternative tool for assessment
Can project-generated data be translated into a grade?
Assessing projects: a framework
Grading?
Individual and group work: fair?
External and contextual factors
Construct validity
Assessing projects: a few ideas
Assessing projects: a framework
How projects can be assessed
• Formative assessment
• Collaborative assessment
• Breaking the project into a
series of steps
• Self- and peer-assessment
• Assessed as writing tasks
• A combination of methods
Context: Cultura Inglesa São Paulo
Assessing projects: a framework
Context
+50 schools
+30 citiesin 2 states
+400 teachers
+80,000 students
Context: curriculum, parents and teachers
• Courses for lower secondary learners:8,000+ o importance of reliability
• Parents:
o value summative assessment
o grades = evidence of learning
• Teachers:
o what to assess?
o how to use data?
o validity
Assessing projects: a framework
Teaching context
Framework should cater for:
Assessing projects: a framework
What we needed from the framework
• Features of projectso Multiple skills
o Interactional
o Group work
Framework should cater for:
• Parents’ beliefs and
learners’ needs
Assessing projects: a framework
What we needed from the framework
o Genuine information
about learners’ performance
o Formal grade
Framework should cater for:
Assessing projects: a framework
What we needed from the framework
• Teachers’ needso What to assess
o How to assess: criteria to use
• Institutional needso Validity
o Reliability
The framework: what to assess
Assessing projects: a framework
The framework
• Graded projects divided into steps
• Different elements are assessed
o Written production: preparation for outcome
o Spoken production: process/ interaction
o Presentation/ final outcome
o Research
o Information/ content
The framework: how to assess
• Analytical scale covering the different
elements
o Written and spoken production current
scales
o Presentation/ outcome, research and
information/ content new scales
Assessing projects: a framework
The framework
The framework: new scale
Assessing projects: a framework
The framework
Adapted from:Coombe, C., Purmensky, K. & Davidson, P. Alternative Assessment in Language Education. In: Coombe, C., Davidson, P., O’Sullivan, B. and Stoynoff, S. (2012) The Cambridge Guide to Second Language Assessment. Cambridge University Press: 151.
The framework: grading overview
Assessing projects: a framework
The framework
Written production 10
Spoken production 10
Presentation/ research/ content
30÷3= 10
TOTAL 30
Questions and answers
Assessing projects: a framework
Questions & Answers
References• Brady, B. Managing Assessment in Large EFL Classes. In: Coombe, C., Davidson, P.,
O’Sullivan, B. and Stoynoff, S. (2012) The Cambridge Guide to Second Language
Assessment. Cambridge University Press: 303
• Coombe, C., Purmensky, K. & Davidson, P. Alternative Assessment in Language Education.
In: Coombe, C., Davidson, P., O’Sullivan, B. and Stoynoff, S. (2012) The Cambridge Guide to
Second Language Assessment. Cambridge University Press: 151.
• Harris, D. & Bell, C. (1996) Evaluating and Assessing for Learning. Kogan Page: 158
• Jang, E. E. (2014) Focus on Assessment. Oxford University Press: 122-134
• McKay, P. (2005) Assessing Young Language Learners. Cambridge University Press: 163-165
• Pinter, A. (2006) Teaching Young Language Learners. Oxford: 139-140
• Richards, J. (2015) Key Issues in Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press: 244
Assessing projects: a framework
References