Assessment

“The teaching profession is a calling; a calling with the potential to do enormous good for students. Although we haven’t traditionally seen it in this light, assessment plays an indispensable role in fulfilling our calling. Used with skill, assessment can motivate the unmotivated, restore the desire to learn, and encourage students to keep learning. It can actually create-not simply measure-increased achievement.”

Rick Stiggins, Judy Arter, Jan and Steve Chappuis from Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing it Right, Using it Well

“Assessment should always havemore to do with helping studentsgrow than with cataloging theirmistakes.”

Carol Tomlinson

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Assessment

What is it?

What is it like?

What is it not?

Examples

Two ways to think about assessment

When thinking like an assessor, we ask—◦ What would be sufficient

and revealing evidence of understanding?

◦ Against what criteria will we appropriately consider work and assess levels of quality?

◦ Did the assessments reveal those who really understand from those who only seemed to? Am I clear on the reasons behind learner mistakes?

When thinking like an activity designer, we ask—◦ What would be fun and

interesting activities on this topic?

◦ What tests should I give, based on the content I taught?

◦ How will I give students a grade?

Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe, Understanding by Design

Begin with TargetsWhat is the intended learning?

◦Standards (Pull out those deconstructions!)

If we don’t begin with clear learning targets, we won’t end with sound assessments.

Assess How? (Design)What method?

◦ Accuracy requires selecting the proper assessment. Right tool for the right job.

Written Well?◦ Is there enough questions?◦ Are the directions clear?◦ Are the questions clear?

Avoid bias how?◦ Rely only on quality exercises and scoring

procedures to avoid all potential sources of bias.

Which Method?The right tool for the right job.The heart of accuracy in

classroom assessment revolves around correctly matching achievement targets to the appropriate assessment methods and rigor.

Self-Assess Your AssessmentHow likely is it that a student could do

well by:◦ Making clever guesses?◦ Plugging in what was learned, with

accurate recall, but limited understanding?◦ Producing nice products, but with limited

understanding?◦ Failing to meet the goals/objectives despite

having a deep understanding? All your answers should be very unlikely.

Analyzing AssessmentsWhat is the quality of the

assessment item? How effectively is the item assessing higher order thinking and problem-solving skills?

Where does the item fall on the rigor matrix? Is the item aligned to the rigor of the standard?

Will students be appropriately challenged?

2nd Grade

https://www.mheonline.com/esamplers/treask5/Treasures-National-K5/

http://www.scoop.it/t/common-core-by-amy-youngblood?page=2

Resources Anderson, L. & Krawthwohl D. 2001, A Taxonomy for

Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.

Arter, J. & Chappuis, J. 2006, Creating & Recognizing Quality Rubrics. Portland, OR: Educational Testing Service

Arter, J. & McTighe, J. 2001, Scoring Rubrics in the Classroom: Using Perfomance Criteria for Assessing and Improving Student Performance. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.

Brookhart, Susan, M. 2006, Formative Assessment Strategies for Every Classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

McMillan, J. 2001, Essential Assessment Concepts for Teachers and Administrators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.

Marzano, R. 2000, Transforming Classroom Grading. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

O’Shea, M. 2005, From Standards to Success. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Stiggins, R.J., et al. 2004, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning. Portland, OR: Assessment Training Institute, Inc.