Carol Murray, Principal Residency NetworkApril 8, 2009

Understanding Assessment

1

Part One

1. Understanding the Complexities of Learning

2. Framing Assessment for Learning

3. Using Standards to Guide Learning and Teaching

Complexities of Learning

Learner Roles Teacher Roles

ObservingParticipatingQuestioning

Demonstrating with modelsInducing/Inviting Involvement

Role Playing InvestigatingPracticingAdjustingRecordingPerformingReflectingCelebrating

InstructingSupportingEnablingCoachingArranging EnvironmentMonitoring, RecordingProviding Feedback, Accepting, Nudging, Celebrating

Holdaway, 1986 Pg. 19

Four Learning Styles

Sensing-Thinking—Mastery Style

Realistic, Practical, Matter of Fact. Efficient, results oriented, prefer actions to words and involvement to theory. High energy for doing things that are pragmatic, logical and useful

Sensing-Feeling—Interpersonal Style

Sociable, friendly, and interpersonally oriented. Sensitive to people’s feelings—their own and those of others. Prefer to learn things that directly affect people’s lives, rather than impersonal facts or theories.

Intuition-Thinking— Understanding Style

Theoretical, intellectual, knowledge-oriented. Prefer to be challenged intellectually and to think things through themselves.

Intuition—Feeling- Self Expressive Style

Curious, Insightful, and imaginative. Dare to dream, committed to their values, open to alternatives

Sensing

Thinking Feeling

Intuition

Jung in Silver, Strong and Perini (2000) Pg. 21

Multiple Intelligences

Musical Intelligence Linguistic Intelligence

Bodily Kinesthetic Intelligence

Spatial Intelligence

Logical Mathematical Intelligence

Interpersonal Intelligence

Naturalist Intelligence

Intrapersonal Intelligence

Howard Gardner, (1993) & Armstrong (2000) Pg. 23

Emotional Intelligence

“…the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships.”

Daniel Goldman, 1998 Pg. 24

Framing Assessment for Learning

How do we know the learning occurs? How do we know that our teaching

matters? What standards do we set for

teaching and learning? How can a growing and

understanding of teaching and learning help teachers to create new strategies and enriched environments so that learning is nurtured for both the learner and the teacher?

Stefanakis, 1998

Assessment is not an end in itself. It is aprocess that facilitates appropriate

instructional decisions by providing information on two fundamental questions:

1. How are we (teacher and learner) doing?

2. How can we do better?

Framing Assessment for Learning

Assessment

Evaluation

Judgment

Pg. 31

Using Standards to Guide Learning and Teaching

Content Standards What should students know and be able to do?

Curriculum Standards

How are the curriculum and instructional activities organized to help students gain knowledge and skill in a particular domain?

Task (Work-design) Standards

What is worthy and rigorous work?

Developmental Standards

What tasks should students be able to do?

Performance Standards

Are the benchmarks for students aligned with the experience level and context of the learner?

Four Keys to Effective Teaching and Learning

Keys to Learning,

Teaching and Assessment

Understanding Students

Human Development

Standards for Learning

Teacher KnowledgeAnd Skill

Part Two: Doing Assessment

2

Part Two: Doing Assessment

Teacher Records-Harnessing the Power of Observations

Student Records-Transforming Student Work into Evidence of Student Learning

Portfolios: Organizing the Evidence of Learning

Assessment in Practice: Six Strategies

Harnessing the Power of Observation

“How can we better harness the power of daily observation in the service of learning, teaching, and assessment?”

“How can we document our observations so that we can revisit them on our own and with colleagues?”

Strategies

Descriptive ReviewsTeaching JournalsDocumentation as a Means for

Making Learning VisibleObservation Protocols for Looking at

Student Work

Achievement Targets

Knowledge and UnderstandingSkills and ProductsDispositions or Habits of Mind______________________________________Clear, Practical, Purposeful,

Developmentally Appropriate, Reflective of Multiple Intelligences, Matched to the Assessment Method and Context

Classroom Assessment Methods

Richard Stiggins and Assessment Training

Institute

Classroom Assessment for Student Learning Doing It Right, Using it Well

by Rick Stiggins, Judith Arter, Stephen Chappuis, and Jan Chappuis

Kinds of Portfolios

Academic DisciplineProject PortfolioCollaborative or Group PortfolioAnthology Portfolio

Assessment in Practice: Six Strategies

Observing and DocumentingPlanning Backward: From Desired

Results to Teaching/Learning Experiences

Developing Sound Assessment TasksMaking Expectations Visible: Scoring

GuidesProviding FeedbackIncorporating Self-Assessment

Planning Backward: Steps in the Design

Process1. Establish Essential Learning Goals and

Standards2. Search for Big Ideas and Essential

Questions3. Identify Assessment Tasks: What should

students know and be able to do.4. Create Learning Episodes: The building

blocks of learning5. Plan and Present Demonstrations,

Performances, or Exhibitions6. Review and Reflect on the Assessment and

on Teaching and Learning: Polish your strategies

Criteria for Assessment Tasks

AuthenticityCredibility

ValidityReliabilityFeasibility

User-FriendlinessFairness

Making Expectations Visible

Scoring GuidesRubricsFeedbackSelf-Assessment

Creating Assessment Systems

3

Part Three: Creating Assessment Systems

Building an Assessment SystemA School-Based System of

Assessment at WorkCommunicating about the LearningDistrict and State Assessment and

Evaluation ProgramsOne School’s Story

Professional Learning Communities

As noted in Successful School Restructuring: A Report to the Public

Educators, “the point of (this) research was to learn how the tools of

restructuring can be used to elevate learning for all students. There is no

‘magic bullet’ or simple recipe for success. But the solution lies in the

circles of support” (Newmann and Wehlage, 1995)

External Support

School Organizational Capacity

Authentic Pedagogy

Student Learning

Pg. 146

Communication

PartnershipsLeadershipTime for Differentiated Staffing and

SchedulingFormal Reporting Structures

(Family Conferences, Progress Reports, Report Cards—Alternatives)

District & State Assessment and Evaluation Programs

Data “What more do we need to know for understanding and

improving learning?”

Triangulation Use Three Sources of Data

Disaggregation Separate data into its component parts

Aggregation Review and combine individual pieces of data to search for a composite picture or trends.

Scaling Up Use school-based collections of primary or secondary source data to create a bigger picture in the district.

Principal’s Role

Instructional Leader Create a strong school-based process of

curriculum development and review Support professional conversations Develop internal accountability structures Study external accountability measures Integrate into the curriculum strategies for

“test-wiseness” Conduct a collaborative review of test results Communicate with families Remain focused

Conclusion

This book provides a very practical hands on approach for thinking about assessment in schools.

There are a lot of useful charts and diagrams, which I attempted to replicate in some instances.

The book references many resources (one of which I included—Richard Stiggins’, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning Doing It Right, Using it Well as we have used it at YA and found it quite helpful.