QUALITY ASSESSMENT PRACTICES &
PROJECT BASED LEARNING
Clarity of Learning Targets, Setting objectives, Formative Assessment as Feedback and Balanced Assessment
Formative Practices
Teacher Clarity d=0.75 (+27%)
Formative eval of programs d=0.90 (+31%)
Providing feedback d=0.73 (+26%)
Students Self-Reporting Grades d=1.44 (+~45%)
Authors commonly associated with these:Arter, Chappuis, Brookhart, Stiggins, Hattie
Bibliography located at: http://bulldogcia.com/Articles.htm
Assessment within PBLThings to remember and guide you
Target selected “power standards”◦ In depth standards create the opportunity
for in depth authentic assessment
Select 21st Century Skills to teach and assess (e.g. collaboration, presentation and critical thinking)
Formatively assess only for the purpose of revision and improvement
Assessments*excerpt (p. 121) from Project Based Learning Toolkit Series—PBL Starter Kit: To-the-Point Advice, Tools and Tips for Your First Project in Middle or High School
Formative Assessments (During
Project)
Summative Assessments (End of Project)
Quizzes/Tests Written Products with Rubric
Journal/Learning Log Multiple/Choice/Short Answer Test
Preliminary Plans/Outlines/Prototypes
Essay Test
Rough Drafts Peer Evaluation
Online Tests/Exams Self-Evaluation
Practice Presentations Other Product(s) or Performance(s) with Rubric
Checklists
Concept Maps
The assessment itself doesn’t determine if it is formative or summative…only the use of it can make that determination
Two Purposes of Assessment
SUMMATIVEAssessments OF Learning
The purpose is to report on learning
FORMATIVEAssessments FOR Learning
The purpose is to improve learning and shape instruction
What is balanced assessment?
All slides related to the 5 Keys to Quality Assessment are ideas taken from:
Stiggins, R.J., Arter, J., Chappuis, J. & Chappuis, S. (2007). Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right—using it well. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Balanced Assessment
SummativeProvides evidence achievement to certify student competence or program effectiveness
Formative uses of summative dataUse of summative evidence to inform what comes next for individuals or groups of students
FormativeFormal and informal processes teachers and students use to gather evidence to directly improve the learning of students assessed
Assessment for learning
Use assessments to help students assess and adjust their own learning
Assessment for learning
Use classroom assessments to inform teacher’s decisions
Quality Classroom Assessment
5 Keys to Quality Classroom Assessment
1. Why assess? (PURPOSE)
2. Assess what? (TARGETS)
3. Assess how? (DESIGN)
4. Communicate how? (COMMUNICATION)
5. Involve students how? (STUDENT INVOLVEMENT)
Stiggins, et al (2007). CASL
PURPOSE
TARGET
ACCURACY EFFECTIVE USE
STUDENTINVOLVEMENT
DESIGN
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Stiggins, et al (2007). CASL
Classroom Assessment: Accuracy
Why Assess?
Assess What?
Assess How?
Key 1 Purpose—WhyEducators need to:
Understand who the assessment users are and the needs of the assessment users
Understand the relationship between assessment and student motivation
Use results in a formative & summative way
Have a plan to integrate assessment of and for learning in the classroom
Key 2 Clarity of Targets—What
The most critical question—it drives planning, instruction and assessment.
We need to…Identify and broadcast the essential learning targets
(refer to Andrew Miller article)
Articulate differences between learning targets and activities
Have a comprehensive plan over time for assessing the learning targets
Differentiate between “window shopping standards” and “buying standards”
Clarity—Where am I going?
Key Point: differentiate between learning targets and learning activities
How might you do this? Take 2 min and talk to your neighbor.
Clarity—Where am I going?
What are some ways that you can engage students that will require them to interact with one another and establish learning target clarity at the same time within a PBL design?
Hint: Think of examples of strong and weak work
Clarity—Defining quality work
Students must first be able to:◦Understand concepts that define quality
before being asked to self-assess them
HOW?
One way to do this is to use rubrics
Clarity—Strong and weak work
Use anonymous samples
After defining the criteria…◦have students look at 2 samples and
determine which ones do/do not meet the criteria and why
When are learning intentions useful?Read p. 56 excerpt from:
Wiliam, D. (2011). Embedded Formative Assessment. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Clarity—Using rubrics
It acts as a diagnostic tool so..
Each feature of quality needs described—from beginning to proficient. “This is beginning because…”
This aligns with teaching the elements of quality
Allows you to provide feedback related to elements of quality
Key 3: Assess how? (DESIGN)
Why is that important?
Target-Method Match
There are specific ways in which learning targets are most effectively & efficiently assessed.
Classroom Assessment: Effectiveness
Communicate how?
Involve students how?
Key 4: Effective Communication
Key 5: Student Involvement
Keys 4 & 5 are really assessment strategies
The 7 Strategies of Assessment FOR Learning
Chappuis (2009)
We Will Emphasize a Formative Assessment System…one built on the premise of feedback
Principles of Providing FeedbackWHAT’s NEXT FEEDBACK— feedback isn’t necessarily about how to do it
correctly. What if it is all done correctly? Feedback needs to direct attention to what’s next for the learner. Think of the student who is a high achiever…what’s next for her?
FOCUSED FEEDBACK— feedback should do its best to focus on one particular
aspect of quality at a time because too much feedback can prevent improvement.
FEEDBACK TO FEED FORWARD— direct feedback at the student’s acquisition of the
learning intentions and success criteria; not just ___ out of ____ correct. Instead of this, use a “find it, fix it” strategy.
Formative EvaluationTeacherWhere are they going?Where are they now?What’s next?
StudentWhere am I going?Where am I now?What’s next?
These are on-going
Student Feedback within PBL
Critical thinking and in-depth understanding can be readily activated through self-reflection and peer to peer dialogue
The teacher’s role?◦Explicitly teach this◦Model it◦Engineer the kind of environment that
has it built into the fabric of the classroom
7 Strategies of Assessment for Learning
Based on the underlying belief that students are the most influential decision makers in the classroom
Addresses 3 questions:Where am I going?Where am I now?How do I close the gap?Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning. Portland,
OR: ETS.Sadler, D.R. (1989 & 1998)
Where am I going?
1. Clarity of learning intentions/targets
2. Strong and weak examples of the work we want students to do
Where am I now?
3. Provide regular descriptive feedback◦ Helps students begin to monitor where
they are in relationship to where they need to be
4. Teach students to self-assess and set goals
◦ Students need to know where they are in order to set goals
◦ They need to be taught how to self-assess
How Can I Close the Gap?5. Design lessons to focus on one target or
quality aspect at a time◦ Makes monitoring the learning more specific
6. Teach students focused revision◦ Task analyze the target into small chunks◦ Practice and revise
7. Engage students in self-reflection; have them track and share
◦ This impacts the retention of things learned and increases motivation
Strategies of Formative Assessment*excerpt (p. 46) from Wiliam (2011). Embedded formative assessment. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press. Where the learner is
goingWhere the learner is right now How to get there
Teacher
Clarifying and sharing learning intentions and criteria for success
Engineering effective classroom discussions, activities and tasks that elicit evidence of learning
Providing feedback that moves learning forward
Peer Understanding and sharing learning intentions and criteria for success
Activating learners as instructional resources for one another
Learner
Understanding learning intentions and criteria for success
Activating learners as the owners of their own learning