Assessment Issues Presented by Jeffrey Oescher Southeastern Louisiana University 4 January 2008

Who and what? Jeffrey Oescher Assessment issues Thinking about assessment Targets and methods Keys to writing objectives for specific targets Assessing your learning objectives Writing items

Quality Assessments Knowledge of … learning targets, assessment methods, and specific guidelines for writing specific assessments. Let’s briefly look at each of these

Learning Targets Master factual and procedural knowledge Use knowledge to reason and solve problems Demonstrate mastery of specific skills Create quality products Acquire positive affect/dispositions

Learning Targets Knowledge Name at least two influences on the culture of New Orleans Give two examples of how location has affected the history of New Orleans. What is the name of the art museum located in the Warehouse District of New Orleans?

Learning Targets Reasoning Compare the way of life of the early settlers of New Orleans to your own. What would New Orleans be like if it was not located on the Mississippi River? What are the important characteristics of a good mayor?

Learning Targets Skills Use the scale provided on the map to measure the distance from New Orleans to Shreveport. Cook a dish that exemplifies New Orleans’ culture. Work effectively as a group to identify the critical issues facing New Orleans in the next several years.

Learning Targets Products Design and make a map of New Orleans. Make a collection of food products manufactured in New Orleans. Create a collage that depicts some aspect of New Orleans’ heritage.

Learning Targets Affective characteristics Demonstrate respect toward yourself and others. Develop a positive self-concept. Develop a positive attitude toward history.

Learning Targets Break into small groups of four or five teachers Classify each of the student tasks on the following slide relative to the type of learning target

Learning Targets Writes effectively for various audiences and purposes. Contributes to both large and small groups. Uses music vocabulary correctly. Develops a personal wellness plan that recognizes the impact of nutrition and fitness on personal well-being. Chooses and devises appropriate strategies to solve mathematical problems Uses historical and contemporary information to demonstrate cross cultural understanding. (Knowledge, Reasoning, Skills, Products, Affective Traits)

Assessment Methods Selected response and short answer Essay Performance assessment Personal/oral communication

Assessment Methods Selected response All of the objectively scored paper-and- pencil test formats Multiple choice True/false Matching Fill-in-the-blank

Assessment Methods Essays An exercise in which the respondent is provided a prompt which calls for the preparation of an extended written answer Describe how the concepts of evaporation and condensation come into play in the context of the water cycle. Be sure to include all the key elements of the cycle and discuss how they relate to one another. Using what you know about the causes of air pollution in cities, propose two potentially useful solutions. Analyze each in terms of its strengths and weaknesses.

Assessment Methods Performance Assessments An exercise in which the respondent actually carries out a specified activity under the scrutiny of an evaluator who makes judgments based either on observations of the process of on the product created Processes A musical recital A speech A hundred meter dash A science experiment Products A drawing A term paper A prepared dish

Assessment Methods Personal communication Formal and informal discussion with students about their achievement Informal Questions posed and answered during instruction Discussions during class Conversations Formal Interviews Conferences Oral examinations

Target – Method Match There is a need to match learning targets with assessment methods Complete Table 1 on the following slide Place a ‘X’ for an appropriate match between target and method Place a ‘?’ for a possible match Place a ‘O’ for an inappropriate match

Target – Method Match Target Method Selected Response Essay Performance Assessment Personal Communication Knowledge Reasoning Skills Products Affect

Target – Method Match Target Method Selected Response Essay Performance Assessment Personal Communication Knowledge XXO Reasoning OXXX Skills XX Products OX Affect XOOX

Reflection What questions do you have about … achievement targets, assessment methods, or the match between targets and methods?

Exercise 1 Identify the target for several of your learning objectives Identify the most appropriate assessment method to assess each of these learning objectives

Selected Response Items Clearly defining your targets – writing learning objectives Bloom’s Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain Stiggins’ Knowledge and Reasoning Targets Other taxonomies Examples from EDF 600 Chapter 1 Chapter 2

Selected Response Items Examining your learning objectives Choose several of your knowledge level or reasoning level objectives Be certain the learning target is crystal clear! Edit your objectives as necessary

Selected Response Items Making the targets clear to students Remember your experiences with Clapping Hands? Test blueprints

Selected Response Items Guidelines for writing selected response items General guidelines for all formats Items are clearly written and focused A question is posed The lowest possible reading level is used Irrelevant clues are eliminated Items have been reviewed by a colleague The scoring key has been checked

Selected Response Items Guidelines (continued) Multiple choice items The item stem poses a direct question Any repetition is eliminated from the response Only one best or correct answer is provided The response options are brief and parallel The number of response options offered fits the item context

Selected Response Items Guidelines (continued) True/False items The statement is definitely true or false Fill-in items A direct question is posed One blank is needed to respond The length of the blank is not a clue to the answer

Selected Response Items Guidelines (continued) Matching exercises Clear directions on how to match are provided The list of items to be matched is brief Any lists consist of homogeneous entries The response options are brief and parallel Extra response options are offered

Selected Response Items Critiquing your items Review my guideline for writing selected response items Take the practice exercise at the end of this handout Identify any problems with your selected response items Correct these problems My offer to you