Assessments TAP 1- Strand 5

Feedback In education is it important for feedback to be focused, direct and timely. Because feedback is information given to the learner about the learner’s performance relative to learning goals. Types Teacher-student Written Verbal Formal Informal Student-teacher Self- evaluation Student-student Peer review The teacher should think of feedback as a way to identify where the student is, where the student needs to be, and how to get the student there.

Types of Assessment Formative Summative When During a learning activity At the end of the learning activity Goal To improve learning To make a decision Feedback Return to material Final judgement Frame of reference Always criterion (evaluating students according to the same criteria) Sometimes normative (comparing each student against all others) Sometimes criterion

Formative Assessment Formative assessment refers to a wide variety of methods that teachers use to conduct in-process evaluations of student comprehension, learning needs, and academic progress during a lesson, unit, or course. In-process evaluation Comprehension Learning needs Progress

Summative Assessment Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning, skill acquisition, and academic achievement at the conclusion of a defined instructional period— typically at the end of a project, unit, course, semester, program, or school year. End of section evaluation Student learning Skill acquisition Academic achievement

Parts of a Summative Assessment The purpose of any summative assessment is to provide meaningful reports on students’ achievement, and effective summative assessments help students achieve to their highest abilities. Quality summative assessments should be predefined by a group of teachers and involve the students. So as tempting and time-saving as it is, we shouldn’t sue pre-crafted rubrics or textbook created tests. Assessments must provide students with the opportunities to demonstrate what they know. Challenge students to transfer what they’ve learned to specific and real-life tasks. All assessments should correspond with important learning targets and essential questions so they yield true information about student progress. Summative assessments must provide meaningful feedback to both the student and teacher. By doing so, assessments help increase student motivation to learn. Nonjudgmental feedback motivates students for further effort, while using grades as rewards or punishments decreases student motivation. Incorporate 21st century skills and content into assessments. Summative assessments should not be limited to high-stakes tests.

Rubrics A tool that articulates the expectations for an assignment by listing criteria, and for each criteria, describing levels of quality. Rubrics contain three essential features: Criteria students are to attend to in completing the assignment Used in determining the level at which student work meets expectations. Markers of quality (typically rating scales) Give students a clear idea about what must be done to demonstrate a certain level of mastery, understanding, proficiency (i.e., "excellent" does xyz, "fair" does only xy or yz, "poor" does only x or y or z). Scoring   Rubrics can be used for any assignment in a course, in which you ask students to demonstrate what they've learned. They can also be used to facilitate self and peer-reviews of student work. Rubrics aren't just for summative evaluation. They can be used as a teaching tool as well. When used by students as part of a formative assessment, they can help students understand both the holistic nature and/or specific analytics of learning expected, the level of learning expected, and then make decisions about their current level of learning to inform revision and improvement