14 The Role of Assessment

The Role of Assessment Assessment—the methods used to gain information about student learning Central to the educational process Completes the cycle of instruction

Do you get nervous while taking tests Do you get nervous while taking tests? Why do you think this is the case? © Archipoch/Shutterstock

Distinguish between formative and summative assessment. © Keith Bell/Shutterstock

The Purpose of Assessment Formative assessment takes place during instruction Allows teachers to adjust teaching to help improve learning Purpose is to make instructional decisions Not used as part of students’ grades continued

The Purpose of Assessment Summative assessment is evaluation after learning has taken place Assesses if learning objectives were met Often scored or graded Allows progress to be tracked over time Usually includes tests

Identify the source of standards evaluated by assessments. © Ricardo Garza/Shutterstock

What Can Be Measured? Student achievement of objectives Learner growth and progress Teaching effectiveness

Measuring Student Achievement of Objectives Teachers constantly measure students’ progress Students, classes, and schools are periodically measured against district, state, or national standards Standardized tests have consistent grading

Measuring Learner Growth and Progress Growth and progress can be assessed over time Changes in classroom behavior can be tracked Teachers can report progress to learners and parents continued

Measuring Learner Growth and Progress Assessment can offer encouragement or highlight areas of concern © Maridav/Shutterstock

Measuring Teaching Effectiveness Personal assessment leads to self-improvement modifications in teaching methods Teachers may also make videos of themselves teaching or ask for feedback They may ask others for feedback and suggestions continued

Measuring Teaching Effectiveness Mentor teachers help new teachers assess and improve their skills © Lisa F. Young/Shutterstock

Using Tests to Assess Learning Tests are the most widely used assessment tool Standardized tests Teacher-developed tests

Do you think tests are the best way of assessing what you, personally, have learned? Why? © Archipoch/Shutterstock

Standardized Tests Scores can show the achievement of individual students, schools, and teachers © VIPDesignUSA/Shutterstock continued

Standardized Tests State tests are used to hold states accountable to determine funding Districts may use them to devise strategies for improvement and monitor changes continued

Standardized Tests SAT and ACT are used for college admissions feedback on how a school’s student scores compare with others across the nation

Teacher-Developed Tests Help teachers measure how well students met the learning objectives the effectiveness of their teaching Teachers write tests based on learning objectives what they have taught knowledge of their students

Write examples of appropriate and effective test questions. © keerati/Shutterstock

Types of Test Questions True-false—test recall Multiple choice—can test higher-level thinking © Kelvin/Shutterstock continued

Types of Test Questions Matching—identifies a relationship Fill-in-the-blank—should be carefully constructed so there is only one correct answer Short answer—require a very brief answer Identification—requires labeling or locating parts on a diagram or drawing continued

Types of Test Questions Essay—measure knowledge and the ability to think clearly, organize information, and express thoughts Requires higher-level thinking Takes time and effort to grade

Constructing Tests Write questions that match the levels of the objectives Match the proportion of questions to the emphasis placed on various objectives Limit the number of different types of questions to three or four Group questions of the same type together continued

Constructing Tests Be sure that questions do not give answers or clues to other questions © marekuliasz/Shutterstock continued

Constructing Tests Provide clear directions for each section Evaluate existing tests or questions carefully before using Format the test for ease of use Format the test for ease of grading

What do you think would be the most difficult part of constructing a test? Why? © Michael D. Brown/Shutterstock

Using Alternative Assessment Strategies Alternative assessments are methods other than tests Encourage teachers’ and students’ creativity Written papers Multimedia presentations Real-life tasks Student portfolios continued

Using Alternative Assessment Strategies Students create something to show what they know © Simone van den Berg/Shutterstock

Giving Clear Directions Writing directions requires thinking in a logical, step-by-step way Begin by achieving the goal or objective Use precise, descriptive language Confusing directions can prevent accurate assessment of learning

Evaluating Alternative Assessments Students are usually involved in the process Rubrics Checklists and scorecards Self-evaluation and peer evaluation

Develop a rubric to be used for alternative assessment. © Robyn Mackenzie/Shutterstock

Rubrics A rubric is often organized as a chart Quality ratings can be ranked using numbers and/or adjectives Provides clear grading criteria for both student and teacher Helps to communicate how a student did and did not meat expectations or standards continued

Rubrics To create a rubric, Identify the criteria that will be used in assessing performance Determine the possible performance levels Write a description for each performance level and criterion Proofread

Have you ever been graded using a rubric Have you ever been graded using a rubric? Did you think it was a fair assessment tool? Why? © Michael D. Brown/Shutterstock

Checklists and Scorecards Checklists show progress over time Can be checked off or answered with a “yes” or “no” response © Dmitry Naumov/Shutterstock continued

Checklists and Scorecards Scorecards identify a maximum point value for each criterion but do not describe levels of quality Number of points depends on importance and complexity of each step Provides students with a final score and information on which steps need practice

Self-Evaluation and Peer Evaluation With self-evaluation and peer evaluation, students learn the importance of honesty how to phrase constructive criticism acceptance of others’ assessment important job-related skills

Describe the reasoning teachers use in choosing appropriate assessment strategies. © Blend Images/Shutterstock

Choosing Assessment Strategies Validity—assessment actually measures learning objectives Reliability—results will be the same over time with different learners in different circumstances Should be developmentally appropriate for learners’ developmental stage continued

Choosing Assessment Strategies Assessment should not be the focal point, taking away from the learning process Students will be less likely to internalize what was learned Teachers must consider time and other resources assessment will require

Analyze a grading policy. © Cheryl Casey/Shutterstock

Determining Grades and Providing Feedback Ways teachers provide feedback include grades direct feedback © Tatiana Belova/Shutterstock

Grading Students Purpose of grading is to communicate students’ performance and progress Establish a grading plan before classes begin Communicate the grading plan to students Grades should reflect students’ learning Grades should be based on a variety of assignments, tests, and other work continued

Grading Students Not every activity should be scored Student work should be recorded as a number Scores for some type of work may be weighted

Giving Effective Feedback Feedback is more effective in improving learning than grades Can occur throughout the learning cycle Can be verbal reinforcement or written comments Should be specific guidance

As a student, which do you find more effective: grades or feedback? Why? © Archipoch/Shutterstock

Develop questions a teacher might use for course evaluation. © Losevsky Pavel/Shutterstock

Course Evaluation Course evaluation helps teachers improve their teaching What worked and didn’t work Evaluation leads to reflection and change

Have you ever evaluated a course Have you ever evaluated a course? Do you think the teacher found your feedback useful? © Michael D. Brown/Shutterstock

Assessment evaluates different aspects of teaching and learning Strategies for assessment include standardized tests, teacher-developed tests, and alternative methods Providing feedback helps students improve learning skills Course evaluation helps teachers improve

What type of tests are state achievement tests? standardized tests ____ is an evaluation of students’ learning after instruction has taken place. Summative What type of tests are state achievement tests? standardized tests continued

What is a rubric? a scoring tool that lists the criteria for judging a particular type of work What is the difference between validity and reliability? Validity means a test measures the learning objectives. Reliability means it measures the same over time.