Teaching Science to Every Child: Using Culture as a Starting Point ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012 Chapter 7 Assessing Science Learning ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Chapter 7 Topics Assessing PurposefullyFormal AssessmentsInformal AssessmentsAligning Assessments to CurriculumUsing Interviews to Assess StudentsAssessing within a Diverse Classroom ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Purposes of Assessing To Determine Students’ GradesTo Inform Students about their ProgressTo Evaluate the Quality of the TeachingTo Enlighten Instructional Decision-making ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Aligning Assessments to Delivery Instruction should prepare students for the assessments they must take Knowledge and skills must translate to testing formats Classroom assessments can reduce high stakes anxiety through familiarization ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Types of Formal Assessments Quizzes and Tests Knowledge and Recall: Lower Level Thinking Analyze: Break Big Idea into Components Synthesize: Join Pieces into Larger Concept Performance Assessments Hands-on Activity used to Evaluate Students Student Portfolios A Collection of Work Samples with Explanatory Narratives ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Varieties of Informal Assessments Less Structured but Still Getting at IdeasHomework AssignmentsIn-class Observations Assess a Child’s Social Skills Capture Ability to do Inquiry ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Assessing with Interviews 1.What do you observe? How are Day 1 and Day 7 the same or different? 2.What inferences can you make? What caused the changes? 3.Other example of this happening? ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Assessing in Diverse Classrooms Don’t confuse language difficulties with conceptual problems Teach and assess with a very clear sense about student outcomes (aka: objectives) Share the results of assessments with students as soon as possible ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Chapter 7 Summary Be Planful about Designing and Using AssessmentsUse a Mix of Formal Assessments: Quizzes PerformancesRely Upon Informal Means to Gather InformationUse Formal Assessment to Familiarize with Standardized TestsFind Opportunities for Quick Interviews of IndividualsBe Especially Thoughtful and Responsive when Assessing ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012