It defines acceptable evidence of student’s attainment of desired results. It determines authentic performance tasks that the student is expected to do to demonstrate the desired understandings. It defines the criteria against which the student’s performances or products shall be judged.

Assessment  Are they directly linked to standards through clearly stated criteria?  Do they provide for multiple sources of evidence to document student progress/attainment of standards?

Effective Assessment :  Is aligned with standards, curriculum, and instruction. (Stage 1 and 3 alignment)  Enables All students to demonstrate what they know and can do.  Guides teaching and learning. It is about more than grades for the grade book.  Produces valid and reliable results about student learning.  Is considered relevant and worthwhile by students in providing guidance and feedback.

Principles of Effective Classroom Assessment  Assessment should be used as a teaching and learning tool for teachers and students.  Assessment is an on-going process which provides feedback to students.  Teachers should use a variety of assessments over time.  Teachers should communicate expectations for performance.

 Assessment should be matched to standards and goals of the unit.  Teachers should define what evidence they will accept that demonstrates proficiency ( to show what they know and are able to do ).  Assessment should be put into context as they relate to standard, benchmark, and lessons.  Assessment tools should be equitable.

TWO VIEWS OF ASSESSMENT ASSESSMENT IS FOR Gate keepingNurturing JudgingGuiding Right AnswerSelf Reflection ControlInformation Comparison to othersComparison to task Use with single activitiesUse over multiple activities

Ongoing Assessment Some teachers talk about --- Some teachers talk about --- LEARNING GRADES VS VS.  Can these two coexist peacefully? SShould one receive emphasis over the other?

assessment serves different purposes…

Use Formative and Summative Assessment Formative Assessment ( Assessment FOR Learning) Summative Assessment (Assessment OF Learning)  The assessment done at the end of a unit, course, grade level. Provides a final summation of learning.  Quiz, teacher observations, mid-unit test, one minute essay  Gives feedback to either the teacher or student (or both) on what revisions to make to teaching or to student work.  Assessment occurring during the process of a unit or a course. During the formation of a concept or item. Answers question: How are the students doing? What are they learning? What misconceptions do they have?  End of chapter, final exam, final draft of writing portfolio, senior exhibition.  The adding-up or summary stage. Summarizes the learning for both the teacher and the students

Formative assessment critical  We do too much “testing” and not enough “feedback giving”  The research is clear: lots of formative assessment and opportunities to use it is key to the greatest gains in learning, as measured on conventional test See Black and William, “Inside the Black Box” in the Kappan, and How People Learn, Bransford etal.

On-going Assessment: A diagnostic continuum FEEDBACK and GOAL SETTING PRE-ASSESSMENT (Finding Out) FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT (Keeping Track & Checking-up) POST-ASSESSMENT (Finding Out ) Pre-test Graphing for Greatness Inventory KWL Checklist Observation Self-evaluation Questioning ConferenceExit Card Peer EvaluationPortfolio Check 3-minute pauseQuiz ObservationJournal Entry Talk aroundSelf-evaluation Questioning Unit Test Performance Task Product/Exhibits Demonstration Portfolio Review

Pre- Assessment  What the student already knows about what is being planned?  What standards, objectives, concepts & skill the individual student understands?  What further instruction and opportunities for mastery are needed?  What requires re-teaching or enhancement?  What areas of interests and feelings are in the different areas of the study?  How to set up flexible group: Whole, individual, partner, or small group?

Common Types of Readiness or Pre-Assessment  K-W-L Check  Pre-Test  Skills Check  Misconception Check  Writing simples or journal with prompt  Mind mapping (graphic organizer)  Checklist through observation, cruising  Student products and work samples  Interviews or oral defence  Draw what you know  Anticipation / reaction guide  Informal Q and A

Formative Assessment is ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING “formative” and “diagnostic” is feedback and guidance for learners and their teachers or “coaches” The purpose, not the format or content, is what determines whether an assessment is summative (of learning) vs. formative (for learning)

THINKING ABOUT ON-GOING ASSESSMENT STUDENT DATA SOURCES TEACHERS DATA MECHANISMS 1.Journal entry 2.Short answer test 3.Open response test 4.Home learning 5.Notebook 6.Oral response 7.Portfolio entry 8.Exhibition 9.Culminating product 10.Question writing 11.Problem solving 1.Anecdotal records 2.Observation by checklist 3.Skills checklist 4.Class discussion 5.Small group interaction 6.Teacher-student conference 7.Assessment station 8.Exit cards 9.Problem posing 10.Performance task & rubrics

YES / NO Cards  Using a 4 x 6 index card the student writes YES on one side and NO on the other.  When a question is asked the students hold up YES or NO. 1.Ask the students if they know the following vocabulary words and what they mean. 2.Call out a word. If a student is holding a YES they may be called on to give the correct answer. 3.Remind them that if they don’t know the words it is OK because they will be learning them. 4.You can do the same thing with conceptual ideas, etc.

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT Of Learning and Engagement and Assessment of Understanding

Summative Performance Task To Assess Understanding of Your Unit Using the GRASPS model or a narrative model, develop an assessment that demonstrates real world relevance to your topic and that will show transfer of learning Identify the criteria you will use to evaluate this task Use the Stage 2 GRASPS section of your template to complete this work.

Scenarios for Authentic Tasks GRASPS Build assessment anchored in authentic task using GRASPS  What is the Goal in the scenario?  What is the Role?  Who is the Audience?  What is your Situation (context)?  What is the Performance challenge?  By what Standards will work be judged in the scenario? See for specific examples

Assessment is the key to improvement in teaching and learning; it is not just evaluation.