Common Formative Assessment Inquiry & Action RESEARCH & EVALUATION BAKERSFIELD CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT SEPTEMBER, 2013

Objectives 1.To refine our understanding of formative assessment as a process. 2.To clarify the steps for developing common formatives.

Reflection ◦List the kinds of assessments you have already used in your classroom experience ◦Try to list as many specific examples as you can.

Pair Share Using that list, think about the consistency with which we…. ◦Elicit evidence of learning ◦Immediately adjust instruction when necessary ◦Provide student feedback ◦Collaborate with students around assessment

Formative Assessment Formative assessment is a planned process of continuously gathering evidence as the learning unfolds. It is used by teachers and students during instruction to provide immediate feedback. This allows for adjustments to improve learning. CCSSO FAST SCASS Definition (2010) Tran s

Student’s Current Learning Status Learning Target Scaffolding most powerful Outside the ZPD Success Criteria Shared with Students Instruction Formative Assessment Instructional Adjustment Specific Feedback Learning Adjustments Adapted from Heritage (2010) Transformative Assessment Process Using Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

The Power of Common Formatives One of the most powerful, high-leverage processes for improving student learning available to schools is the creation of frequent, common, high-quality formative assessments by teachers who are working collaboratively to help a group of students develop agreed-upon knowledge and skills. Fullan, 2005a; Hargreaves & Fink, 2006; Reeves, 2004; Schmokler,2003; Stiggins, 2005, Learning By Doing page 55

Four Key Questions of a Professional Learning Community What do we want our students to learn? How will we know they have learned it? How will we respond when learning did not take place? How do we respond when learning has already occurred?

What do we want students to know and be able to do? Step One: Identify Learning Target(s) Learning targets are the skills and concepts paced out in your units that students must master in order to ensure the common core standards

What do we want students to know and be able to do? Step One: Identify Learning Target(s) o Look across all three Segments to get a broad sense of how the Unit progresses o Now examine the Segment you are preparing to instruct o Which targets are most important within this segment? o Use the criteria described below to guide your selection: ◦Endurance – important now and for the future ◦Leverage – Cross-curricular connections ◦Readiness – contain prerequisite skills for next grade level

Sample Learning Target

How will we know they have learned it? ◦Determine the success criteria of the target ◦What would proficiency look like? ◦How do we craft my assessment item to align to the criteria? ◦What format will we use? ◦Selected Response- multiple choice, matching, true/false ◦Constructed Response- short answer ◦Performance Task- multiple tasks (reading, writing, researching, etc.) ◦How many questions will we use to assess each target? ◦How and when will we administer the assessment to ensure needed adjustments will occur immediately? Step Two: Decide How to Assess

Sample: Success Criteria Compare and contrast two individuals, events, or ideas from a historical or science text. Explain the relationship between two of these elements. Success Criteria (context: historical or science text) Describe similaritiesDescribe differences Explain those relationships that have significance Identification of all relevant details that express the similarities between the two elements (individuals, events, or ideas) Identification of all relevant details that express differences between the two elements (individuals, events, or ideas) A complete explanation of the significant relationships between the two elements with inclusion of supporting text details. _____________________________ _____________________________________________

Sample: Crafting Assessment Items Text : (Students will be reading or listening to a scientific or historical text) Question: What is similar between these two elements? Include text details. Question: What is different between these two elements? Include text details. Question: Explain the relationship between these two elements. Support your answer with text details. Element #1 Element #2 Selected Response: 1.How would you explain the relationship between and ? A caused to occur. B happened after C happened before , but did not cause D created a problem, and helped provide a solution.

Quick Check for Quality of Common Formatives 1.Do items elicit evidence of learning you need in order to diagnose student’s status along the progression of learning? 2.Do items elicit evidence of learning you need to take action to increase student learning towards the end of the Unit expectations?

Objectives 1.To refine our understanding of formative assessment as a process. 2.To clarify the steps for developing common formatives.

Wrapping Up o Learning by doing o CFA Progress Part II: How will we respond when learning did not take place? How do we respond when learning has already occurred? o Principals will your questions to