Future Ready Schools Formative Assessment : An Essential Ingredient in a Recipe for a Comprehensive Balanced Assessment System

Future Ready Schools Session Objectives: At the conclusion of this session: Participants will demonstrate an increased awareness of the definition and attributes of effective formative assessment. Participants will be able to demonstrate and increased awareness of how to deconstruct content standards to clarify learning targets and maximize student success.

Future Ready Schools CAT HERDERS

Future Ready Schools VARIATIONS ON A THEME… ALL KIDS CAN LEARN! (DuFour & Dufour Copyright Soulution Tree) 1....Based on ability 2.…If they take advantage of the opportunity 3.…And we will accept responsibility for ensuring their growth 4.…And we will establish high standards of learning that we expect all students to achieve

Future Ready Schools If the purpose of school is truly to ensure high levels of learning for all students, schools will: (DuFour & Dufour Copyright Soulution Tree) Clarify what each student is expected to learn Monitor each students learning on a timely basis Create systems to ensure students receive additional time and support if they are not learning

Future Ready Schools 4 POINTS FOR GROWTH: DuFours Critical Corollary Questions IF WE BELIEVE ALL KIDS CAN LEARN… What is it we expect them to learn? How will we know when they have learned it? How will we respond when they dont learn? How will we respond when they already know it?

Future Ready Schools DuFours Critical Corollary Questions The answers to DuFours critical corollary questions depend on who the student has as a teacher. Thus, to ensure ALL students have access to the best solution to these questions, there must be a systematic, non-invitational school response.

Future Ready Schools Why do we assess? Formative Assessment vs. Summative Assessment

Future Ready Schools BALANCED ASSESSMENT SYSTEM FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTSUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT A process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides immediate feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to help students improve their achievement of intended instructional outcomes. A tool used after instruction to measure student achievement which provides evidence of student competence or program effectiveness.

Future Ready Schools Purpose: Assess to meet whose needs? Classroom Instructional Support Policy Students Teachers Parents Curriculum Specialists Principals Counselors Superintendent School Board Tax Payers Legislators

Future Ready Schools Why Professional Learning Communities?

Future Ready Schools Creating Consensus Ask the following: What do you want to teach to kids? (NC Standard Course of Study) What is most important? (What do I like to teach? Deconstruct the Standards) What skills do they need to know (vertical alignment)? (Vertical Team Planning)

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ProductsSkillsReasoningKnowledge ©Copyright Educational Testing Service/Assessment Training Institute

Future Ready Schools A Comprehensive Balanced Assessment System Classroom Assessment (Formative and Summative) Interim/Benchmark Assessments (Summative) Statewide Assessments (Summative) Aligned to State Standards

Future Ready Schools How do we close the gap and have a balanced assessment system?

Future Ready Schools Focus on the Importance of Classroom Assessment it guides students judgment of what is important to learn, affects their motivation and self perceptions of competence, structures their approaches to and timing of personal study…consolidates learning and affects the development of enduring learning strategies and skills. It appears to be the most potent forces influencing education Crooks (1988)

Future Ready Schools What should classroom assessment involve?

Future Ready Schools Both Formative and Summative Assessment Summative A measure of achievement to provide evidence of student competence or program effectivenessFormative A process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to help students improve their achievement of intended instructional outcomes

Future Ready Schools Possible Assessment Methods Formative Assessment Questioning Questioning Classroom Discussions Classroom Discussions Learning Tasks Learning Tasks Feedback Feedback Conferences Conferences Interviews Interviews Student Self- assessment Student Self- assessment Summative Assessment Selected ResponseSelected Response Multiple-Choice Multiple-Choice True/False True/False Matching Matching Fill in Fill in Extended WrittenExtended Written Response Response PerformancePerformance Assessment Assessment

Future Ready Schools Formative Assessment FOR Student Learning Where does the student need to go? Where is the student now? How do I help the student close the gap?

Future Ready Schools Seven Strategies for Student Assessment for Learning Where am I going? Provide a clear statement of the learning target Use examples and models of great work Where am I now? Offer regular descriptive feedback Teach students to self-assess and set goals How can I close the gap? Design focused lessons Teach students focused revision Engage students in self-reflection; let them keep track of and share their learning. Stiggins, R. J., Arter, J. A., Chappius, J., & Chappuis, S. (2004). Classroom assessment FOR student learning: Doing it right – using it well. Portland, OR: ETS Assessment Training Institute.

Future Ready Schools Students must be involved in this process. They must understand what is expected of them. Where does the student need to go?

Future Ready Schools Avoid the Old Curve Grading Accident!

Future Ready Schools Standard/Benchmark: Type: Knowledge Reasoning Skill Product Learning Targets What are the knowledge, reasoning, skill or product targets underpinning the standard or benchmark? Knowledge Targets Reasoning Targets Skill Targets Product Targets DECONSTRUCTING STANDARDS Stiggins, R. J., Arter, J. A., Chappius, J., & Chappuis, S. (2004). Classroom assessment FOR student learning: Doing it right – using it well. Portland, OR: ETS Assessment Training Institute.

Future Ready Schools Standard/Benchmark: 101 Develop and use ratios, proportions, and percents to solve problems.Type: Knowledge Reasoning x Skill x Product Learning Targets What are the knowledge, reasoning, skill or product targets underpinning the standard or benchmark? Knowledge Targets Reasoning Targets Skill Targets Product Targets DECONSTRUCTING STANDARDS Stiggins, R. J., Arter, J. A., Chappius, J., & Chappuis, S. (2004). Understanding of vocabulary (ratio, proportions, corresponding, similar, congruent, percents, probability) Relationship between ratios and percents Understand fractions Problem solving methods Determination of when and how to use ratios and proportions in problem situations Differentiate between needed and unneeded information Ability to assess correctness of answer Set up ratios, proportions Convert between fractions, decimals, and percents Identify effective problem solving methods Read and analyze problems for needed information Calculate probability and percent Correctly setup proportion, ratio, and percents from problem situations Given problem situations provide accurate use of ratios, proportions, and percents to solve problems

Future Ready Schools DECONSTRUCTING STANDARDS Standard/Benchmark: Grade 7: Obj Explain the significance of genes to inherited characteristics: Genes are the units of information. Parents transmit genes to their offspring. Some medical conditions and diseases are genetic. Type: X Knowledge Reasoning Skill Product Learning Targets: What are the knowledge, reasoning, skill or product targets underpinning the standard or benchmark? Knowledge Targets Reasoning Targets Skill Targets Product Targets Definitions: gene, genetics, inherited, heredity, dominant, recessive, homozygous, heterozygous Genes transmitted to offspring ensure continuity of information within a species. The understanding that some medical conditions and diseases are genetic affects the quality of human life. Stiggins, R. J., Arter, J. A., Chappius, J., & Chappuis, S. (2004).

Future Ready Schools NCSCO S Target Type Enduring Understanding Learning Experiences Guiding Questions Grade 7: Obj Genes transmitted to offspring ensure continuity of information within a species. Fact or Fiction KWL How do genes show in offspring? 1. What type of information is transmitted from parents to offspring? 2. Why do organisms resemble their parents? 3.Why is the understanding of and the manipulation of genetics essential to the quality of human life? Grade 7: Obj Genes control inherited traits of organisms which may be dominant, recessive or incomplete. Heredity foldable Case of the Hooded Murdered 1. How are inherited traits expressed in offspring? 2. How are organisms of the same kind different from each other? Grade 7: Obj Organisms reproduce and pass on heritable traits to offspring which may be displayed on a pedigree and predicted with a Punnett square. 1. What type of information may be determined from pedigree analysis? 2. What type of predictions may be made using a Punnett square Grade 7: Obj Evidence indicates genetics… choices lead to human traits. How does the understanding and manipulation of genetics and heredity affect the quality of human life? Differentiate Activities: NO CLUE! I think I understand. IVE GOT IT!

Future Ready Schools The student must be provided with descriptive rather than evaluative feedback Descriptive feedback must be ongoing and must include information about how the student can improve

Future Ready Schools Example of Descriptive Feedback You performed the calculations correctly. However, you are getting confused about when to apply the perimeter formula and when to apply the area formula. Review the definitions of area and perimeter and try to think of ways they are different.

Future Ready Schools Effects of Evaluative Feedback

Future Ready Schools Students must be involved in self-assessment and peer assessment Students must be engaged in a dialogue with teachers and peers about the content

Future Ready Schools Next steps… Increased commitment to a high-quality formative assessment as a process Increase the use of descriptive feedback, reduce evaluative feedback Increase student involvement in the assessment process

Future Ready Schools Challenges Getting buy-in This is not a quick fix so why do it? Do we believe that all teachers can effectively teach/assess students? Process vs. Product Focus on Learning vs. Focus on measurement Changing priorities and using time wisely vs. Add-on for teachers….

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Contact Information Sarah McManus Section Chief, Testing Policy and Operations North Carolina Department of Public Instruction/Accountability Services Division

Future Ready Schools 4 POINTS FOR GROWTH: DuFours Critical Corollary Questions IF WE BELIEVE ALL KIDS CAN LEARN… What is it we expect them to learn? How will we know when they have learned it? How will we respond when they dont learn? How will we respond when they already know it?