Classroom Assessment, Grading, and Standardized Testing Cluster 14 Modules 38 – 40

Focus Questions How will you test students on a unit of work? How can you evaluate tests that accompany textbooks and teachers’ manuals? How should you create multiple-choice and essay tests for your subject area? Will you use authentic assessment approaches, including portfolios, performances, exhibitions, and scoring rubrics? What are the potential positive and negative effects of grades on students? What are examples of criterion-referenced and norm-referenced grading systems? How will you explain your grading system to parents or caregivers who do not understand their children’s grades?

What Would You Do? Refer to page 603 Teacher’s Casebook What would be your major graded assignments and projects? Would you include credit for behaviors such as group participation and effort? How would you put all the elements together to determine a grade for every student for every marking period? How would you justify your system to the principal and to students’ families? How will these issues affect the grade levels you will teach?

Basics of Assessment Measurement Quantitative Process of gathering information about students’ learning Formal Informal

Formative and Summative Assessment Formative Assessment Occurs before or during instruction Summative Assessment Occurs after instruction

Norm-Referenced and Criterion-Referenced Testing Comparison based on average performance of others Criterion-Referenced Comparison based on set standard

Assessing Assessments: Reliability and Validity Likelihood that scores remain constant across time and conditions Validity Likelihood that test is measuring what it is intended to measure Error in scores Higher reliability=lower error

Using Tests from Textbooks Designed for the typical classroom Do test questions match what teacher focused on in class?

Objective Testing Multiple Choice, Matching, True/False Stem Distractors Used by half of teachers, even though 3/4 of education professors reject them

Essay Tests Should be focused on important, complex learning objectives Students require more time to answer Expectations should be clear

Evaluating Essays Use scoring criteria (rubrics) to help eliminate subjectivity Grade all responses to one question before moving to other questions Ask students to put name on back of paper Have a second reader check for reliability

Authentic Assessment Require students to apply skills as they would in real life Includes assessment on writing, speaking, listening, creating, critical thinking, research, and application

Portfolios A systematic collection of work Includes work in progress, revisions, work analysis, and self-reflections Document learning and progress

Exhibitions Public display of work A culminating experience Issues of equity should be considered Judgment should be kept as objective as possible

Informal Assessments Journals Checklists Observations Rating scales

Norm-Referenced v. Criterion Referenced Grading Norm-referenced grading Student standing compared to other students Criterion-referenced grading Student standing compared to a set standard or list of accomplishments

Effects of Grading on Students Value of failing Some failure may be beneficial Retention in grade 20% of high-school seniors have been “held back” Affiliated with dropout, low self-esteem, lack of job opportunities

Grades and Motivation Assessments should enhance motivation Assessments should reflect meaningful learning Educator’s job: to select talent, or develop talent?

Beyond Grading: Communicating with Families Should be more than sending home grades Notes Phone calls for good news Open houses Websites Portfolios

Standardized Testing NCLB Policy Concerns among politicians Global competition Knowledge about standardized tests

Types of Scores Measurements of Central Tendency and Standard Deviation Mean, median, mode Standard Deviation How widely scores vary from mean

Normal Distribution Bell curve See Fig. 40.1 on p. 637 68% of scores fall between 1 standard deviation above and 1 standard deviation below

Percentile Rank Scores Raw score compared to raw scores of norm group Caution in interpreting percentile scores

Other Scores Grade Equivalent Scores Standard Scores Raw Scores

Interpreting Standardized Test Reports See Fig. 40.3 on p. 641

Accountability and High-Stakes Testing Quality of test and way test is used Values/ethics of test High-stakes testing Helpful or harmful?

Problems with High Stakes Testing Very little test material overlaps with curriculum Narrows curriculum Takes up valuable instructional time Could be damaging to student beliefs

Use High-Stakes Tests Well Match content standards Be part of larger assessment plan Test complex thinking Provide alternate assessment strategies Provide opportunities for retesting Include all students Provide appropriate remediation Take language into account

Help Students with Disabilities with High-Stakes Tests Preparation should start earlier Preparation should align closely with problems presented on test Better equip students with necessary skills

Diversity and Convergences Teachers may hold lower expectations for minority students Be cautious with information that will enter student file