1. Washback and Alternative Assessment

2. What is washback?
The extent to which a test affects teaching and learning
What teachers and learners do that they would not usually do if there were no tests
Participants, processes and products affected by washback
Washback can be either positive or negative

3. Positive Washback
“Learning more” and “preparing for the test” doesn’t necessarily mean positive washback
Promoting positive washback
Test the abilities that we want to develop
Use direct testing
Test widely and unpredictably
Criterion referenced
Based on teaching and learning objectives

4. Alternative Assessments
Assessment procedures that are not like traditional tests with respect to format, performance or implementation
Different from traditional tests

5. Traditional vs Alternative
One shot
Continuous and longitudinal
Indirect
Direct
Inauthentic
Authentic
Individual projects
Group projects
No feedback to learners
Feedback to learners
Speeded
Power
Decontextualised tasks
Contextualised tasks
Norm-referenced score reporting
Criterion-referenced score reporting
Standardised tests
Classroom-based tests
Summative
Formative
Product of instruction
Process of instruction
Intrusive
Integrated
Judgemental
Developmental
Teacher proof
Teacher mediated

6. What should alternative assessments do?
Ask Ss to perform, create, produce or do something
Tap higher level thinking skills
Use tasks that are meaningful
Invoke real world applications
People, not machines, do the scoring
Require new instructional and assessment roles for teachers

7. Limitations Claimed advantages are not research proven
Limited to the classroom
Alternatives in assessment

8. Portfolios

9. What is a Portfolio?
A purposeful collection of student work that exhibits the students’ efforts, progress, and achievements in one or more areas (Paulson and Meyer, 1991, p. 60)
Collection of works stored in folders will have little value to teachers and students
To be useful, careful consideration must be given to:

10. What goes into a portfolio?
The process of selecting what goes into the portfolio; and how the information in the portfolio is used
Sample of student work
Typical work or best work or evidence of development?
Bailey – four major elements/components
Introduction/overview
Academic works section
Personal section
Assessment section

11. Selecting work Student led or teacher directed?
Select work that can provide additional information. Not repetition of already available work.

12. Main objectives of portfolios
Assessment
Promote Learning/development – basis for teacher-student conference

13. What should the portfolio do/have?
Portfolio should have value to both teacher and student
Provide information beyond that provided by tests
Require students to construct responses
Require students to apply their knowledge
Allow for the integration of language skills

14. CONTENTS ILLUSTRATING STUDENT PROGRESS
SAMPLE PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS FORM
DATE: 5/1/92
STUDENT: Marisel A.
TEACHER: Jones
GRADE: 4
EDUCATIONAL GOAL: Student demonstrates ability on variety of writing tasks
PERFORMANCE TASK
CONTENTS ILLUSTRATING STUDENT PROGRESS
DATE
* Demonstrates interest and ability in variety of writing
Literacy development Checklist
3/20/02
* Writes a short story
Writing Sample: Dog Story
4/22/02
* Writes to communicate with others
Letter
Dialog Journal
4/10/02
3/31/02
* Expresses writing Preferences
Self-Assessment of Writing
4/24/02
* Shares writing with others
Anecdotal record
4/6/02
Summary Comments:
_____________________________________________________________

15. Problems/Challenges
Logistics
Interpretation
Design
Reliability

16. Self Assessment and Peer Assessment

17. Self Assessment
Teacher modelling of use of metacognitive processes and skills required
How can it help students?
Student trial/practice of assessment skills
Introduction to relevant assessment criteria
Clarification of abstract assessment criteria
Use of self assessment during rather than at the end of instructional unit
Example: DIALANG – students write and then compare to models (6 models indicating 6 levels)

18. Peer assessment: How does it help students?
Reminds learners they are not working in isolation
Helps create a community of learners
Improves the product
Improves the process; motivates and even inspires
Helps learners be reflective
Stimulates meta-cognition

19. Some Limitations Not common to all cultures
Tendency for some teachers to ask students to self-mark, not self-assess
The system must be supportive – e.g. test feedback and information so that students can self-assess
Students tend to assess higher than their actual abilities?
Students not used to assessing peers