1. Overview of Assessment in Education
By Lori Gombart
Northwest Christian University
Eugene, Oregon
2011

2. Introduction
“Research on the effects of classroom assessment indicates that it might be one of the most powerful weapons in a teachers arsenal”
(Burke, 2009 p.2).

3. Types of Assessment Placement Diagnosis Formative Summative
Performance
Portfolio
Orlich, etal Teaching strategies A guide to Effective Instruction Chapter 10

4. 1. Placement Assessment
Placement : Assess’ students current knowledge, usually with a pretest that may be manufactured or designed by the teacher.
According to Benjamin Bloom, “50 percent of the variability in student achievement results from lack of sufficient knowledge or skill to begin new instruction” (Orlich, 2010 p. 323)

5. 1. Placement Assessment (cont.)
Identifies students who do not have enough prior knowledge to begin the new material
Determines where to begin instruction and what to present
Serves as a baseline from which to measure progress.

6. 2. Diagnostic Assessment
Identify specific areas of learning difficulty
Identify student’s strengths and weakness’
Used by specialists such as foreign
language teachers, special educators,
counselors and psychologists

7. Ongoing assessment to monitor your student’s progress
3. Formative Assessment
Ongoing assessment
to monitor your
student’s progress

8. Assessment cycle

9. 3. Purpose of Formative Assessment
Verify learning is occurring and curriculum is appropriate
Provide feedback to students . Students want to know how they are doing and if they are meeting the teachers expectations.

10. Clear expectations support the student in meeting goals.

11. 3. Examples of Formative Assessment
Daily quizzes
Homework
Short tests

12. Formative Vs Summative
According to W. J. Popham (2008)
A formative evaluation occurs in the “early” version of the instructional program and
is still ‘malleable” and capable of being improved,
thus benefiting current students before the program ends.
Gives students a second chance to meet class objectives.
A summative evaluation takes place in the “mature” stage,
after the instructional unit is over,
thus can only benefit future students.
No second chance at improving or meeting the standards.
(Burke, p.7)

13. Another definition of summative assessment is:
Analysis and evaluation of the data that have been collected throughout the formative assessment process (Burke, p.7).

14. 4. Examples of Summative Assessment
unit tests
final research papers
end-of course tests
final exams
standardized tests
report cards
(Burke, p.8)

15. 5. Performance Assessment
Requires the students to generate rather than choose a response
Are highly engaging for students
Connect their knowledge with their real world
(Burke, p.8)

16. 5. Characteristics of Performance Task
More complex
Less structured
Require higher order thinking to arrive at multiple solutions
Solutions are original and creative
(Burke, p.66)

17. 5. Examples of Performance Assessment
Problem scenarios that require higher order thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation
Realistic performance task correlating to real-life situations faced by students and adults every day.
Producing an authentic product or performance correlated to state standards
Collaboration and group interaction emphasizing academic and social outcomes
Integration of multiple subject areas highlighting the interdependence of big ideas and essential questions across disciplines
(Burke, p.9)

18. 5. Limits of Performance Assessment
Can only assign one or two per year
Covers broad curriculum and multiple standards
Takes longer to assess
Requires complex scoring guide due to multitude of possible solutions
(Burke, p.66)

19. Four characteristics of Portfolio Assessment
1. Goal setting
Shows how the student is meeting the goals and standards and to what level
(Burke, p.10)

20. Four characteristics of Portfolio Assessment
2. Self Evaluation
Allows students to analyze their strengths and weaknesses to set short and long term goals
(Burke, p.10)

21. Four characteristics of Portfolio Assessment
3. Growth and development
Allows students to examine their work and reflect on their learning
(Burke, p.10)

22. Four characteristics of Portfolio Assessment
4. Represents the whole child :)

23. Combine tools of assessment to provide an accurate portrait of the learner.
“No one assessment tool by itself is capable of producing the quality information needed to make an accurate judgment of a student’s knowledge, skills, understanding of curriculum, motivation, social skills, processing skills, and life long learner skills”
(Burke, p.11)

24. “To ensure a fair selection you all get the same test, you all must climb that tree.”

25. Summary of Assessment in the classroom
Four traditional types are
Placement, Diagnostic, Formative and Summative
Two non traditional types are
Performance and Portfolio

26. Summary of Assessment in the classroom
The cycle of assessment
Identify learning goals and outcomes
Provide learning opportunity
Assess student learning
Reflect on the results
Improve teaching and learning

27. Summary of Assessment in the classroom
Assessment can be like a snapshot of only one aspect of the students learning, therefore combining a variety of assessment types will provide a more holistic representation of where the student began and the degree of success in the classroom to meet everyone's expectations.

28. Citations
Assessment cycle image. Result of Google search of images retrieved on Nov 2, 2011:
Burke, Kay (2009). How to assess authentic learning (fifth edition). Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin
Orlich, D.C., Harder, R.J., Callahan, R.C., Trevisan, M.S., & Brown, A.H. (2010). Teaching strategies: A guide to effective instruction (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth

29. Thanks !