1. Assessment and Evaluation Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

2. Looking Ahead What role does assessment play in the elementary social studies curriculum? What tools are necessary and/or available to elementary teacher for assessing students? What is authentic assessment and why is it consistent with the problems approach? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

3. Can You – Explain why grades and test scores are so emphasized in schools? Explain how teachers go about determining grades? Explain authentic assessment? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

4. Do You – Know why evaluation is always comparative? Know how evaluation should be different in the problems approach? Know the strengths and weaknesses of objective and subjective tests? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

5. Focus Activity What was your favorite social studies assignment/project when you where an elementary student? Why? Discuss the details of the assignment/project and compare with classmates. Does your favorite social studies assignment/project share common attributes with others? If so, what attributes? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

6. The Role of Assessment in Social Studies What is assessment? How are grades related to assessment? What are the different ways of assessing? Normative performance Criterion-based Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

7. Principles of Assessment Why has the job of assessment become much more complex in the 21st Century? What are six major goals of assessment? Aim of assessment is to improve learning Assessment must be on-going and utilize a variety of tools All assessment is imperfect and flawed Student needs to develop ownership of the goals of assessment All assessment needs to be related to the goals of the curriculum Classroom evaluation should be based on what you intend to teach, what you actually teach, and what you intend for students to learn from that teaching. Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

8. Guidelines for Assessment What are three problems elementary teachers face when assessing students? Placing a numerical value to the assessments Weighing the various assessments Evaluating assessments in such a way as to yield definitive and objective grades Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

9. Guidelines for Assessment What are the ten broad principles for assessment? 1. Base assessments on teaching objectives 2. Assess what we teach, not what we should teach 3. Focus assessment on what is important rather than on what is easy to measure 4. Ongoing assessment is preferable to endpoint 5. Assessment of teaching should be based on what students learn rather than on what they already know and can do Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

10. Guidelines for Assessment 1. Provide a clear understanding of the purposes and reasons for the assessment 2. Assessment should be fair and honest, not tricky 3. Assessment procedures should be built around the notion of finding ways of improving instruction 4. Effective assessment gets the student involved in self- evaluation, taking responsibility for his or her own learning 5. A teacher should always remember that assessment is, at its very best, a subjective and risky affair Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

11. Authentic Assessment and Portfolios What does the term “authentic” describe? What is the role of the student in this type of assessment? What are some hurdles with this type of assessment? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

12. Assessment through Tests What are the pros and cons to utilizing tests that utilize “objective measures”? What are the similarities and differences between tests that utilize “objective measures” and “subjective measures”? What considerations should a teacher have when deciding to use a test? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

13. Assessing Projects and Reports What are some inherent problems with project and report assessments? What qualities are emphasized with project and report assessments? How can teachers evaluate project and report assessments? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

14. Subjective Assessment What role does the teacher play in this type of assessment? What role does the student play in this type of assessment? What are the pros and cons of this type of assessment? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

15. Peer Assessment and Self- Assessment What role does the teacher play in this type of assessment? What role does the student play in this type of assessment? What are the pros and cons of this type of assessment? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

16. Checklist and Rubric Assessment What role does the teacher play in this type of assessment? What role does the student play in this type of assessment? What are the pros and cons of this type of assessment? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

17. Analytical Assessment What role does the teacher play in this type of assessment? What role does the student play in this type of assessment? What are the pros and cons of this type of assessment? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

18. Teacher Observations and Anecdotal Records What role does the teacher play in this type of assessment? What role does the student play in this type of assessment? What are the pros and cons of this type of assessment? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

19. Looking Back Assessment is important and complex and should be measured against objectives. Teachers need to be constantly aware of the need to focus on what is important, not just on what is easy to measure. Authentic assessment advocates argue that tests and other traditional measures do not measure in a “real” way what a child is capable of doing. Teachers could use portfolios, rubrics/check-lists, and many other tools to diversify their assessment. Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

20. Extension Your principal approaches you to talk as he has received numerous complaints regarding your grading procedures from parents and students. Unaware of your grading procedures, he asks to see your assessment plan for the assignment receiving the complaints; however you do not have one. He explains that all effective teachers have an assessment plan and he expects you to create assessment plans in the future. You apologize and promise to complete an assessment for the next social studies lesson and get it to him by next week. Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

21. Extension Select a social studies lesson topic and create an assessment plan. The assessment plan should include measurable learning objectives and multiple forms of assessments to measure those objectives. Create assessments that align with the learning objectives. Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

22. Self-Test 1. What does the term “basis of comparison” mean in assessment? 2. Explain why both the method and the content of assessment should be based on the teaching objectives. 3. What is meant by the term authentic assessment? 4. Identify the criticisms of both objective and subjective tests. 5. What are the traits of a good test? 6. What are the steps in building a test? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

23. Resources NCSS. (1991). Position Statement: Testing and |Evaluation of Social Studies Students. Social Education, 55 (September), 284 – 285. Internet 4 Classrooms – http://www.internet4classrooms.com/index.htm 157 Rubistar for Teachers – http://rubistar.4teachers.org/ Vinson, K. D., Ross, E. W., & Wilson, M. (2011). Standards-based Educational Reform and Social Studies Education: A Critical Introduction. In Russell, W. (Ed.), Contemporary Social Studies: An Essential Reader (pp. 153 – 172). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing. Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013