1. Combining Classroom Action Research and Classroom Assessment Techniques

2. Outline Define Classroom Action Research (CAR)
Develop some ideas for CARs
Define Classroom Assessment Techniques (CAT)
Examples
How can we put the CAT in the CAR

3. Personal
Reflection
Empirical
Research
CAR

4. What is Classroom Action Research?
“Any systematic inquiry conducted by teacher researchers ... to gather information about how their particular schools operate, how they teach, and how well their students learn.” (Mills, 2003)

5. Action Research Helps develop the professional disposition of teachers
An opportunity to model for students how knowledge is created
Incorporates a reflective stance into a teacher’s daily routine

6. Hopkins (1986) Teacher’s primary role is to teach
Method of data collection should not be too demanding
Methodology reliable enough to formulate hypothesis confidently
Teacher committed to the problem studied
Follow ethical procedures

7. 4 Step Process (Mills)
Identify an area of focus
Collect data
Analyze and interpret data
Develop an action plan

8. 7 Step Process (Mettetal)
Ask a Question or Identify a problem
Review the literature
Plan a research strategy
Gather data
Make sense of data
Make decisions about teaching strategies
Share findings
Give my example

9. What questions will we ask?

10. Classroom Assessment Techniques
CATs
Classroom Assessment Techniques

11. “1” Background Knowledge Probe
May require short answers or be multiple choice
Provides a preview of what is to come
Can be used pre and post
Helps determine baseline knowledge level
Memory skills, study skills & habits

12. “The primary purpose of assessment is to provide feedback to students and teacher so that learning can be facilitated”
McKeachie (2002)

13. Half-Minute paper “2”
Students take a minute to write down a question or an important point
Share with the student next to them
Then you ask for oral questions

14. Your Question
What are the characteristics of good classroom assessment?

15. Characteristics of Classroom Assessment
Learner centered
Teacher directed
Mutually beneficial
Formative
Context specific
Ongoing
Rooted in good teaching practice

16. One-sentence summary Who does what to whom, when, where, how, and why?
In a grammatical 1 sentence summary

17. Analytic Memo (for Higher Order Thinking Skills)
1 to 2 page analysis of a specific problem
Uses analytic and writing skills
Can be used as a first draft of a graded assignment
Time consuming

18. Student Generated Test Questions (Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills)
What do students think is most important
Evaluate methods and materials
Learn terms and facts

19. Invented Dialogues (Liberal Arts and Academic Values)
Helps students synthesize their knowledge of issues
2 levels
Use actual quotes
Invent reasonable quotes

20. Group-Work Evaluations (Work and Career Preparation)
Detects group problems early
Helps students with management and leadership skills, working with others, ability to work productively
Emphasis on process

21. Punctuated Lecture (Personal Development)
Stop in mid-lecture
Have students reflect on their learning and listening behaviors
Students take a minute to write down their reflection anonymously
Follow up with a mini-lecture on metacognition

22. Direct paraphrasing
Helps with ones ability to translate highly specialized information into language clients will understand

23. Application Cards
On an index card list 1 real-world application for what we have learned

24. Muddiest point #3 (for Basic Academic Skills)
Give students several minutes at the end of class to write about the muddiest point of the day

25. Resources
Cross, P., Angelo T (1993).Classroom Assessment Techniques: A handbook for college faculty, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
McKeachie, W. (2002). McKeachie’s Teaching Tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers