1. Using Assessment to Nurture Critically Thoughtful Learners Garfield Gini-Newman Lecturer, OISE/UT ggininewman@oise.utoronto.ca

2. 2 Brain Walk Activity Gathering our thoughts on assessment 2

3. Brain Walk Statement 1 Assessments can be a source of motivation and engagement for students. 3

4. Brain Walk Statement 2 Assessment for learning is one of the most powerful tools in a teacher’s repertoire. 4

5. Brain Walk Statement 3 Use of formative assessment is essential to nurturing critical thoughtful students who become active, engaged, and critical assessors of their own learning. 5

6. Brain Walk Statement 4 There are many right ways to support student learning through classroom assessment. There are no hard and fast rules, only ideas to be thoughtfully explored and decisions to be made. 6

7. Brain Walk Statement 5 Becoming is more important than being. We live in a culture characterized by expectations of entitlement. In this culture, students learn to value what they have more than who they are, and success is measured by how much they have, not by how much personal effort and growth it takes to achieve something. 7

8. Brain Walk Statement 6 Curriculum and assessment planning are analogous to travel planning. Travel planning should provide a set of itineraries deliberately designed to meet cultural goals rather than a purposeless tour of all the major sites in a foreign country. The best curriculum and assessment designs are derived backward from the learning sought. 8

9. Identify Learning Targets Determine appropriate evidence Plan scaffolding Interpret results to determine next steps Consider evidence to determine level of achievement Five Step Assessment Planning Process

10. Assessments measure what matters Assessments are a source of motivation and engagement Assessments nurture growth Three Keys to an Assessment Rich Classroom

11. Principles of Effective Assessment : The Primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning. Students receive feedback and guidance on how to improve work and have the opportunity to implement the suggestions. The directions provided to students are clear, complete, and appropriate for the ability, age and grade level of the students. Assessment methods are suited to the backgrounds and prior experiences of students. Students and parents are given clear definitions of excellence and clear directions for improving student work. Student grades are to be determined by their most consistent level of achievement with consideration for more recent work. Assessment methods should be appropriate for and compatible with the purpose and context of the assessment. Assessment clearly reflects the degree of student success in meeting curriculum outcomes. Care is taken to ensure that results are not influenced by factors that are not relevant to the purpose of the assessment.

12. Navigating the Paradigm Shift in Assessment Requires a Parallel Shift in Curriculum Design The most important shift in assessment is not how but why we assess – primarily to nurture student learning

13. Putting the Paradigm Shift in Perspective The heart of the paradigm shift in assessment is: To gather rich, complex pieces of evidence To gather rich, complex pieces of evidence To provide the necessary scaffolding, practice, feedback and guidance to students to help them to reach their fullest potential To provide the necessary scaffolding, practice, feedback and guidance to students to help them to reach their fullest potential To consider most consistent to garner an accurate picture of the student To consider most consistent to garner an accurate picture of the student To acknowledge that students have various learning styles and other factors may impact on their performance To acknowledge that students have various learning styles and other factors may impact on their performance

14. 14 Rather than seeing assessments as formative or summative, we should consider whether the uses of assessments are formative or summative.

15. 15 “Everything students say, write or do is evidence of learning” Anne Davies, Grande Prairie airport, February 22, 2008

16. Targets vs Methods Assessment Targets Assessment Methods

17. Six Key Questions to Assessment Planning 1. What are my key learning targets for the course? 2. What evidence of student achievement will I gather? 3. How will I provide students with feedback, guidance and an opportunity to improve their work? 4. How will I use the evidence I gather to determine the student’s final grade? 5. How will I determine the student’s grade if they do not provide a complete body of evidence? 6. How will I clearly communicate grading practices to parents and students?

18. 18 What resides at the core of my program? How will I know if students have been successful in my course? How will I know if students have been successful in my course? What will success look/sound like? What will success look/sound like? 18

19. What Evidence of Student Achievement will I gather? Consider Grade level – build on prior learning and prepare for future learning Consider Grade level – build on prior learning and prepare for future learning Consider Subject Area – each subject area is unique – honour the distinctiveness of the subject Consider Subject Area – each subject area is unique – honour the distinctiveness of the subject

20. Menu of Summative Assessments Tests Tests Quests Quests Seminars Seminars Debates Debates Essays/Reports Essays/Reports Processfolios Processfolios Learning Portfolios Learning Portfolios Writing Portfolios Writing Portfolios MI Journal MI Journal Authentic Performance Tasks Authentic Performance Tasks Labs Labs

21. How will I provide students with feedback, guidance and an opportunity to improve their work? Quizzes as practice Quizzes as practice Rubrics Rubrics Conference with students Conference with students Written Anecdotal responses Written Anecdotal responses Peer Assessment Peer Assessment Self Assessment Self Assessment Checklists Checklists

22. How will I use the evidence I gather to determine the student’s final grade? How will you ensure a balance between the various assessment targets? How will you ensure a balance between the various assessment targets? Are each of the summative assessments of relative equal weight? Are each of the summative assessments of relative equal weight? Will you record marks as percentage grades, levels of achievement or other? Will you record marks as percentage grades, levels of achievement or other? How will you use the evidence gathered to determine the student’s most consistent level of achievement? How will you use the evidence gathered to determine the student’s most consistent level of achievement?

23. Create A Summative Assessment Plan Consider what evidence will provide reliable information about student achievement - design down - plan summative assessments first Consider what evidence will provide reliable information about student achievement - design down - plan summative assessments first Decide how much evidence is enough evidence Decide how much evidence is enough evidence Make sure all areas of the curriculum are adequately addressed Make sure all areas of the curriculum are adequately addressed

24. Base Your Assessment of Student Achievement on Fewer, but Richer Pieces of Evidence Use Authentic Assessment (performances which provide practical applications of learning often to an audience beyond the classroom) Use Authentic Assessment (performances which provide practical applications of learning often to an audience beyond the classroom) Use portfolios as appropriate Use portfolios as appropriate Provide students with clear criteria for each required demonstration of learning Provide students with clear criteria for each required demonstration of learning Teach to the task and provide formative feedback, opportunities to practice and a chance to revise work Teach to the task and provide formative feedback, opportunities to practice and a chance to revise work

25. Base Assessment on Pieces of Evidence Which are of Relative Equal Importance Determining most consistent is complicated by a body of evidence which contains minor assignments, unit tests, and major projects Determining most consistent is complicated by a body of evidence which contains minor assignments, unit tests, and major projects Remember, quizzes are formative and pop quizzes have no sound pedagogical basis Remember, quizzes are formative and pop quizzes have no sound pedagogical basis

26. Mark Student Performances, Not their Learning Separate learning from demonstrations of achievement Separate learning from demonstrations of achievement Students need to have an opportunity to “muck” around with what they are learning before being asked to perform Students need to have an opportunity to “muck” around with what they are learning before being asked to perform Worksheets, homework, cooperative learning exercises are all part of the learning process Worksheets, homework, cooperative learning exercises are all part of the learning process

27. Consider the Best Formative Assessment Tools to Support Students in Their Learning Well written rubrics can be an invaluable tool to assist students and reduce teacher workloads Well written rubrics can be an invaluable tool to assist students and reduce teacher workloads Quizzes, conferring with students, checklists are other useful tools for formative assessment Quizzes, conferring with students, checklists are other useful tools for formative assessment Remember Level One is the bare minimum you would accept for a pass Remember Level One is the bare minimum you would accept for a pass

28. A Clear, well thought-out Summative Assessment Plan Makes Getting to the Grade Much Easier Calculating grades is manageable when teachers: Calculating grades is manageable when teachers: Work with fewer, but richer pieces of evidence Work with fewer, but richer pieces of evidence Gather evidence which is of similar importance Gather evidence which is of similar importance Ensure all areas of the curriculum are addressed Ensure all areas of the curriculum are addressed

29. So, what is critical thinking? A complex activity, not a set of generic skills, Concerned with judging or assessing what is reasonable or sensible in a situation, Focuses on quality of reasoning, Depends on the possession of relevant knowledge Can be done in endless contexts and is required whenever the situation is problematic Is effortful but not necessarily negative A complex activity, not a set of generic skills, Concerned with judging or assessing what is reasonable or sensible in a situation, Focuses on quality of reasoning, Depends on the possession of relevant knowledge Can be done in endless contexts and is required whenever the situation is problematic Is effortful but not necessarily negative

30. When is someone thinking critically? A person is thinking critically only if she is attempting to assess or judge the merits of possible options in light of relevant factors or criteria. Critical thinking is criterial thinking— thinking in the face of criteria. A person is thinking critically only if she is attempting to assess or judge the merits of possible options in light of relevant factors or criteria. Critical thinking is criterial thinking— thinking in the face of criteria.

31. A Definition of Critical Thinking TC2 defines critical thinking as the thinking through of a problematic situation about what to believe or how to act where the thinker makes a reasoned judgment that reflects competent use of the intellectual tools for quality thinking.

32. TC 2 Model of Critical Thinking Community of Thinkers Critical Challenges Teach and Assess the Intellectual Tools Background KnowledgeCriteria for Judgment Critical Thinking Vocabulary Thinking Strategies Habits of Mind

33. Three Types of Questions Type 1 Type 2Type 3 What are the ingredients in Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans? What is your favourite flavour of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans? Should Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans be sold in school cafeterias? What are three activities in Smiths Falls? Would you like to move to Smiths Falls? Would your family’s needs be better met in Ottawa or Smiths Falls? Identify several natural disasters that impact on the environment? Which natural disaster creates the most fear for you? Which natural disaster poses the great threat to the Ontario economy? List three types of exercise.What is your favourite type of exercise? Which sport would best meet the needs of someone with asthma – diving, soccer or tennis? What did the Inuit use to make tools? What geographic feature of Nunavut do you like the most? Which natural resource – diamonds or fish – are most important to northern society?

34. Come up with your own examples! Type 1 Type 2Type 3 Why do people go shopping? Do you like shopping? What is your favourite genre of movie?

35. Criteria defined Criteria are the factors or attributes that help us recognize whether something is what we say it is. We use criteria to make reasoned judgments about issues in social studies and to make judgments about the quality of student work.

36. Criteria Data Set: Assessment List A List B Research notes are 4-5 pages in length and draw upon 3-4 sources Research notes are comprehensive and reflect a variety of perspectives Bibliography contains 8-10 sources Bibliography is comprised of a variety of relevant and reliable sources providing multiple perspectives Essay contains three arguments with supporting evidence Essay thesis is supported by the use of sufficient arguments that are convincing, relevant and insightful Title page includes a title, name, course and date Title page is informative and visually appealing Poster includes 3 visuals, titles and a 30-word caption Poster is visually appealling, informative and convincing or provocative.

37. Defining our Assessment Targets In a critically thoughtful classroom our targets are the intellectual tools for quality thinking.

38. 38 Consider this framework for assessment targets Background Knowledge: Background Knowledge:  do students know and understand the important concepts, facts and ideas?  are students able to select relevant and important information to meet the challenge? Criteria for Judgment: Criteria for Judgment:  are students able to identify important and relevant criteria?  do students use criteria to guide their thinking?  are student judgments consistent with the criteria and the available evidence? 38

39. Assessing critical thoughtful responses Critical Thinking Vocabulary  do students demonstrate an understanding of key vocabulary?  are student responses consistent with the demands of the critical challenge?

40. Thinking Strategies  are students able to effectively organize information to guide their thinking?  are students able to select relevant information and connect the information to the criteria for judgment? Habits of Mind  do students demonstrate the habits of an effective thinker through the process of gathering and weighing evidence?  do students demonstrate the habits of an effective thinker in the process of their deliberations?  do students demonstrate the habits of a an effective thinker through the manner in which they attack a challenge?

41. Differentiation in a Critically Thoughtful Classroom Process Product Groupings Clear Learning Targets Critical Challenges Community of Thinkers Background Knowledge Teach and Assess the Intellectual Tools Background Knowledge Criteria for Judgment Critical Thinking Vocabulary Thinking Strategies Habits of Mind