Goals of Assessment
Assist learning and increase motivation (student centered)
Measure individual student achievement (student centered)
Evaluate programs and inform instructional decisions (teacher centered)
Develop metacognition (student centered)
Education acc. to Diane Ravitch
“Education means to lead forth, but it is impossible to lead anyone anywhere without knowing where you want to go”
3 important aspects
Measurement
- Assigning a numeric value
Assessment
- Information gained relative to a goal
Evaluation
- Making judgements
Assessment acc. to Pellegrino
A tool designed to observe students’ behavior and produce data that can be used to draw reasonable inferences about what students know
Reasoning from evidence
Theory-based view
Observation
- Things students do, say, or create
Interpretation
- Tools used for measurement
Cognition
- Theories and assumptions of learning
Evidence centered assessment design
Claims
- Exactly what knowledge do you want students to have and how do you want them to know it?
Evidence
- What will you accept as evidence that a student has the desired knowledge?
- How will you analyze and interpret the evidence?
Task
- What task(s) will the students perform to communicate their knowledge?
^Iteration and Alignment
Types of Assessments
Informal vs. Formal
Formative vs. Summative
Norm-referenced vs. Criterion-referenced
Traditional vs. Authentic
Informal vs. Formal Assessments
Formal
- A preplanned, systematic way to look at what students know or have learned
- Typically announced ahead of time so tat students can prepare
- Examples: Tests, homework, projects, papers
Informal
- Spontaneous, day-to-day observations of student progress
- Examples: Listening, oberserving student interactions, asking questions, etc.
Formative vs. Summative Assessments
Formative: “Assessment for learning”
- Determines student progress over the course of learning
- Part of the instructional process; informs and drives instruction
- Occurs on a daily basis
Summative: “Assessment of learning”
- Measures and evaluates students’ mastery of content & skills
- Can inform decision making (e.g., honors track, placing out of later courses)
- Occurs at the end of a period of learning (e.g., end of unit, semester, year)
Norm- vs. Criterion- Referenced Assessments
Norm-Referenced:
- Compares students’ performance to that of other students
- “Grading on a curve” via a Standard Normal Distribution
- Encourages competition
Criterion-Referenced:
- Compares students’ performance to a predetermined standard
- Encourages cooperation
Traditional vs. Authentic Assessments
Traditional
- What we typically think of as assessment in schools
- Examples: Standardized tests, quizzes, papers, oral presentations
Authentic
- Engaging in meaningful activities that require students to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world contexts
- Examples: Portfolios, exhibitions, demonstrations, performances
Examples of Types of Assessments
Formal
- Tests, homework, projects, papers
Informal
- Listening, observing student interactions, asking questions
Formative - Exit slip, check for understanding, in-class work, homework
Summative
- Unit test, term paper, final project
Norm-Referenced
- Curved test, 2 points added to weekly synthesis
Criterion-Referenced
- Paper scored by rubric, text with correct answers
Traditional
- Tests, papers, quizzes, oral presentations
Authentic
- Portfolios, performances, demonstrations, internships
Characteristics of good/bad assessments
What helps
- Specific and concrete feedback
- Informative learning experience (for students and teachers)
- Knowledge of what to study and when is motivating
What hurts
- Emphasis on quantity over content quality
- Emphasis on grades over feedback for improvement
- Emphasis on comparison with other learners
How to use assessment to prevent learning
Keep students in the dark about the rules
Do all the assessment at the end
Knowing the identity of the student who has done each piece of work
Stick firmly to deadlines
Evaluating an assessment technique
What kind of assessment does this technique seem to be most useful for?
What are some of the benefits of using this technique for assessment?
What are some of the drawbacks for this technique for assessment?
What kinds of applications could you envision adapting this technique for outside of a classroom?
Assessing Assessment: Reliability
Consistency of the assessment
Ability to receive the same result every time (AKA precision)
Examples:
- Get (approx.) the same score every time a test is taken
- Two graders agree on the same score when grading
Assessing assessment: Validity
How well the assessment measures what it claims to
Ability to measure the appropriate construct (AKA accuracy)
Examples
- A rules may be a valid measure for length (good0 but not for volume (bad)
- A spelling test with words that were taught in a previous unit (good)
- Having students rate the professor when the professor is in the room (bad)
- Students score high on written driving exam but drive poorly behind the wheel (bad)
Assessing Assessment: Fairness
Unbiased so that all students have an equal likelihood of success
Assessment Today: What we assess
Assess facts and information in and for themselves
What we need: Assessments of problem solving and 21st century skills
Assessment today: How we assess
Assessments are one-off measurement events
What we need: Assessments that track different information over time and integrate learning and assessment
Assessment today: Why we assess
Use assessments as “gatekeepers” to sort students and punish teachers
What we need: Assessments that measure the growth of students, provide schools and parents feedback for making decisions, and account for the different opportunities students have had to learn
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Day 10: Exam Review, IPT17
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Day 11: More IPT20
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Day 12: Metacognition and Self-Regulation29
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Day 13: Study Strategies and Learning Styles17
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Situated Cognition Part 1: Communities of Practice19
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Situated Cognition Part II: Affinity Spaces13
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Distributed Cognition20
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Embodied Cognition14
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Day 19: Identity and Culture29
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Day 20: Transfer, Problem Solving35
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Day 21: Motivation and Interest25
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Goals & Mindsets27
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Expertise14
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Assessment21
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Learning Technologies and Games in Education17
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Day 26 Cumulative Review50
