1. Assessing Student Learning
Chapter 14
Assessing Student Learning

2. Chapter 14 Key Points Assessment
Defined as determining if and to what degree a student can demonstrate his/her understanding and ability relative to identified standards of learning (Lambert, 1999)
Student must complete some type of performance goal that is evaluated against present criteria
Performance should take place in “authentic” settings
Several descriptor words used to describe term, including “alternative assessment”, “performance assessment”, “outcome assessment”, “authentic assessment”

3. Chapter 14 Key Points Assessment (cont)
Children Moving uses “alternative assessment” and provides a guide to the design and selection of assessment strategies that match student learning goals
Five characteristics distinguish alternative assessment from traditional assessment
Lambert (1999) recommends seven steps to design successful alternative assessments

4. Five Characteristics of Alternative Assessments
Differences between Alternative and Traditional Assessment
Link between assessment and instruction
Student as the primary client
Ongoing process
Comprised of meaningful tasks
Criteria distributed ahead of time

5. Seven Steps for Teachers for Successful Alternative Assessment
Decide on standard or learning goal
Decide on the content that will be learned
Select and develop the assessment methods and criteria
Select appropriate instructional tasks
Teach the tasks, focusing on maximum practice and feedback
Assess the students (#3)
Use the assessment results to help students self-correct, to evaluate student learning, to improve instruction, and to refine learning goals
Lambert (1999)

6. Chapter 14 Key Points Assessment (cont)
Should be linked to instructional tasks,
E.g. challenges change a task and also serve as performance assessment, allowing children to self assess how they are doing on a particular task
E.g. checking for understanding is a mini-cognitive assessment allowing teacher to know in a few seconds if children understand.

7. Chapter 14 Key Points Assessment (cont)
Should match learning goals e.g. from simple to complex, from mastery of basic skills to combination of skills, to using skills in dynamic situations
Provide feedback to teacher as well as student
Several assessment options available – teachers encouraged to develop their own which are specific to their context

8. Alternative Assessment Options for Physical Education
Teacher observation
Exit (or entrance) slips
Student journals
Homework
Peer observation
Self-assessment
Event tasks
Videotaping
Student drawings
Student displays
Portfolios

9. Chapter 14 Key Points Alternative Assessment Options
Teacher Observation
Most common form of assessment
Generally used to assess psychomotor performance
Many tools for recording observational information
Example: Figure 14.1

10. Chapter 14 Key Points Alternative Assessment Options (cont)
Exit (or Entrance) Slips
Short written pieces
Can be done in a few minutes during or at the end of class
Designed to assess cognitive and affective goals
Example: Figure 14.2

11. Chapter 14 Key Points Alternative Assessment Options (cont)
Student Journals
Written records of participation, results, responses, feelings, perceptions/ reflections about what actually happened.
Like diaries –students write honestly and freely
Designed to assess the affective domain
Example: Figure 14.4

12. Chapter 14 Key Points Alternative Assessment Options (cont) Homework
Done outside the physical education class
Great for outside reading, keeping personal records or other written work
Used to practice psychomotor skills and enhance cognitive understanding
Example: Figure 14.7

13. Chapter 14 Key Points Alternative Assessment Options (cont)
Peer Observation
Students observing students
Partner provides feedback to performer
Used to assess competence in skill performance and demonstration of selected critical elements
See key points for teachers in the text
Example: Figure 14.8

14. Chapter 14 Key Points Alternative Assessment Options (cont)
Self-Assessment
Can be used to assess psychomotor, cognitive and affective aspects of student’s work
Provides a unique opportunity to assess larger components of a skill or the beginning use of a skill
Can be used before, during or at the end of a unit to assess achievement and to get a glimpse of a student’s feelings and attitudes
Example: Figures 14.9 and 14.10

15. Chapter 14 Key Points Alternative Assessment Options (cont)
Event Tasks
Performance tasks with multiple solutions that cane be completed within a class period or a portion of it.
Could be all psychomotor or could also include cognitive aspects
Require independent and group working skills
Example: Figure (Child’s self-designed game)

16. Chapter 14 Key Points Alternative Assessment Options (cont)
Videotaping
Can provide a final product
Students can self-analyze performance
Allows students to display their knowledge and performance of various critical aspects of a skill
Student Drawings
Effective assessment measure because students like to draw
Options are endless
Example: Figure 14.12

17. Chapter 14 Key Points Alternative Assessment Options (cont)
Student Displays
Public displays of students’ work
Variety of forms such as posters, photography and bulletin boards

18. Chapter 14 Key Points Alternative Assessment Options (cont) Portfolios
Collection of students’ work gathered over time
Provide an opportunity for students to share the responsibility for collecting proof of their learning
A personal record of the students’ knowledge, goals, performance etc., that reflect the purpose of your physical education program for that child
Could include many of the other assessment products
Provide a rich resource for reporting to both students and parents 5

19. Chapter 14 Key Points Assessment (cont) Rubrics
Provide guidelines for scoring assessment items enabling teachers and students to judge performance for specific tasks
Make learning expectations clear
Provide feedback
Support the development of skills and understanding.
Components are:
criteria or essential component to be assessed
steps of the quality or rating scale
descriptors illustrating each of the steps as related to the criteria

20. Chapter 14 Key Points Assessment (cont)
Alternative assessments can be used effectively with students with disabilities, however rubrics require modifications
Reporting Progress:
Teachers are required to summarize and report pupil progress
Systems that report progress and achievement (not grades) include
Hartinger System
Lambdin System
Metz System
Should grades be required, it is recommended to specify what the grades mean and to assess exactly what is specified

21. Chapter 14 Key Points Assessment (cont) Finding the time
Although difficult to find the time, assessment is a critical component of the learning process and cannot be ignored.
Tips for minimizing waiting times during assessment
Use technology e.g. videotapes, audiotapes and hand-help computers to record student progress information
Ask for assistance from classroom teacher or another adult
Complete an assessment at one station while rest of class performs various tasks at other stations