1. Session 3 Alternative Assessment

2. Traditional Assessments tend to assess content knowledge. Traditional Assessments include: Objective Tests (True/False, Multiple-Choice, Matching items) & Constructed-Response Items (Short-Answer, Essays)

3. Alternative Assessments Require students to demonstrate their knowledge or skill through problem solving, critical thinking, decision making. These assessments are compatible with contemporary views of learning and motivation.

4. Portfolio Assessment Authentic Performance Assessment Assessment

5. Authentic Assessment Evaluates students’ knowledge or skills in a context that approximates the real world or real life. The emphasis in on the process as well as the product. Examples include …. Model of a Mayan village with a written description. Family tree with ancestor anecdotes. Creating an Italian food menu and a meal.

6. Formative Assessments Provide guidance for the students’ learning efforts. Modifications for students with exceptionalities are facilitated with this information. Both teacher and students are involved in formative assessments.

7. Considerations & Cautions: Authenticity is learner specific which precludes comparison between students. It is difficult to make reliable judgments about performances across students. It takes time and practice for students to demonstrate skills proficiently. Biases exist with language prerequisites for students with exceptionalities and ESL.

8. Portfolios Systematic and organized collection of a student’s work that demonstrates skills/accomplishments. Portfolio evidence includes … Artifacts (writing samples, journal entries, homework) Reproductions (projects, posters, interviews) Attestations (feedback/comments to document progress) Productions (goal statements, reflections, self-evaluation)

9. Considerations & Cautions: Each piece should be included that exemplifies progress and purpose. Portfolio assessment should link learning outcomes with pedagogical strategies with performance standards. Portfolios can be on paper, audio- or videotape, disk, CD or website.

10. Growth-Portfolio: Measures growth over time to reveal progress in meeting learning targets (developmental) Vs. Best-Work Portfolio: Showcases outstanding work and often includes the students’ latest products (selective)

11. Portfolio Tips: Involve students in the decisions about what goes into the portfolio and how it will be evaluated. Students should reflect and describe why they selected each portfolio piece which will enhance their critical thinking and articulation skills. Student-teacher conferences throughout the year are essential to review students’ progress.

12. Portfolio Evaluation: Evaluation tools include checklists, rating scales and rubrics. Individual items in the portfolio must be assessed and the portfolio as a whole. Student designed rubrics allow students to decide what quality work looks like, and they will know in advance what is expected.

13. Considerations and Cautions: Time consuming to coordinate and evaluate. Complexity and originality make it difficult to evaluate. Reliability is lower than for traditional tests. Difficult to gauge the amount of teaching time and support to give students during assembly.

14. The Challenge…… In a small group, brainstorm specific examples of authentic assessments or portfolio assessments for evaluating subjects/strands of the provincial report card. Use the following examples to organize and share ideas within your group.

15. Example of Authentic Assessment: Subject: Social Studies (Grade 2) Strand: same Summative Assessment: Poster presentation of family tree Summative Evaluation: Checklist; peer evaluation; teacher observations Formative Assessment: Family stories (anecdotal recounts) Formative Evaluation: Rubric Diagnostic Assessment: Class discussion about the origins and features of various families; survey

16. Example of a Portfolio: Subject: Math (Grade 7) Strand: Geometry and Spatial Summative Assessment: “The Mathematics Masterpiece Portfolio” Summative Evaluation: Checklist; peer Evaluation; observations Formative Assessment: Mathematical “Geometric” autobiography; assignments (with corrections); samples of 3D shapes drawn in art Formative Evaluation: Rubric; answer key; comments Diagnostic Assessment: Pre-test matching exercise between shapes and labels.