Keys to quality assessments (formative & summative) Jacque Melin Grand Valley State University www.formativedifferentiated.com

Thank you for being present today You can expect: conversations learning

I’m counting on you to… learn from one another actively participate commit to a partnership in this journey melinj@gvsu.edu 616-450-0998 (cell) 616-331-6209 (office)

Today’s Targets What is a balanced assessment system? Components? Is our system in balance? Where does the formative assessment process fit? What are the 5 Keys to Quality Classroom Assessments? How can we (and our student teachers) use the formative assessment process to help inform our instruction and engage students in learning?

What is Assessment? The process of collecting information A gathering of evidence of student learning A tool to inform and encourage student growth According to Evangeline Harris Stefanakis (2002), "The word assess comes from the Latin assidere, which means to sit beside. Literally then, to assess means to sit beside the learner." (p.9) 

Formative and Summative Assessment A quick review

Formative Assessment Takes place WHILE the teaching/learning is happening; Coaching students to hit a series of learning targets; Making students partners in their learning; Descriptive feedback and part of instruction; Formal or Informal Assessment FOR learning.

Summative Assessment A judgment, usually communicated by a grade or score, about how well students achieve the final learning targets; Evaluative feedback and after instruction; Assessment OF learning.

Our Goal As educators our goal is to create and maintain a balanced assessment system that includes high-quality assessments of (summative) and for (formative) student learning. Different types of assessments Formal and informal

Used with skill, assessment can… CASL Introductory Presentation Used with skill, assessment can… Motivate the unmotivated Restore students’ desire to learn Encourage students to keep learning Create—not simply measure—increased achievement --Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis, & Chappuis, 2011 Slide 3 Activity: “How Can Assessment Motivate Effectively?” Purpose: To begin thinking differently about the connection between assessment and motivation When You Would Use This: When you want a quick anticipatory set for challenging conventional thinking about the connection between assessment and motivation Time: 5–15 minutes Directions: This is the opening claim from the CASL book, page 3. Say: “We normally think of assessment as the measurer of change. Yet we know that it can do more. It can . . . (read list). How can it do those things?” (Pause for a moment and then go on to the next slide.) © 2009 ETS Assessment Training Institute, Portland, OR, www.ets.org/ati. Permission to copy granted to educational agencies for use in training, subject to compliance with Conditions for Approved Use.

Effective Communication Keys to Quality Classroom Assessment Accurate Assessment Clear Purposes Why Assess? What’s the purpose? Who will use results? Clear Targets Assess What? What are the learning targets? Are they clear? Are they good? Sound Design Assess How? What method? Sampled how? Avoid bias how? Effectively Used Effective Communication Communicate How? How manage information? How report? Student Involvement Students are users, too. Students need to understand learning targets, too. Students can participate in the assessment process, too. Students can track progress and communicate, too.

Key 1: Clear Purpose Why assess? What’s the purpose? Who will use the results?

The ultimate user of assessment information is the student. CASL Introductory Presentation The ultimate user of assessment information is the student. Slide 25 You could ask “Which of our current assessments are set up so students can act on the information?” Or, you could use this slide as a probe with a partner discussion question such as: “How does this match your current thinking about formative assessment?” This slide concludes the introductory part that focuses on the connection between assessment and motivation and introduces assessment for learning in a general sense. © 2009 ETS Assessment Training Institute, Portland, OR, www.ets.org/ati. Permission to copy granted to educational agencies for use in training, subject to compliance with Conditions for Approved Use.

Key 2: Clear Targets Assess what? What are the learning targets? I can statements Are they clear? Are they good?

Key 2: Clear Learning Targets CASL Introductory Presentation Key 2: Clear Learning Targets Know what kinds of targets are represented in curriculum Knowledge Reasoning Performance skill Products Master the standards ourselves Know which targets each assessment measures Make learning targets clear to students, too. Slide 36 Key 2, Clear Targets, requires four things: We know what kinds of targets students are responsible for learning We ourselves have mastered the targets we hold for students We are able to identify which specific learning targets each of our assessments measures We make the targets clear to students “Key 2 asks us to be clear about the targets we intend to teach and assess before we plan our assessments. We need to know what kind of target the content standard represents, so we teach to the intended level of cognitive challenge, and so we can select the appropriate assessment method.” (Here you can explain a little bit about the kinds of targets, or just name them.) “We need to be competent, confident masters of the targets ourselves. We need to know what targets each assessment measures so we can ensure that our tests match our teaching and so that we can keep track of learning standard by standard. And we need to make our targets clear to students in advance of, or during, the learning.” AA The Advanced Activity “Analyze Assessments for Clear Targets” fits here. Prerequisite for conducting this activity: Read CASL Chapters 1–4. (It supplements bullet 3 on this slide.) AA The Advanced Activity “Student-friendly Language” fits here. Prerequisite for conducting this activity: Read CASL Chapters 2 and 3. (It supplements bullet 4 on this slide.) © 2009 ETS Assessment Training Institute, Portland, OR, www.ets.org/ati. Permission to copy granted to educational agencies for use in training, subject to compliance with Conditions for Approved Use.

Performance Skill Target Product Target Product Performance Skill Reasoning Knowledge Learning Target Hierarchy Performance Skill Target Performance Skill Reasoning Knowledge Reasoning Target Reasoning Knowledge There is a hierarchy to learning targets. Knowledge targets have no reasoning, performance, or product underpinnings. Reasoning targets require knowledge but no performance or products. Performance requires underlying knowledge and reasoning but not products. Product targets might be underpinned by all four types of learning targets. The exception is that a product might not have a performance underpinning. Many of WV’s standards/objectives contain more than a single type of learning target. When this happens, each part needs to be deconstructed separately. Knowledge Target Knowledge

Help in deconstructing standards to targets (knowledge, reasoning, skill, product) http://education.ky.gov/curriculum/ela/pages/ela-deconstructed-standards.aspx http://education.ky.gov/curriculum/math/pages/mathematics-deconstructed-standards.aspx

What is a student friendly learning target? Subject Topic MATH Decimals Page 152 in the book Going on a decimal hunt Read decimals and put them in order I can read decimals and put them in order. This means I can use the correct place value names and show the order of decimals based on their value. Assignment Activity Learning Target Learning Target Learning Target With success criteria

Don’t Confuse These Two “C” Words Congruent An exact match Correlated Has some relationship

Congruent or Not? Students will describe and compare the processes, factors involved and consequences of slow changes (e.g., erosion and weathering) and fast changes (e.g., landslides, earthquakes, floods) to earth’s surface   I can observe changes to earth’s surface over time and use evidence/data to infer the cause of the change. I can classify changes to earth’s surface as ‘slow’ or ‘fast’. I can describe how the earth’s surface might be slowly (or quickly) changed. I can name a process that changes the earth’s surface slowly (or quickly) and compare how it affects different places on earth.  I can classify changes by how often they occur and whether they are predictable. I can create a model of a volcano to show a fast change to earth’s surface. I can name 3 places on earth where a fast change has occurred. I can name 3 places on earth where slow changes have occurred. I can identify different landforms. I can locate landforms on a topographic map. Told them that by and large, one column of targets WOULD move students toward attainment of the standard, while the other would not…can they tell which is which? (the column on the LEFT will…the column on the right, while some sort of support the standard, wouldn’t collectively enable students to be successful with the STANDARD as a whole)

Writing student friendly targets “I can…” statements for what we want students to KNOW and DO? Statements of intended learning. Statements that describe how we will know that we have learned it. Should be posted, not just shared verbally.

5. I can recognize right triangles in real world applications. 1. I can identify the hypotenuse of any right triangle. Who am I? 2. I can prove the Pythagorean Theorem by relating the triangle side lengths to areas. c a b 3. I can create a physical proof of the Pythagorean theorem using cubes to show areas. 4. I can find any side of a right triangle if I know the two other sides. Don’t I know you from somewhere? I’m right here! 5. I can recognize right triangles in real world applications.

9. I can deconstruct real world objects into circular objects. 6. I can create a right triangle out of any two points in a coordinate system. B (2,3) A (-3,-2) 7. I can use right triangles in a coordinate system to find the distance between two points. 9. I can deconstruct real world objects into circular objects. How far is it from Albuquerque to Boston? R H 8. I can relate the formulas for the volumes of cones, cylinders, and spheres to the formula for the area of a circle. ??? 10. I can use right triangles to find the radii and heights of real world objects and use those values to calculate volumes.

Christina Hank http://turnonyourbrain.wordpress.com/

Name:______________________________________ Please color in the coin for each target when you think you have mastered this target. I can tell the value of each coin. I can write the amount of money using the cent symbol. I can name each coin. I can tell the value of a group of same coins. I can match sets of coins that have the same value. I can count coins of different values up to and above $1.00. I can solve addition story problems about bills and coin money. I can solve subtraction story problems about bills and coin money. I can compare coin money using the words, “more than, less than, and equal to.” I can explain why we need to use money. I can make decisions about when to use appropriate types of bills and coins. I can write the amount of money using the dollar sign and decimal point. I can relate the concept of money to real-world situations.

With an Elbow Partner….. Are your learning targets clearly and appropriately framed for teachers and students? How are you sharing your learning targets with your students? How are you helping your students track their progress toward mastery of the learning targets? Are the items on your assessments aligned to your learning targets? How do you know?

Key 3: Sound Design Assess how? What method?

Classroom Assessment Strategies Extended Written Response Selected Response Performance Assessment Observations/ Conversations Multiple Choice True-False Matching Fill-in-the-Blank Diagram Essay Short answer (sentences, paragraphs) Web Concept Map Flowchart Graph Table Matrix Illustration Presentation Science lab Athletic skill Dramatization Enactment Project Debate Model Exhibition Recital Performance Task Oral questioning Observation Interview Conference Journal sharing Thinking aloud a process Student self-assessment Peer review Adapted from the work of Dr. Robert Marzano

Classroom Assessment Strategies Extended Written Response Selected Response Performance Assessment Observations/ Conversations Multiple Choice True-False Matching Fill-in-the-Blank Diagram Essay Short answer (sentences, paragraphs) Web Concept Map Flowchart Graph Table Matrix Illustration Presentation Science lab Athletic skill Dramatization Enactment Project Debate Model Exhibition Recital Performance Task Oral questioning Observation Interview Conference Journal sharing Thinking aloud a process Student self-assessment Peer review Adapted from the work of Dr. Robert Marzano

Classroom Assessment Strategies Extended Written Response Selected Response Performance Assessment Observations/ Conversations Multiple Choice True-False Matching Fill-in-the-Blank Diagram Essay Short answer (sentences, paragraphs) Web Concept Map Flowchart Graph Table Matrix Illustration Presentation Science lab Athletic skill Dramatization Enactment Project Debate Model Exhibition Recital Performance Task Oral questioning Observation Interview Conference Journal sharing Thinking aloud a process Student self-assessment Peer review Adapted from the work of Dr. Robert Marzano

Classroom Assessment Strategies Extended Written Response Selected Response Performance Assessment Observations/ Conversations Multiple Choice True-False Matching Fill-in-the-Blank Diagram Essay Short answer (sentences, paragraphs) Web Concept Map Flowchart Graph Table Matrix Illustration Presentation Science lab Athletic skill Dramatization Enactment Project Debate Model Exhibition Recital Performance Task Oral questioning Observation Interview Conference Journal sharing Thinking aloud a process Student self-assessment Peer review Adapted from the work of Dr. Robert Marzano

Classroom Assessment Strategies Extended Written Response Selected Response Performance Assessment Observations/ Conversations Multiple Choice True-False Matching Fill-in-the-Blank Diagram Fill-in-the-blank (words, phrases) Essay Short answer (sentences, paragraphs) Web Concept Map Flowchart Graph Table Matrix Illustration Presentation Science lab Athletic skill Dramatization Enactment Project Debate Model Exhibition Recital Performance Task Oral questioning Observation Interview Conference Journal sharing Thinking aloud a process Student self-assessment Peer review Adapted from the work of Dr. Robert Marzano

Target/Method Match Yes! Nope- too time consuming Selected Response Extended Written Response Performance Assessment Observation/ Conversation Knowledge Yes! OK-Understandings of relationships among elements of knowledge Nope- too time consuming Maybe (question, evaluate answers, infer mastery) –but time consuming

Target/Method Match Somewhat Target Extended Written Response Selected Response Extended Written Response Performance Assessment Observation/ Conversation Reasoning Partial! Many, but not all types of reasoning Yes! Somewhat

Target/Method Match Yes! Selected Response Extended Written Response Performance Assessment Observation/ Conversation Skill Rarely! Perhaps measure-ment skill targets. No! Yes! Good for some oral proficiency skill targets only.

Target/Method Match Product No Maybe-if product is written Yes! Target Selected Response Extended Written Response Performance Assessment Observation/ Conversation Product No Maybe-if product is written Yes!

Key 4: Effective Communication Communicate how? How do we manage information? How do we report?

Key 5: Student Involvement Students are users and can (and should) participate in the assessment process. Students are actively involved in every part of the teaching, learning, and assessment process.

Let’s take a look at some assessments… Selected Response https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1aOfIv9qhdhvv5Xl4MVaRKYgiHn8DnHKvL5VQuOXHA2g/viewform?edit_requested=true Extended Written Response Performance Task Assessment

With an Elbow Partner…. How might you improve the design of some of your assessments? Are students also assessors during their learning? How? How might you increase this KEY (student involvement)? Could some of the assessments you have designed as summative, be used as formative instead? Explain.

Making a Difference Through Assessment My favorite assessment quotes…. Inspirations R. Stake J. Hattie R. Stiggins