Classroom Assessment for the 21 st Century Session 4 Stan Masters Coordinator - Instructional Data Services Lenawee ISD Summer 2010

Goals of the series Describe the keys to quality classroom assessment Explain how clear targets and good methods are essential for supporting a balanced assessment of and for learning Describe the relationship between accurate classroom assessment and communicating student achievement Identify ways to involve your students in classroom assessment Create a set of assessments for a unit of instruction

Time Start on time (8:30 a.m.), end on time (3:30 p.m.) Lunch on your own (11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.) Participation Each person has speaking time Each person shares what they are doing in their “classrooms” We will honor confidential information. Keep the conversations/topics positive Focus We are focusing on the creation and use of assessments We will focus on student achievement Our Norms

What are the principles of assessment quality?

assessment for learning –placement (given before instruction to gather information on where to start) –diagnostic (helps find the underlying causes for learning problems) –formative (monitors student progress during instruction) –interim (monitor student proficiency on learning targets assessment of learning –summative (the final task at the end of a unit, a course, or a semester) Purposes of Assessments Why?

Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning (p.42) Where am I going? –Clear targets –Models of work Where am I now? –Descriptive Feedback –Student self-assessment/goal setting How can I close the gap? –Lessons that focus on one target at a time –Teaching self-reflection –Student record-keeping

Kinds of Learning Targets Knowledge – The facts and concepts we want students to know and understand. Reasoning – Students use what they know to reason and solve problems Skills – Students use their knowledge and reasoning to act skillfully Products – Students use their knowledge, reasoning, and skills to create something new. Dispositions – Students’ display attitudes about school and learning. Source: Stiggins, Richard J, Arter, Judith A., Chappuis, Jan, Chappius, Stephen. Classroom Assessment for Student Learning. Assessment Training Institute, Inc., Portland, Oregon, 2004, p.75. What?

How is assessment used to measure student achievement?

Methods of Assessment Selected response Extended written response Performance assessment Personal communication How?

Components of an Summative Assessment Task What “new” prompt will you use to trigger “old” learning from prior instruction? What directions will you give to the students completing the task? What procedures will you use as the teacher administering the task? What scoring rubric will use to evaluate the quality of the students’ task?

Formative Assessment techniques Oral Language –Accountable talk, nonverbal cues, value lineups, retellings, think- pair-share, whip around Questions –Response cards, hand signals, personal response systems, Socratic seminars Writing –Interactive writing, read-write-pair-share, summary writing, RAFT Tests –Multiple choice with misconceptions as distracters, short answer with word banks, true-false items with correction for the false items

How can we communicate assessment results?

Defining Criteria of and Issues related to Effective Grading Source: O’Connor, K. “A Repair Kit for Grading”, (2007) pp.4-7, Consistency Accuracy Meaningful Supports learning FAIRNESS MOTIVATION OBJECTIVITY/ PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT

The purpose of grades is to communicate Grades communicate achievement Grades reflect current level of achievement Principles of Grading ( )

How can we fix grades so that they are… CriteriaFix(es) Consistent8 Accurate1,2,3,4,5,6,9,10,11,12,14 Meaningful7 Supportive of Learning13,14,15 Source: Ken O’Connor, “15 Fixes for Broken Grades” Videoconference, May 10, 2010Videoconference, May 10, 2010

Ways of Talking Norms of Collaboration DialogueDiscussion Outcome: Deep Understanding Outcome: Decisions That Stick Culture of Collaboration Conversation Deliberation The Center for Adaptive Schools

Listening Respectfully Ear of the Attentive Listener Rectitude of the Heart Eye that is Unswerving

“Accountability: Teaching Through Assessment and Feedback, Not Grading” Choose one description from the article How might you use dialogue and discussion in sharing this example with a colleague?

Break

How can we use multiple measures of assessment results?

Job Interview (p. 339) Read the scenario and jot down your ideas to questions 1, 2, and 3. Why is this exercise important for determining the purpose for a portfolio?

Decisions for Using a Portfolio (p. 338) Determine the kind of portfolio Determine the learning targets Determine evidence to include Determine how the portfolio will be judged Determine level of responsibility for the students Determine how the portfolio will be managed Determine how the portfolio will be shared

Kinds of Portfolios (pp ) Individually, –Read and note information about two kinds of portfolios: One you are most familiar in using effectively One you would be interested in using more effectively With others in a “cocktail party” meeting, –Share you insights about each kind of portfolio

Portfolio Targets All assessment targets can be used to document achievement in a portfolio You may choose targets in one subject or across subjects A key is the use of an annotation –Students are given stems or prompts. (p.346) –Self-reflection questions may be used (p. 347)

Judging Quality (p ) Three possible types of performance criteria are useful with portfolios. –Criteria for individual entries –Criteria for self-reflection –Criteria for the portfolio as a product

Sharing Options A key is the work having value beyond just showing competence: Teacher Class School Community

Sample Portfolio Watch the video clip that uses sample portfolios to guide Meadowdale seniors in assembling their Culminating Project Portfolio Individually, –identify the decisions made by this school regarding this kind of portfolio In small groups, –Summarize you notes and create a poster of the decisions As a large group, –Present your posters

Lunch See you at 12:30 p.m.

Student-Led Conferences Student-Led Conferences Source: Guskey, T.R. and Bailey, J. (2001). Developing Grading and Reporting Systems for Student Learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Guskey and Bailey –Students are responsible for leading discussion –Students share a portfolio of their work with the parents –Teacher acts as a facilitator of the conference –Structures include Time frame and facilities Pre-conference practice dialogue Scheduling Setting expectations for and follow-up after the conference

Standardized Assessments p Individually, take the “test”! With a partner, compare your answers. As a group, let’s get them all right!

What does Michigan’s statewide assessment provide us for information on student achievement? Review the samples of reports. Identify the types of information that can be gathered. What questions can these reports answer?

How can we help our students do well on standardized tests? p. 415 Make a generalization about the percentage of students with these problems in your class, grade, or school. Which of these problems can you address before the next opportunity for students to take these tests?Which of these problems can you address before the next opportunity for students to take these tests?

A Novel Idea… A Noble Idea Source: Grode, D., (July 2009). “Taking a Creative Approach to Test Prep” Education Update. ASCD: Alexandria, VA. Volume 51:7 Students take the Language Arts Literacy section of the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge, –persuasive, speculative, and explanatory writing –reading comprehension Uses current chapter from the novel to model the types of questions the students will see on the state tests. Integrates common character traits of humanitarians through a biography of a different Nobel Laureate –reading comprehension questions –open-ended responses shared with the class. Used editorials and provocative topics of interest as persuasive writing prompts Students generated fun speculative writing prompts Students used their favorite song lyrics for the explanatory writing prompts.

Break

Goals of the series Describe the keys to quality classroom assessment Explain how clear targets and good methods are essential for supporting a balanced assessment of and for learning Describe the relationship between accurate classroom assessment and communicating student achievement Identify ways to involve your students in classroom assessment Create a set of assessments for a unit of instruction

Questions? Stan Masters Coordinator of Instructional Data Services Lenawee Intermediate School District 2946 Sutton Road Adrian, Michigan (phone) (fax) Skype ID: stan.masters Blog: