Assessment and Evaluation EMD 335 | Newberry College

Assessment and Evaluation Know the difference between assessment and evaluation. Recognize why it is important to gather multiple types of data. List assessments for your own classroom that are continuous, authentic, varied, flexibly used, and appropriate.

Varied and ongoing assessments that advance learning as well as measure it. TWBA (2012) pp

In order to be responsive to our students, to know them, and to know what and how much they are learning, we need information. We assess to get information. This information is otherwise known as data. Why assess?

These days, society demands results. Parents want to know how their children are doing, communities want to know how well their schools are performing. To evaluate we generally need to make a comparison… to others. | to a scale. | to an expectation. Why evaluate?

In order to make valid decisions about learning and teaching, Victoria Bernhardt says we need to look at 4 kinds of data. Demographic Student learning Perception Process

What do the data make you think? Susie scored a Level 2 on her Grade 8 Reading EOG. Susie scored a Level 2 in sixth and seventh grades, but her elementary scores were consistently higher. Susie is the oldest of three children who are being raised by a single mother. Susie’s mother is a college-educated registered nurse. Susie hates to read, but she likes soccer. For the past two years, Susie’s reading teachers have used the Sharpen Up! EOG test-prep series.

Data is the buzz word in schools these days. Educators have to be careful.

We need to be data-informed, not data-driven.

Good assessment practice… Includes multiple measures. Informs teacher instruction and student learning. Includes formative (for learning) and summative (for evaluation) measures. Can be formal and informal. Is a daily habit. Is engaging for teachers and students. Ties to intended learning outcomes.

It is up to knowledgeable teachers and administrators to educate others about what supports, means nothing, or does harm to our children’s learning.

Linda Darling-Hammond NCLB’s regulations have caused a number of schools to abandon their thoughtful diagnostic assessment and accountability systems – replacing instructionally rich, improvement-oriented systems with more rote- oriented punishment-driven approaches – and it has thrown many high-performing and steadily improving schools into chaos rather than helping them remain focused and deliberate in their ongoing efforts to serve students well.” - From Many Children Left Behind (2004), pp. 4-5

TWBA Video Clips Challenging Curriculum  “Data and Discipline”  “Curriculum Development”  “Hot Air Balloons”  “Student-led Conferences”  “School-wide Reading”  “Reading for Fluency”

Organizations like AMLE call for assessment and evaluation that is… Continuous. Authentic. Varied. Used flexibly. Appropriate.

Activity #9 For each of the next few slides brainstorm assessments and/or evaluations that you already use or would like to use in your classroom.

Continuous assessment

Authentic assessment

Varied assessment

Assessment used flexibly.

Appropriate assessment

Students should be involved in their own assessment and evaluation.

Assessment and evaluation should be focused on individual progress rather than comparisons.

Assessment and evaluation should not be based on extrinsic rewards but work toward increasing student responsibility, ownership, and investment.

What’s next?