Assessment Examining its Impact on Student Learning ASDW Aug. 28, 2012

Ray Williams 1972 – 1986 Teacher – Secondary Math, Science, Physics 1986 – 1995 Vice Principal, SSHS 1995 – 2000Principal, SSHS 2000 – 2012Associate Professor Education, STU 2005 – 2012 Graduate Course Instructor - Shared Leadership - Professional Learning Community - Assessment as an Instructional Practice 2005 – 2012Research on PLCs, Student Achievement

Purpose Encourage reflection on assessment practices Update participants on current research on assessment Discuss types of assessment Examine various assessment practices Set the stage for school projects on assessment Help prepare schools to develop assessment policies

Mission, Vision, & Goals MISSION STATEMENT: To encourage the development of accountable and confident critical thinkers and life-long learners VISION: To promote a safe, caring environment that enhances student success and individual needs. MISSION STATEMENT: Provide dynamic teaching that empowers, inspires and challenges all students in a safe and respectful learning environment GOALS: - Use Professional Learning Community initiatives to improve instructional practices and academic results - To increase student achievement levels - Develop a community of learners

Four Types of Assessment Summative Assessment – “of learning” Final grades of tests, exams, projects. Used to generate report card grades. Embedded Formative Assessment – “for learning in class” Day to day measures (homework, exit slips, quizzes, portfolio entries, embedded measures). Used to monitor and support daily progress. Common Formative Assessment – “for learning across classes” Monthly measures conducted by teams of teachers. Used to monitor outcome achievement and to improve teacher instructional techniques. Instructional Assessment – “as learning” Instructional use of self assessment, peer assessment, student generated assessments. Used to enhance student meta-learning and motivation.

Assessment and Motivation MOST students view high grades as positive recognition of their success, and SOME work hard to avoid the consequences of low grades – Haladyna, NO research supports the idea that low grades prompt students to try harder. More often they prompt students to withdraw from learning and make students feel helpless. Selby & Murphy, Students are motivated when tasks are well-defined and achievable, when assessment is clear and based on classroom activities, and when evaluation strategies reflect a variety of ways for students to show what they have learned. Williams, 2011

What Are We Measuring There are three common aspects that teachers measure: 1.Product – what students know and are able to do at a point in time. This is closely tied to learning outcomes. 2.Process – how students get to their current level of performance. This includes effort, work habits, and responsibility. 3.Progress – how much students improve. This is referred to as value-added learning, educational growth, learning gains, or improvement Each communicates something valuable but very different! Each can be assessed but they must be reported separately!

Measuring Your Physical Condition Height: ________ Weight: ________ Number of workouts per week: __________ Average hours of sleep per night: ___________ Total: ________

Every day teachers combine aspects of students achievement, attitude, responsibility, effort, and behaviour into a single grade that’s recorded on a report card – and no one questions it. In determining students’ grades teachers typically merge scores from major exams, compositions, quizzes, projects and reports, along with evidence from homework,, punctuality in turning in assignments, class participation, work habits, and effort. The result is a ‘hodgepodge grade’ that is confounded and impossible to interpret. It holds little more meaning than your ‘Physical Condition’ score. The ‘Physical Condition’ of Your Assessment Practices

Classifying Assessment Measures ProductProcessProgress

Other Common Assessment Strategies Incompletes – Zeros – Redos – Group work grades -