1. Chapter 5
Informal Assessment

2. Advantages of Informal Assessment
Relevance to instruction
Closely approximates typical classroom conditions
Allows for evaluation of student performance, instructional settings, and tasks
Many informal assessment strategies are curriculum-based

3. Differences Between Formal and Informal Assessments
Standard of reference
Technical adequacy
Efficiency
Specificity

4. Types of Informal Assessments
Obtrusiveness or unobtrusiveness of techniques
Direct or indirect measures
Results in three types:
Direct and unobtrusive
Direct and obtrusive
Indirect and obtrusive

5. Observation Techniques
Narrative report
Anecdotal
Ethnographic
Continuous or narrative recording
Sequence analysis

6. Steps for Conducting Observations
Describe the behavior to be observed
Select a measurement system
Set up a data collection system
Set up a data reporting system
Carry out observations

7. Work Sample Analysis
Response analysis examines correct and incorrect responses
Error analysis attempts to identify patterns of errors

8. Response Analysis of a Student Work Sample

9. Task Analysis
Is both an instructional technique and an assessment strategy
Analysis by temporal order
Analysis by developmental sequence
Analysis by difficulty level
Structural task analysis

10. Curriculum-Based Assessment Techniques
Inventories and Screening Devices
Classroom Quizzes
Criterion-Referenced Tests
Diagnostic Probes and Diagnostic Teaching

11. Procedures Using Informants
Three purposes for using informants:
To provide historical perspective
Summarize observations and offer interpretation
Comment on less observable concerns, such as attitudes, values, and perceptions

12. Procedures Using Informants
Informant information is subjective
Checklists and rating scales are structured assessments that can be used by informants
Questionnaires and interviews elicit information from informants in writing or orally
Clinical interviews utilize student insight to discover the process used by the student to complete a task

13. Interpreting Informal Assessment Results
Limitation may be due to lack of information about technical adequacy
Appropriate tools must be selected
Quality of the behavioral sample should be evaluated in terms of representativeness
The professional interprets performance and makes decisions
Informal assessment information can be translated into instruction

14. Avoiding Bias in Informal Assessment
Standard of comparison should be appropriate
Cultural bias should be avoided
Language should be appropriate to the student
The instrument should bypass the limitations of the disability