Understanding Assessment Methods

1
Understanding Assessment Methods

• How to create a continuously evolving portrait of
  each students achievement

2
Selected Response

• Multiple Choice
• True/false
• Fill-in the blank
• Matching

3
Advantages

• Flexible
• Efficient
• Objective
• Align well with targets of Knowledge and
  Understanding
• May be used to assess Reasoning skills
• May assess prerequisite skills for Performance
  and Products
• May be used to develop questionnaires to assess
  Attitudes

4
Disadvantages

• Require a high level of reading and language
  abilities
• May not be equitable for English Language
  Learners
• May compartmentalize learning too much
• Require adequate amount of time to complete
• Are subject to guessing
• Must present novel problems to assess reasoning

5
Essay

• Students create brief original written responses
  to questions posed by the teacher.
• Essays are judged for quality and depth of
  response

6
Advantages

• Can address complex and sophisticated achievement
  targets
• Low cost in terms of teacher time and energy to
  create
• Can be easily integrated into teaching and
  learning
• Effective method for assessing Reasoning
• Can be used to assess writing skills as a Product
  Assessment

7
Disadvantages

• Require extensive time for grading
• Require students to have sufficient writing
  skills
• May not be equitable for ELL Students
• May not provide a wide enough sample of material
  to demonstrate mastery (not as effective for
  Knowledge and Understanding)
• Can not be used for Performance Assessment
• Can not be effectively used to assess content as
  a Product Assessment

8
Performance Assessment

• Observations of students performing certain tasks
• Observations of the products created by students
• Creation of predetermined standards of excellence

9
Process Target

• Oral reading fluency
• Cursive writing skill
• Using manipulatives in math
• Participating in a debate
• Demonstrating use of a computer
• Following safety rules
• Use materials appropriately

10
Product Target

• Picture depicting story
• Writing sample
• Model
• Research report
• Diagram
• Diorama
• Poster
• Newspaper
• PowerPoint presentation

11
Advantages

• Assess forms of achievement that stretch into
  life beyond school
• Authentic
• Motivating
• Flexible (allows for varying levels of language
  proficiency)
• May be used to assess complex standards
• Excellent means of assessing Reasoning,
• Performance, and Products

12
Disadvantages

• Requires time, energy
• Requires equal access to materials
• May raise anxiety levels for students
• Danger of comparison/competition
• Subjective (must develop criteria for standards
  of excellence)

13
Personal Communication

• Conferences with Students
• Student contributions during Class Discussions
• Oral Examinations
• Student journals, logs, diaries

14
Advantages

• Tap dimensions of achievement not easily accessed
  through other means
• Links assessment to instruction
• Flexible (follow-up questions can provide deeper
  insight into student thinking)
• Accurate (one-on-one)

15
Disadvantages

• Common language is the foundation
• Personality comes into play
• Requires sufficient time for quality and accuracy
• Accurate records must be kept
• Problems
• Forgetting
• Filters
• Sampling

16
Conclusion