Assessment Practices for Effective Learning

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Assessment Practices for Effective Learning

• Heather, Gretchen,
• Russ, Jody and Terri

From excerpt by McTighe and OConnor
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Diagnostic Assessment

• Also known as pre-assessment
• Usually precedes instruction
• Checks students prior knowledge
• Stimulates learners interest
• Assists teacher in planning the unit
• Not normally graded or evaluated
• Opportunity to eliminate misconceptions

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Formative Assessment

• Normally takes place concurrent with instruction
• Can be both formal and informal
• Oral questioning, draft work, concept maps
• Teacher observation, learning logs, portfolios

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Formative Assessment

• Uses insights about learners current
  understanding.
• There should be negotiation between teacher and
  learner on how to best improve performance.

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Formative Assessment

• Students must
• Come to hold a concept of quality roughly similar
  to that of the teacher.
• Be able to compare the current level of
  performance with the standard.
• Be able to take action to close the gap.

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Summative Assessment

• Summarizes what students have learned at the
  conclusion of a unit of study
• Graded or scored
• Tests, performances tasks, projects or portfolios
• Insufficient by itself to maximize student
  learning

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Summative Assessment

• Problems
• It is better for overall monitoring levels of
  achievement than looking at specific weaknesses.
• Information arrives to late to be useful!
• (We are familiar with this)

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Ways to Enhance Teaching and Learning

• Use summative assessment to frame goals
• Allow students to know whats expected
• Provides evidence of authentic learning
• Show models and rubrics in advance
• Provide clear examples of quality work
• Show multiple examples to encourage creativity

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Continued

• Accommodate different styles
• - Give alternatives when appropriate
• Grade on content, clarity and quality
• Provide feedback early and often
• - Must be timely, specific and allow for
  self-adjustment

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Continued

• Encourage self-assessment and goal setting
• Involve students in the process
• Allow new evidence of achievement to replace old
  evidence

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Motivation to Learn (Marzano, 1992)

• Task clarity
• Students should clearly understand the learning
  goal
• Relevance
• Should be meaningful and worth learning
• Potential for success
• They need to believe they can successfully learn
  and meet expectations