Lesson%20Twelve

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Lesson Twelve

• Alternative Assessment

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Contents

• Tests vs. Assessment
• Definition Characteristics of Alternative
  Assessment
• Traditional vs Alternative Assessment
• Performance-based Assessment
• Why Alternative Assessment
• Portfolios
• definition, characteristics
• advantages, guidelines
• Observation
• Journal
• Summary

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Questions to Discuss

• Whats the difference between tests and
  assessment?
• What does alternative assessment mean?
• Whats the difference between traditional and
  alternative assessment?
• Is performance-based assessment the same as
  alternative assessment?

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Tests vs. Assessment (1)

• All tests are assessments, but not all
  assessments are tests.
• 
  (Brown 5)

Tests
Assessment
Teaching
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Tests vs. Assessment (2)

• Tests
• Formal procedures
• Strict time limitations
• Sample the performance of an individual in a
  specific domain
• Assessment
• Includes all occasions
• Both formal and informal
• Alternative assessment early 1990s
• Fairness
• Balance of power relationships in the classroom

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Alternative Assessment

• Definition
• Any method of finding out what a student knows or
  can do that is intended to show growth and inform
  instruction and is alternative to traditional
  forms of testing, namely, multiple-choice tests.
• Multi-assessment methods, rather than sticking to
  traditional paper-and-pencil tests.

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Characteristics of Alternative Assessment

• Require Ss to perform, create, produce, or do
  something
• Use real-world contexts or simulations
• Assess Ss on what they do in class every day
• Focus on processes as well as products
• Higher-level thinking problem-solving skills
• Provide info. about Ss strengths weaknesses
• Use human judgment in scoring
• More . . . . (cited in Brown 252 Brown
  Hudson 654-55)

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Traditional versus Alternative Assessment (1)
One-shot tests Continuous, longitudinal assessment
Indirect tests Direct assessment
Inauthentic tests Authentic assessment
Individual projects Group projects
No feedback provided to learners Feedback provided to learners
Speeded exams Untimed exams
Decontextualized test tasks Contextualized test tasks
Norm-referenced score interpretation Criterion-referenced score interpretation
Standardized tests Classroom-based tests
Bailey, Kathleen M. (1998) Learning about
Language Assessment . (p. 207)
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Traditional versus Alternative Assessment (2)
(Brown 13)
One-shot, standardized exams Continuous long-term assessment
Timed, multiple-choice format Untimed, free-response format
Decontextualized test items Contextualized communicative
Scores suffice for feedback Individualized feedback/washback
Norm-referenced scores Criterion-referenced scores
Focus on the right answer Open-ended, creative answers
Summative Formative
Oriented to product Oriented to process
Non-interactive performance Interactive performance
Fosters extrinsic motivation Fosters intrinsic motivation
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Advantages

• Traditional multiple-choice tests
• Highly practical
• Highly reliable
• Alternative assessment
• Beneficial washback
• Authenticity? greater face validity
• Some suggestions
• See Brown 254.
• (See figure
  10.1, Brown 253)

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Performance-based Assessment

• Productive, observable skills of content-valid
  tasks
• A subset of authentic assessment, but not all
  authentic assessment is performance-based
• Alternative assessment could be
  performance-based.
• Characteristics of performance assessment
• Constructed response
• Higher-order thinking involved, with open-ended,
  meaningful, engaging, and authentic tasks
• Integration of language skills
• Both process and product are assessed
• A students mastery is emphasized

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Three Basic Assessment Types

• Following Brown Hudsons (1998) classification
• Alternatives in assessment
• Selected response
• T/F, matching, multiple-choice
• Constructed response
• Fill-in, short answer, performance assessments
• Personal response
• Conferences, portfolios, self/peer assessments

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Another Classification

• Evaluation with tests
• Purposes/uses
• Kinds
• Formats
• Characteristics of good tests
• Evaluation without tests (alternative assessment)
• Portfolios
• Journals
• Conferences, interviews
• Observations
• Performance assessment
• Self peer assessment

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Why Alternative Assessment?

• Uncertain about test scores
• Whats the real difference between scores of 59
  and 61 (esp. 60 passing score)
• Small or chance difference in test scores
• No such thing as a perfect test
• Multi-method assessment in order to account for
  multi-culture, multi-intelligences of learners
• It can assess learning processes in an on-going
  manner
• Many Ts become dissatisfied with the mismatch
  between how they teach how assessment is done

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Definition of Portfolios

• A portfolio is a purposeful collection of
  student work that exhibits the students efforts,
  progress, and achievements in one or more areas.
  The collection must include student participation
  in selecting contents, the criteria for judging
  merit, and evidence of student self-reflection
  (Paulson, Paulson Meyer, 1991).
• A purposeful collection of students work that
  tell the story of their achievements, skills,
  efforts, abilities, and contributions to a
  particular class (Brown Hudson, p. 664)

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Characteristics of Portfolios

• Teacher and students can negotiate to decide what
  is included.
• The learner has some control over what is being
  assessed. (learner-centered)
• Not necessary to include everything, depending on
  the purpose
• To document development over time (e.g., drafts)
• Typical portfolio four sections
• Introduction portfolio contents, reflective
  essay
• Academic works
• Personal section, e.g. journals, photos
• Assessment section evaluation from peers,
  teachers

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Guidelines

• State objectives clearly.
• Give guidelines on what materials to include.
• Communicate assessment criteria to students.
• Designate time within the curriculum for
  portfolio development.
• Establish periodic schedules for review and
  conferencing.
• Designate an accessible place to keep portfolio.
• Provide positive washback-giving final
  assessments.

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Advantages

• Foster intrinsic motivation, responsibility
  ownership
• Promote S-T interaction with T as facilitator
• Individualize learning celebrate uniqueness of
  each student
• Provide tangible evidence of a Ss work
• Facilitate critical thinking, self-assessment,
  revision processes
• Opportunities for collaborative work w/ peers
• Assessment of multiple dimensions of language
  learning

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Good Assessment Method?

• Is portfolio a good assessment tool?
• Check against the characteristics of good
  assessment
• Validity
• Reliability
• Practicality
• Authenticity
• Washback
• (Brown 259
  Bailey 218)

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Observation (1)

• Purpose
• for teachers to make inferences about
  instructional or learning processes or strategies
• to explain failure to learn
• Systematic, planned procedure for real-time
  recording of S verbal and nonverbal behavior

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Observation (2)

• Planning classroom observation
• the objectives of the observation
• aspects of teaching/learning included in obs.
• keep elements of observation at one time limited
• number of Ss being observed at one time
• how many observations, one occasion or
  repeatedly?
• how to record your observations
• Anecdotal records, checklists, rating scales
  (Brown 268)
• how you will use the results

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Journal (1)

• Definition
• An account of ones thoughts, feelings,
  reactions, assessments, ideas, or progress toward
  goals
• With little attention to structure, form or
  correctness
• Features
• Self-reflection
• Writing practice writing as a thinking process
• Individualization
• Communication with the teacher
• Most formative

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Journal (2)

• Guidelines
• Introduce Ss to the concept of journal writing.
• State the objectives of the journal. (Brown 262)
• Give guidelines on what kinds of topics to
  include.
• Provide optimal feedback in your responses.
• Designate appropriate time frames schedules for
  review.
• Provide formative, washback-giving final
  comments.
• A good assessment measure?

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Summary of Alternative Assessment
principle portfolio journal conference interview observation self/peer
prcticality low low low mod mod mod
reliability mod mod low mod mod low
Face validity high mod high high high mod
Content validity high high high high high high
washback high high high mod mod high
authenticity high high high mod high high
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Performance Tests

• Second Language Assessment performance of a
  particular job or set of situated functions.
• Strengths using stimulus materials
• Authentic
• Direct
• Highly contextualized
• (Bailey
  208 - 215)