Introduction to Assessment

1. Introduction to Assessment Secondary Science Methods 1 Spring 2009

2. The big questions What is assessment? Why is it done? Who does it? When should it be done? Where is it done? How is assessment done?

3. What is assessment Assessment is a measure of something a gathering of quantifiable information attachment of numerical quantities to products or performances

4. Educational assessment is a systematic gathering, interpretation, and use of information about student learning for purposes of improvement (Ted Marchese) way of describing student learning to identifiable audiences for clearly articulated reasons (NCTLA) process, not a product; it is a beginning, not an end. (F.Volkwein)

5. Who assesses? Assessment can be/is done by the Teacher Administration Student State and National organizations Community Someone else??

6. Why do we assess? We assess to measure student readiness to learn measure if students are learning measure what students have learned measure student abilities measure student attitudes compare students with other students

7. Why do we assess? We assess to measure student learning against a goal measure teacher effectiveness measure curriculum appropriateness �.. Assessment drives instruction

8. When should we assess? Assessment is an ongoing activity. When a specific assessment is done depends on its purpose.

9. Where do we assess? Assessments can be performed in a classroom, in a testing center, by students at home, at an amusement park, basically anywhere.

10. How do we assess? Look in the eye, Observing what is being done, Measure a product, Pencil and paper (e.g., test, homework, theme) Drawings, charts, graphs Measure a performance Song, skit, play, Skills, �

11. Consider the design of an experiment: Define variables and determine how measured (operant definitions) - validity Control variables - reliability Measure - assess Interpret results - evaluate

12. Vocabulary of assessment Formative, Summative Outcome Formal Informal Performance Performance based Authentic

13. Vocabulary of assessment Formative, assessment becomes formative assessment when the evidence is actually used to adapt the teaching to meet student needs Summative Outcome Formal Informal Performance Performance based Authentic

14. Vocabulary of assessment Formative Summative, Summative assessments are designed to measure student understanding following a sustained period of instruction with the focus on identifying the level of student mastery and the effectiveness of instruction. Outcome Formal Informal Performance Performance based Authentic

15. Vocabulary of assessment Formative Summative Outcome, objective that will be assessed should be made clear at start Formal Informal Performance Performance based Authentic

16. Vocabulary of assessment Formative Summative Outcome Formal, Assessment procedures that contain specific rules for administration, scoring, and interpretation; generally norm-referenced and/or standardized. Informal Performance Performance based Authentic

17. Vocabulary of assessment Formative Summative Outcome Formal Informal, appraisal by casual observation or by other non-standardized procedures Performance Performance based Authentic

18. Vocabulary of assessment Formative, Summative Outcome Formal Informal Performance, assesses ability to translate knowledge and understanding into action (looking at action) Performance based Authentic

19. Vocabulary of assessment Formative, Summative Outcome Formal Informal Performance Performance based, examining the results of student performance (product) Authentic

20. Vocabulary of assessment Formative Summative Outcome Formal Informal Performance Performance based Authentic, making assessment process as much like real-life application as possible

21. Criterion referenced, measurements related to desired answer, goal is comparing student performance to desired answer Norm referenced Standardized Portfolio Reliable vs unreliable Group assessment

22. Criterion referenced Norm referenced, goal is to compare student answers/scores to those of other students (average and distribution) Standardized Portfolio Reliable vs unreliable Group assessment

23. Criterion referenced Norm referenced Standardized, usually assessment of many students using identical, lengthy procedures & producing norm referenced results Portfolio Reliable vs unreliable Group assessment

24. Criterion referenced Norm referenced Standardized Portfolio, an assessment system that looks at a collection of products or performances that is usually criterion referenced Reliable vs unreliable Group assessment

25. Criterion referenced Norm referenced Standardized Portfolio Reliable vs unreliable, reliable assessments are those that for each student give a consistent result (test- retest) or the same score regardless of who is scoring (inter-rater) Group assessment

26. Criterion referenced Norm referenced Standardized Portfolio Reliable vs unreliable Group assessment, major advantage of group assessment is that the marking burden for staff can be significantly reduced. Major issue with group work, however, is seeking to ensure that a fair assessment strategy is employed.

27. Validity vs invalid Content � did you measure what you said you were measuring Sufficiency � did you measure it enough to be sure you have answer Generalizability � can you draw conclusions based on your data

28. The NSES assessment standards encompass the following changes in emphases: LESS EMPHASIS ON Assessing what is easily measured Assessing discrete knowledge Assessing scientific knowledge Assessing to learn what students do not know Assessing only achievement End of term assessments by teachers Development of external assessments by measurement experts alone

29. The NSES assessment standards encompass the following changes in emphases More emphasis on: Assessing what is most highly valued Assessing rich, well-structured knowledge Assessing scientific understanding and reasoning Assessing to learn what students do understand Assessing achievement and opportunity to learn Students engaged in ongoing assessment of their work and that of others Teachers involved in the development of external assessments

30. Assessment gives us essential information about what our students are learning and about the extent to which we are meeting our teaching goals. But the true power of assessment comes in also using it to give feedback to our students.

31. Improving the quality of learning in our courses involves not just determining to what extent students have mastered course content at the end of the course; improving the quality of learning also involves determining to what extent students are mastering content throughout the course