AssessmentAssessmentAssessmentAssessmentKelly McNeal, PhDKelly McNeal, PhD

Department of Secondary and Middle School EducationDepartment of Secondary and Middle School Education

William Paterson University William Paterson University

PretestPretestPretestPretest

Please Complete the PretestPlease Complete the Pretest

Please feel free to Please feel free to update your answers on update your answers on the pretest / take notes the pretest / take notes

on that sheet on that sheet throughout this throughout this presentation. presentation.

Please feel free to Please feel free to update your answers on update your answers on the pretest / take notes the pretest / take notes

on that sheet on that sheet throughout this throughout this presentation. presentation.

Math Time !!!!!!

1The symbol above is a

number one. When you see it, you will know it represents one (1) of something.

2The symbol above is a

number two. When you see it, you will know it represents two (2) of something.

+ and =When you see the symbol “+” it

means plus or that you should add numbers or put them together.

When you see the symbol “=“ it means equal and what is to the right of it is the answer to the math problem.

Let Me Demonstrate a Addition Problem

1 + 1 = 2

Now Let’s Test Your Now Let’s Test Your KnowledgeKnowledge

Now Let’s Test Your Now Let’s Test Your KnowledgeKnowledge

Go to the bottom of your pretest page and get Go to the bottom of your pretest page and get ready for another test!!!!!! Write down the ready for another test!!!!!! Write down the

problem I say and figure out the answerproblem I say and figure out the answer

How Many People How Many People Wrote this DownWrote this Down

How Many People How Many People Wrote this DownWrote this Down

1 + 1 = 21 + 1 = 2

WOW!!!!!!!!WOW!!!!!!!! What wonderful test What wonderful test

results!!!!!! results!!!!!!

WOW!!!!!!!!WOW!!!!!!!! What wonderful test What wonderful test

results!!!!!! results!!!!!!

Am I an incredible Am I an incredible teacher????teacher????

Did I “teach” anyone Did I “teach” anyone anything? Let’s discuss anything? Let’s discuss

the point….the point….

Am I an incredible Am I an incredible teacher????teacher????

Did I “teach” anyone Did I “teach” anyone anything? Let’s discuss anything? Let’s discuss

the point….the point….

What Are My Goals Today?

1. To demonstrate that we teach when we positively impact students’ learning.

Webster’s dictionary defines teach as “to cause to know something”

2. We can only demonstrate that we have “taught” if we assess students!

How can we demonstrate How can we demonstrate that we are positively that we are positively

impacting students’ learning? impacting students’ learning?

We must constantly ASSESS We must constantly ASSESS students! But what does this students! But what does this

mean? mean?

Dr. McNeal’s “Informal” Definition of Assessment

• A glimpse into the students’ minds that tells the teacher what the students know about a specific skill and / or content area. Assessments (except pre-assessments) can be graded but do not have to be. They should ALWAYS impact how the teacher plans instruction.

Instructional Cycle

Analyzing Students’ Learning – Some Basics

• Contextual Factors• Pre-Assessment• Planning• Post-Assessment

(Based on the Renaissance Group’s Teacher Work Sample

Methodology)

Contextual Factors• Assess the context of where you are going to be

teaching. • Where is the school?• What are the socio-cultural factors?• What are the students’ names? • What are the students’ interests? • What are the learning styles of the students?• Are there students who are classified or English

language learners in the class? • DID I HAVE A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE

CONTEXTUAL FACTORS OF THIS GROUP?

Pretest• Did I give you a pretest before the

math lesson? • What would have happened if I

had pretested you before the math lesson?

• Would this have changed my plans for this workshop?

Pretesting• Let’s review the other pretest• What types of questions are on the

pretest in terms of Bloom’s Taxonomy? • What types of question are on the

pretest in terms of “format” (i.e. open ended, true false, multiple choice, essay)?

• How do these formats correlate with Bloom’s Taxonomy?

Background Knowledge• What question on this pretest

requires “background knowledge” that you may not have AND is not at all relevant to this workshop or practicum orientation?

• Why is assessing students’ background knowledge important?

Formative Assessment• Formative assessment is assessment

that informs the teacher about what the students are learning. It should be part of everyday teaching.

• Examples of formative assessments include: surveys, exit cards, quizzes, essays, notebook checks, etc…

• It can be graded or ungraded.

Let’s do a formative Let’s do a formative assessment. assessment.

Let’s do a formative Let’s do a formative assessment. assessment.

Stand if you could answer #6 on the Stand if you could answer #6 on the pretest. Stay seated if you could not. pretest. Stay seated if you could not.

This is a “survey.” This is a “survey.”

Post AssessmentPost AssessmentPost AssessmentPost Assessment

Remember the math test I gave? Remember the math test I gave? That was a post assessment. I had That was a post assessment. I had an objective and then I assessed it an objective and then I assessed it

with a post-assessment. with a post-assessment.

Post-Assessment• Can be projects, essays, poems, debates, labs,

exams, tests, posters, displays, performances, etc…

• A planned assessment of an objective or multiple objectives from a set of lessons (unit plan).

• Must be aligned with objectives that have been taught which the teacher has already pre-assessed and formatively assessed.

• Like all assessments, post assessments should be carefully analyzed to see what needs to be further taught or reviewed.

Continuous ReflectionContinuous ReflectionContinuous ReflectionContinuous ReflectionYou should always be asking yourself You should always be asking yourself “are the students learning what I am “are the students learning what I am teaching?” AND “HOW DO I KNOW teaching?” AND “HOW DO I KNOW

THIS?” The answer is…..THIS?” The answer is…..

ASSESSMENTASSESSMENTASSESSMENTASSESSMENT

Our Post-AssessmentOur Post-AssessmentOur Post-AssessmentOur Post-AssessmentReview your pre-test and please work with Review your pre-test and please work with your colleagues seated nearby to update your colleagues seated nearby to update your answers. Please feel free to ask me your answers. Please feel free to ask me

questions as you do this. questions as you do this.

Final Thoughts • Thank you for your time!!!• If you have any questions or

concerns I can be reached at mcnealk1@wpunj.edu

• Remember: Assessment is a major component in the instructional cycle!!!!!!