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High-Quality Assessments

Tindley Accelerated Schools 2014

Session Overview

Objectives Review characteristics of a quality

unit assessment. Revise and edit a standards aligned

summative assessment.

Summative vs. Formative

Formative (low stakes)

identify students strengths and weaknesses; forms future planning/instruction

Use information to drive instruction

Examples Pre-tests Exit tickets Individual whiteboard activities Think, pair, share

Summative (high stakes)

Evaluate student learning; Sums up student learning over a given period of time

Based on a standard or a benchmark

Examples State-mandated tests Chapter or unit tests Semester/final exams

Formal vs. Informal

Formal (scored/graded)

Students are compared to other peers within the population

Percentiles or standard scores are most commonly used

Examples Standardized tests Summative Assessments Exams

Informal (content/performance driven)

Standard scores not given

Teacher uses results to tailor instruction

Examples Logs/Journals Games Observation Exit Slips

What Type? Informal or Formal?

What Type? Informal or Formal?

What Type? Informal or Formal?

Common Mistakes

1. Questions/Tasks are not aligned to a unit standard.

2. Questions do not represent/align with the unit knowledge and skills.

3. Questions/Tasks are not as rigorous as they could be (focus on INCCS).

4. Assessments do not adequately prepare students for success on standardized or rigorous future tests.

5. Lack of developed exemplars and rubrics for open-ended questions/tasks.

Writing Aligned Questions

Consider your options for question types:Multiple choice/MatchingShort Response/Fill in the Blank

+ More efficient, easy to scaffold, objective and quick scoring

─ potential for guessing/cheating, formatted for lower-level thinking

Extended ResponseEssay/Performance Task

+ Can cover depth and breadth, easy to see student knowledge, encourages critical thought and expression

─ time-consuming, difficult to cover large amounts of material

Practice with Sample Test

1. Partner Critique: Do the questions align to the standard? Can you identify which knowledge and

skills are providing the basis of the questions?

Provide feedback

Checking Questions for Bloom’s Alignment

Practice with Sample Test

1. Identify which level of Bloom’s each of your questions fits.

2. Determine whether it is appropriately aligned and where you can “amp up” your rigor.

3. Record your notes on the handout.

Rubric-Based Questions/Tasks/Assessments

In some courses or for some units, you may decide to use a project or performance assessment as the summative unit assessment. In this case, a standards-aligned rubric and exemplar are necessary.

When creating a rubric, it’s essential that you align the components of the rubric with standards, skills, and knowledge.

ApplicationPull out your unit assessment and quality check handout. Go through the entire assessment:

Align questions with standards/knowledge/skills

Identify questions that need to be removed/revised

Identify standards/knowledge/skills that aren’t represented and need questions added

Rewrite questions to make sure they are rigorous

Check ratio (too many or too few of one type of question)

Quality Check

Quality Check Questions Yes or No

Does this question align to a standard? If so, Which?

 

Does this question align to identified knowledge and skills? If so, which?

 

Does this question align to the Bloom’s level of rigor?Does this question prepare students for success on standardized tests and summative finals?

 

Is there a rubric included? 

Key Takeaways

Share out something you’re taking away from this session:

What is one thing you learned/revised/improved in your approach to planning assessments?

What is something you want to remember when planning future assessments?