Let’s Talk Assessment

Rhonda HausUniversity of Regina 2013

The Three “R” s

O RelationshipsO RelevanceO Rigour

Framing the WorkshopWe must abandon the limiting belief that adults represent the most important assessment consumers or data-based decision makers in schools. Students’ thoughts and actions regarding assessment results are at least as important as those of adults. The students’ emotional reaction to results will determine what they do in response. Whether their score is high or low, students respond productively when they say, “I understand. I know what to do next. I can handle this. I choose to keep trying.” (Rick Stiggins, 2007)

EVIDENCE OF LEARNING

Balancing Assessments for and of Learning

O Separate them entirely so formative assessments never contribute to a grade

O Use assessments originally intended to be formative as part of our summing up

O Use assessments originally intended to be summative as sources of formative information and motivation to further learning

AssessmentOFOF Learning Learning FORFOR & & ASAS LearningLearning EvaluationEvaluation Summative (after)Summative (after) JudgingJudging Assigning grades & Assigning grades & reporting on reporting on achievementachievement

AssessmentAssessment Diagnostic (before) & Diagnostic (before) & Formative (during, Formative (during, ongoing)ongoing) CoachingCoaching Providing Providing feedbackfeedback to to students & teachers to students & teachers to make decisions about make decisions about next steps in learningnext steps in learning

What do I want them to learn?

How will I know they are learning it?

How will I design the learning so that all will learn?

Planning with the End in Mind

AssessmentHow will students demonstrate their knowledge and skills while they are learning?

How will we monitor their progress?

Exit cards, journal entries, observation, conversations, interviews

How will I plan with DI in mind?

What instructional strategies are appropriate for the learners in my class?

What do I want them to learn?

How will I know they have learned it?

How will I design the learning so that all will learn?

Planning with the End in Mind

Evaluation

How will students demonstrate their knowledge and skills when they have finished learning?

What evidence will be produced?

• Products

• Observations

• Conversations

How can we plan so assessment and evaluation work together with instruction to improve student learning?

Complete Separation

OPurpose of assessment is to offer feedback to the student

OLeads up to final, separate, assessment of learning

OWorks for subjects where knowledge and reasoning targets make up the bulk of instruction

Motivating Practice without Grading

EverythingO How can we motivate students

without the promise of an “A” or the threat of an “F”?

HOW?

OReduce evaluative feedback which research shows does NOT motivate students

O Increase descriptive feedbackOProvide multiple opportunities

for practice

BALANCEO Think about the assessments you

give during a unitO Check to see which are assessments

for and assessments of learningO Do your students have sufficient

opportunities to practice in preparation for the summative?

Success CriteriaO Define success in terms of outcomes

and indicatorsO Determine what levels of success

look like and/or sound like.O Convert the success criteria into

student friendly language (where possible it is better to consider doing this through co-construction).

Adapted from Anne Davies, 2009

The Power of Process Success Criteria for the

TeacherThe Research ShowsUsing Process Success Criteria:

O Reduces planning time between 25 – 50%

O Planned learning activity has a greater likelihood of being connected to the intended outcome or expectations

O Feedback to students is focused around the success criteria

The Power of Process Success Criteria for the

StudentsO Students have a reference point for

the learning period -- measurementO Students have a reference point for

self assessment and while in the activityO Where am I achieving success? Where do I need

help?

O Students generally develop a sense of what is and what is not important

DEVELOPING SUCCESS CRITERIA

When introducing a learning objective (outcome/indicator) for the first time, students must generate the success criteria for maximum effect. Use one of the following techniques, or your own ideas for this to happen:

 O Give them a good finished example of the work

they will be doing (writing/mathematics/art/PE video, etc.) and ask what features they can see/what the thing consists of.

O Show 2 contrasting pieces of finished work as above and ask which is best and why. The analysis via talking partners will generate the success criteria, by focusing on what the poorer example could include to be as good as the better example.

O Get them to do one example first then tell you what steps they followed or needed to include

Define Success Using Evidence

O Assessment is about improving student learning. Using indicators are a way of describing the intended learning. The purpose of success criteria is to determine the measurement of learning. By defining the success criteria in the context of evidence this shifts the focus away from learning towards proof of learning.

Co-constructionOLearning becomes more explicit

for the teacher and the student

OLearners can consolidate and confirm that they truly understand what they are expected to demonstrate using I can statements (authentic assessment)

Adapted from Anne Davies, 2009

Setting and Using Criteria Activity

Ann Davies Model:1.Brainstorming & Samples2.Set and Categorize3.T-Chart 4.Add, Revise, Refine

O Damian Cooper Page 170/171

Indicators of Success OSome Questions to Consider

1. How are you collecting enough evidence to see patterns over time?

2. Are you collecting too much evidence? Is there anything you can stop collecting?

3. How are your learners involved in collecting and organizing the evidence?

Adapted from Anne Davies, 2009

What does this look like in Gradebook?

“The use of columns in a Gradebook to represent

standards, instead of assignments, tests, and

activities, is a major shift in thinking . . . Under this

system, when an assessment is designed, the teacher must think in terms of the standards it is intended

to address. If a (test) is given that covers three

standards, then the teacher makes three entries in the grade book for each student -one entry for

each standard -as opposed to one overall entry for

the entire (test).”Marzano

Questions???