Kristen Nason Educational Consultant

1. Effective classroom Assessment practices Kristen NasonEducational Consultant

2. Outcomes Elements of formative assessment Checking for Understanding Questioning/Higher-order thinking Assessment Principles Item Analysis Assessment Blueprints

3. What is the purpose of assessment? Diagnosing individual student needs Informing instruction Evaluating programs Providing accountability information (Fisher & Frey, 2007)

4. What Makes an Assessment Formative? A process, rather than a product � focuses on uncovering what and how well students understand throughout the course of instruction (Greenstein, 2010) How the information is used vs. the specific measuring tool Use information to track learning, give students feedback, and adjust instructional strategies to further progress toward learning goals

5. Conclusions from Research Success of formative assessment is related to adjustment of teaching and learning practices Effective learning = student involvement Enhanced feedback is crucial to improvement An assessment plan comes first Assessment integrates knowledge, skills, procedures, and dispositions As diagnosis of student progress, assessment shifts from summative to formative (Black & Wiliam, 1998; Pellegrino, Chudowsky, & Glaser, 2001)

6. Assessment OF vs. FOR Learning Assessment OF Learning Summative How much have students learned as of a particular point in time? Provide evidence of student achievement for making a judgment about student competence or program effectiveness Assessment FOR Learning Formative How can we use assessment information to help students learn more? Uses assessments to help students assess and adjust their own learning Informs teachers� decisions

7. Strategies of Assessment FOR Learning Where am I going? Provide clear statement of learning target Use examples and model Where am I now? Offer regular descriptive feedback Teach students to self-assess and set goals How can I close the gap? Design focused lessons Teach students focused revision Engage students in self-reflection; let them keep track of and share their learning Anything you can do to help students answer the question, �What�s the learning?� Anything you can do to help students answer the questions, �What does quality look like? What are some problems to avoid?� Helping students answer the questions, �What are my strengths in this subject? What do I still need to work on? Where did I go wrong and what can I do about it? Help students identify where they are with respect to mastery of desired learning and to set goals for improvement. Narrowing the focus of your lessons to help student master specific knowledge, reasoning, skill, or product target, or to address specific misconceptions or problems Any activity that allows students to revise their initial work with a focus on a manageable number of aspects of quality, problems, or learning targets Allows students to look back on their journey- where they�ve been and where they�re going.Anything you can do to help students answer the question, �What�s the learning?� Anything you can do to help students answer the questions, �What does quality look like? What are some problems to avoid?� Helping students answer the questions, �What are my strengths in this subject? What do I still need to work on? Where did I go wrong and what can I do about it? Help students identify where they are with respect to mastery of desired learning and to set goals for improvement. Narrowing the focus of your lessons to help student master specific knowledge, reasoning, skill, or product target, or to address specific misconceptions or problems Any activity that allows students to revise their initial work with a focus on a manageable number of aspects of quality, problems, or learning targets Allows students to look back on their journey- where they�ve been and where they�re going.

8. Nine Principles of Assessment FOR Learning

9. Cycle of Instruction with Formative Assessment Objective, Goal, Standard: Differentiate fact from opinion in written text. Formative Strategy: Signaling in response to simple sentences read aloud by the teacher. � Targeted Instruction: Identify points of fact as contrasted with expression of the author�s opinion in a newspaper editorial. Formative Strategy: A Corners activity in which the teacher reads more complex sentences and students express their response by going to Fact or Opinion corners. One student in each group presents the group�s opinion, and the teacher leads a follow-up discussion. � Informed Teaching: The teacher gives examples of how writers extend fact into opinion along with guidelines for distinguishing fact from opinion. Students read selected text, color-code examples of fact and opinion, and record their responses in their work-alongs. Formative Strategy: A Think-Pair-Share activity in which students create a color-coded T chart with facts on the left and opinions on the right. This is followed by a whole class review of the charts to reach consensus. � Data Analysis: The teacher uses data gathered to chart individual and group learning outcomes and target areas of misunderstanding and areas where students need additional challenge. Formative Strategy: A chart of students� progress, capturing and reflecting on data gathered during signaling, corners, the work-along, and the T chart. � Responding to Data: The teacher adjusts instruction and assessment as needed to readdress the objective more effectively. Formative Strategy: Adjustment to content/resource level of difficulty, grouping students for additional practice or expanded learning, and differentiating the final assessment Objective, Goal, Standard: Differentiate fact from opinion in written text. Formative Strategy: Signaling in response to simple sentences read aloud by the teacher. � Targeted Instruction: Identify points of fact as contrasted with expression of the author�s opinion in a newspaper editorial. Formative Strategy: A Corners activity in which the teacher reads more complex sentences and students express their response by going to Fact or Opinion corners. One student in each group presents the group�s opinion, and the teacher leads a follow-up discussion. � Informed Teaching: The teacher gives examples of how writers extend fact into opinion along with guidelines for distinguishing fact from opinion. Students read selected text, color-code examples of fact and opinion, and record their responses in their work-alongs. Formative Strategy: A Think-Pair-Share activity in which students create a color-coded T chart with facts on the left and opinions on the right. This is followed by a whole class review of the charts to reach consensus. � Data Analysis: The teacher uses data gathered to chart individual and group learning outcomes and target areas of misunderstanding and areas where students need additional challenge. Formative Strategy: A chart of students� progress, capturing and reflecting on data gathered during signaling, corners, the work-along, and the T chart. � Responding to Data: The teacher adjusts instruction and assessment as needed to readdress the objective more effectively. Formative Strategy: Adjustment to content/resource level of difficulty, grouping students for additional practice or expanded learning, and differentiating the final assessment

10. Checking for Understanding as Formative Assessment ��critical step to success of a lesson, yet still seldom implemented with consistency�between each step of lesson, teacher should conduct �formative assessment� by checking � assessing � to see how many students have mastered the step.� (Schmoker, 2011) Lessons that include checks for understanding: 20-30 times as much positive impact on learning Add 6-9 months of additional learning growth per year Students learn four times as fast with consistent use (Wiliam, 2007)

11. Checking for Understanding Should: Align with enduring understandings Allow for differentiation Focus on gap analysis Lead to precise teaching

12. Checking for Understanding Oral Language (accountable talk, nonverbal cues, verbal lineups, retellings, Think-Pair-Share, misconception analysis, whip around) Questioning (constructing effective question, develop authentic question, response cards, hand signals, audience response systems, Socratic seminar) Writing (interactive writing, read-write-pair-share, summary writing) Project/Performance (presentation, portfolio, graphic organizer, foldable notes/organizer, etc.) Others??

13. Highly Effective Questioning (Hannel, 2001)

14. Characteristics of Skillful Questioning Engages students in learning Elicits display of students� thinking Nurtures new insights Encourages application of knowledge Promotes making connections, past/future and interdisciplinary Assesses learning Guides learning Encourages higher-order thinking

15. Tips for Questioning Ask questions of each student; initially, students should have same quantity AND quality Follow up questions are most important to constructing knowledge Do not ask questions that encourage guess-making behaviors Justifying is different than explaining Choose the question first, then the student Wait time is critical

16. Assessing Higher-Order Thinking Additional principles: Present something for students to think about- intro text; visuals; scenarios; problems Use novel material- new to the student; if class material we essentially test recall Distinguish between level of difficulty (easy vs. hard) and level of thinking (recall vs. higher order) and control separately for each (Brookhart, 2010)

17. Easy Recall: Who is the main character in The Cat in the Hat? Higher-Order Thinking: Why do you think the Cat cleaned up the house on his way out, before Mother got home? Difficult Recall: Name all the characters in Hamlet. Higher-Order Thinking: Hamlet wrestles with a major question in his soliloquy, �O, that this too, too solid flesh would melt.� What is the question in his mind, and how do you think he resolves it by the end of his soliloquy? State your interpretation of his major question and his resolution, and used evidence from the speech to support it.

18. Levels of Thinking Create Evaluation Synthesis Analysis Application Understand Remember Analyzing questions and tasks we pose: How can we structure or modify questions and tasks to maximize thinking? Review Goldilocks questions and then development more- based on reading or use a common core standard Bloom�s Taxonomy Awareness is added here because even before knowledge comes an awareness of something- a glimmer of understanding. As you observe lessons, pay attention to the levels of questioning. How can we deepen the questions in order to raise the level of thinking and understanding. This a great question to pose to a teacher during an observation debrief.Review Goldilocks questions and then development more- based on reading or use a common core standard Bloom�s Taxonomy Awareness is added here because even before knowledge comes an awareness of something- a glimmer of understanding. As you observe lessons, pay attention to the levels of questioning. How can we deepen the questions in order to raise the level of thinking and understanding. This a great question to pose to a teacher during an observation debrief.

19. Basic Assessment Principles Specify clearly and exactly what it is you want to assess Design tasks or test items that require students to demonstrate this knowledge or skill Decide what you will take as evidence of the degree to which students have shown this knowledge or skill (Brookhart, 2010) #2- example of not tapping intended learning Poetry unit with goal of students being able to interpret poetry. Assessment included questions matching poems to their authors, a section requiring identification of rhyme and meter schemes in selected excerpts, and a section asking students to write an original poem. Does tap into levels of Bloom�s- does use higher order thinking, but does not match the objective.#2- example of not tapping intended learning Poetry unit with goal of students being able to interpret poetry. Assessment included questions matching poems to their authors, a section requiring identification of rhyme and meter schemes in selected excerpts, and a section asking students to write an original poem. Does tap into levels of Bloom�s- does use higher order thinking, but does not match the objective.

20. What Makes a Good Test Item? Help participants understand that quality items are not meant to be tricky. There is a right and a wrong reason for students getting answers correct or incorrectHelp participants understand that quality items are not meant to be tricky. There is a right and a wrong reason for students getting answers correct or incorrect

21. Testwiseness Strategies for �Out Smarting� the Test Eliminating obviously wrong options Eliminating options that mean the same thing Looking for repetition between the stem and options Looking for an option that includes all other options Looking for grammatical inconsistencies between the stem and options Looking for absolutes Looking for clues in other items Looking for the longest most precise option Selecting C Give fake test Students are much smarter than we give them credit. Why do these work? Humans write the tests. Give fake test Students are much smarter than we give them credit. Why do these work? Humans write the tests.

22. Item Analysis Ask coaches to assess the quality of these items based on the given standard. Would all of these be used to test mastery? Would some be used at a different point of the instruction? Ask coaches to assess the quality of these items based on the given standard. Would all of these be used to test mastery? Would some be used at a different point of the instruction?

23. Sample Bias Item Malcolm was the team�s high-scoring player in the championship game. He made 8 baskets from the free-throw line, 10 from inside the arc, and 3 from outside the arc. What was the total number of Malcolm�s points? A 21 B 26 C 37 D 42

24. Revised Item Use the following information to answer the question. Baskets from the free-throw line = 1 point Baskets from inside the arc = 2 points Baskets from outside the arc = 3 points Shannon was the team�s high-scoring player in the championship game. She made 8 baskets from the free-throw line, 10 from inside the arc, and 3 from outside the arc. What was the total number of Shannon�s points? A 21 B 26 C 37 D 42 After this, provide How Camel got his hump questions and sample math questions to review.After this, provide How Camel got his hump questions and sample math questions to review.

25. Content Considerations Does the item measure the standard? Does the item measure important concepts? Have students had the opportunity to learn the concepts? Does the item reflect classroom instruction? Is the item appropriate for the grade level? Does the item require students to use the appropriate cognitive level? Is the item factually accurate?

26. Reading Is the reading passage rich and engaging? Does the student need to read the passage to answer the question? Is there a sufficient # of items for the passage? Is the reading passage grade appropriate? Are the reading passages varied in passage type and theme?

27. Mathematics Is there a logical reason for doing the mathematics in the item? Is the reading level at or below grade level? Are the numerical response options in ascending or descending order?

28. Item Construction When reviewing multiple-choice items, make sure the item Has one and only one clearly correct answer Has plausible distracters Is clear and concise Is grammatically correct Has balanced, parallel distracters Requires the stimulus to answer the question (if there is a stimulus)

29. Item Construction When reviewing constructed-response items, make sure the item Could not be created as a multiple-choice item Is clear and concise Gives directions that are consistent with the scoring rubric Does not ask for personal responses about students� lifestyles, values, or beliefs Is not too broad or narrow in scope Allows for a range of responses Let�s go back to our matrix.Let�s go back to our matrix.

30. Blueprints Simplifies task of creating an assessment Indicates exactly what kinds of items or tasks you need Represents depth and breadth of knowledge and skills

31. Constructing Assessment Blueprints Consider how many standards are included in the assessment How should those standards be assessed? Are there components of a standard that should be assessed more thoroughly in this assessment? Are there at least 3-4 items per standard? Does the assessment cover a range of thinking levels? What is the overall purpose of how/why you want to assess these skills?

32. Reflection Exit card (my Assessment FOR Learning) Describe an a-ha you had today about the learning Describe one thing you can apply, without fuss, to your instruction Describe one thing you�d still like to learn about

33. References Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the black box: Raising standards through classroom assessments. Phi Delta Kappan, 80(2), 139-148 Brookhart, S.M. (2010). How to assess higher-order thinking skills in your classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2007). Checking for understanding: Formative assessment techniques for your classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD

34. References Greenstein, L. (2010). What teachers really need to know about formative assessment. Alexandria, VA: ASCD Pellegrino, J.W., Chudowsky, N., & Glaser, R. (Eds). (2001). Knowing what students know: The science and design of educational assessment. Washington, DC: National Academy Press Hannel, I. (2001). Highly effective questioning: Developing the seven steps of critical thinking. Hannel Publishing Popham, J.W. (2011). Transformative assessment in action: An inside look at applying the process. Alexandria, VA: ASCD Schmoker, M. (2011). Focus: Elevating the essentials to radically improve student learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD

35. References Stiggins, R.J., Arter, J.A., Chappuis, J., & Chappuis, S. (2004). Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right-using it well. Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service. Stiggins, R. J., Arter, J., & Chappuis, J., & Chappuis, S. (2005). Assessment FOR learning: An action guide for school leaders. (2nd ed.). Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service. Wiliam, D. (2007). Content then process: Teacher learning communities in the service of formative assessment. In D. Reeves (Ed.), Ahead of the curve: The power of assessment to transform teaching and learning (pp. 182-204). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.