Assessing Student LearningIntroductory Presentation

Secondary

From Assessment Training Institute, and

Classroom Assessment FOR Student Learning,

Stiggins, Arter, Shappuis and Shappuis

Used with skill, assessment can

• Motivate the unmotivated• Restore students’ desire to learn• Encourage students to keep learning • Create—not simply measure—increased achievement

--Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis, & Chappuis, 2006

Think of a time you were assessed and it was a negative

experience. What made it negative?

Now think of a time you were assessed and it was a

positive experience. What made it positive?

New Mission, New Beliefs

Keynote Presentation Featuring

Rick Stiggins

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT:

All those activities undertaken by teachers and by their students [that] provide information to be used as FEEDBACK to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged.

--Black & Wiliam, 1998

Research consistently shows that regular, high-quality FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT increases student achievement.

CLASSROOM ASSESSMENTGUIDING PRINCIPLES:

• Gather accurate information about student achievement

• Use assessment process and results to promote maximum student learning

PURPOSE

TARGET

ACCURACY EFFECTIVE USE

STUDENTINVOLVEMENT

DESIGN

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

PURPOSE

ACCURACY EFFECTIVE USE

Key 1: Clear Assessment Purpose

Always begin by asking

• What decisions?

• Who’s making them?

• What information will be helpful to them?

What’s the PURPOSE for assessment?

Two Purposes for Assessment

SUMMATIVE• Assessments OF Learning

– How much have students learned as of a particular point in time?

FORMATIVE• Assessments FOR Learning

– How can we use assessment information to help students learn more?

Balanced Assessment

SummativeSummativeProvides evidence achievement to certify student competence or program effectiveness

Assessment Assessment forfor learning learning

Use assessments to help students assess and adjust their own learning

Formative uses of Formative uses of summative datasummative dataUse of summative evidence to inform what comes next for individuals or groups of students

FormativeFormativeFormal and informal processes teachers and students use to gather evidence to directly improve the learning of students assessed

Assessment Assessment forfor learning learning

Use classroom Use classroom assessments to assessments to inform teacher’s inform teacher’s decisionsdecisions

Key 1: Clear Assessment Purpose

Always begin by asking

• What decisions?

• Who’s making them?

• What information will be helpful to them?

Key 2:Clear Learning Targets

• Know what kinds of targets are represented in curriculum– Knowledge– Reasoning– Performance skill– Product

• Master the targets ourselves• Know which targets each assessment measures• Make learning targets clear to students, too.

Clarifying Learning Targets• Begin with state standards• Order in learning progressions, if needed• Deconstruct into clear learning targets leading

to each standard• Communicate the learning targets in advance

in language students can understand

ProductsProducts

SkillsSkills

ReasoningReasoning

KnowledgeKnowledge

Key 3: Sound Assessment Design

• Select a proper methodproper method• Select or create quality items, tasks, and quality items, tasks, and

rubricsrubrics• SampleSample appropriately• Prevent biasbias• Design assessments so studentsstudents can self-self-

assessassess and set goalsset goals based on the results

Possible Assessment MethodsPossible Assessment Methods Selected ResponseSelected Response

Multiple ChoiceMultiple Choice True/FalseTrue/False MatchingMatching Fill inFill in

Extended Written Response Extended Written Response Performance AssessmentPerformance Assessment Personal CommunicationPersonal Communication

QuestionsQuestions ConferencesConferences InterviewsInterviews

Key 4: Effective Communication

• Provide students with timely, accurate descriptive feedback

• Involve students in tracking and communicating about their learning

• Use grading practices that accurately communicate about student learning

• Interpret and use standardized test results correctly

My definition of feedback:

Characteristics of effective feedback:

Effective Feedback…• Describes features of work or performance• Relates directly to learning targets and/or

standards of quality• Points out strengths and gives specific

information about how to improve• Occurs during the learning process• Limits correctives to the amount of advice

the student can act on

Key 5: Student Involvement

• Students are identified as important users of assessment information

• Students understand the learning targets and standards of quality

• Assessments are designed so that students can use the results to self-assess and set goals for further action

• Students keep track of and share their achievement

Assessment FOR Learning!

5 Keys to Quality Classroom Assessment

Requirement for Success?Quality Assessment!

• AllAll assessment arise from high-quality content standards

• AllAll assessments produce accurate evidence• AllAll users use assessment to benefit student learning

Expected Benefits and Proven Results

• Assessment connected to learning• Better instruction focused on standards• Profound achievement gains for all students,

with the largest gains for lowest achievers• More self-managed learning by students