Assessment and Evaluation

Nipissing University, Brantford

September 19, 2016 Presented by: Donna McArthur

Learning Goals for this presentation

•We will understand current theory about assessing student learning

•We will gain knowledge about policies in Ontario regarding assessment and evaluation

Success Criteria •We can define Assessment and Evaluation

•We understand current thinking in Ontario schools about assessing student learning

•We understand the reasons for assessing student work

•We can define the three types of assessment

•We understand how assessment leads to improved student learning

What is the difference between Assessment and Evaluation?

Take five minutes to discuss with an elbow partner

What is the difference between assessment and evaluation?

Assessment focuses on learning, teaching and outcomes. It provides information for improving learning and teaching. Assessment is an interactive process between students and faculty that informs faculty how well their students are learning what they are teaching. The information is used by faculty to make changes in the learning environment, and is shared with students to assist them in improving their learning and study habits. This information is learner-centered, course based, frequently anonymous, and not graded. Evaluation focuses on grades and may reflect classroom components other than course content and mastery level. These could include discussion, cooperation, attendance, and verbal ability.

adapted from: -Angelo, T and Cross, K.P. 1993. -Ed Neal, Ph.D. University of North Carolina.

Dimension Assessment Evaluation

Timing, primary purpose

Formative: ongoing, to improve learning

Summative: final, to gauge quality

Focus of measurement

Process-oriented: how learning is going

Product-oriented: what’s been learned

Uses Diagnostic: identify areas for improvement

Judgmental: arrive at an overall grade/score

What is the difference between Assessment for Learning, Assessment as Learning and Assessment of Learning?

Assessment for Learning

Assessment for Learning helps teachers: •define what students are learning and what this learning looks like;

•identify where students are and where they are going;

•target what students need to improve and what their next steps are; •monitor student learning

•inform individual goal setting

•Sometimes referred to as ‘Diagnostic Assessment’

Assessment as Learning •Assessment that gathers data about student progress during the learning process, and provides feedback to both students and teachers to inform next steps for instruction and to help improve learning

•Refers back to the established Success Criteria

•Students monitor their own progress with Success Criteria

•Teachers use descriptive feedback to assist students in progressing •Sometimes referred to as ‘Formative Assessment’

Assessment of Learning •Assessment that is designed to inform parents and students about achievement of the curriculum expectations at a given point in time •Report-card grades are usually comprised of data from assessments of learning •Sometimes referred to as ‘Summative Assessment’

Growing Success 2010

POLICY The primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning.

GROWING SUCCESS Scavenger Hunt 15 minutes

Question Response Page location

1 How do large-

scale assessments and classroom assessments differ?

-differ in their purpose and in the way they are designed, administered and scored.

92

2 What are the

six categories of Learning Skills and Work Habits on elementary report cards?

-Responsibility -Organization -Independent Work -Collaboration -Initiative -Self-regulation

55

3 How does

descriptive feedback help students to learn?

-provides them with precise information about what they are doing well, what needs improvement, and what specific steps they can take to improve.

34

Question Response Page location

4 How are

Success Criteria and Learning Goals linked?

-Success Criteria describe, in specific terms, what successful attainment of the learning goals looks like

33

5 What is the

definition of Learning Goals?

-clearly identify what students are expected to know and be able to do, in language that students can readily understand

33

6 What do the

letters EQAO mean? -Education Quality

and Accountability Office 92

7 What is the

primary purpose of assessment and evaluation for students with special education needs?

-to improve student learning

71

Question Response Page location

8 Is the ESL/ELD

box on a report card checked to indicate a student is participating in an ESL or ESD program?

No. Teachers will check this box only if modifications have been made to curriculum expectations to address the language learning needs of English Language Learners

76

9 What are the

four letter symbols used to report on students’ learning skills and work habits and what does each letter mean?

E-Excellent G-Good S-Satisfactory N-Needs

Improvement

55

Question Response Page location

10 How are late

and missed assignments reported for students in Grades 1-6?

-as part of the learning skills and work habits

44

11 What is a

code “R” on a report card and when is it used? Can an “R” be assigned as a mark for a student who is on an IEP?

-achievement falls below Level 1 and signals that additional learning is required

-rarely used for IEP students

41

Question Response Page location

12 What are the

four levels of achievement and how are they defined?

Level 1- achievement falls much below the provincial standard

Level 2-achievement is approaching provincial standard

Level 3-is the provincial standard for achievement

Level 4-achievement that surpasses the provincial standard

18

13 When can a

code “I” be used on a report card?

-insufficient evidence is available due to circumstances beyond a student’s control, such as extended absence for illness

42

Question

Response Page location

14 What are the four

categories in the Achievement Chart for the Arts; Grades 1-8?

Knowledge and Understanding;

Thinking; Communication; Application

20

15 What various types

of evidence are used in considering a student’s final grade for a report card?

-observations -conversations -student

products (tests/exams, assignments)

39

THE SEVEN FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES (GROWING SUCCESS) Teachers use practices and procedures that: 1…. are fair, transparent, and equitable for all students 2…. support all students 3…. are carefully planned to relate to the curriculum expectations and learning goals 4. …are communicated clearly to students/parents at the beginning of the year/course 5….are ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over a period of time 6….provide ongoing descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely 7…. develop students’ self-assessment skills

The Ontario curriculum for Grades 1 to 12 comprises content standards and performance standards Assessment and evaluation will be based on both the content standards and the performance standards. The content standards are the curriculum expectations identified for every subject and discipline. The performance standards are outlined in the achievement chart that appears in the elementary and secondary curriculum document for every subject or discipline.

Achievement charts The purposes of the achievement chart are to: • provide a common framework that encompasses all curriculum expectations for all subjects/courses across grades; • guide the development of high-quality assessment tasks and tools (including rubrics); • help teachers to plan instruction for learning; • provide a basis for consistent and meaningful feedback to students in relation to provincial content and performance standards; • establish categories and criteria with which to assess and evaluate students’ learning.

Assessment Tools, Purposes, Strengths, and Weaknesses (adapted from Damian Cooper, 2007, p. 179)

Adapted from: Talk About Assessment

Assessment Tool Purpose Strengths (+) and Weaknesses (-)

Anecdotal record -tracks growth in specific skills by highlighting strengths/needs

+useful for providing detailed information to students/parents -time-consuming

Anchors -student work samples Exemplars -samples within anchor set

-when used with rubrics, helps teacher and student see what the standards look like in practice

+Provides models of quality work -can limit creativity if used inappropriately

Checklist -list of specific skills to be demonstrated during task

-used for self, peer or teacher assessment

+makes expectations clear -informs students about deficits, but not how to improve

Rating scale -a scale that assigns a numerical value (mark)

-used to inform students of the extent to which they met the criteria

+efficiently matches a score to a criterion -does not inform students how to improve

Assessment Tool Purpose Strengths (+) and Weaknesses (-)

Rubric -a set of criteria and performance indicators arranged according to expected levels of performance

-communicates to teachers, students, and parents what is expected in a given task BEFORE it occurs and is used to assess the quality of the product/skill

+clarifies for teachers/students/parents what quality work looks like -poorly written rubrics may focus on quantity rather than quality

Running Record -a form of anecdotal notes that most often score reading performance

-records specific errors to determine a student’s reading level

+useful to inform instructional decisions -requires one-on-one assessment

Scoring Guide -a precise explanation of how marks are awarded for specific questions

-used to increase the reliability of marking -can also clarify expectations for students

+fosters discussion among teachers about their expectations for quality work -can narrow the range of possible responses

Learning Goals and Success Criteria

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mAxjtEPjsf0

Putting it All Together

From Curriculum to Instruction to Assessment Example: Grade Three Reading Overall Expectation: 1. read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning; Specific Expectations: 1.4 demonstrate understanding of a variety of texts by identifying important ideas and some supporting details (e.g., restate important ideas and some related details from an informational text about early settlers; retell a story giving details about specific elements of the text such as setting, characters, and theme) 1.6 extend understanding of texts by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge and experience, to other familiar texts, and to the world around them

Putting it All Together Learning Goal We are learning to make connections to the author’s message, or big idea, in a text. (Why? To have a deeper understanding of the story.) Success Criteria -I use my prior knowledge (schema) to help me locate and identify the author’s message or big idea in a text. -I use supporting details from the text to prove my ideas about the author’s message. -I can explain why the author’s message, or big idea, is important for us to learn, by making connections to my own life, to other texts, and to our world.

Putting it All Together

Student Activity

Text:__________________________ Student Name:______________________ Why do you think the author wrote this story? Use information from the text, and your own ideas, in your answer. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Putting it All Together

(Student Self Assessment)

Learning Goal: We are learning to make connections to the author’s message, or big idea, in a text.

Success Criteria. I can: Reflecting on my work:

-use my prior knowledge (schema) to help me locate and identify the author’s message or big idea in a text.

-use supporting details from the text to prove my ideas about the author’s message.

-explain why the author’s message, or big idea, is important for us to learn, by making connections to my own life, to other texts, and to our world.

Assessment Rubric

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Demonstrates understanding of content to locate and identify the author’s message or big idea in a text

Demonstrates limited understanding of content to identify the author’s intended message

Demonstrates some understanding of content to identify the author’s intended message

Demonstrates considerable understanding of content to identify the author’s intended message

Demonstrates thorough under- standing of content to identify the author’s intended message

Demonstrates understanding of content to locate and identify supporting details in a text

Demonstrates limited understanding of content to identify supporting details

Demonstrates some understanding of content to identify supporting details

Demonstrates considerable understanding of content to identify supporting details

Demonstrates thorough under- standing of content to identify supporting details

Makes connections to text, self, and world to explain the importance of the author’s message

Makes connections within and between various contexts with limited effectiveness

Makes connections within and between various contexts with some effectiveness

Makes connections within and between various contexts with considerable effectiveness

Makes connections within and between various contexts with a high degree of effectiveness

References/Further Reading: Angelo, T and Cross, K.P. 1993. Classroom assessment techniques; a handbook for college teachers. Jossey-Bass A Wiley Imprint, San Francisco, CA. pp 427. Assessment of Student Learning in STEM disciplines. A Duke University ‘Teaching IDEAS workshop’ presented by Ed Neal, Ph.D. Director of Faculty Development, Center for Teaching and Learning, University of North Carolina. Clark, Shirley. Unlocking Formative Assessment. 2001. Hodder Education, London, U.K. Cooper, Damian. Talk About Assessment, 2007. Thomson Nelson, Toronto, ON. Growing Success, 2010. Ontario Ministry of Education. http://www.edu.gov.on.ca