CTL 721 - Evaluation of Classroom Learning

Dr. Robert J. Quinn

Traditional Reasons for Assessment

Diagnose Students’ Strengths and Weaknesses

Monitor Students’ Progress

Assign Grades to Students

Determine Instructional Effectiveness

Additional New Reasons for Assessment

Public Perceptions

Teacher Evaluations

Clarify Instructional Intentions

What to Assess

1. Focus on decision options.2. A small number of significant curricular aims can provide a useful framework for deciding what to assess.3. Select domain: cognitive, affective or psychomotor.4. Review content standards of professional organizations.

What to Assess

5. Consider NAEP assessment frameworks.

6. Ask for advice from a colleague.

7. Analyze state content standards and accountability exams.

Curricular Aims

A Curricular Aim can apply to long-term educational goals, to very precise short-term outcomes, or to anything in between.

Popham uses various grain sizes to describe the specificity of Curricular Aims.

Curricular Aims

Popham stresses the importance of having clear curricular aims for assessment prior to instruction.

These curricular aims must be selected and/or developed within the context of gathering Decision-Driven Assessment information.

Curricular Aims

A Curricular Aim should include 3 components:

1. Behavior Component 2. Conditions Component 3. Criteria Component

Curricular Aims

The behavior component describes exactly what the student will be able to do after mastering the Curricular Aim.

The behavior component must include a demonstrable action verb.

Curricular Aims

The conditions component describes the conditions under which the curricular aim will be performed. Examples include:

with the aid of a calculator

given a periodic table

using a map of the world

Curricular Aims

The criteria component defines how the evaluator will determine whether or not the Curricular Aim has been met. Examples include:

4 out of 5 times

all three branches of the government

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Bloom’s Taxonomy (see page 35)

1. Knowledge 2. Comprehension 3. Application 4. Analysis 5. Synthesis 6. Evaluation

Bloom’s Taxonomy

You have probably encountered Bloom's Taxonomy many times in your varied educational experiences.

This activity is designed to force you

to consider the explicit implications of this taxonomy on assessment.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

In tonight’s activity, you will work in groups of 3 or 4 to create Curricular Aims that cover each of the six levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Curricular Aims

Phase 1 - Groups of 3 or 4

Select an area of the curriculum that is familiar to all members of the group.

Curricular Aims

The content chosen should be approximately the amount that could be covered in two weeks.

Curricular Aims

Develop six Curricular Aims, one at each of the levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Write down your Curricular Aims so that you can easily share them with the rest of the class.

Curricular Aims

Phase 2 - Whole Class

Each group reads one or two of their Curricular Aims to the class, one at a time, in random order.

Curricular Aims

Other groups guess which level of Bloom's Taxonomy each Curricular Aim is intended to cover.

Each Curricular Aim is discussed with regard to the clarity of each component.

Curricular Aims

Phase 3 - Whole Class

Discuss what you learned about the nature of assessment from this activity. Be prepared to share your thoughts with the whole class.

Curricular Aims

Phase 4 - Whole Class

Each group reports their thoughts regarding the discussion in phase 3.The whole class participates in a closure discussion concerning the entire class activity.

Interpretation Options

Norm-referenced Interpretation

Criterion-Referenced Interpretation

Response Type

Selected Response

Constructed Response