Classroom Assessment: Classroom Assessment: Concepts and ApplicationsConcepts and Applications

Chapter 5: Chapter 5:

Summative Summative AssessmentsAssessments

In This Chapter We Will In This Chapter We Will Cover the Following:Cover the Following:

Formative and Summative Formative and Summative AssessmentsAssessments

The Logic of Summative The Logic of Summative AssessmentsAssessments

Planning a Summative Planning a Summative AssessmentAssessment

Preparing Students for Preparing Students for Official AssessmentsOfficial Assessments

What are Summative and What are Summative and Formative Assessment?Formative Assessment?

If we think of our children as plants If we think of our children as plants … …

Summative assessmentSummative assessment of the plants is the of the plants is the

process of simply measuring them. It might be process of simply measuring them. It might be

interesting to compare and analyze interesting to compare and analyze

measurements but, in themselves, these do measurements but, in themselves, these do

not affect the growth of the plants.not affect the growth of the plants.

Formative assessmentFormative assessment, on the other hand, , on the other hand,

is the equivalent of feeding and watering the is the equivalent of feeding and watering the

plants appropriate to their needs - directly plants appropriate to their needs - directly

affecting their growth.affecting their growth.

The garden analogy:

Summative AssessmentsSummative Assessments These formal assessments are used to evaluate These formal assessments are used to evaluate

(“measure”)(“measure”) the outcomes of instruction and the outcomes of instruction and take the form of:take the form of:– TestsTests– ProjectsProjects– Term papersTerm papers– Final examsFinal exams

Three Phases of Classroom Three Phases of Classroom AssessmentAssessment

Three Phases of Classroom AssessmentEarly Assessment

Instructional Assessment

Summative Assessment

Purpose Provide quick, perceptions & practical knowledge1-gather information2-identify special needs

Constantly assess the progress and success of instruction in order to modify it if necessary

Evaluate outcomes of instruction

Timing First 2 weeks of school Daily throughout the school year

Evidence-gathering method

*Largely informal observation*school records, test scores, observations, comments from other teacher

Formal observation and student papers for planning;Informal observation for monitoring

Tests, projects, term papers, mid-term and final exams, report card grades, state-wide assessments

Type of evidence gathered

*Cognitive, affective, & psychomotor*behavior, academic work, attitude, relationships

Largely cognitive and affective

Record keeping

Mental—few written records

Written lesson plans, monitoring information not written down

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Formative AssessmentsFormative AssessmentsPage 123

These informal These informal assessments are used to assessments are used to “form,” alter, or improve “form,” alter, or improve (“feed and(“feed and water”)water”) instruction while it is in instruction while it is in progress.progress.

They provide information They provide information when it is still possible to when it is still possible to influence or “form” the influence or “form” the teaching processes.teaching processes.

Three Phases of Classroom AssessmentEarly Assessment

Instructional Assessment

Summative Assessment

Purpose Provide quick, perceptions & practical knowledge1-gather information2-identify special needs

Constantly assess the progress and success of instruction in order to modify it if necessary

Evaluate outcomes of instruction

Timing First 2 weeks of school Daily throughout the school year

Evidence-gathering method

*Largely informal observation*school records, test scores, observations, comments from other teacher

Formal observation and student papers for planning;Informal observation for monitoring

Tests, projects, term papers, final exams

Type of evidence gathered

*Cognitive, affective, & psychomotor*behavior, academic work, attitude, relationships

Largely cognitive and affective

Record keeping

Mental—few written records

Written lesson plans, monitoring information not written down

Add,“form, alter,

or improve

instruction in progress

Good vs. Effective TeachingGood vs. Effective Teaching

GOOD EFFECTIVERefers to what teachers do during instruction

*provides review at the start of a new lesson

*states reasonable objectives

*maintains an appropriate level of lesson difficulty

*engages students in the learning process

*emphasizes important points during instruction

*gives students practice doing what they are supposed to learn*maintains a classroom environment conducive to learning

Refers to the outcomes of instructionFocuses on what the students actually learn.Goes one step beyond teaching•Utilizes summative assessments linked to objectives activities instructionto evaluate teaching effectiveness

Planning a Summative AssessmentPlanning a Summative Assessment

What should be tested?What should be tested? What type of assessment items What type of assessment items

or tasks should be used?or tasks should be used? How long should the How long should the

assessment take?assessment take? Should a teacher-made or Should a teacher-made or

textbook assessment be used?textbook assessment be used?

??

?

Preparing Students for

Testing

1. Teach students the general skills, knowledge, and processes needed for the test

2. Teach students the answers to specific questions that will appear on the test

3. Review content of the test before testing

4. Provide pretest practice with new types of question and answer formats.

5. Avoid testing on days when sports events are scheduled, the first day after a long vacation, a day the teacher is absent, etc.

6. Require all students to demonstrate their learning in the same way.

7. Tell students what types of questions a test will contain, how much the test will count, and how long it will take.

8. Use test results to retain students.

9. Notify students when a test is to be given

Matching questionsMatching questions

Matching questions consist of a Matching questions consist of a column of key words presented on column of key words presented on the left side of the page and a the left side of the page and a column of options placed on the column of options placed on the right side of the page. Students right side of the page. Students are required to match the options are required to match the options associated with a given key associated with a given key word(s). word(s).

StrengthsStrengths

Simple to construct. Simple to construct. Short reading and response time, Short reading and response time,

allowing more content to be included allowing more content to be included in a given set of matching questions. in a given set of matching questions.

Highly reliable exam scores. Highly reliable exam scores. Well-suited to measure associations Well-suited to measure associations

between facts. between facts. Reduces the effects of guessing. Reduces the effects of guessing.

LimitationsLimitations

Difficult to measure learning objectives Difficult to measure learning objectives requiring more than simple recall of requiring more than simple recall of information. information.

Difficult to construct due to the problem of Difficult to construct due to the problem of selecting a common set of key words and selecting a common set of key words and options. options.

If options cannot be used more than once, If options cannot be used more than once, the questions are not mutually exclusive; the questions are not mutually exclusive; therefore, getting one answer incorrect therefore, getting one answer incorrect automatically means a second question is automatically means a second question is incorrectincorrect

Tips for writing matching Tips for writing matching questionsquestions

Provide more possible options than questions. Provide more possible options than questions. Use longer phrases as questions and shorter phrases Use longer phrases as questions and shorter phrases

as options. as options. Keep questions and options short and homogeneous. Keep questions and options short and homogeneous. Avoid verbal cues and specific determiners (e.g., the, Avoid verbal cues and specific determiners (e.g., the,

a, an). a, an). Number each question and use alphabetical letters for Number each question and use alphabetical letters for

the options.   the options.   Specify in the directions the basis for matching and Specify in the directions the basis for matching and

whether or not responses can be used more than whether or not responses can be used more than once. once.

Make all questions and all options the same type (e.g., Make all questions and all options the same type (e.g., a list of events to be matched with a list of dates). a list of events to be matched with a list of dates).