Evaluation of Student Evaluation of Student LearningLearning

Third Summer Leadership InstituteThird Summer Leadership InstituteAmherst, MAAmherst, MA

Center for School Counseling Center for School Counseling Outcome ResearchOutcome Research

Some Preliminary Evaluation Some Preliminary Evaluation QuestionsQuestions

►How do we know that students have learned How do we know that students have learned what we intended or hoped they would?what we intended or hoped they would?

►What types of learning are you looking for What types of learning are you looking for on Bloom’s taxonomy?on Bloom’s taxonomy?

►What will you accept as evidence of What will you accept as evidence of learning?learning?

►What is evidence of mastery?What is evidence of mastery?►Do you want all students to reach mastery? Do you want all students to reach mastery?

Some percentage?Some percentage?

Purposes for Evaluation of Purposes for Evaluation of LearningLearning

►Feedback to studentsFeedback to students►Feedback to teachersFeedback to teachers►Feedback to parentsFeedback to parents► Information for selection and Information for selection and

certificationcertification► Information for accountabilityInformation for accountability► Information to increase student effortInformation to increase student effort

Increasing Student EffortIncreasing Student Effort

► Evaluation must matter or be important to Evaluation must matter or be important to students (parents care or college admission)students (parents care or college admission)

► Evaluation must be tied to actual performance Evaluation must be tied to actual performance (honest, objective measures)(honest, objective measures)

► Consistent standards (fair and equal)Consistent standards (fair and equal)► Clear criteria (how to get a good grade)Clear criteria (how to get a good grade)► Reliable interpretations of evaluationsReliable interpretations of evaluations► Frequent evaluations (quizzes rather than finals)Frequent evaluations (quizzes rather than finals)► Challenging evaluations (hard, but impossible Challenging evaluations (hard, but impossible

for none; compare students to own past for none; compare students to own past performance)performance)

What tools do we have?What tools do we have?

1.1. Selected-response-format (multiple Selected-response-format (multiple choice, true-false) tests and quizzeschoice, true-false) tests and quizzes

2.2. Written responses to academic Written responses to academic prompts (short-answer format)prompts (short-answer format)

3.3. Extended written products (essays, Extended written products (essays, papers, lab reports)papers, lab reports)

4.4. Visual products (PowerPoint, mural)Visual products (PowerPoint, mural)5.5. Oral performances (oral report, world Oral performances (oral report, world

language dialogue, debate)language dialogue, debate)

What tools do we have?What tools do we have?

6.6. Student demonstrations (athletic Student demonstrations (athletic skills, music performance, role plays)skills, music performance, role plays)

7.7. Long-term authentic assessment Long-term authentic assessment projects (exhibit)projects (exhibit)

8.8. PortfoliosPortfolios

9.9. Reflective journals or learning logsReflective journals or learning logs

10.10. Informal observations of studentsInformal observations of students

What tools do we have? What tools do we have?

11.11. Formal observations of students Formal observations of students using observable indicatorsusing observable indicators

12.12. Student self-assessmentStudent self-assessment

13.13. Peer reviews and peer response Peer reviews and peer response groupsgroups

14.14. Questions in class-- learning probesQuestions in class-- learning probes

Assessment Resources: Assessment Resources: Understanding by Design (UbD)Understanding by Design (UbD)►Encouraging Self-Evaluation: p. 223Encouraging Self-Evaluation: p. 223►Questioning for Understanding: p. 156Questioning for Understanding: p. 156►Performance Task Scenarios: p. 172Performance Task Scenarios: p. 172►Possible Products and Performances: Possible Products and Performances:

p. 174p. 174►Generic Rubric for Understanding: p. Generic Rubric for Understanding: p.

193193

Assessment ResourcesAssessment Resources

►Rubrics for Generic Information, Rubrics for Generic Information, Generic Procedures, Problem Solving, Generic Procedures, Problem Solving, Decision Making: pp. 192-193, 215, Decision Making: pp. 192-193, 215, 226, Handbook for Classroom 226, Handbook for Classroom InstructionInstruction

►Model for Decision Making: p. 221, Model for Decision Making: p. 221, Handbook for Classroom InstructionHandbook for Classroom Instruction

Assessment of LearningAssessment of Learning

Start with what you want students Start with what you want students to to knowknow and and to be able to doto be able to do at the at the end of the lesson.end of the lesson.

These are the learning or These are the learning or instructional instructional objectives, and the objectives, and the assessment needs to assessment needs to be directly be directly linked to them.linked to them.

Knowledge and SkillsKnowledge and Skills

►What we want students to know:What we want students to know:Vocabulary, Terminology, DefinitionsVocabulary, Terminology, Definitions

Key factual informationKey factual information

Critical detailsCritical details

SequencesSequences

ConceptsConcepts

Knowledge and SkillsKnowledge and Skills

►What do we want students to be able to do:What do we want students to be able to do:

Basic skills – math, readingBasic skills – math, reading

Communication skills – listening, speaking, Communication skills – listening, speaking, writingwriting

Thinking skills – compare, infer, analyze, Thinking skills – compare, infer, analyze, interpretinterpret

Research, investigation skillsResearch, investigation skills

Study skillsStudy skills

Interpersonal and group skillsInterpersonal and group skills

Assessment of Learning Assessment of Learning CaveatCaveat

►Assessment and evaluation of learning Assessment and evaluation of learning is a snapshot of what is learned is a snapshot of what is learned (except alphabet and math facts) – (except alphabet and math facts) – there is no way to fully represent or there is no way to fully represent or measure all the learning that has measure all the learning that has occurred. SO, of all the things learned, occurred. SO, of all the things learned, what do we want to demonstrate to what do we want to demonstrate to selves, students, parents was the selves, students, parents was the outcome?outcome?

Assessment of Learning: Prior to Assessment of Learning: Prior to ImplementationImplementation

Need to start with identification of Need to start with identification of what students already know. What are what students already know. What are their existing understandings, skills, their existing understandings, skills, interests?interests?

Can ask, “Why do you think this is Can ask, “Why do you think this is important to know?” “Why do you important to know?” “Why do you

think think we are studying this?” “What we are studying this?” “What do you do you already know about this?”already know about this?”

Diagnostic Assessment Diagnostic Assessment

Diagnostic assessment precedes Diagnostic assessment precedes instruction, and identifies:instruction, and identifies:

►students’ prior knowledgestudents’ prior knowledge►misconceptionsmisconceptions► interestsinterests► learning-style preferenceslearning-style preferences

Examples: pre-tests, student surveys, Examples: pre-tests, student surveys, skills checkskills check

Formative AssessmentFormative Assessment

Formative Assessment is ongoing, Formative Assessment is ongoing, informal checks for understanding informal checks for understanding during the curriculum implementation, during the curriculum implementation, and provides:and provides:

► Information to guide teachingInformation to guide teaching►Feedback for pacingFeedback for pacing► Information about how to improve Information about how to improve

student performancestudent performance

Resource: p. 234 Understanding by DesignResource: p. 234 Understanding by Design

Summative Assessment Summative Assessment

Summative assessment follows Summative assessment follows instruction, and identifies:instruction, and identifies:

►Students’ level of masteryStudents’ level of mastery►Student proficiencyStudent proficiency

Examples: post-tests, performance task, Examples: post-tests, performance task, culminating project, portfolioculminating project, portfolio

Effective AssessmentEffective Assessment

►Performance goals and standards are Performance goals and standards are clearclear

►Diagnostic assessments check for prior Diagnostic assessments check for prior knowledge, skill level, and misconceptionsknowledge, skill level, and misconceptions

►Students demonstrate their understanding Students demonstrate their understanding through real-world applicationsthrough real-world applications

►Assessment methods are matched to Assessment methods are matched to achievement targetsachievement targets

Effective AssessmentEffective Assessment

►Assessment is ongoing and timelyAssessment is ongoing and timely►Learners have opportunities for trial Learners have opportunities for trial

and error, reflection and revisionand error, reflection and revision►Self-assessment is expectedSelf-assessment is expected

Returning to Clarifying Returning to Clarifying Curriculum Content PrioritiesCurriculum Content Priorities

►Worth being familiar withWorth being familiar with Assess using traditional quizzes and testsAssess using traditional quizzes and tests

► Important to know and doImportant to know and do Assess using both traditional methods and Assess using both traditional methods and

performance tasks and projectsperformance tasks and projects

►Big Ideas and Enduring UnderstandingsBig Ideas and Enduring Understandings Assess using performance tasks and projectsAssess using performance tasks and projects Complex, open-ended, authentic assessmentComplex, open-ended, authentic assessment

Simple Pre-test/ Post-test Simple Pre-test/ Post-test EvaluationEvaluation

Authentic AssessmentAuthentic Assessment

► Authentic or Performance Assessment: Authentic or Performance Assessment: Students are asked to demonstrate that they Students are asked to demonstrate that they can do something real with the information can do something real with the information and skills they have learned.and skills they have learned.

► PortfoliosPortfolios►Write letters to the editor or a school Write letters to the editor or a school

newspapernewspaper►Write and illustrate a book for the classroomWrite and illustrate a book for the classroom► Build scale modelsBuild scale models► Perform for an audiencePerform for an audience► Perform an experimentPerform an experiment

Scoring Rubrics for Performance Scoring Rubrics for Performance AssessmentsAssessments

►Specify in advance the type of Specify in advance the type of performance expectedperformance expected

►Need to ensure that the scoring Need to ensure that the scoring system is clear to studentssystem is clear to students

►See rubric examples from UbDSee rubric examples from UbD

Research on Authentic Research on Authentic AssessmentAssessment

►Performance assessments are Performance assessments are challenging to evaluate objectivelychallenging to evaluate objectively

►Evaluation outcomes seem to depend Evaluation outcomes seem to depend on the type of performance as much as on the type of performance as much as the skills of the learnerthe skills of the learner

►Student evaluation scores have been Student evaluation scores have been more related to student aptitude than to more related to student aptitude than to what students were taught what students were taught

►Scoring rubrics can enhance Scoring rubrics can enhance achievementachievement

Assessment Example: Returning Assessment Example: Returning to Backwards Designto Backwards Design

1. 1. Identify desired resultsIdentify desired results: If we : If we want the learners to understand that:want the learners to understand that:

►Friendship demands honesty Friendship demands honesty ►True friendship is often revealed True friendship is often revealed

during during hard timeshard times► It is sometimes hard to know who your It is sometimes hard to know who your

true friends aretrue friends are

Backwards DesignBackwards Design

2. 2. IdentifyIdentify acceptable evidence of acceptable evidence of knowledgeknowledge::

What must students be able to explain, What must students be able to explain, justify, support, or answer about their justify, support, or answer about their work for us to infer genuine work for us to infer genuine understanding?understanding?

What would enable us to infer students’ What would enable us to infer students’ understanding of what they have understanding of what they have learned?learned?

Assessments Linked to Desired Assessments Linked to Desired ResultsResults

Possible assessment of understanding of Possible assessment of understanding of friendship (elementary level):friendship (elementary level):

►Order a friend from a catalog: what qualities Order a friend from a catalog: what qualities should your friend have?should your friend have?

►Dear Abby: Give advice to someone who lied Dear Abby: Give advice to someone who lied to a friend.to a friend.

►Develop a brochure for younger students to Develop a brochure for younger students to help them know who their true friends are.help them know who their true friends are.

► Explain who your friends are and why they Explain who your friends are and why they are your friends.are your friends.

Assessments Linked to Desired Assessments Linked to Desired ResultsResults

Possible assessment of understanding of Possible assessment of understanding of friendship (elementary level):friendship (elementary level):

►Describe the qualities of a true friend. Justify Describe the qualities of a true friend. Justify the qualities you selected.the qualities you selected.

► Create a comic strip or book to illustrate Create a comic strip or book to illustrate friendship qualities and friendly behaviors.friendship qualities and friendly behaviors.

► Tell or draw a story showing what happens Tell or draw a story showing what happens when two friends don’t see eye-to-eye.when two friends don’t see eye-to-eye.

► Respond to quotes about friendship (e.g. “A Respond to quotes about friendship (e.g. “A friend in need is a friend indeed”)friend in need is a friend indeed”)

Small Group ActivitySmall Group Activity

►Using the pedagogical cycle already Using the pedagogical cycle already developed for SSS, identify several ways developed for SSS, identify several ways you could assess student learning. Revise you could assess student learning. Revise your learning objectives if necessary.your learning objectives if necessary.

►What authentic assessments could you What authentic assessments could you use?use?

►What rubric(s) would you use?What rubric(s) would you use?►What are 3 short, key pre-test/post-test What are 3 short, key pre-test/post-test

questions you could ask?questions you could ask?

National Center for School National Center for School Counseling Outcome ResearchCounseling Outcome Research

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