Onward to Chapter 1

Our esteemed text:

Our esteemed author:

Assessment is….

“Assessment is the process of gathering evidence of student learning in order to inform instructional decisions.” (Stiggins - 5th ed. page 5)

An assessment exemplar?

• Re-read “A Story of Assessment for Student Success” (p. 6-8)

• Is this realistic? Would it work in your school? Why or why not?

An assessment exemplar?

• Necessary conditions:– Students must be authentically involved.– Teachers must set good targets and

evaluative criteria.– Instructional activities must match targets,

must be tuned to learner’s initial state and well sequenced thereafter.

– Teachers must communicate effectively to students.

An assessment exemplar?

• Necessary conditions:– Assessments must be accurate:

• Valid• Reliable

– Students need to take responsibility for their own learning.

The changing role of assessment

• Stiggins claims that schools have moved from rank ordering students to ensuring their achievement of a specified level of accomplishment.

• What do you think of this?

High Quality Assessment

Why Assess?What’s the purpose?Who will use the results?

Assess what?What are the learning targets? Are they clear? Appropriate?

Assess how?What methods?

How much?

Communicate How?Report to whom?

How?

Communicate How?Report to whom?

How?

Fig. 1.2, p. 20 – 5th ed.

Student-Involved Assessment…

• Learning is the result of changes made in the mind of the learner.

Four Principles of Quality Assessment - ala Stiggins

• Assessment can promote & verify learningAssessment can promote & verify learning– The purpose of the assessment must be clear.The purpose of the assessment must be clear.

• The classroom• Instructional Support• Policy-level users

Four Principles of Quality Assessment - ala Stiggins

• Clear and appropriate targets are essentialClear and appropriate targets are essential– Do you know what’s important in your field?– Can you state it clearly?– Do you know what it might look like if students hit your target?

• Assessment can promote & verify learningAssessment can promote & verify learning

Four Principles of Quality Assessment - ala Stiggins

• Assessment can promote & verify learningAssessment can promote & verify learning• Clear and appropriate targets are essential

• Accurate assessment is goodAccurate assessment is good– Clear Purpose

– Clear Targets

– Proper Assessment Methods

– Appropriate Sample

– Eliminate Bias and Distortion

Four Principles of Quality Assessment - ala Stiggins

• Assessment can promote & verify learningAssessment can promote & verify learning• Clear and appropriate targets are essential• Accurate assessment is good

• Sound assessment requires effective Sound assessment requires effective communicationcommunication

English Lit.: B-English Lit.: B-

High Quality Assessment

Why Assess?What’s the purpose?Who will use the results?

Assess what?What are the learning targets? Are they clear? Appropriate?

Assess how?What methods?

How much?

Communicate How?Report to whom?

How?

Communicate How?Report to whom?

How?