The 21st Century Context for

Standards-Focused

Project Based Learning

Create a Balanced Assessment Plan Stage 2

Balanced Assessment Plan

• Formative assessments that allow you to give feedback as the project progresses – Classroom Assessments for Learning

• Classroom Assessments of Learning that provide students with a culminating appraisal of their performance

Align products with Outcomes.

Planning effective assessments requires that you work backwards to align the product or performances for the project with the outcomes.

Align Products with Outcomes

This requires: Identifying culminating products for

the project Using multiple products and

providing feedback to students Using artifacts – evidence of the

process of student thinking – to assess learning skills or habits of mind

Establish Performance Criteria

• How well do the students know the content?

• What is their skill level?

• How well did they apply their knowledge and skills as they prepared their product?

How will products allow students to demonstrate their learning?

If the project asks students to demonstrate proficiency in three areas, each outcome must be assessed and included in one or more of the components of the products for the project.

For example,

You have identified:• Four (4) content objectives• Three (3)learning skills objectives• Two (2) technology tool objectives

You may first decide the products students will produce:

• Exhibition• Research paper• Journal

Culminating Products

• Research papers• Report to school staff or authentic

audience• Multimedia shows• Presentations at school-wide

assemblies• Exhibitions in the school or

community• Websites• Public service announcements

Advantages to using exhibitions

• Participant involvement in establishment of criteria

• Demonstration of progress toward different goals or criteria

• Teamwork that provides emotional support and feedback

• Exercises in meta-cognitive training• Students as knowledgeable

practitioners• Multiple assessors

A systematic set of checkpoints for project

products will not only help keep students on schedule,

but it will also help them refine and improve their

work.

Examples of multiple products

• Proposals• Outlines• Plans• Blueprints• Drafts• Edited drafts

revised drafts• models

• Product critiques• Videos• Final versions of

papers• Field guides• Biographies• Websites

Artifacts

• Notes• Journal entries• E-mail/Telephone records• Records of conversations, decisions,

revisions• Interviews using a structured set of

questions developed by the students• Short reflective paragraphs describing

the progress of a project• Task chart• Project Team Contract• Meeting notes

Know What to Assess

• Unpack the content standards and objectives– Series of specific statements of what

needs to be learned– Think about unpacking the task(s)– Define the “habits of mind” or

learning skills and technology tools by specific statements or indicators

ASSESSMENT PRACTICES

Exhibitions of work Variety of

assessment tools Professional

standards of performance

Student involvement in creating criteria for project (rubric)

ACADEMIC RIGOR ADULT RELATIONSHIPS AUTHENTICITY ACTIVE EXPLORATION APPLIED LEARNING ASSESSMENT PRACTICES

TRADITIONAL ASSIGNMENT

RESEARCH PAPERRequired Elements:

Select a disease to study Go to library and do

research Write ten pages Use proper essay form Include a bibliography

PBL ASSIGNMENT

HEALTH PROJECTRequired Elements: Develop family medical histories Write proposal to study health issue of

personal or community interest Keep research log, including citations Produce a newsletter Develop lesson plans and materials for

underserved population Present to real audience

TRANSFORMING PRACTICE

Traditional Assignment

Student works alone Context is school Assessment by

teacher only

PBL Assignment

Student works alone and in teams

Context is family and community

Assessment by real audience and teacher

WHY ASSESS?

What role does assessment play in project-based teaching and learning?

PURPOSES OF ASSESSMENT

Help students become aware of areas of need

Formative -- help students along the way, ongoing

Proof of learning, growth

Feedback helps create better product/project

Opportunity to test depth of understanding

Helps to define lesson design and performance

Helps teachers determine what to reteach

Allows for natural adult connections

Helps to share the workload

Checkpoint for integration

DESIGN FOR ASSESSMENT

CONTENTPLANINSTRUCTION

ASSESSINSTRUCTIONPLANASSESSMENT

OUTCOMEPLANASSESSMENT

ASSESSPLANINSTRUCTION

INSTRUCTION

Traditional Approach:

Outcome-Based Approach:

BALANCED ASSESSMENT

COLLECT EVIDENCE AT VARIOUS STAGES OF THE WORK

USE A VARIETY OF METHODS: Tests Product assessments Performance assessments Self-Reports

In-Process Feedback: WHEN? WHO?

Key considerations: Frequency, Timing, & Who Gives

Feedback

START

END

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Curricular Priorities and Assessment Methods

Traditional quizzes

and tests (selected response)…….

Quizzes and tests

(constructed response)…….

Performance tasks and projects…

Performance tasks and projects

(complex, open-ended, authentic)……...

PBL FRAMEWORK

Stage 3

CURRICULUMDESIGN

ASSESSMENT& EVALUATION

RESOURCES & CONSTRAINTS

PROJECT

The Rigor/Relevance Framework

AAcquisition

BApplication

CAssimilation

DAdaptation

KNOWLEDGE

TAXONOMY

6

5

4

3

2

1

Evaluation

Synthesis

Analysis

Application

UnderstandingAwareness

APPLICATION MODEL

1 2 3 4 5Knowledge Apply in

discipline

Apply acrossdisciplines

Apply toreal worldpredictable situations

Apply to real-worldunpredictable situations