To Test or To Test or Not to Not to Test? Test?

...that is the ...that is the question!question!By: Sandy Church and Linda LerchBy: Sandy Church and Linda Lerch

That’s not the real That’s not the real question…question…

TThe real question he real question is…is…

Why do we test? Why do we test? And why use And why use

formative formative assessments?assessments?

Today’s ObjectivesToday’s Objectives• Communicate the importance

of formative assessment• Distinguish between formative,

benchmark, and summative assessment

• Share with others how formative assessment fits into a balanced assessment system

What Are The Key Words? What Are The Key Words? Formative assessment is a process used by teachers and students, during instruction, that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of intended instructional outcomes.

What is Our Goal?What is Our Goal?

•To provide evidence that will guide and inform daily instruction •To actively involve all students in the teaching/learning process •To narrow the achievement gap between low and high achievers

What is it? Assessments to drive / inform instruction Assessments for learning Gives descriptive feedback to students about their learning NOT GRADED…Not used as accountabilityHow often do we use this type of assessment? Daily Weekly During instructionWho uses these results? Teachers Students Parents (when applicable)

Examples Whiteboards Response cards Personal response systems Whole class discussion Observations Teacher / student conference Thumbs up – Thumbs down PDSA quiz (if not graded)

Formative Formative AssessmentsAssessments•Assessments to drive / inform instruction

•Assessments for learning•Gives descriptive feedback to students about their learning•NOT GRADED…Not used as accountability

How often do we use this type of assessment?

DailyWeekly

During instruction

Who uses these results?TeachersStudents

Parents (when applicable)

What are Some Examples

WhiteboardsResponse cards

Personal response systemsWhole class discussion

ObservationsTeacher / student conferenceThumbs up – Thumbs downPDSA quiz (if not graded)

Who uses these results? School leaders District officials Curriculum specialists Teachers Students and parents PLCs

Examples PAs CFAs PDSA Quiz (if graded) Quarterly Writing K-2 Literacy Weekly test

Benchmark AssessmentsUsed to determine how much learning has taken place up to a particular point in time •Used to identify learning issues for targeted groups•Used to assign grades and communicate progress•May determine how well a program / strategies / curriculum is workingHow often do we use this type

of assessment?Given periodically throughout the yearBetween and among instructional units

Who uses these results?School LeadersDistrict Officials

Curriculum SpecialistsTeachers

Students and ParentsPLCs

What are Some ExamplesPAs

CFAs PDSA Quiz (if graded)

Quarterly WritingK-2 LiteracyWeekly Test

Summative Assessments

•Annual “snapshots” of learning•Shows evidence of student learning for the year•Determine the effectiveness of instruction, strategies, or curriculum

How often do we use this type of assessment?

AnnuallyBi-annually

As close to the end of year End of unit study

Who uses these results?School Board Members

LegislatorsDistrict Staff

Teachers Students and Parents

PLCs

What are Some Examples

Unit TestsEOG

K-2 Last Quarter PAAny Cumulative Final Assessment (End of Year)

Components Of A Balanced Components Of A Balanced Assessment SystemAssessment System

• Formative Assessments• Benchmark Assessments• Summative Assessments

Where am I Going?

Where am I Now?

How Do I

Close the

Gap?

NC FALCON

North Carolina’s Formative Assessment

Learning Community’s Online Network

•To provide North Carolina teachers with a basic understanding of

formative assessment and illustrate the role it should play in a

comprehensive, balanced assessment system

•A comprehensive, balanced assessment system includes formative

assessment, interim/benchmark assessments, and statewide

assessments that are aligned to state standards.

•Formative assessment is an essential component of this system

because it forms the foundation of teaching and learning and should

occur more often than any other assessment.

•In contrast to summative assessment, formative assessment is

focused on collaboration in the classroom and identifying learning

gaps during instruction that can be addressed before end-of-year,

summative assessments.

•The activities teachers will be asked to complete during the modules

include the following:

•reflect upon current practice using digital journals

•observe other teachers using formative assessment

•practice implementing formative assessment in the

classroom

•develop and implement formative assessment plans, and

post comments in the online Professional Learning

Community (PLC)

NC FALCON is intended to serve as a primer for teachers to learn

more about the impact formative assessment can have on their

instruction and help their students achieve targeted learning

goals. Whether a beginning or seasoned teacher, the NC FALCON

formative assessment modules provide a solid framework on

which to build effective formative assessment practices in the

classroom. Implementing these strategies provides feedback to

adjust ongoing teaching and learning that will improve students’

achievement of intended instructional outcomes.

NC Falcon’s 5 ModulesNC Falcon’s 5 Modules• 1. Importance of Formative

Assessment • 2. Clear Learning Targets • 3. Collecting and Documenting

Evidence • 4. Analyzing Evidence and

Descriptive Feedback • 5. Administrator's Role in

Formative Assessment

DPI Models Process

for LEA Formative

Assessment

Committee

LEA Formative

Assessment Committee

Participate in the

Process of the Online

Module

DPI and LEA Discuss

the Monitoring and

Evaluation Process

Now For A Now For A Self-Assessment ActivitySelf-Assessment Activity

• Categorize the different types of assessments into 3 different columns on the next slide.

• Use your mouse and click on a description box, release and move it to the correct column, click again to set it.

• When you are finished, manually advance to the next slide to see how well you did on the self assessment activity.

• We will check these as a Share Out at the end.

Questioning

Self-Assessment Self-Assessment ActivityActivity

Formative Benchmark Summative

Interviews

Writing Tests

NC End-of-Grade NC End-of-CourseEnd of Unit TestVocabulary QuizTeacher or Textbook

Quizzes, Tests

English Language

Proficiency Test

Student Reflections/

Journals

9 Weeks or Quarterly

Assessments Mid-term Assessments

Teacher-Student

Conference

Un-graded Classwork

or Homework

Teacher Observations

Technology Test

Graded Role PlayDiscussions

Descriptive Feedback

Learning Activities

Self-Assessment Self-Assessment ActivityActivity

Formative Benchmark Summative

Writing Tests

Student Reflections/

Journals

NC End-of-Grade

NC End-of-Course

English Language

Proficiency Test

Teacher or Textbook

Quizzes, Tests

Vocabulary Quiz

End of Unit Test

9 Weeks or Quarterly

Assessments

Mid-term Assessments

Teacher-Student

Conference

Un-graded Classwork

or Homework

Teacher Observations

Technology Test

Graded Role Play

Discussions

Descriptive Feedback

Learning Activities

Questioning Interviews

So…How did you do? The correct answers do not have to be

in a particular order but they must be under the correct

category.

ReflectionReflection

• We value your feedback

• Exit card today will be to post Plus/Delta feedback