Traditional Assessment

2 Types of Assessments• Traditional Assessment Techniques

– Paper-pencil Based Assessments• Objective Items• Subjective Items

• Alternative Assessment Techniques– Informal Assessment– Performance Based Assessment– Portfolio Assessment

General Characteristics of Traditional Assessment Measures

• Historically only acceptable approach• Formal in design• Typically more summative• Items may be objective or subjective

General Characteristics

• Strengths– Administration– Response– Variety of item formats

• wide variety of skills/ concepts • wide variety of cognitive levels

General Characteristics• Limitations

• Cannot measure all• Requires reading and vocabulary

knowledge• Write clearly

Preparation

• Must have a clear objective in mind• Choose the type of item that best fits the

information to be assessed

Assessment “Influenced” Instruction• What is to be assessed influences

instructional decisions– Instruction-Influence Assessment

– Assessment-Influence Instruction

Curriculum Instruction Assessment

Curriculum Instruction Assessment

Begin with the End…

Backward Design Model (Wiggins & McTighe)• Identify the desired results

– What is the curricular aim?• Goals / Objectives

• Determine acceptable evidence– How will I measure student progress?– Assessment

• Plan learning experiences and instruction– How will I promote learning?– Instruction

Creating Assessments

Assessment Planning can take two distinct, but equally effective paths:

Write Learn. Obj.

Write & Teach

Lesson Plans

Create/Copy Assessment(s)

Write Learn. Obj.

Create/Copy Assessment(s)

OR

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Take a look at these Example Objectives

1. By the end of the unit, students will be able to define weather related vocabulary words. Cognitive Level: Knowledge

2. By the end of the unit, students will be able to analyze how hot/cold air masses affect weather. Cognitive Level: Analyze

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From Objectives to ItemsThis item measures Objective 1 from Slide 12:

Example ____ 1. front ____ 2. hurricane ____ 3. air mass

A. Large violent storm that forms over a warm oceanB. Place where two different air masses meetC. Body of air with similar temperature and moisture

This is a knowledge level item measuring knowledge level content.

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From Objectives to ItemsWe can measure an objective/skill more than once

and in more than one way:

Ex: ____ 1. Summer rain storms that blow over the Indian

Ocean are called _______.

A. Cyclones C. Typhoons

B. Tornadoes D. Monsoons

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From Objectives to ItemsThis item measures Objective 2 from Slide 12:

EX: ____ 1. When a cold air mass meets a warm air mass and

pushes the warm air mass upward along the front, you would expect the weather to be _________.

A. warm & dry B. moist C. cold & dry D. stormy

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From Objectives to ItemsWe can measure an objective/skill more than once

and in more than one way:

EX:

1. What typically occurs when warm and cold air masses meet along a front?

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Key Concepts• Items may measure one or more than one

objective

• Not all objectives can be measured using traditional item types as some skills/concepts are better measured with other types of assessments

• Objectives may be measured using a single item or multiple times within one traditional assessment

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Representing Sampling

• Assess equally everything taught• The number and the length of assessments

directly affect student outcomes

Preparing Students

• Teach test taking skills• Familiarize students with response types• Review before the test• Schedule Tests

Textbook vs. Teacher made

• Keep in mind• Ease of use• Organization• Material covered

–When in doubt…cut and paste…or add and paste