Assessment for Learning Series Module 2: Understanding and Using Constructed Response Items in Middle School Classrooms

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Assessment for Learning Series
Module 2 Understanding and Using Constructed
Response Items in Middle School Classrooms
Georgia Department of Education Assessment and
Accountability Division
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Definition

• Constructed response is a general term for items
  that require the student to generate a response
  as opposed to selecting a response. Constructed
  response items require more elaborate answers and
  explanations of reasoning. They allow for
  multiple correct answers and/or varying methods
  of arriving at the correct answer.
• Examples of skills required on constructed
  response tasks include, but are not limited to
• English Language Arts
• Utilize close analytic reading
• Compare and contrast ideas and themes
• Synthesize ideas and concepts across a single or
  multiple texts
• Mathematics
• Apply mathematical procedures and skills to real
  world problems
• Express mathematical reasoning by showing work or
  explaining an answer

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Using Assessment for Learning in ClassroomsA
Continuous Cycle
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English Language Arts (ELA)Sample Item Set

• Grade 7

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Standards to be Assessed

• ELACC7.RL4 Determine the meaning of words and
  phrases as they are used in a text, including
  figurative, connotative, and technical meanings
  analyze the impact of a specific word choice on
  meaning and tone.
• ELACC7.RL1 Cite the textual evidence that most
  strongly supports an analysis of what the text
  says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from
  the text.
• ELACCL7.1 Demonstrate command of the
  conventions of Standard English grammar and usage
  when writing or speaking.
• ELACCL7.2 Demonstrate command of the
  conventions of Standard English capitalization,
  punctuation, and spelling when writing.

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Passage CHAPTER XIV Annes Confessionan
excerpt from Anne of Green Gablesby Lucy Maud
Montgomery
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Constructed Response Task
ELACC7.RL4 ELACC7.RL1 ELACCL7.1 ELACCL7.2
Read this sentence from the passage.
The birches in the hollow waved joyful hands as
if watching for Annes usual morning greeting
from the east gable.
Identify the literary device used in the
sentence. Then explain the authors use of this
device in the sentence. Use details from the
text to support your answer. Answer with complete
sentences, and use correct punctuation and
grammar.
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Rubric
Rubric Rubric Rubric
Score Designation Description
4 Thoroughly Demonstrated The student demonstrates with a thorough explanation that he/she recognizes where and how the author uses personification, applying it to the birch trees. The student uses complete sentences, correct punctuation and grammar.
3 Clearly Demonstrated The student demonstrates with a complete explanation that he/she recognizes where the author uses personification, applying it to the birch trees. The student uses complete sentences, correct punctuation and grammar in most of the writing.
.2 Basically Demonstrated The student demonstrates a basic understanding of personification with a basic explanation, and is able to recognize where the author uses personification, applying it to the birch trees. The student may describe the motion of the birch trees and the image they create. The student uses complete sentences, correct punctuation and grammar in some of the writing.
1 Minimally Demonstrated The student recognizes that the birch trees are personified, but has little commentary concerning the authors purpose for using personification in this sentence. The student response has significant errors in constructing complete sentences, and/or using correct punctuation and grammar.
0 Incorrect or Irrelevant The response is incorrect or irrelevant.
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Exemplar Response

• The author uses personification in this sentence.
  The birch trees are personified because they are
  blowing in the wind with a motion that looks like
  they are waving. The author describes the
  hands as joyful, and describes the trees as
  if they are eager to greet Anne.

• The student demonstrates a thorough explanation
  that he recognizes where and how the author
  applies personification to the birch trees.

Remember There can be multiple correct
responses for constructed-response items, just as
there can be more than one way at arriving at a
correct answer.
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Sample Student ResponseScore 3
The student demonstrates a clear understanding of
the task.

• Part A The literacy device used in the sentence
  is personification.
• 
  Part B The author used this
  device to make the story come alive as if birches
  can watch and are waiting for Anne to come out to
  greet them.

They provide a clear explanation that recognizes
where the author uses personification.
The student then applies that explanation to the
birch trees.
The student would have received the higher score
point if they had been more specific when
describing the parts of the tree assuming that
mirrors the movements of a person.
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Teacher Feedback for Score Point 3

• The teacher commends the student for
  understanding personification.
• The teacher commends the student for being able
  to apply the concept of personification with the
  action in the story.
• The teacher advises the student that more
  specific details are needed to make it a 4
  paper.

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Sample Student ResponseScore 2

• part A The literacy device is personafication.
  
  
  part B It acts as if the hollows had
  the human capabilitie to wave.

The student demonstrates a basic understanding of
the task.
They give a basic explanation of personification,
and then apply that explanation to the birch
trees.
The student uses complete sentences, correct
punctuation and grammar in some of the writing.
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Teacher Feedback for Score Point 2

• The teacher tells the student that they know how
  to identify personification.
• The teacher tells the student they have correctly
  linked personification to some of the actions in
  the passage.
• The teacher indicates that English conventions
  need improvement.

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Sample Student ResponseScore 1

• Part A The literary device used in this sentence
  is Personification.
  Part B The
  author used Personification when he said "The
  birches in the hollow waved joyful hands..."

The student demonstrates a minimal understanding
of the task.
They recognize that the birch trees are
personified but they have little commentary
concerning the authors purpose for using
personification in this sentence.
Instead, the student just repeats what the author
said in the text.
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Teacher Feedback for Score Point 1

• The teacher commends the student for correctly
  identifying personification as the literary
  device in the sentence.
• The teacher informs the student that their
  attempt to explain the use of personification in
  the response is a restatement of what is in the
  item stem.

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MathematicsSample Item Set

• Grade 6

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Standards to be Assessed

• MCC6.NS.7 Understand ordering and absolute
  value of rational numbers.
• MCC6.EE.2 Write, read, and evaluate expressions
  in which letters stand for numbers.
• MCC6.EE.7 Solve real-world and mathematical
  problems by writing and solving equations of the
  form x p q and px q for cases in which p, q
  and x are all nonnegative rational numbers.

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Constructed Response TaskMCC6.NS.7, MCC6.EE.2
and MCC6.EE.7

• Tanya played a computer game in which the score
  was calculated using the equation s t c,
  where s is the score, t is the number of points
  Tanya earned, and c is the number of points her
  computer opponent earned. Tanya recorded her
  scores for one week on the number line shown in
  the diagram. 
• The winner is determined by the highest score.
• Part A
• On Tuesday, Tanyas computer opponent scored 33
  points. How many points did Tanya score? Explain
  your answer or show your work.
• Part B
• On which day were the scores of Tanya and the
  computer the closest, but not the same? Who won
  that day? Explain your answer.
• Part C
• Explain what Fridays score means about the
  number of points Tanya and the computer earned.
  Justify your answer using words and a
  mathematical statement.
• Part D
• On which day(s) did Tanya win? Using t and c,
  write a mathematical statement to support your
  answer.

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Rubric
Score Designation Description
4 Thoroughly Demonstrated The student successfully completes all elements of the item by demonstrating an understanding of ordering and absolute value of rational numbers (6.NS.7), in particular those related to number line comparisons (6.NS.7a, 6.NS.7c). The student demonstrates the ability to write, read, and evaluate expressions in which letters stand for numbers (6.EE.2), and to solve real-world and mathematical problems by solving equations (6.EE.7).
3 Clearly Demonstrated The student shows clear understanding of the skills listed above, but one of the explanations is weak or insufficient Or All parts of the item are correctly done except for a minor computational error Or The student successfully completes three of the four parts of the item.
2 Basically Demonstrated The student shows basic understanding of the skills listed above, but provides insufficient explanations Or The student successfully completes two of the four parts of the item.
1 Minimally Demonstrated The student shows minimal understanding of the skills listed above by completing only one of the four parts of the item Or The student had some correct answers, but provided no explanations.
0 Incorrect or irrelevant The response is incorrect or irrelevant to the skill or concept being measured.
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Exemplar Response
All elements of the item are successfully
completed, showing an understanding of ordering
and absolute value.

• Part A
• Tanya scored 25 points.
• Substitute the values into the equation and
  solve.
• Part B
• Their scores were closest on Saturday, and the
  computer won.
• The difference on Saturday is 6 points. Since t
  c is negative, c is greater than t. This means
  the computers score was higher.
• Or
• To compare scores, use the absolute value of the
  difference, which is The absolute value of all
  of the scores is the smallest on Saturday. Since
  is negative, c is greater than t. This means the
  computers score was higher.
• Part C
• On Friday Tanya and the computer earned the same
  number of points (or, they tied). This is true
  because if then
• Part D
• Tanya won on Thursday, Monday, and Wednesday.
  Tanya will win whenever her score is greater than
  the computers, or whenever t gt c.

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Student ResponseScore 3
Part A has the correct answer of 25, with support.
Part B has the correct answer, Saturday, with
explanation.
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Student ResponseScore 3 (continued)
Part C correctly explains the meaning of a zero
on the graph with a correct justification but is
missing a mathematical statement.
Part D has the correct answer, with correct
support.
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Teacher Feedback for Score Point 3

• The teacher commends the student on having
  correct responses in parts A, B and D.
• The teacher feedback states that the student
  gives a good explanation in Part C but failed to
  provide a mathematical statement .

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Student ResponseScore 2
Part A has a correct answer, with work shown.
Part B has the correct answer of Saturday,
indicates the winner as the computer but does not
provide a sufficient explanation.
Part C correctly interprets the zero score on the
graph as a tie, but lacks a sufficient
justification.
Part D has the correct answer of Thursday,
Monday, and Wednesday and gives mathematical
statements for each day as support, but not a
general statement.
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Teacher Feedback for Score Point 2

• The teacher commends the student for providing
  correct answers for the math content for each
  part.
• The teacher states that for each part, the
  student fails to provide adequate explanations
  and justifications.

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Student ResponseScore 1
Part A has a correct answer, but no explanation
or work shown.
Part B is incorrect.
Part C correctly interprets the meaning of the
zero score on the graph but the justification is
insufficient.
Part D has the correct answer, but with no
support.
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Teacher Feedback for Score Point 1

• The teacher commends the student for providing
  correct responses for the math content in Parts
  A, C and D.
• The teacher informs the student that the
  explanations, justifications and support are
  insufficient for Parts A, D and D.
• The teacher states that Part B is completely
  incorrect.

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Ways to Use Constructed Response Items

• Demonstration lesson with active discussion
• Whole class instruction/direct instruction
• Small, cooperative group activity where students
  examine sample responses and their rubric
  components
• Parent conferences
• Inclusion classes with multiple adult
  supervisors/coaching
• Homework (only following extensive explanation
  and experience with open-ended items provided by
  the teacher in the classroom)
• Parent Night activity where parents and their
  children work together
• No grades----rubric score accompanied by written
  and/or oral feedback highly suggested because
  students are in the process of learning the
  standards and improving based on feedback

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How Teachers Use Student Responses

• Determine students progress towards mastery of
  standards and readiness to proceed to next level
• Provide students with oral and written feedback
  specific to the standard
• Design instructional next steps, which includes
  re-teaching, remediation, and differentiation
• Self-assess professional growth needs, such as
  additional professional learning, collaboration,
  classroom materials and resources

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Close-out

• Constructed response items require students to
  construct an answer for the formative task and
  are scored based on criteria defined in rubrics.
• Constructed response items can be used
  formatively to learn how well students are
  progressing in mastery of standards.
• Student performance on constructed response items
  gives teachers information to adjust instruction
  and know if students are able to demonstrate
  complex thinking.

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References

• Ericsson, K. A., et al., (1993). The role of
  deliberate practice in the acquisition of expert
  performance. Psychological Review, 100(3),
  363-406.
• Georgia FIP Module 4 Analyzing evidence and
  providing effective feedback. www.gadoe.org/Georgi
  aFIP
• Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium General
  Item Specifications. (April 2012). Retrieved
  from http//www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wp-
  content/uploads/2012/05/TaskItemSpecifications/Ite
  mSpecifications/GeneralItemSpecifications.pdf
• Universal design for learning. Center for Applied
  Special Technology (CAST) http//www.cast.org/udl/
  index.html