Student Assessment:

1
Student Assessment

• Interpretation and Use of Data

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Competency 010

• The teacher monitors student performance and
  achievement provides students with timely,
  high-quality feedback and responds flexibly to
  promote learning for all students.

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Objectives

• The beginning teacher
• Demonstrates knowledge of the characteristics,
  uses, advantages, and limitations of various
  assessment methods and strategies, including
  technological methods and methods that reflect
  real-world applications.
• Creates assessments that are congruent with
  instructional goals and objectives and
  communicates assessment criteria and standards to
  students based on high expectations for learning.
• Uses appropriate language and formats to provide
  students with timely, effective feedback that is
  accurate, constructive, substantive, and
  specific.
• Knows how to promote students ability to use
  feedback and self-assessment to guide and enhance
  their own learning.
• Responds flexibly to various situations (e.g.,
  lack of student engagement in an activity, the
  occurrence of an unanticipated learning
  opportunity) and adjusts instructional approaches
  based on ongoing assessment of student
  performance.

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What are some ways I can gauge student
performance and achievement?

• Effective teachers utilize a variety of informal
  and formal assessment techniques to check for
  student progress and understanding.
• Informal Assessment techniques (on-the spot
  strategies the teacher can use any time in the
  classroom) can include checking for understanding
  while students work in cooperative groups, asking
  students questions during a unit, monitoring
  feedback by students during small or whole group
  discussion, or observing student behavior during
  class routines.
• It is important to note that proper and valid
  observation resources be used if the data
  collected is expected to help the student. A
  teacher may choose to use a matrix, an
  observation log, or a questioning scale. (See
  Handout 1)

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Effective teachers utilize a variety of
informal and formal assessment techniques to
check for student progress and understanding.

• Formal Assessment techniques, while more
  comprehensive and systematic, are not intended to
  take the place of informal assessments. Formal
  Assessment techniques are generally placed in two
  categories
• Traditional Assessment and Alternative Assessment

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Traditional Assessment

• Norm-referenced Criterion Referenced Tests
• Norm Referenced A test that measures an
  individual student score to the scores of those
  in the norm group, (This norm group is a random
  group of students that has already taken the test
  in order to determine the baseline score and
  establish percentiles and ranks) These tests are
  designed to determine how one student or a group
  of students performed against a group that has
  already tested.
• Criterion-Referenced Tests that measure specific
  skills and concepts previously taught.

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Test Items on Traditional Assessments

• Objective Items Essay Items
• Objective Items Short Answer
• Multiple Choice
• True/False
• Matching
• Advantages Properly constructed objective item
  tests encourage students to learn content,
  thinking, and application skills. Highly
  reliable. Scoring is quick, simple, and
  consistent.
• Disadvantages Large number of questions needed
  for test, preparation is arduous and time
  consuming.

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Objective Items Essay Items

• Essay Items Extended Response (freedom for any
  response by student)
• Restricted Response (length/organization
  of response is limited)
• Advantages Measures thinking skills, abstract
  ideas, organization, problem-solving, and writing
  ability. Only a few questions are needed for
  assessment, so constructing an exam is relatively
  simple. Guessing by the student is minimized.
• Disadvantages Scoring may be difficult due to
  the complexity of answers given. Scoring is slow
  and inconsistent, and reliability may be low due
  to the subjectivity of test. Sampling of course
  content is limited, and bluffing is a
  possibility. If not enough time is given for the
  essay, students may develop poor writing habits.

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Alternative Assessment

• Alternative Assessment is any kind of assessment
  technique that is not norm or criterion
  referenced. Some examples of alternative
  assessments are
• Authentic Assessment Tests students ability to
  problem solve or perform tasks under simulated
  real-life situations. Using realia (authentic
  materials intended to educatebank forms/ money/
  grocery receipts) in an ELL classroom to check
  understanding is one way to use an authentic
  assessment.
• Performance Assessment Requires students to
  perform a task instead of merely answering
  questions. Solving math problems or completing
  science projects are good examples of performance
  assessments.
• Portfolio Assessment A collection of student
  work centered on a specific theme or content
  area. My Family Portfolio including
  interviews, photos, essays, poems, and art is an
  example of a portfolio assessment.
• Project Assessment A form of a performance
  assessment, the student completes a series of
  complex assignments. Writing a script, creating
  a storyboard, and filming the final piece is an
  example of a project assessment.

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Remember!

• When using either formal or informal assessments
  to collect valid and reliable student data,
  teachers can utilize several effective strategies
  including
• clearly specifying items to be evaluated prior
  to instruction
• measuring background knowledge before
  instruction begins with the use of placement
  tests
• sequencing instruction to help students master
  the objective
• ongoing practice with teacher supervision
  (formative assessment)
• reteaching for students having difficulty
  mastering objective
• summative testing to check for understanding
• assuring all test questions relate to what was
  taught during instruction
• utilizing observation checklists or matrixes
  during classroom observations
• encouraging peer evaluations throughout the
  semester
• assisting and encouraging students to
  self-evaluate and self-monitor progress
• refraining from using behavior to determine
  academic outcomes

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Reporting Assessment Data

• Standardized Test Data
• Grade Equivalent Score of 9.3 9th Grade 3rd
  Month of Instruction
• Age Equivalent Score of 9.3 Score of a child 9
  years 3 months old
• Percentile Ranks reflect student score on a
  scale of 0 to 100. A student scoring in the 70th
  percentile on a test means he/she scored higher
  than 69 and lower than 29 of students in normed
  group
• Stanines scale refers to a nine-point scale
  with each stanines equal to percentile ranks.
• Stanine 1-below 4th percentile
• Stanine 2-between 4th and 10th percentile
• Stanine 3-between 11th and 22nd percentile
• Stanine 4-between 23rd and
  39th percentile
• Stanine 5-between 40th and 59th percentile
• Stanine 6-between 60th and 76th percentile
• Stanine 7-between 77th and 88th percentile
• Stanine 8-between 89th and 95th percentile
• Stanine 9- Above 95th percentile
• Stanines 1,2,3 are considered below
  average, stanines 4,5,6 considered average, and
  stanines 7,8,9 are considered above average.

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Reporting Assessment Data

• Classroom Assessment Data Ranking students from
  highest to lowest is an accurate way to interpret
  test scores. (Either formal or informal) By
  doing so, the teacher can determine the class
  mean (average) on a test, the class median
  (middle grade) on a test, and the class mode
  (score appearing most frequently) on a test.
• It is important to assess data correctly so the
  teacher is able to communicate effectively with
  students and parents if and when there are
  questions and concerns about grades.

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Interpreting Classroom Data

• When interpreting classroom assessment data or
  standardized test data for parents and students,
  teachers should consider
• the validity of test results
• the margins and probability of error
• the goal in mind when interpreting scores
• avoiding specific scores to predict future
  student performance
• avoiding the comparison of one student to
  another
• getting parents and students involved to
  improve scores
• the privacy of those involved when sharing
  scores
• utilizing resource personnel (counselors) to
  aid in the interpretation of scores
• using motivation strategies to encourage
  students to improve scores

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Remember!

• A student or legal guardian of a minor can
  request to see and obtain a copy of
  progress/academic records.
• A student or legal guardian of a minor can
  request to have a qualified educator explain and
  interpret student records of any nature
  (achievement tests, mental maturity tests,
  personality evaluations, health records)

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Final Thought

• The future of the nation is on the shoulders
  of teachers and how they teach kids the future
  of the world is in the classroom where the
  teachers are. And if we have any chance to
  guarantee a positive bridge to the 21st century,
  it is how we educate the children in the
  classrooms today.
• --Richard Reginald Green

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Acknowledgments

• Clark, Ross D. Sharon E. (2002). Comprehensive
  Study Guide for TExES Pedagogy and Professional
  Responsibilities EC-12. Waller, TX The ROSHA
  Center for Teaching and Learning, L.L.C.