Understanding Assessment Targets

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Understanding Assessment Targets

• Lynne Maletz
• BTSA TOSA

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Introduction

• Assessment Targets What do students need to
  know, understand, or be able to do?
• 1. Unpack the standard
• 2. Determine target(s)
• 3. Match target(s) with method(s)
• 4. Develop assessment

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Knowledge and Understanding

• Mastery of subject matter content
• Knowing is not the same as understanding
• Two ways of knowing
• Memorization
• Ability to use resources

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Reasoning

• Use knowledge and understanding to solve problems

Analyze
Contrast
Compare
Evaluate
Deductive thinking
Inductive thinking
Critical thinking
Categorize
Synthesize
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Performance Skills

• Demonstrate ability to use knowledge,
  understanding, and reasoning to perform
• Write fluently (handwriting, keyboarding,
  organization, word choice, sentence fluency)
• Read fluently (comprehension)
• Speak fluently
• Listen effectively
• Work cooperatively in a group

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Ability to Create Products

• Tangible entities that exist independently of the
  performer
• Research paper
• Essay
• Diorama/model
• Chart/graph
• Book report

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Attitudes/Personal Opinions

• Moving beyond academic achievement into the realm
  of affective states
• Developing positive attitudes toward subjects
• Developing self-confidence
• Developing curiosity and interest in pursuing
  additional learning

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Assessment Targets

• Variety of assessment targets
• Knowledge and understanding
• Reasoning
• Performance
• Products
• Attitudes
• Most standards involve a combination
• Step one in planning assessment is to identify
  the target(s)

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Results of Research

• The single most common barrier to sound
  classroom assessment is teachers lack of vision
  of appropriate achievement targets within the
  subjects they are supported to teach.
  Richard Stiggins
• Assessment Training Institute