ASSESSMENT IN STEM
“Assessment is central,
not peripheral,
to instruction .”
Grant Wiggins, Educative Assessment
1
Agenda
Course Survey – Why now always confuses me!!
Dr. Nirusha Presentation BOPPPS
Questions about 3 Part?
• Types of Assessment
• Assignments submitted late
• Performance Tasks
• ACAI
UOIT, Faculty of Education
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What do you already know about assessment?
• Table 1 – KWL
• Table 2 – Venn diagram (teacher and researcher)
• Table 3 – Mind Map
• Table 4 – Place mat activity
• Table 5 – T/F
• Table 6 - Discussion
3
What is assessment?
What is evaluation?
Think/Pair Share
Assessment
• The process of
gathering information
about the student
over a period of time
Evaluation
• The process of
judging what has
been gathered and to
report achievement.
Assessment
vs.
• Systematic
• Planned process
• Gathering of information over time
• Evidence of student learning
toward a learning outcome
• Nature of the assessment is determined
by how the information will be used
Evaluation
• From the word
“ value”
• Has a value – a mark
• Is a judgement based on criteria.
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What are some types of assessments you have seen?
UOIT, Faculty of Education
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Terms as defined in Growing Success
• Diagnostic: Assessment that is used to identify a
student’s needs and abilities and the student’s
readiness to acquire the knowledge and skills
outlined in the curriculum expectations. Diagnostic
assessment usually takes place at the start of a
school year, term, semester, or teaching unit.
• What do students already know?
• Are they ready for the lesson?
Share the table group examples of diagnostic
assessment.
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Terms as defined in Growing Success
• Formative: Assessment that takes place during
instruction in order to provide direction for
improvement for individual students and for adjustment
to instructional programs for individual students and for
a whole class. The information gathered is used for the
specific purpose of helping students improve while they
are still gaining knowledge and practising skills.
• Are my students with me? How is the student going to
get there? How will I ensure the success of the student
in meeting the required learning goals? Do I need to
adjust my program?
• Student and teacher led assessments
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Terms as defined in Growing Success
• Summative: Evaluation that
occurs at the end of important
segments of student learning. It
is used to summarize and
communicate what students
know and can do with respect to
curriculum expectations and
categories of learning.
• How will students share their
learning? How will I evaluate
their learning?
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Assessment for Learning
Diagnostic and formative – teacher,
self/peer
Assessment as Learning
Formative – self/peer
Assessment of Learning summative
Formative assessment
ongoing in the classroom
Formative assessment
ongoing in the classroom
Summative assessment
occurs at end of year or at key stages
• teacher assessment, student selfassessment, and/or student peer
assessment
• self-assessment and peer-assessment
• teacher assessment
• provides students with information on
their own achievement and prompts them
to consider how they can continue to
improve their learning
• criterion-referenced (based on
prescribed learning outcomes)
• criterion-referenced—criteria based on
prescribed learning outcomes identified in
the provincial curriculum, reflecting
performance in relation to a specific
learning task
• involves both teacher and student in a
process of continual reflection and review
about progress
• student-determined criteria based on
previous learning and personal learning
goals
• information on student performance can
be shared with parents/guardians, school
and district staff, and other education
professionals (e.g., for the purposes of
curriculum development)
• students use assessment information to • used to make judgments about students’
make adaptations to their learning process performance in relation to provincial
and to develop new understandings
standards
• teachers adjust their plans and engage
in corrective teaching in response to
formative assessment
UOIT, Faculty of Education
Source: (Adapted from British Columbia Ministry of Education, 2006, p. 34).
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Assessment for, of, and as Learning
DURING LEARNING PERIODS
|
AFTER LEARNING PERIODS
Assessment for Learning
Assessment of Learning
(diagnostic/formative)
(summative/evaluative)
Assessment as
Learning
Assessment Strategies
-
Anecdotal notes
Observation checklist
Portfolio
Conference/ interview
Test/quiz/exam
Work samples e.g., lab report
Performance task e.g., science investigation (practical skills)
Oral report/presentation
Demonstration
Journal
Research paper
Self Assessment
Peer Assessment
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Turn to your partner…
Describe:
assessment for learning
assessment as learning
assessment of learning
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Consider this scenario:
A student has difficulty handing work in on time. He appears
to be very capable, but disorganized. His final assignment is
handed in a week late and literally, one day before the marks
are due. The teacher reports, “This was the best work I have
ever read from a student. Usually, any student who hands work
in so late would have failed but I could not assign a failing
grade for such amazing work.” What grade does the student
deserve?
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As a teacher, what would you do?
1. Give the student zero on the assignment as it was clearly submitted
after the deadline.
2. Mark the paper but only give the student a 50% so he can earn the
credit.
3. Mark the paper and not assess any penalty.
4. Other options?
Read Page 45 and Page 46 in Growing Success. Comments?
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Learning Skills






Responsibility
Organization
Independent Work
Collaboration
Initiative
Self-Regulation
E – Excellent
G – Good
S – Satisfactory
N – Needs Improvement
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Assessment for, of, and as Learning
 Assessment for Learning: assessment used by teachers and
students to support learning towards content expectations
 Self-, peer-, and teacher feedback
 Success criteria and learning goals
 Questioning, observations, and conversations
 Assessment as Learning: assessments used to develop
independent, autonomous learners able to set goals, monitor
progress, determine next steps, and reflect on learning
 Focus on learning skills in the context of curricular expectations
Classroom Assessment
Self- and peer-assessment
 Assess their own learning
 Set specific goals
 Plan next steps for their learning
Teachers are expected to develop students’
metacognitive strategies for self-monitoring, selfcorrection, and reflection to improve learning
WHY SET GOALS?
"Would you tell me, please,
which way I ought to go from
here?‘
'That depends a good deal on
where you want to get to,' said
the Cat.
`I don't much care where...'
said Alice.
'Then it doesn't matter which
way you go,' said the Cat."
GOALS SHOULD BE…
S
M
A
R
T
Specific: What, why & how.
Significant, Stretching, Simple
Measurable: How much? How many? How will I know when it
is accomplished?
Meaningful, Motivational, Manageable
Attainable: Not too high
Attainable, Appropriate, Achievable, Agreed, Assignable
Realistic: And not too low
Relevant, Results-oriented Resourced, Rewarding
Timely: Grounded within a time frame
Time-bound, Time-Specific, Trackable, Tangible
And HOW I will get
there!!
How is assessment connected to teaching
and learning?
Teaching
Learning
Assessmen
t
All assessment tools can be summative.
All assessment tools can be formative.
It’s their purpose and use that matters.
What makes an Evaluation “good”?
UOIT, Faculty of Education
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Assessment in Ontario Schools
 All assessment must be linked to curriculum expectations or learning
skills categories
 Assessments of curriculum expectations should measure learning
across four categories of knowledge and skills:
 Knowledge & Understanding: Subject-specific content acquired in each
grade/course and the comprehension of its meaning and significance
 Thinking: The use of critical and creative thinking skills and/or processes
 Communication: The conveying of meaning through various forms
 Application: The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and
between various contexts
Categories of Learning
• Knowledge and Understanding: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?
Find. Tell. Quote (calculate, define, describe, identify, label, list, locate,
match, name, recall, retell, state)
• Thinking: Is this always true? Why or why not? Distinguish between.
What would you do differently next time? What other information needs
to be considered? What ideas justify? What would you predict/infer?
Investigate the reasons for… Formulate a theory for… Why did you do it
in this order? (analyze, assess, choose, classify, compare, contrast,
create, critique, debate, decide, defend, develop, distinguish, evaluate,
examine, explain, imagine, invent, investigate, justify, reflect, support,
verify)
Categories of Learning
• Communication: How could you restate? How will you organize this
information? Explain how you got your answer. Draw a picture to
illustrate. Discuss the importance of. How could you show your answer
differently? How many ways can you? What question would you ask?
Express your feelings about. Dramatize your interpretation of (act, argue,
compose, convey, discuss, graph, illustrate, narrate, propose, recite,
report, write)
• Application: How does this connect to something you’ve learned? How
could you use this in your daily life? Make connections between. Apply
what you learned to. What would you do next, why? What facts would
you select to show (adapt, adjust, apply, construct, combine,
demonstrate, develop, generalize, integrate, modify, perform prepare,
produce, relate, research, show, solve, synthesize, transfer, use)
When designing Evaluation opportunities ensure
they are comprehensive. All four categories of
learning should be evaluated at some point
throughout the unit.
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Break
UOIT, Faculty of Education
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RICH PERFORMANCE TASK
What are Rich Performance Tasks?
• An authentic activity, exercise, problem, or challenge that requires students
to show what they know and what they can do. Performance tasks lead
students to demonstrate their understanding by applying knowledge and
skills to real-life situations or scenarios. Performance tasks usually address all
four categories of the achievement chart (KICA) and multiple overall
curriculum expectations and provide flexibility in how students can
demonstrate their learning.
• (Growing Success, p. 153)
Review the Achievement Charts in Math and Science
UOIT, Faculty of Education
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What is Involved?
Three components:
• a task which the student performs or a
problem the student solves;
• a format in which the student responds;
• a predetermined scoring system (rubrics or
rating scales work well)
Why use Performance Assessments? (content and performance)
Assessment across all 4 categories of learning:
•Knowledge and Understanding: curriculum expectations
•Thinking and Investigation: critical/creative thinking skills and
processes i.e., science and math processes
•Communication: conveying meaning through various forms
•Application: application of their knowledge to solve a
problems.
The assessment of student's knowledge focuses on the performance and the result.
How is the student evaluated?
• Some performance assessments may be best conducted in
groups but students should always be evaluated, at least in part,
individually.
• “Evidence of student achievement for evaluation is collected over
time from three different sources – observations, conversations,
and student products. Using multiple sources of evidence
increases the reliability and validity of the evaluation of student
learning” (Growing Success, p. 39, 2010)
ACAI: Approaches to Classroom Assessment Inventory
• Complete the assessment inventory to determine what your assessment profile is.
http://educ.queensu.ca/acai
• Complete the scenarios only
• Read through your profile and determine some personal learning goals around assessment
for you – ticket out the door
• Padlet: What questions do you have about assessment?
• http://padlet.com/michelle_dubek/fjc0czz5egtg
•
UOIT, Faculty of Education
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ACAI
The purpose of this survey was to determine your approach to classroom assessment. Based
on your responses to the scenario-based questions, we have analyzed your approach to
assessment in relation to 4 fundamental aspects of classroom assessment practice.
(1) Your approach to assessment purposes (i.e., summative/assessment of learning,
formative/assessment for learning, or assessment as learning)
(2) Your approach to assessment processes (i.e., designing assessments,
scoring/administering assessments, or communicating assessment results)
(3) Your approach to assessment fairness (i.e., the use of standardized approaches, equitable
treatment, or differentiated practices)
(4) Your approach to measurement principles (i.e., orientation to issues of reliability and
validity
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Sample Task
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Sample Performance Task
• Gr. 7 Interactions in the Environment
Big Idea: Human Activities have the potential to alter the environment. Humans must be
aware of these impacts and try to control them.
Overall Expectations:
1. Assess the impacts of human activities and technologies on the environment, and
evaluate ways of controlling these impacts
2. investigate interactions within the environment, and identify factors that affect the
balance between different components of an ecosystem
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Specific Expectations
1.2 anaylse the costs and benefits of selected strategies for protecting the environment
2.3 use scientific inquiry/research skills to investigate occurrences that affect the balance
within a local ecosystem
2.4 use appropriate science and technology vocabulary in oral and written communication
2.5 use a variety of forms to communicate with different audiences and for a variety of
purposes
*Select the specific expectations that support the selected overall expectations
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Performance Task
• How can students demonstrate their learning?
Recycling has become a natural thing to do. It makes us feel that we are doing something
good for the environment. However, there are some groups out there that believe that
recycling is a waste of time. Does putting an emphasis on recycling take away from other
strategies such as reducing or reusing? What are the effects of recycling on the environment,
on society?What are the costs and benefits of a recycling program in Ontario?
Your municipal government has asked you to research the impacts that recycling on the
environment and on cities and towns in Ontario and make recommendations to your
municipal council on the future of recycling.
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Student Instructions
1.
Using a variety of resources such as the internet, videos, interviews, print-based articles,
gather your information. Be sure to cite it.
2. Select or create an organizer to record your information
3. When you have completed your research, take a look at your organizer and then make a
recommendation on the future of recycling
4. Your recommendation with consist of a brief report consisting of an introduction,
persuasive main paragraph(s), and a conclusion
5. Along with your recommendations, submit the sources of your information and your
organizer
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How does this task relate to the Achievement Chart?
• Thinking and Investigation
• Use of initiating and planning skills and strategies (e.g., Select resources and strategies)
• Use of processing skills and strategies (e.g., gathering evidence and data)
• Use of critical/creative thinking processes, skills and strategies (analysing, evaluating, justifying
conclusions on the basis of evidence)
Communication
• Expression and organization of ideas and information (report)
• Communication for different purposes (municipal council)
Application
• Proposes courses of practical action to deal with problems related to science, technology, society and
the environment (recommendations)
• Making connections between STSE (e.g., assessing impact of science and tech on people, other living
things, and the environment – cities and towns in Ontario )
UOIT, Faculty of Education
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Task related to Continuum for Scientific Inquiry/Research Skills:
• Plans an organization system for gathering and organizing information, using a variety of
strategies and organizational patterns (e.g., order of importance)
• Independently selects print, multimedia, and electronic resources
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What does Successful Performance look like?
Success Criteria
• Selects information from a variety of sources independently (2.3 and skills continuum)
• Summarizes information using an organizer (2.3 and skills continuum)
• Organization of ideas and information to suit a target audience (2.5)
• Uses appropriate science and technology terminology (2.4)
• Outlines the benefits that recycling has had on the environment and on towns and cities in
Ontario (1.2)
• Outlines the costs that recycling has had on the environment and on towns and cities in
Ontario (1.2)
• Proposes a practical course of action to deal with the problem of recycling (1.2)
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Top Ten Ways to Improve Assessment
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Share the criteria for quality work.
Share how the mark is assigned.
Involve the students.
Use a variety of strategies (reliability).
Individualize the assessment (validity).
Report attitude and effort separately.
Make it ongoing – not just at the end.
Talk to other teachers.
Develop exemplars.
Test what you teach.