Formative Assessments

New Teacher Series Day 3December 1, 2010Stephanie Lemmer slemmer@kresa.orgSharon Dodson sdodson@kresa.org

Today’s schedule Survey The “I Cans” The 5 Keys of Assessments Purposes - Formative/Summative Learning Targets Assessment Maps

What you need to make today successful Handout Packet Content Expectations and/or

learning standards for a course you teach

Current Beliefsand Practice

Survey

Formative Assessment Critical Learning Objectives At the completion of today, it is our goal that you

will be able to state the following: I can tell another person the difference between

summative and formative assessments. I can articulate critical learning targets to my

students in student-friendly language. I can match the appropriate type of assessment to

a learning target for my students. I can determine if feedback is descriptive or

evaluative. I can explain the importance of actively involving

students in the assessment process.

5 Keys of Quality Assessments

Key 1 – Purpose Key 2 – Clear Learning Targets Key 3 – Effective Design Key 4 – Effective Communication Key 5 – Student Involvement

Personal Reflection Think of a time when you were

assessed and it was a negative experience. What made it negative?

Now think of a time when you were assessed and it was a positive experience. What made it positive?

Key 1 Purpose

What are purposes for assessment?

Classroom Assessments

Think of the assessments you give. Why do you give them?

List all of the reasons that come to mind.

Two Purposes for Assessment

SUMMATIVE Assessments OF Learning

How much have students learned as of a particular point in time?

FORMATIVE Assessments FOR Learning

How can we use assessments to help students learn more?

Assessments FOR and OF Learning

Watch the video clip of Rick Stiggins discussing the differences between assessments FOR and OF learning.

Track the differences on the chart. In your own words, briefly summarize

the difference between formative and summative assessments?

Balanced Assessment

SummativeProvides evidence of achievement to certify student competence or program effectiveness

Assessment for learning

Use assessments to help students assess and adjust their own learning

Formative uses of summative dataUse of summative evidence to inform what comes next for individuals or groups of students

FormativeFormal and informal processes teachers and students use to gather evidence to directly improve the learning of students assessed

Assessment for learning

Use classroom assessments to inform teacher’s decisions

Balanced Assessment“If we wish to maximize student achievement in the U.S., we must pay greater attention to the improvement of classroom assessment. Both assessment of learning and assessment for learning are essential. But one is currently in place, and the other is not.” Rick Stiggins, 2002

Assessment Research

0.7 Standard Deviation Score Gain = 25 Percentile Points on ITBS (middle of score range) 70 SAT Score Points; 4 ACT Score Points

Largest Gain for Low Achievers

Study S.D. gainsBloom (1984) 1.0 – 2.0Black and Wiliam (1998) 0.4 – 0.7Miesels, et.al. (2003) 0.7 – 1.5Rodriguez (2004) 0.5 – 1.8

Needed Improvements

Increased commitment to high-quality formative assessments

Increased descriptive feedback, reduced evaluative feedback

Increased student involvement in the assessment process

Key 2Clear and Appropriate

Learning Targets

Clear Learning Targets

Know what kinds of targets are represented in curriculum

Know which targets each assessment measures

Communicate the learning targets in advance in language students can understand

Clear Learning Targets: Research on Student Benefits

Students who could identify their learning scored 27 percentile points higher than those who could not (Marzano, 2005)

We Need Clear Learning Targets to. . .

1. Ensure that there is a common understanding of what needs to be learned.

2. Know if the assessment adequately covers what we taught.

3. Correctly identify what students know and don’t know.

4. Have students self-assess or set goals likely to help them learn more.

Learning TargetsAny achievement expectations

we hold for students

Statements of what we want students to learn

Which of these are actually Learning Targets? Senior project Model of a fort Present a persuasive argument State report Diorama

A Social Studies Example

Learning targetUnderstand recurring conflicts that lead to war

ActivityChapter 10

Korean War

World History

Create a timeline

ResourceTopicSubject

Kinds of Learning Targets

Master content knowledge Use knowledge to reason and

solve problems Demonstrate performance skills Create quality products

Knowledge Reason Skill Product List Predict Measure ConstructDefine Infer Demonstrate DevelopUnderstand Classify Use CreateRecognize Evaluate Operate Produce Explain Summarize Calculate

Kinds of Learning Targets with Associated Verbs

Learning Targets by Content Area

What kinds of learning targets are most common in your content area?

Elbow partner share

Converting Learning Targets to Student-Friendly Language

1. Identify important or difficult learning goal.

2. Identify word(s) needing clarification.

3.Define the word(s). 4.Rewrite the definition as an “I can”

statement, in terms that your students will understand.

5.Try it out and refine as needed.6.Have students try this process.

Student-Friendly Language Word to be defined: SUMMARIZE

to give a brief statement of the main points, main events, or important ideas

Student-friendly language: I can summarize text. This means I can make a short statement

of the main points or the big ideas of what I read.

Student-Friendly Language Word to be defined: PREDICTION

A statement saying something will happen in the future

Student-friendly language:

Student-Friendly Language Word to be defined: PREDICTION

A statement saying something will happen in the future

Student-friendly language: I can make predictions. This means I can use information

from what I read to guess at what will happen next.

Student-Friendly LanguageLearning Target: “Deeply examine policy

issues…”Word to be defined: EXAMINE

A process by which problems, alternate views and reasons for differing views for a given situation are understood.

I Can Statement: I can “examine.” This means I can state the problems, describe alternative views, and understand the reasons for these different views.

Your Turn… Choose either “analyze” or “describe” and convert it into student-friendly terms

Definition:

Student-friendly language:

Clear and Appropriate Learning Targets - Summary Things to remember

Different types of targets Clarify targets by using student-

friendly language Post targets or have students keep

them (refer to targets) Connect learning targets to learning

activities and assessments

The Assessment Map

From Curriculum Documents to Learning Targets

Work time

Use the Assessment Map to Define Learning Targets

Key 3 Effective Design

Sound Assessment Design

Select a proper assessment method Select or create quality items, tasks,

and rubrics Sample—gather enough evidence Control for bias Design assessments so students can

self-assess and set goals

Possible Assessment Methods

· Selected Response· Extended Written Response · Performance Assessment· Personal Communication

Sound Design

Assessment methods match learning targets.

Sample is representative of what was taught.

Items, tasks and scoring guides are well-written.

Bias is avoided.

Target X Method Match

PRODUCT SKILLS REASON KNOWPCPAEWRSR

Target-Method Match Activity

Target - Method Match

+PRODUCT++SKILLS++++REASON+?++KNOWPCPAEWRSR

Good Match Good Match

Good Match

Good Match

Good Match forOral comm. only

Good Match forWrit. comm. only

Okay but notefficient

ReasoningInferred byobservation

Possibly okay Think-aloudw/follow-upquestions

Good match forSome patternsOf reasoning

The Assessment Map

Identify your “I cans” as Knowledge, Skill, Reasoning, or Performance itemsNext, select a method of assessment that would sample that ability effectively and efficiently.

Key 4 Effective Communication

Effective Communication “The most powerful single

modification that enhances achievement is feedback. The simplest prescription for improving education must be ‘dollops of feedback’.” John Hattie (1992)

“…all forms of feedback are not equally effective.”

Research Quotes on Effects of Feedback

Read the quotes provided on the handout.

Choose 1 quote that is most meaningful to you at this time.

Feedback

On your own think about what you know to be the characteristics of effective feedback.

What Makes Feedback Effective? Describes features of work or

performance Relates directly to the learning targets

and/or standards of quality Points out strengths and gives specific

information about how to improve

Source  Characteristics of Feedback

from Classroom Assessment 

Number of

Studies*  Effect Size 

Percentile Gain or Loss in Student

Achievement  Bangert-Drowns, Kulik, Kulik, & Morgan (1991) 

Right/wrong  6  -.08  -3 

  Provide correct answer  39  .22  8.5 

  Criteria understood by students vs. not understood 

30  .41  16 

  Explain  9  .53  20 

  Repeat until correct  4  .53  20 

Fuchs & Fuchs (1986)  Displaying results graphically 

89  .70  26 

  Evaluation (interpretation) by rule 

49  .91  32 

*Indicates the number of studies that were examined by the researchers to compute an effect size. See Technical Note 1.2 for discussion of an effect size. 

Summary of the Research Formative classroom assessments should be

frequent and provide many opportunities for feedback.

Feedback should give students a clear picture of their progress on learning goals and how they might improve.

Feedback on classroom assessments should encourage students to improve

Marzano, 2006

Evaluative vs. Descriptive Feedback Evaluative feedback sums up

achievement and assigns a label. It expresses a judgment.

Descriptive feedback offers information that can be used by students to take action to improve.

Descriptive or Evaluative?

Table Activity Mark each example of descriptive

feedback with a D and each example of evaluative feedback with an E. If you believe it is neither, mark it with an X.

Effective Communication Provide students with descriptive

feedback Involve students in tracking and

communicating about their learning Use grading practices that accurately

communicate about student learning

Effective Communication

Continue Assessment Map

Key 5: Student Involvement

Student SELF-assessment is crucial for feedback to be used effectively. Students are the ones who must ultimately take action to bridge the gap between where they are and where they are heading.

The transition from feedback to self-monitoring can occur only when the student comes to know what constitutes quality.

--Sadler, 1989

Student as User of Assessment Information (Sadler) Where am I going? Where am I now? How can I close the gap?

Student Motivation and InvolvementWhere am I going?

1. Provide a clear statement of the learning target

2. Use examples and modelsWhere am I now?

3. Offer regular descriptive feedback4. Teach students to self-assess and set goals

How can I close the gap?5. Design focused lessons6. Teach students focused revision7. Engage students in self-reflection; let them

keep track of and share their learning

Student Involvement

“The most important instructional decisions are made, not by the adults working in the system, but by students themselves.” CASL 2006

Emily’s Story:Assessment for Learning

Read Emily’s story. Note what Emily’s teacher did to

enhance student involvement, motivation, and achievement.

Now read her writing samples. What does Emily have to say

about this? (video) What does this look like in social

studies?

Involving the Student Clear learning targets in student

friendly language- made known at the outset to the student

Instruction that models what success looks like

Assessments that are fair – no surprises, no excuses

“I Can” Review

Wrap up

Exit Card

What is your next step?

Wrap up