Lecturette 2:Lecturette 2:Classroom-based Classroom-based

AssessmentsAssessmentsof Student Learningof Student Learning

Large-scale Large-scale AssessmentsAssessments

State-wideFederally FundedCommercially DevelopedCollege Admission

Classroom-based Classroom-based AssessmentsAssessments

Teachers carry out every day to assess student

learning

Melding ApproachMelding Approach

No one form of assessment can address all of our questions about student learning.

Assessment Assessment CategoriesCategories

Assessment CategoriesAssessment Categories

1) Selected Response2) Essay3) Performance Assessments4) Personal Communication

These assessments can be grouped in various ways. Richard Stiggins (2003), for example, proposes to categorize assessments in the following way:

Selected ResponseSelected Response

ExamplesOf

SelectedResponse

Multiple Choice

True/False MatchingShort

AnswerFill-in

Essay Essay

Examples of Essay assessments include questions that require students to:

• Describe• Compare and contrast• Persuade• Take a particular point-of-view

PerformancePerformance AssessmentsAssessments

• Demonstrate a skill– Perform an

experiment– Interpret a piece

of literature through dance

• Prepare a product– Create a

sculpture– Create a map of

your local watershed

Personal Personal CommunicationCommunication

• Desk-side conversations• Interviews• Conferences• Listening during class discussions

Strengths and Strengths and WeaknessesWeaknesses

Each of these assessment approaches has strengths as well as weaknesses. Each is more or less effective depending upon the learning outcomes that are being assessed.

Assessment Approach Assessment Approach and Outcome Typeand Outcome Type

Ou

tcom

e T

yp

e

Assessment ApproachSelectedResponse

Essay PerformanceAssessment

PersonalCommunication

Knowledge

Can measure knowledge broadly

Can tap some areas

Not a good choice

Can inquire about knowledge but time-consuming

Reasoning

Can assess some patterns of reasoning

Can provide a good view of reasoning

Can be used to infer reasoning

Allows for follow-up questions

Skills Cannot assess skill itself

Cannot assess skill itself

Can observe and evaluate skills

Good match to oral proficiency

Products Cannot assess product itself

Cannot assess product itself

Can assess process and product

Can probe knowledge but not assess product

Dispositions

Questionnaires can assess dispositions

Open-ended essays can probe dispositions

Can infer but not directly assess dispositions

Can talk with students about feelings and attitudes