Post on 22-Feb-2016
description
Rethinking the dreadedMATH TESTHeather A. Reyes
Why?
How do your students react when you announce a test?
Do you get answers like this?How do they react when they receive the
graded test back?Hope it's not like this!
What I noticed
Cramming and forgettingLucky guessingGrades seen as something that happen to the
student Viewing the test as disconnected from the
learning process – “Oh well, I failed.”
What research says:
http://www.nctm.org/news/content.aspx?id=11466 Assessment can actually have positive impact on
student attitudes and experiences, when done formatively and “for learning”
Formative assessment is most effective on shorter-term assessment (no more than about 4 weeks)
http://www.svitv.sccoe.org/depts/esb/docs/2008/Jan2008/InsideBlackBox.pdf Implementing formative assessment produces
substantial learning gains, particularly for “lower end” students
So how can we do things differently?
Weekly Quizzes Objective based Open-note Mastery-based scoring, 0-3 scale Follow-up “quiz response” assignment Last week’s objectives on the back of this
week’s quiz to re-do
Quiz Examples – a unit on Multiplying & Dividing Fractions
Objective: The student will be able to multiply fractions using both pictorial and algorithmic methods.
Instructions to the student: Show how to multiply . Then explain why this answer makes sense, mathematically. You may use drawings or diagrams to help your explanation. €
23•34
Mastery-Based Scoring
3: demonstrated total mastery of the concept with no errors
2: demonstrated a developing understanding of the concept with some small errors
1: demonstrated a beginning understanding of the concept with major conceptual errors – or manipulated numbers with no demonstration of real understanding
0: demonstrated no understanding of the concept
Possible Work Examples for each scoring level
Quiz Response Assignment
“Why didn’t I receive a 3?” My mistake was… This was wrong because… I should have… Because… The right answer is…
Teacher feedback, opportunities to pull small groups for reteaching while students work
Extension/enrichment activities for students who showed mastery of all objectives
A 2nd chance!
The next Friday brings a new set of objectives, BUT the old objectives are on the back of the quiz.
Students re-do any objectives that they didn’t master.
They receive the higher grade of the 2 weeks.
But what about unit and chapter tests?
I’m now giving 20% of instructional time each week to assessment and response. The traditional test cycle would require at least 2-3 additional class periods given up for each unit – no way!
The take-home test
Quizzes show ability to do basic learned tasks – but can they apply that knowledge?
Essay questions – 4-5 per unitAbout one week to complete at home, with
notes and resourcesOpportunity to rewrite answers for 50% credit
on the improvement
Essay test example question – from same unit on fractions
Find a favorite recipe. Make sure that some of the ingredients have fractional amounts! You will need to include a copy of the recipe with your test. Suppose that you want to make 2½ batches of this recipe all at once. Show how to find the amount of each ingredient you will need to use. Make sure to explain your work mathematically, showing your knowledge from this unit.
Student Essay Response samples
(I will add these in!)
But how is this a test?
What do you really want to know when you give your students a math test?
Do they have to perform from memory, under pressure in order to show that?
Implementation Difficulties - Quizzes
Some students wouldn’t bother to try hard on the front side of a quiz, figuring they’ll get it next time
Other students wouldn’t take advantage of the opportunity to bring up the grade
Students resisted the “response” portion of the assignment – it was hard to get them to really think about the sources of their errors
Bookkeeping challenges Parent resistance – “but isn’t it better if they just get
it the first time?”
Implementation Difficulties - Tests
PROCRASTINATORS! “Oops, I forgot it at home.”Overzealous parent helpPlagiarism/cheating
Encouraging outcomes
More students coming in to ask for help with homework
Students comparing their work with one another, talking together about sources of errors
More time in class to focus on individual student growth
Less complaining about weekly quizzes
What do students think?
Here I’d love add a video clip of students talking about their opinions/experiences with this – but that can’t happen until the school year
Questions/Discussion