Delwyn L. Harnisch, University of Nebraska – Lincoln

Leslie Lukin, Lincoln Public Schools

Nebraska Assessment Cohort Nebraska Assessment Cohort (‘01)(‘01)

24 Participants24 Participants 18 Graduate hours (6+3+3+6)18 Graduate hours (6+3+3+6) Began Summer 2001 Scott Middle Began Summer 2001 Scott Middle

SchoolSchool Summer sessions all day for 5 weeks Summer sessions all day for 5 weeks Fall and Spring PracticumsFall and Spring Practicums Summer 2002 program at UNLSummer 2002 program at UNL Teachers from around the stateTeachers from around the state

Large scale and classroom assessment Large scale and classroom assessment PracticesPractices

Technical Issues: Reliability, Validity and Technical Issues: Reliability, Validity and BiasBias

Achievement TargetsAchievement Targets Development and use of assessment Development and use of assessment

methods methods Performance tasksPerformance tasksProjects Projects PortfoliosPortfolios

Standards needed for high quality Standards needed for high quality assessmentassessment

Grading and Report CardsGrading and Report Cards ConferencingConferencing Nebraska assessment systemNebraska assessment system Standards movement from national Standards movement from national

perspectiveperspective

Mini projectsMini projects Problems, reflections and lab exercisesProblems, reflections and lab exercises Concept Mapping using Concept Mapping using InspirationInspiration Web resourcesWeb resources Interactive evaluationsInteractive evaluations Individual and group presentationsIndividual and group presentations Invited guest speakersInvited guest speakers

Evaluations UsedEvaluations Used Self-Assessment Development LevelsSelf-Assessment Development Levels Assessment Competencies Knowledge Assessment Competencies Knowledge

Rating ScaleRating Scale Classroom Assessment Confidence Classroom Assessment Confidence

QuestionnaireQuestionnaire Classroom evaluationsClassroom evaluations

Self Assessment Self Assessment Competencies Competencies

Establishing clear and appropriate Establishing clear and appropriate learning targetslearning targets

Users and Uses of AssessmentUsers and Uses of Assessment Matching standards to targetsMatching standards to targets Sampling and sources of biasSampling and sources of bias

Clear and Appropriate Learning Clear and Appropriate Learning TargetsTargets

SkilledSkilled Know and can articulate enduring Know and can articulate enduring skills important for students to skills important for students to mastermaster

PracticePracticedd

Know what it takesKnow what it takes

AwareAware Know what is important but not Know what is important but not sure where to beginsure where to begin

BeginneBeginnerr

Not sure what learning targets areNot sure what learning targets are

Clear and Appropriate Learning Clear and Appropriate Learning TargetsTargets

13.56.7 4.3 0

73.9

40

8.7

53.3

0102030405060708090

100

Percent

Aware Beginner Practiced SkilledStartEnd

Users and Uses of Users and Uses of AssessmentAssessment

SkilledSkilled Understand the various purposes of Understand the various purposes of classroom assessment and can classroom assessment and can balance thembalance them

PracticePracticedd

Know various users of classroom Know various users of classroom assessment and now experimentingassessment and now experimenting

AwareAware Aware of need to have clear and Aware of need to have clear and appropriate users and uses, but need appropriate users and uses, but need assistance in articulating thoughtsassistance in articulating thoughts

BeginneBeginnerr

Not considered various users and Not considered various users and uses of assessmentuses of assessment

Users and Uses of AssessmentUsers and Uses of Assessment

21.7

0

69.6

40

8.70 0

60

0102030405060708090

100

Percent

Aware Beginner Practiced SkilledStartEnd

Matching Methods to TargetsMatching Methods to TargetsSkilledSkilled Understand broad range of Understand broad range of

assessment options, when to use assessment options, when to use each, use all types on regular basiseach, use all types on regular basis

PracticePracticedd

Trying many types of assessments, Trying many types of assessments, but need fine tuningbut need fine tuning

AwareAware Aware of need to match assessment Aware of need to match assessment and methods, but not sure what to do and methods, but not sure what to do or where to startor where to start

BeginneBeginnerr

Not sure what is meant by matching Not sure what is meant by matching targets and methodstargets and methods

Matching Methods to TargetsMatching Methods to Targets

26.1

0 4.3 0

56.5 60

13

40

0

20

40

60

80

100

Percent

Aware Beginner Practiced SkilledStartEnd

Sampling and Eliminating Sampling and Eliminating Potential Sources of Bias and Potential Sources of Bias and

DistortionDistortionSkilledSkilled Understand importance of Understand importance of

eliminating bias and distortion eliminating bias and distortion in assessments and skilled in in assessments and skilled in bothboth

PracticedPracticed Can do many things in both, Can do many things in both, need practiceneed practice

AwareAware Understand this is a problem, Understand this is a problem, but don’t know how to proceedbut don’t know how to proceed

BeginnerBeginner Know bias and distortion exist, Know bias and distortion exist, but don’t know how it applies to but don’t know how it applies to me.me.

Sampling and Eliminating Sampling and Eliminating Potential Sources of Bias and Potential Sources of Bias and

DistortionDistortion

17.4

6.7 8.70

65.260

8.7

33.3

0102030405060708090

100

Percent

Aware Beginner Practiced Skilled

StartEnd

Knowledge ProficiencyKnowledge Proficiency

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

5.5

6

6.5

7

Larg

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Asse

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Prac

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Tech

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Rel

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Valid

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Bias

Desi

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Bas

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Asse

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Asse

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Stan

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for H

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Qual

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Grad

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and

Repo

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Conf

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Nebr

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Ass

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Natio

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Mov

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Know

ledg

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ofici

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Converse aboutContent inGeneral Ways

Relate Content toBroader Non-Technical Issues

GiveExplainationsabout CriticalConceptsApply Knowledgeto ChallengingPracticalProblemsGive ExpertAdvice

Professional Assessment Professional Assessment Goals – Teacher Goals – Teacher

ReflectionReflection Know the meaning of good assessmentKnow the meaning of good assessment Create assessment information to help Create assessment information to help

other teachersother teachers Involve learners more in the assessment Involve learners more in the assessment

processprocess Write appropriate learning targets, Write appropriate learning targets,

classroom assessment criteria, and classroom assessment criteria, and assessment proceduresassessment procedures

Be a leader in curriculum and Be a leader in curriculum and assessmentassessment

Assessment Skills and Assessment Skills and Confidences LearnedConfidences Learned

Separating skills from learning Separating skills from learning behaviorsbehaviors

Creating classroom performance Creating classroom performance situations based on learning objectives situations based on learning objectives

Focusing assessment methodsFocusing assessment methods Interpreting results to students and Interpreting results to students and

parentsparents Matching curriculum targets to Matching curriculum targets to

assessmentsassessments

Assessment Issues to ResolveAssessment Issues to Resolve Engaging learners in assessment processEngaging learners in assessment process Using assessment data to modify Using assessment data to modify

instructioninstruction Creating authentic assessment situationsCreating authentic assessment situations Make assessment a district-wide goalMake assessment a district-wide goal Developing more valid and reliable testsDeveloping more valid and reliable tests Creating better scoring rubricsCreating better scoring rubrics Creating better portfolio evaluation Creating better portfolio evaluation

techniquestechniques

Assessment Questions to Assessment Questions to AnswerAnswer

Do classroom students think Do classroom students think assessment improves their learning?assessment improves their learning?

How can I work with teachers around How can I work with teachers around the district to understand assessment?the district to understand assessment?

How can I assess higher level learning How can I assess higher level learning to deliver instruction better?to deliver instruction better?

How can I better integrate assessment How can I better integrate assessment into the teaching/learning process?into the teaching/learning process?

How much do preservice teachers How much do preservice teachers need to know about assessment need to know about assessment before entering the profession?before entering the profession?

CommentsComments ““I’ve learned that I’m not alone, that I’ve learned that I’m not alone, that

others have questions, that assessment others have questions, that assessment is a process. . .”is a process. . .”

“ “I feel like this class has given me more I feel like this class has given me more direction in our assessment process.”direction in our assessment process.”

“ “Probably the most valuable experience Probably the most valuable experience I had was meeting quality educators. It I had was meeting quality educators. It was so refreshing to be around people was so refreshing to be around people who chose to learn about assessment who chose to learn about assessment and were excited to do so.”and were excited to do so.”

CommentsComments “ “We had the opportunity to work on We had the opportunity to work on

relevant projects, such as new ways of relevant projects, such as new ways of reporting, looking at standardized reporting, looking at standardized tests, and writing our own assessment tests, and writing our own assessment methods, but more importantly, we methods, but more importantly, we were able to share our thoughts and were able to share our thoughts and ideas with some of the best and ideas with some of the best and hardest working teachers from around hardest working teachers from around the state!”the state!”

Delwyn L. Harnisch, University of Nebraska – Lincoln

Leslie Lukin, Lincoln Public Schools