A New Generation of Assessments Presented at NCCSS Conference, 2014 Courtney Tuck & Melissa McGready- WSFCS.

These aren’t your Mama’s Test Questions!

A New Generation of Assessments

Presented at NCCSS Conference, 2014Courtney Tuck & Melissa McGready- WSFCS

Session Goals Why “Old School” testing won’t work

anymore… What today’s testing needs to

accomplish… What makes a strong conceptual

Multiple Choice or Constructed Response question…

Time to practice writing questions… Online bank of assessment items on

Edmodo…

The Big Picture

Ancient Egyptiansused shaduf tomove water to

theircrops.

Regulators were used on canals in

Mesopotamia to control the level of water in the

irrigation ditches.

An extensive canal system was used in the Indus Valley Civilization

of Harappa.

The Ancient Chinese created an irrigation system capable of water storing, channeling, irrigating and draining in the Western Zhou Dynasty

Your Mama’s Test Questions…

Memorization of facts Never-ending lists of people,

places, dates, & events Small % is retained

Your Mama’s Test Questions…

1. Which of the following acts required colonists to pay a tax on paper products?

A. Quartering Act

B. Stamp Act

C. Tea Act

D. Paper Act

Your Mama’s Test Questions…

Matching:

1. written language using wedge shaped characters

2. civilization on Tigris and Euphrates River

3. written language using symbols and pictures

4. some of history’s first written laws

5. civilization on the Nile River

A. Egypt

B. cuneiform

C. Mesopotamia

D. Code of Hammurabi

E. hieroglyphics

Your Mama’s Test Questions…

Fill in the Blank:

1. ___________________________’s 95 Theses resulted in the start of the Protestant Reformation.

2. The Catholic Church charged ___________________ with heresy because he said the earth revolved around the sun.

3. ____________________________ believed that all people have natural rights, including life, liberty and property.

4. _______________________ expressed the importance of a government with checks and balances and a separation of powers.

Galileo John Locke Martin Luther Montesquieu

Need for something new…

Conceptual teaching requires a new generation of assessmentsoBased on standards - not just factsoApplication of knowledge - not

memorization and regurgitationoRequires students to use primary

sources & stimulus material (maps, graphs, charts)

oRequires student to think critically

How to write strong assessment items…

Start with the standard you want to assess

Take note of the verb and what students should be able to do/understand

6.G.1.2 Explain the factors that influenced the movement of people, goods, and ideas and the effects of that movement on societies and regions over time.

How to write strong MC assessment items…

Phrase the item as a question

The first President of the United States of America was

A. Abraham LincolnB. Thomas JeffersonC. George WashingtonD. John Adams

How to write strong MC assessment items

Avoid using “NOT” or “All … except” in your questions

Which of the following was NOT a motivation for European Exploration?

A. Spread ChristianityB. Slave tradeC. Resources and RichesD. Fame and stature among leaders

How to write strong MC assessment items

Create answer choices that are all approximately the same length

What development marks the transition from the Paleolithic Era to the Neolithic Era?

A. Use of irrigationB. Ability to farmC. Knowledge of fireD. Humans developed advanced

weapons that allowed them to protect

themselves.

How to write strong MC assessment items

All answer choices must be plausible

What was main complaint of the American colonists that pushed them toward revolution?

A. Taxation without representationB. Limits on trade and economic affairsC. Extreme dislike for the British flag design

& colorsD. Disagreements on how colonies should be

ruled

How to write strong MC assessment items

Avoid answer choices “All of the Above”, “None of the Above”, etc…

How did the economies of the East African city-states influence their culture?

A. Arab traders shared their culture with the Africans

B. Arab traders forced the Africans to give up their way

of lifeC. African merchants refused to trade with

MuslimsD. All of the above

How to write strong MC assessment items

___ 2. How did the religion of Judaism transform (change) the society in Mesopotamia?

A. Abraham was no longer the ruler of Ur. B. It introduced monotheism to a polytheistic society. C. The 10 Commandments replaced the Code of Hammurabi. D. It caused the overthrow of the Babylonian Empire.

6.C.1.2 Explain how religion transformed various societies, civilizations and regions.

How to write strong MC assessment items

___ Which statement best describes the information shown in the image above? A. Taxation Rate - those at the top pay the highest taxes B. Population - it shows how the number of people increased in Egypt over time C. Social Structure - each level was more important than the one below it D. Religious Beliefs - each level worshipped those in the next level above them

How to write strong Constructed Response items

Start with the standard you want to assess

Take note of the verb and what students should be able to do/understand

6.G.1.2 Explain the factors that influenced the movement of people, goods, and ideas and the effects of that movement on societies and regions over time.

How to write strong Constructed Response items

When possible, mirror the verb from the standard

Use quantifiers in your prompt to guide student responses

Incorporate choices Stimulus material - quotes, reading

passages, charts, graphs, maps, images, timelines

Why did the world go to war in 1939?

Discuss how alliances changed the outcome of WWI.

How was the South affected by the Civil War?

How to write strong Constructed Response items

How to write strong Constructed Response items

Mount Rushmore- USA Abu Simbel- Egypt

Compare how these monuments reflect how the Ancient Egyptians and Americans value their leaders. Explain one way they are alike and one way their values are different.

The painting shows how people worked with the printing press during the Renaissance. Johann Gutenberg is usually credited as being the inventor of this form of printing in Europe.Explain the impact of the printing press on the

Renaissance/Reformation. Give two examples of how it impacted society.

Unit Questions vs. Final Exam

Questions for summative tests at the end of your units will contain content specific material.

Questions on the NC Final Exam will most likely be more broad in their scope and not focused on a specific time or event.

Unit Test Suggested Breakdown

Practice Time… Within grade-level groups, practice

writing a few questionso Copies of Unpacked Standards for your

foundationo Stimulus material related to contento Tips for Effective Questionso Question template- Be sure to include

source # and NCES Objective you are assessing

Edmodo: Log In

1. Go to Edmodo.com

2. Log-In or

Create Account*• If you create an

account, you will set up your profile before going to the next step.

Edmodo: Join Group

Locate Group Box and PLUS sign.

Edmodo: Join Group

Click the PLUS sign. Then, click Join.

Edmodo: Join Group

Enter the Edmodo Group Code and click Join.

Edmodo: Enter Group Page

Look at the Groups and click on the Group you want to access.

Edmodo: In Group Page

You can tell you are in the Group because the page will change and the Group title will be at the top.

Edmodo: Group Posting

Once in the Group Page, you can Post questions or ask your peers questions.

Edmodo: Group Folders

Once in the Group Page, you can access the Group Folders by clicking Folders.

Edmodo: Enter Group Folders

Once in the Group Folders, you can access individual Folders by clicking on the Folder you want to access.

Thank You!

We love our Mamas. We can even love your Mamas. But we can’t use the same test questions she took when she was in school. It’s time for a change…