Assessment in the classroom

HOW WE ASSESS UNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE CONCEPTS THROUGH ACTIVITIES

-Saleena Jayaprakash

INSTRUCTION AND ASSESMENTResearch and experience show that student learning is best supported when Instruction and assessment are based on clear learning goals Instruction and assessment are differentiated according to student

learning needs Students are involved in the learning process (they understand the

learning goal and the criteria for quality work- WALT and WILF, receive and use descriptive feedback, and take steps to adjust their performance)

Assessment information is used to make decisions that support further learning

Parents are well informed about their child’s learning, and work with the school to help plan and provide support

ASSESSMENTS

“Assessment is today’s means of modifying tomorrow’s instruction.” Carol Ann Tomlinson

Teachers use many different processes and strategies for classroom assessment, and adapt them to suit the assessment purpose and needs of individual students. 

CONTENTS

Traditional Assessment vs Authentic Assessment

Importance of Assessment in Teaching-Learning

Role of AssessmentPre-assessmentFormative assessmentCAT

Traditional Assessment

Traditional

Eg. Selecting a Response

Contrived (artificial)

Recall/Recognition

Teacher-structured

ASSESSMENT AND THEIR IMPORTANCE IN TEACHING-LEARNING

For students develop students' ability to evaluate themselves, to make judgements about their own performance and improve upon it.

For teachersProvides diagnostic feedbackHelps educators set standardsEvaluates progressMotivates performanceFor teacher self-evaluation

PRE ASSESSMENT

Pre-assessment: is a way to determine what students know about a topic before it is taught. It should be used regularly in all curricular areas

It helps teachers to To make instructional decisions about student strengths and needs To determine flexible grouping patterns To determine which students are ready for advance instruction

PRE ASSESSMENT IDEAS/STRATEGIES-

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

Helps your students classify ideas and communicate more effectively.

Used to structure writing projects, to help in problem solving, decision making, studying, planning research and brainstorming.

http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/

PRE ASSESSMENT IDEAS/STRATEGIES-

KWL CHARTS( SELF-ASSESSMENT) K-what does the student know? W-what does the student need

and want to know? L-what did the students learn? This is an effective pre-assessment tool and summative evaluation tool.

PRE ASSESSMENT IDEAS/STRATEGIES- CONCEPT MAPS

 It has been used to help teachers and students to build an organized knowledge

base in a given discipline or on a given topic

to observe change in students' understanding of concepts over time

to assess what the learner knows and to reveal unique thought

processes This is an effective pre-assessment tool and summative evaluation tool.

PRE ASSESSMENT IDEAS/STRATEGIES- PICTURE INTERPRETATIONS

MAKING PREDICTIONS: What do you think is going to happen next? Why do you think so? Write your ideas in your journal.

This is an effective pre-assessment tool and a motivator

PRE ASSESSMENT IDEAS/STRATEGIES-PICTURE INTERPRETATIONS

Write 10 sentences on how you think these animals adapt to their environment.

OTHER STRATEGIES

Drawing related to topic or content With the help of a diagram define Friction, Osmosis etc. Think, ink, pair, share:   Begin by having students commit their thoughts to writing. To assess what the group knows, have students discuss their ideas in pairs, and then to share them with the large group.

Questioning-critical thinking, Open ended, Higher order thinking skills

Teacher prepared tests Show of hands to determine understanding

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IDEAS- GENERATIVE SENTENCES

Given a word and conditions about the placement of the word. Write a sentence

Forces attention to grammar and word meaning Use student examples for editing Try these……..

WORD POSITION

LENGTH

Cell 3rd >7Because 1st <10

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IDEAS- EXPANDING A GENERATIVE SENTENCE

The human cell is very complex. Because of its unique features, it performs many different functions. Depending on their function, the cells show a variation in their shapes and sizes. Bacterial cells are the smallest. The longest cells in our body are the nerve cells. The egg of an ostrich is the largest cell – it is a single cell.

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IDEAS- RAFT WRITING

This is a simple but powerful technique that will inspire more thoughtful writing from your students. Taking a different perspective becomes the focus of this assessment strategy.The teacher will specify the:Role- of the studentAudienceFormatTopic

RAFT IN SCIENCE

R- ChocolateA- Your digestive systemF- Love letterT- Why I need you

RAFT IN SCIENCE

R- Lab mouseA- ScientistF- Protest letterT- Set me free!!!

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IDEAS- A DIFFERENT WAY TO USE ANIMATION AND YOU-

TUBE VIDEOS

Mute the videoStudents watch the video without audio and write down a narration for the video.

http://youtu.be/MfopLilIOeA

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IDEAS-PEER ASSESSMENT

Peer-assessment is a process whereby students assess their peers' oral presentations Answer scripts assignments group projectsAdvantages Students are better able to understand the grading process Recognize their own strengths and weakness. learn better strategies for taking tests. learn how to improve their test results. http://www.reading.ac.uk/engageinassessment/videos/eia-video-martha-marie-kleinhans-tips-on-peer-assessment.aspx

CATS- CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES

Allows you to see where the students are, to assist you in planning for the next lesson. Muddiest PointThis technique provides information on what students find most confusing about a particular lesson or topic. examples:

CAT- TO SHOW LEVELS OF ORGANISATION

Spread cups on table and have students race to correctly order, smallest to biggest.

Another great visual way to show levels of organization. This would also work for sorting individual body systems parts, even the sequence of mitosis and meiosis. Students could complete the sequence in this picture of sandwich.

CAT- A FEW MORE STRATEGIES

We’re Going Where?: Students predict the topic of tomorrow’s lesson – be sure to refer to the predictions the next day as either an opener or in closure.

Pass the ball -Students quickly and verbally share one thing they learned in the class today. You can have them toss a ball from one to another or just have volunteers.

“What am I?”- (riddles for key terms) Have students construct clues (riddles) about the key terms and quiz partners or the Students prepare a short quiz

It Looks Like This: An actual object or model that directly relates to the lesson is shown and students explain how it connects to the day’s concept.

Sell It To Us: Write a jingle (a short tune used in advertising) that explains the main idea of the lesson.

http://www.schooltube.com/video/455c7240947692d92822/Advertising%20Jingles%20Example%20 Commercial :Students write a 1 – 2 minute commercial to use at home when

asked, “What happened in math class today?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cn6dq8fTKM

CAT-EXIT CARDS

Have students answer one or two key questions on an index card at the end of a class period

Such ‘exit cards’ are not graded It helps teacher with the planning of the next day’s lessonA few examples: What did I learn today? What don’t I yet understand about today’s lesson? How does this information I learnt today help me? What am I pleased with, about my learning today? The best thing about today’s lesson was……. The most surprising thing about today’s lesson was….. I’d like to learn more about…………

THANK YOU