Lecturette 2: Lecturette 2: Classroom-based Assessments Classroom-based Assessments of Student Learning of Student Learning
Dec 24, 2015
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