Reflecting on assessment a tale of hope and ideals 2010

Rethinking Assessment: A Tale of Hope & Ideals

John McCarthy, Ed.S.Education ConsultantWayne [email protected]

Norms

• All voices need to be heard (we benefit from everyone’s experiences)

• Monitor own Zone of Proximal Growth

• Seek to understand before being understood –Stephen Covey (Questions are gifts)

Please set cell phones to vibrate or silent mode, or turn off. Thank you.

Creating Reflective Conversations• Grading

--Purpose = Academic Achievement--Eliminate Grade Fog

• Assessment

--Learning Target Focused--Formative assessments track trends for learning

needs towards graded milestones.• Differentiation

--Begin where learner is at--Assessment options = Learner’s Strengths

“A goal that can’t be measured is just a slogan.”--N.H. Dept. Of Ed

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.--Alan Cohen

Academic ProgressThe primary purpose of an academic grade is to

indicate if a student has sufficiently mastered curriculum to be placed in the next grade or more advanced subject.

Formative AssessmentsThe primary purpose of formative assessments is

to track what a student knows and does not know. Based on sufficient data, determine next steps in the student’s learning achievement.

45 38

360135 .1710

45 38

360135 .2200

45 38

360135495

Starting Place for Learning-based Instruction

“Differentiation is making sure that the right students get the right learning tasks at the right time. Once you have a sense of what each student holds as ‘given’ or ‘known’ and what he or she needs in order to learn, differentiation is no longer an option; it is an obvious response.”

Assessment as Learning: Using Classroom Assessment to Maximize Student LearningLorna M. Earl, Corwin Press, Inc. 2003 – pp. 86-87

How many exposures to a concept do learners need for 80% mastery?

Marzano, Classroom Strategies That Work, p. 67

24

Grade Reporting

• Academic Achievement (Performance)• Academic Growth (Progress)• Effort (Process)

AGE or 3Ps

3 > 1

Grade Reporting• Academic Achievement (Performance)

– Standards-based assessment data– Performance-based assessments– Milestone assessments– Later assessments carry more weight than earlier

assessments.

3 > 1

StudentSummer

BarryKatie

Academic (4)441

Grade Reporting

• Academic Growth (Progress)– Measure gains from where a student started to

where s/he is now.– Portfolio– Standards-based assessment

3 > 1

StudentSummer

BarryKatie

Academic (4)441

Growth (3)213

Grade Reporting

• Effort (Process)– Organization skills– Class work– Homework– Participation

3 > 1

StudentSummer

BarryKatie

Academic (4)441

Growth (3)213

Effort (3)113

Authentic Assessment

Planning Questions

• What should students know, understand, and be able to do?

• How will students demonstrate what they know?

Starting Point for Unit and Lesson Planning

During Development of Unit and Lesson Planning

• What will you do for students who do not succeed?

• What will you do for students who already know the unit?

Who should pack your parachute?

Competency/Mastery Level

Who do you want to pack your parachute?

Parachute-Packing Test Scores

Test Scores & AverageTests Student 1 Student 2 Student 3

1 95 80 302 85 90 403 95 70 604 85 98 705 100 70 606 75 98 657 70 70 908 60 90 95

9 55 65 100Avg: 80 81 68

Principles of Effective Grading and Reporting

1. It’s unwise to over-grade student work.2. Grades should be based on clearly specified learning

goals.3. Grades should be criterion-based, not norm-based.4. Data used for grading must be valid (measure what

we intend to measure). That is, the data must be free of “Grade Fog.”

5. Grade later in the learning cycle rather than earlier.6. When it’s time for report cards, practice 3-P grading

Carol Ann Tomlinson, ASCD 2008, New Orleans

Solve this Story Problem

Jamal loves 4th grade. He made an excellent funny video critique of the main characters from Harry Potter’s final book. He has an E for 4th grade Reading in Semester 1. It’s based on the final exam, 7 short answer essays—his score was 20%.

What is the real problem? What is an appropriate assessment solution?

Data-Driven Dialogue???

Average

20 50 20 100 100

Thor 16 50 18 80 86

Katie 10 50 10 60 68

Summer 20 50 20 95 97

Barry 10 0 0 100 58

Quiz QuizGroupWork

FinalExam

What do we know about these students’ learning needs?

Comprehensive

Data-Driven Dialogue???

Average

20 50 20 100 100

Thor 16 50 18 80 82

Katie 10 50 10 60 58

Summer 20 50 20 95 96

Barry 10 0 0 100 83/100

Writing: Organization Transitions*

Main Ideas: Supporting Details

& Ex.*

ComprehensiveFinalExam

What do we know about these students’ learning needs?

* Formative data reported in Gradebook as not calculated for a grade.

From…

Patricia Scriffiny. Seven Reasons for Standards-Based Grading, Education Leadership. 10/2008. Vol.66.2

Transform to…

Patricia Scriffiny. Seven Reasons for Standards-Based Grading, Education Leadership. 10/2008. Vol.66.2

Solve this Story ProblemChristine did poorly on a graded assignment, but 3 days later she appears to understand the concepts and skills. The teacher considers two options.A. Allow Christine to redo the assignment for

full credit.B. For Christine, replace the grade with the

results of the next graded assignment, which builds on the previous assignment.

How could these options reduce grade fog? What obstacles to measuring student achievement might these options create?

Principles of Effective Grading and Reporting

1. It’s unwise to over-grade student work.2. Grades should be based on clearly specified learning

goals.3. Grades should be criterion-based, not norm-based.4. Data used for grading must be valid (measure what

we intend to measure). That is, the data must be free of “Grade Fog.”

5. Grade later in the learning cycle rather than earlier.6. When it’s time for report cards, practice 3-P grading

Carol Ann Tomlinson, ASCD 2008, New Orleans

The Zero Factor

“A zero has an underserved and devastating influence so much so that no matter what the student does, the grade distorts the final grade as a true indicator of mastery. Mathematically and ethically this is unacceptable.” (Wormeli, Fair Isn’t Equal. 2006, pp. 137-8)

Achievement vs. The #’s Game• 91, 91, 91, 91, 91

Total = 455. Mean = 91.1. Current Grade = A

• 91, 91, 91, 91, 91, 0Total = 455. Mean = 75.8. Current Grade = C

• To raise Mean to an 89.5, an A, this student must score a 91 on the next ___assignments55

(55 ninety-one’s)

• 91, 91, 91, 91, 91, 55Total = 510. Mean = 85. Current Grade = B

• To raise Mean to an 89.5, an A, this student must score a 91 on the next __ assignments.

Alternatives v1.5

18(18 ninety-one’s)

A Fair Grading System?

ScaleA: 100-41B: 40-31C: 20-30D: 20-11F: 10-0

Pts Dif6010101011

Pts Dif1010101060

ScaleA: 100-90B: 89-80C: 79-70D: 69-60F: 59-0

Alternatives v2.0

A: 40-35B: 34-30C: 29-20D: 19-10E: 9-(5)-0

Pt. Diff65

101010

s

Achievement vs. The #’s Game• 37, 37, 37, 37, 37

Total = 185. Mean = 37. Current Grade = A• 37, 37, 37, 37, 37, 0

Total = 185. Mean = 30.8. Current Grade = B

• To raise Mean to a 35, an A, this student must score a 37 on the next __ assignment(s)8

(8 thirty-sevens)

Achievement vs. The #’s Game• 37, 37, 37, 37, 37, 5

Total = 190. Mean = 31.6. Current Grade = B

• To raise Mean to a 35, an A, this student must score a 37 on the next __ assignment(s)6

(6 thirty-sevens)

Alternatives v2.5b

A: 4.0-3.5B: 3.4-3.0C: 2.9-2.0D: 1.9-1.0E: 0.9-0.5

Pt. Diff.5.511.5

A = 4ptsB= 3pts or 3.2C=2pts or 2.4D=1pts or 1.4E= .5 or .8

s

Achievement vs. The #’s Game• 4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Total = 20. Mean = 4. Current Grade = A• 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 0

Total = 20. Mean = 3.3. Current Grade = B

• To raise Mean to a 3.5, an A, this student must score a 4 on the next __ assignment(s)2

(2 fours)

Achievement vs. The #’s Game

4, 4, 4, 4, 4, .5 Total = 20.5 Mean = 3.4. Current Grade = B

To raise Mean to a 3.5, an A, this student must score a 4 on the next __ assignment (s)

(1 four)

1

Mean or Mode

• Larry: 85, 82, 92, 71, 82, 81, 62, 78– Mean: 79.1 = C– Mode: 4 – 80s, 2 – 70s, 1 – 90, 1 – 60 = B

• Larry: 85, 82, 92, 71, 82, 81, 62, 0– Mean: 69.3 = D– Mode: 4 – 80s, 1 – 70s, 1 – 90, 1 – 60, 1 - 0 = B

Principles of Effective Grading and Reporting

1. It’s unwise to over-grade student work.2. Grades should be based on clearly specified learning

goals.3. Grades should be criterion-based, not norm-based.4. Data used for grading must be valid (measure what

we intend to measure). That is, the data must be free of “Grade Fog.”

5. Grade later in the learning cycle rather than earlier.6. When it’s time for report cards, practice 3-P grading

Carol Ann Tomlinson, ASCD 2008, New Orleans

7 Strategies of Assessment FOR Learning1. Provide a clear and understandable vision of the learning

target—“What’s the learning?”2. Use examples and models of strong and weak work—“What

does quality look like?”3. Offer regular descriptive feedback– “What are my strengths

and where do I still need work?”4. Teach students to self-assess and set goals—Metacognition.5. Design lessons to focus on one aspect of quality at a time—

Go to the heart of the learning.6. Teach students focused revision—revising initial work allows

students to demonstrate growth in learning.7. Engage students in self-reflection and let them keep track of

and share their learning—summarization and portfolios

From Classroom Assessment for Student Learning (Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis, and Chappuis)

Grade Reporting3 > 1

StudentSummer

BarryKatie

Academic (4)441

Growth (3)213

Effort (3)113

15 Fixes for Broken Grades

Ken O’Conner

Reflection and Questions

Annotated Bibliography• Wormeli, Rick. Fair Isn’t Always Equal: Assessing & Grading In the Differentiated

Classroom. Stenhouse Publishers: 2006Address quality elements of good assessment and grading practices based on getting an accurate understanding of student learning. Provides strategies and different views for thinking and methods for effective assessment and grading. Great for teachers and administrators. Makes for an excellent book study for schools and districts looking to build clarity in assessing student learning.

• O’Connor, Ken. A Repair Kit for Grading: 15 Fixes for Broken Grades. ETS: 2007Teachers and school/district leaders gain a deeper understanding of the issues involved in sound grading practices. Includes: practical strategies and alternatives to help change how students are graded.

• O’Connor, Ken. How To Grade For Learning. Corwin Press; 2nd Ed.: 2002The author shows how to link grades and standards. His eight models assist teachers in designing and conducting grading practices that help students feel more in control of their academic success.

• Marzano, Robert. Classroom Assessment & Grading that Work. ASCD: 2006Learn about a framework for developing a formative assessment program based on a standards-based focus. Looks at traditional systems with a critical eye for implications, and adjustments needed to be more effective to student learning needs.

• Marzano, Robert. Transforming Classroom Grading. ASCD: 2000Take a close look at grading practices. Look at seven types of assessment that, worked together, give a complete view of student learning. Provides for needed discussion around the impact of ineffective and effective grading practices.

Rethinking Assessment: A Tale of Hope & Ideals

John McCarthy, Ed.S.Education ConsultantWayne [email protected]