Educational Assessment

Assessment plan

"cycle" of assessments in the classroom - starts with placement (before instruction begins), followed by formative (during instructions) and diagnostic (during instruction for struggling students) and ends with summative (certify mastery/assign grades).

Rating scale

A systematic procedure for guiding and recording the degree to which the characteristics of a performance or behavior are present; example - "exceeds", "meets" and "below" expectations with a range of indicators that describe each of the performance level.

Anecdotal record

A brief description of some significant student behavior, the setting in which if occurred, and an interpretation of its meaning; can be included as evidence of learning through observation (an example of formative assessment).

Bloom's taxonomy

A classification scheme that provides a method for identifying, aligning, preparing and assessing instructional (learning) objectives, instructional activities and assessment methods; it combines knowledge and cognitive processing dimensions.

Criterion referenced interpretation

A description of an individual's performance in terms of the tasks he or she can and cannot perform; not referenced to peers.

Checklist

A list of dimensions of a performance or product that is simply checked as present or absent (the only choice is "yes/no" or "present/absent");does not include any degree of achievement.

Product assessment

A product is the focus of the assessment; examples could include a written essay, a map, a graph, a painting, a poster, a model, or a science lab report; requires the use of a checklist, rating scale, analytical or holistic rubric for objective scoring.

Criteria

A set of qualities used in judging a performance, a product, or an assessment instrument.

Rubric

A set of scoring guidelines that focuses the evaluation of a student's product/performance; rubrics are used to reduce subjectivity and increase the reliability of scoring by evaluators.

Bias is the presence of some characteristic of an item and or test that results in two individuals of the same but from different subgroups performing differently on the item and or test.

Ability

Summative assessment

Achievement assessment for the purpose of certifying mastery and/or assigning grades; applied at the end of a specified learning period (for example - a weekly spelling quiz or a year-end assessment).

English language learners and native English speakers should have the same opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge or skills in a content area. This is the primary purpose for providing English language learners with testing accommodations.

All students should have the same opportunity to demonstrate their skills and knowledge. Accommodations and modifications can help to ensure this equal opportunity.

Portfolio

Allows the systematic collection of artifacts, usually involves descriptive records or a variety of student work over time that reflects student growth toward the achievement of specific curricular objectives.

Differentiated instruction

An approach whereby teachers adjust instruction and assessment to maximize the learning of ALL students; a framework of strategies that allows implementation of a variety of evidence-based strategies; includes how content is taught, practiced and assessed.

Test

An instrument or systematic procedure for measuring a sample of behavior by posing a set of questions in a uniform manner; this is probably the most familiar method for gathering summative assessment data.

Task

Any assessment item that requires students to demonstrate a knowledge, skill, or combination of attributes, by means of a performance or product.

Achievement assessment

Any assessment that determines the extent to which the students have mastered the intended learning outcomes, most often would be summative in nature.

Alternative assessment

Any assessment that is not a traditional paper-and-pencil type (what most people would recognize as a "test"); examples can include oral presentations, portfolios and performances.

Authentic assessment

Any assessment that requires the application of skills to "real-life" tasks; a task that involves solving problems that exist in the real world.

Assessment

Any of a variety of procedures used to obtain information about student performance; answers the question, "How well does the individual perform?" Includes placement, formative, diagnostic and summative formats.

Performance definition

Application of knowledge under direct observation of the teacher.

Placement assessment

Applied prior to planned instruction to determine if the students are ready (have the background needed) and, if so, how ready they are (can indicate the need for flexible grouping for more effective instruction). covers the intended learning outcomes of the planned instruction. This type of assessment is used prior to instruction.

Diagnostic assessment

Applied to individual students after formative assessment reveals gaps in readiness that were not detected in the placement assessment phase; purpose is to pinpoint and remedy learning difficulties so that struggling students are not "left behind".

Imposing sanctions on a school based on test scores.

Appropriate

Holistic scoring rubric

Assignment of score is based on overall impression of performance or product rather than a consideration of individual elements; the overall judgment is guided by descriptions of various levels of performance or scoring rubrics.

The use of all of the above should be and none of the above should be used with caution.

Avoided

Which of the three following statements are true of performance-based assessments? (Choose all that apply.)

Based on classroom instruction and everyday tasks Helpful when assessing oral communication and/or reading May not yield one single, correct answer

Teacher standards for student assessment

Basic responsibilities that have been identified for teacher preparation and are specific to knowledge and skills in assessment.

Which type of multiple choice question is used for more complex achievement?

Best answer

Content standards

Broad descriptions of expectations for grade-level or subject-level content; standards come from the state and are not generally considered to be "teacher-friendly"; need greater clarification so they can be used effectively to develop objectives.

Benchmarks

Educational statements that further clarify state content standards - typically come from the school district; while they provide greater clarification, they do not include how the content should be taught or assessed. Statements that follow a standard and clarify in broad terms what the standard means.

Individuals with disabilities act (IDEA)

Ensured that students with disabilities would get Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE); if at all possible, this moved students with accommodations out of SPED classrooms into general education classrooms (with IEPs); called mainstreaming.

You are planning a series of formative assessments for your seventh grade social studies unit on the three branches of government. Select the components that should be included in order to adhere to principles of formative assessment design.

Challenging items that elicit understanding. Collaboration between the teacher and the student. Basing the assessment on relevant standards. Feedback that is provided during instruction.

Cognitive dimension

Cognitive (learning) levels range from simple memory to complex innovative thinking and has six degrees - remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate and create.

Alignment/misalignment

Connection (or lack of connection) between the content taught, the activities selected and the assessment items used; may also refer to alignment (or misalignment) of standards, benchmarks, learning objectives and learning outcomes.

No child left behind act (NCLB)

Reauthorization of ESEA in 2002; stressed high-stakes testing and accountability; included sanctions for schools that failed to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) to include less federal funding and replacement of administrators and teachers. Students are tested annually in reading and math in grades 3-8 and once in high school.

As a team, you are concerned about making sure that the final written project is graded consistently. Which method would be least likely to ensure reliability in grading?

Dividing the projects into four sets and giving one set to each teacher

Performance assessment

Demonstration of achievement by performing a task; examples include giving a speech, writing a story, conducting an experiment, operating a machine - needs a rubric for objective scoring.

Norm referenced interpretation

Description of individual's performance in terms of how it compares to the performance of others (those in a norm group).

Instructional/learning objectives

Educational statements created by teachers that are based on standards and benchmarks; provide a description of the knowledge or skill that students should demonstrate after a lesson is taught - they are the basis for lesson plans.

Code of professional responsibilities in educational measurement

Ethical guidelines developed for professionals engaged in assessment activities; includes school personnel as well as policy makers in government, proctoring services, college/university faculty, assessment creators/publishers and proctors.

National defense education act (NDEA)

Following launch of Sputnik I by the Soviet Union, the US government poured millions of dollars into high school math and science curricula; also increased emphasis was placed on objective assessment methods.

Extended response/performance

Gives students greater freedom in selecting and carrying out the tasks; more likely to require a holistic rubric due to the nature and variety of student responses/performances.

When arranging items within a test, which of the following are guidelines to follow? (Choose all that apply.)

Group items that measure the same outcome Group all items of the same type together Arrange items in terms of increasing difficulty

Short answer

Guessing is less likely, but the responses are time-consuming to score.

You have a student in your classroom whose IEP states that he needs to receive presentation and response accommodations. You are preparing a lesson in which the students need to read a passage and view an accompanying chart, write answers (in complete sentences) to questions about the passage and chart, complete an oral discussion activity in small groups, and then summarize the new knowledge from the lesson in a written sentence. Which of the following might be accommodations that you provide for the student during the lesson?

Have a scribe record the student's written responses for him. Use an audio version of the passage so that the student can follow along as the passage is read aloud. Provide a map for the student that has raised lines and larger print.

Differentiating content

Refers to HOW content is taught and includes utilizing different methods to teach the same skill or concept to students based on their needs (DOES NOT MEAN CHANGING THE CONTENT AS THE CONTENT IS BASED ON STANDARDS).

Constructed response items

Highest level of supply response; typical of extended and/or restricted responses that are at the "evaluate" or "create" level of response or performance with regard to Bloom's Taxonomy.

Elementary and secondary education act (ESEA)

Historical legislative package that was part of the War on Poverty and Civil Rights Act of 1964; established the need for teaching to and assessing high standards; first Title 1 funding; HeadStart was created; legislatively ended school segregation.

Which of the following is not a risk posed by high-stakes tests for students with learning disabilities?

Identification of an unknown learning disability after receiving low assessment scores

System of assessments

Includes all assessments given during a year - large scale as well as classroom assessments; provides multiple options for determining what students know and can do.

Selected response items

Item type that presents students with a set of possible responses from which they are to select the correct response - true/false, matching, multiple choice and interpretative exercise; graded with a key (master set of correct responses).

Supply response items

Item type that requires students to provide unique responses; includes short answer, restricted and extended responses; requires a rubric, checklist or rating scale for more objective grading.

Knowledge dimension

Knowledge levels ranges from concrete to abstract and has four levels - factual, conceptual, procedural and meta-cognitive.

A learning outcome for a second grade social studies class might be as follows: "Identify the four bodies of water". One of the test items for this outcome is as follows: There are four important bodies of water in, or adjacent to, the United States. One of these bodies of water is called the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic Ocean is located ___ of the United States. A) north B) south C) east D) west Which of the following errors are noted in the learning outcome and/or the test item? (Choose all that apply.)

Lack of alignment between the learning outcome and the test item Irrelevant reading material in the test item Inappropriate reading level within the test item

Pro

Larger sample of student performance because a large number of items can be used

Which of the following are best practices when creating multiple choice questions? (Choose all that apply.)

Measure complex achievement by asking questions that apply content to new situations Create a task in the stem that is clearly worded and can be understood without looking at the alternatives

Essay

Measures the highest levels of learning outcomes, but scoring can be impacted by writing skill, bluffing, grammar, and handwriting.

Every student succeeds act (ESSA)

Most recent re-authorization of ESEA; aims to reduce the burden of testing while still requiring that schools be held accountable; greater focus on college and career readiness for all students.

Summative scenario

Mr. Huite's 10th grade students finish their unit on report writing. They turn in their reports for final grades.

Formative scenario

Mr. Tilson gives a weekly math test. His students perform well. He decides to move forward with instruction.

Percentile rank

Norm-referenced interpretation that indicates the percentage of individuals in a group scoring at or below a given point.

Grade equivalent score

Norm-referenced interpretation/score that indicates the grade level at which an individual's score compares with the average score of the peer group (an example would be 6.5 on a 4th grade math test).

If including more than one central idea, clearly identify each one in the statement. Strive for a mix of positive and negative statements. Inform students at the end of instruction how they will be graded, so that the policy can be flexible and can be updated as needed.

Not a best practice

Progress monitoring

On-going administrative processes that gauge effectiveness of teacher effectiveness by considering rates of student improvement, numbers of students not making adequate progress and other evidence. Identifies students who are not making adequate progress and need additional instruction. Student's scores are compared to individual, classroom, or district scores or averages.

Differentiating product

Refers to the methods students use to demonstrate their learning; students are assessed on the same concept or skill and are given a variety of ways to demonstrate their knowledge or skill - this includes any level of assessment. Methods students use to demonstrate learning.

Differentiating process

Refers to the use of different activities that students use to master the content that was taught; the students have been taught the same concept or skill but the ways in which they make meaning of it can be different - it is how they practice learning. Activities students use to master the content.

Formative assessment

Primary function is to determine how effective a teacher's instruction has been; depending on the results - students may be ready to move on, corrective feedback may be provided or instruction may need to be repeated using different methods. Are used to monitor student progress during instruction. Monitors learning behavior.

Balanced assessment program

Purposely balancing student performance on standardized tests with the day-to-day classroom assessment process, working to keep standardized tests in perspective.

One of your goals for the school year is to prepare your students for standardized assessments. Some instructional practices are ethical, while some take "teaching to the test" too far and are not ethical.

Scheduling make-up days for students who miss parts of the test Using formative and summative assessment data to identify areas where students need improvement as they master content likely to be on the standardized test Teaching test-taking strategies Using released copies of tests from past years to help students understand what the test will generally look like

Interpretive exercise

Selection type

Accommodations

Services or supports related to a student's disability that allows student to fully access any given subject matter and to accurately demonstrate knowledge without fundamental alteration to the assignment or test standards or expectations.

Modifications

Services or supports that allow a student to access the general education curriculum but fundamentally alters the content or curricular expectations when compared with required content standards, curricula and assessments.

Four elements are needed in to design a performance-based assessment that supports learning for ELLs. Choose the four elements from the list below.

Show students how to monitor their own work. Require meaningful tasks. Make criteria for evaluation clear to the students. Designed for the students' proficiency level.

Students with exceptionalities are students with

Special needs.

Formal assessment

Standardized instruments; constructed by test specialists (such as year-end assessments) or textbook publishers; they are prepared to use with general student populations; typically measure end of year or summative outcomes.

Year end assessment

Standardized tests that estimate growth in skills and knowledge from year-to-year, identify academically at-risk student populations, and evaluate students against national norms (if common assessments are used). Identifies academically at-risk students. Evaluates students' progress against national norms.

The every student succeeds act

States can develop alternative standards for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.

Relative grading

Students are ranked in order of performance with highest rank receiving highest grade; percentage of students who receive each letter grade is predetermined.

Which of the following is not a stated benefit of using visible criteria in performance-based assessments?

Students can capitalize on their strengths as visual learners.

Restricted response/performance

Supply response items that are highly restricted and limited in scope; students are expected to respond/perform similarly; typically requires an analytic rubric for more objective scoring (think of WGU Taskstream assignments).

The term is used to describe assessments that hold schools school districts and state accountable for test performance.

System accountability

Informal assessment

Teacher-constructed for unique classrooms - based on content and level of instruction; includes all types of teacher-constructed assessments - placement, formative, diagnostic or summative.

Testing bias

The act of creating test items that include references to cultural contexts that are not representative of the non-majority students.

Analytic scoring rubric

The assignment of scores to individual components of a performance or product (e.g., evaluate a writing sample by using separate scores for organization, style, mechanics, etc.); this is the type of rubric used by WGU when scoring in TaskStream.

Reliability

The degree to which assessment results are consistent from one measurement (or assessment) to another; includes any external factor that influences the students' performance; this is also the reason that specific training is need for year-end assessments.

Learning outcome

The desired knowledge and/or skills that students should retain and be able to demonstrate in settings other than the classroom where initially taught.

Which of the following was NOT an addition to the requirements that was included in the 2002 reauthorization of ESEA?

The development of challenging standards and the assessment of student progress towards them

Validity

The extent to which inferences made from assessment results are appropriate, meaningful, and useful in terms of the purpose for the assessment - the assessment items include only content taught but also align to cognitive level taught reliability(Bloom's). Refers to the appropriateness and meaningfulness of an assessment's results.

Percent correct score

The percentage of items that an individual answers correctly or the percentage of tasks an individual performs correctly.

Measurement

The process of obtaining a numerical description of the degree to which an individual possesses a particular characteristic (a quantitative measure); in other words, it answers, "How much has the student learned?"

Self assessment

The process through which students monitor and evaluate their own work, identify their unique set of strengths and weaknesses, and think about their own thinking (known as meta-cognition).

Peer assessment

The process through which students provide corrective feedback to peers (NOT grading); this is typically performed prior to submitting an assignment for grading by the teacher in order to improve one another's submissions.

As you prepare the formative assessment on the four seasons, you locate online banks of assessments and/or assessment items. Although these resources may be helpful, what limitation might they also possess?

They may test only basic concepts or skills.

Battery of tests

Two or more tests standardized on the same sample of students, so that performance on the different tests can be compared using a common norm group (an example of norm-referenced interpretation) degree.

Absolute grading

Typically, use of letter grades defined by a 100-point system; a pre-set standard t is known before assessment or assignment is completed.

Test scores are based on too few items

Use longer tests or accumulate scores from several shorter tests.

Once you have your students' scores from the test, you will then need to interpret and use the results. Which of the following would be an unethical or inappropriate practice?

Using the test scores to determine an English language learner's growth during the year.

Product definition

Work that provides concrete examples of students application of knowledge.

Phrase the stem to avoid equivocal answers

Yes