Yearly Archives: 2017

THREE LENSES OF ASSESSMENT

 Telescopes, binoculars, and magnifying glasses each have a purpose in improving our ability to see. Assessment also has many purposes and perspectives. Yet, it is easy to lose sight of its fundamental function: To improve student learning by illuminating outcomes and informing instructional responses. This is achieved through alignment of instruction and assessment with learning intentions. The result is tangible evidence of purposeful learning.

Choosing the right lens and the just-right response takes mindfulness of purpose and finesse of process.

1. A telescope provides a big picture view of far-off and often indistinct objects. It may help us see distant galaxies or confirm that the universe is expanding. Big-picture assessments show large-scale data or trends in large numbers of schools and students. This may inform policy decisions, but in general, does not cause significant variations in classroom instruction or student achievement.

 
2. Binoculars bring things that are somewhat distant into clearer focus. With them we can see the conclusion of a race or people scaling a mountain. In schools, this level of vision can evaluate the relationship between guiding principles and learning outcomes. It can also validate a district’s curriculum or delve into sub-groups of students. As with the telescope, binoculars look at broad issues, but at the school level offer greater potential for influencing local practice.

3. A magnifying glass brings learning and assessment up-close and personal. Somewhat like examining a bug or mathematical operations to better understand how and why each part has its place and purpose. This helps teachers know the strength of student’s knowledge and skills as well as recognize lingering gaps. These lenses also improve teacher’s practice by highlighting areas that may need upskilling. (My new favorite word indicating that their abilities are valued, yet can improve.)

In brief, effective lenses makes assessment intentional, illuminating, and informative.

5 ASSESSMENT MYTHS

1. Assessment is the Same as Testing
While tests are a form of assessment, assessments are NOT solely tests. Assessment originates from the Latin Assidere, meaning to sit beside. In doing so, teachers and students gather information about learning and use that to guide their next steps.

2. Testing Helps Us Teach Better
After centuries of testing (Civil Service tests began with the Ming Dynasty) there is little evidence that all this testing has improved outcomes. After all, since Alfred Binet devised the first IQ test in 1904 the average IQ is still 100.

3. All We Have to Do is Assess Harder
Some believe that if we assess harder, we can produce better data that leads to improved learning outcomes. Today, we are drowning in data, but it is not necessarily the right data. We can pinpoint exactly what a child’s reading level is, but we can’t figure out why they comprehend non-fiction better than fiction.

4. Comparing Students and Schools is an Effective Path Towards Improvement
Improvement is about growth. Everyone starts on their own starting line. Whether it be the ability to divide fractions, interpret the intent of the Constitution, or make a 3-point shot, we can all improve. But we cannot all reach superstar status. Sorry about that.

5. Data Informs the Best Decisions
Data is good; information is better. If I tell you that you are at the 85^th percentile, or scored in the 5^th tier, or had a Stanine of 4, would you be able to decide what to do next? So why do we trust that district and state decisions based on data are more relevant than teacher’s insights and information.

What does leads to student success is assessment that is relevant, mutual, engaging, and instructive.

Decluttering Assessment

There is a movement afoot to declutter our homes and our lives. Advice comes from cleaning experts, organizing professionals, prioritizing specialists, and more. Marie Kondo recommends getting rid of things that no longer bring joy or serve their purpose. For generations, Heloise has been telling people how to organize closets, and the International Cleaning Organization holds an annual expo on clutter control. Seriously, their advice can also declutter and improve assessment. Consider these ideas.

SORT: Determine categories that make sense to you such as;
Purpose: What is their function? Summative, formative, common, alternative
Timing: When do you use them? Before, during, after teaching and learning
Practice: How do you choose what to use and when? Traditional (selected choice, essay) Student owned (metacognitive, self/peer review) Products and performance (progress logs, observations)

PRIORITIZE: Decide what is most important and essential in assessment. Is it mutual, informative, or…
Consistent: Does everyone take the same test at the same time in content areas and grade levels?
Flexible: Do strategies and processes vary for subject and students?
Engaging: Is it embedded throughout teaching and learning? Does it involve teachers and students?
Equitable: Is it fair and supportive of all learners? Does it emphasize gains rather than scores?
Technical Qualities: Consider accuracy, consistency, and alignment.

STORE: Manage storage to avoid clutter-whelm
Electronic or paper documentation depends on frequency and purpose of assessments. Most is stored electronically, but for routine reminders keep a notepad app or even real paper handy for those flashes of brilliance or reminders of people and things that need checking, confirming, or questioning. Maximize your student management system for grading, notes, and parent communication in ways that are personally productive and practical.

Helpful organizational technologies include LiveBinders and Remind. Assessments and data can be stored with Kahoot  GoFormative, and Quizziz. Use all that  Google Classroom has to offer.
Feel The Lightness

Coherence and Evidence in Assessment

There’s a cartoon where a little boy is telling a friend that he taught his dog to whistle. His friend notes that the dog is unable to whistle. The little boy says, “Just because I taught him, doesn’t mean he learned it.”

So, how do we know when a student has learned what has been taught? Some say a test will confirm it. Others say a project is a better way for students to demonstrate achievement. I believe it is not the assessment method, but rather the process for gathering and using evidence of learning.

This process starts with alignment between the learning intentions and the learning outcomes. If I tell a student they will learn to tie their shoes, then demonstrate how to do it, then have them perform the task, they may or may not be successful. Why?

1.       I did not check their incoming knowledge at the start.

2.       My boot laces were different from the student’s sneaker laces.

3.       During the demonstration, some of the steps were not visible such as pulling the loop through the wrap-over.

4.       During instruction some of the steps were not fully explained, such as why a double knot is more durable and lasts longer.

5.       Student did not have a checklist of the steps to help them identify gaps in understanding or performance.

6.       No information was gathered on their developing skills while the student tried to tie their laces.

7.       Student was unable to explain reasons for their success nor ways to improve their performance.

Consider how this example can be applied to a spectrum of learning from writing the alphabet to analyzing lab experiments.  The best way to gather accurate evidence of learning is to:

·         Be certain the learning intention matches the learning action. If the intention is to analyze, be sure the teaching and assessment includes higher level thinking such as classifying and prioritizing, not simply defining and explaining.

·         Check-in on students’ progress throughout teaching and learning. Rather than asking, “Any questions?” have students record their progress on a learning tracker or submit a “bump in the road” or “feathers and salt” review.

·         Be sure the summative assessment incorporates a spectrum of learning outcomes from knowing to producing, and that each aim is unambiguously assessed. For example, using words in a word bank to complete sentences for demonstrating understanding vs. synthesizing the ideas from multiple sources into a cohesive summary and position statement.  

Let me know how you have or will use these ideas.