Issue 115: Nov 29, 2010 Connections Newsletter
Assessment for Learning and Learning-Focused
Brenda Hill
Nov 29, 2010
The use of assessments and various types of assessments have been evident throughout the history of education. Richard Shavelson states, "Today's demand for a culture of evidence of student learning appears to be new, but it turns out to be very old, and there's no wishing it away." Historically, traditional assessments were administered to determine if students achieved mastery on a topic, subject, concept, or skill. Though traditional assessments provided some insight into a student's level of understanding about a particular topic, subject, or strand; the tests were often viewed as a "necessary evil" and the results were soon forgotten with no practical application for the classroom teacher. Today, with new accountability measures for teachers and schools, assessments have taken on new emphasis, direction and meaning. Shavelson further contends "that assessment all by itself is an insufficient condition for powerful learning and improvement". Therefore, assessment FOR learning "turns the classroom assessment process and its results into an instructional intervention designed to increase, not merely monitor, student learning." (Rick Stiggins, September 2005) Numerous research studies from around the world over the past decade not only indicate, but provide evidence, that assessment for learning positively impacts student learning - especially for the struggling learner or the low achiever. Learning-Focused believes that in order for assessment to positively impact student performance and achievement, it should occur at all stages of the learning process.
Effective assessment for learning begins at the onset of a unit by setting high expectations for students to communicate the learning goals or outcomes they are expected to master. Initial assessments at a unit's onset provides insightful information to the teacher about students' prior knowledge or life experiences, identifies, if or what, misconceptions a student may have, and determines any gaps in learning on a specific concept or skill. Throughout the progression of lessons and learning experiences in the unit, assessments are continuously used to determine what knowledge the student has gained, to extend a student's thinking on a concept, or to determine a student's lack of understanding/knowledge about the topic. Ongoing, formative assessments help teachers make informed decisions about instructional practices to ensure successful learning outcomes for all students. The Learning-Focused Strategies Model provides a framework for developing quality units and lessons that employ a variety of assessments to evaluate student progress throughout the learning process and adjust instruction, as needed. Following is a brief explanation and example of how each assessment is used in this Model:
• Assessment Prompts - Assessment Prompts are used in Acquisition Lessons as stopping points to check for understanding throughout teaching and to elicit evidence that students actually learned the content delivered. Teachers ask themselves: "What must my students learn in order to answer the lesson essential question?" The answer to this question determines the Assessment Prompts for the lesson and these prompts are used throughout instruction to determine, if or when, adjustments are needed. Adjustments to classroom instruction are based upon the needs of students elicited from the answers/responses to the Assessment Prompts.
Example: How does understanding sequential order help me become a better reader and writer?
AP #1: Understand sequential order (sequencing)
Format of AP #1 - Think-Pair-Share: Numbered Heads - 1s tell 2s the first thing that hap pened in the story; 2s tell 1s the last event in the story.
AP #2: Identify sequence of events in a story or text.
Format of AP #2 - Quick Write - Using your graphic organizer write a brief paragraph about the sequence of events in the story. Make sure to have the events in the correct sequence. Share your paragraph with your partner.
AP #3: Use sequential order to plan and write a "how to" paper (brushing teeth, making a sandwich, etc.)
Format of AP #3 - Complete the sequencing graphic organizer and use it to write a "how to" paper (teacher may provide a topic(s), such as "how to" ride a bike, make a sandwich, brush your teeth, etc).
Formative Assessments - Formative assessments are an integral part of the instructional process and these assessments allow both teachers and students to make adjustments in teaching and learning. The purpose of formative assessments is to provide practice time for students. These assessments are not meant to be graded. The use of, and data from, formative assessments allows learning goals to be achieved within a specified period of time. Instructional strategies that may be used to formatively assess include: questioning, observation, criteria and goal setting, self and peer assessments, and student record keeping.
Learning-Focused Formative Assessment Examples: Distributed guided practice, distributed summarizing, collaborative pairs, assessment prompts, summarizing strategies, and extending thinking activities/tasks are examples of formative assessments planned for and used in the Learning-Focused Strategies Model.
Effective assessments for learning must be ongoing and occur throughout the learning process. In order to achieve and accomplish the desired assessment results you should:
1) identify and know the state standards students are expected to master (using the K-U-D Organizer);
2) understand how standards transform into the curriculum, and then how standards become the scaffolding for mastery (Student Learning Map);
3) change classroom-level achievement targets into student friendly language (benchmark assessments, Key Learning statements, Unit Essential Questions, Lesson Essential Questions);
4) convert classroom-level learning targets into quality assessments that accurately assess student performance and learning (Assessment Prompts, Summarizing Strategies, Extending Thinking activities/tasks, rubrics, culminating activity);
5) use ongoing assessments in collaboration with students as a means to continually motivate them to learn (Assessment Prompts, Summarizing Strategies, Extending Thinking activities, benchmark assessments, differentiated assignments, Acceleration).
Assessments of quality that accurately evaluate student learning, performance, and achievement will continue to be an area of need and focus for teachers, administrators, schools, and districts striving to raise achievement in this age of educational accountability. The Learning-Focused Strategies Model provides a planning framework that encourages, supports, and embeds assessments - formative and summative - to enrich student learning and increase student achievement.
References
http://www.assessmentinst.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/afldefined.pdf
http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/WebExclusive/Assessment/tabid/1120/Default.aspx
Shavelson, R. J., and L. Huang. 2003. Responding responsibly to the frenzy to assess learning in higher education Change 35 (1): 10-19.
How Do Teachers Know When to Adjust Instruction?
Debbie Cargill
Nov 29, 2010
In an Acquisition Lesson, you will plan for multiple opportunities to assess student progress. With thoughtful consideration, these opportunities become the formative assessment needed to make informed decisions about instruction. The results of the assessments help you determine next steps and/or how to adjust instruction to meet students' needs. When this is done with quality, it impacts student learning in a positive way.
When you wait until the end of a lesson to check for understanding, it may be too late. By then, there is not time to go back and re-teach the whole lesson if most students did not get it. Rather, if you are assessing periodically throughout the lesson, there is still time to quickly take action to adjust instruction if necessary. This process of on-going assessment allows you to decide in a timely manner whether to re-teach, use a different approach, or provide more opportunities for student practice.
Not only are teachers gathering evidence of learning through formative assessment, students gain knowledge about their own gaps in learning. Appropriate feedback helps students to begin to take responsibility for their learning as they use that information to adjust what they are doing. While learning is happening, students need time to talk about, interact with, and reflect on new learning. Summarizing strategies and assessment prompts provides those opportunities throughout the lesson.
Planning for appropriate distributed summarizing and Assessment Prompts requires careful consideration. Questions should be thoughtful, reflective and higher level, rather than recall, facts, etc. A sample of strategies to use when checking for understanding include: think-pair-share, think-ink-share, partner check, justify your answer, reflect on new learning, draw a picture, complete graphic organizer, and write from graphic organizer.
