Evaluation For Maximizing Learning

F A C I L I T A T O R : E L E A N O R P I E R R E T E A C H I N G F O R S U C C E S S P R O G R A M T H U R S D A Y , D E C . 2 3 , 2 0 1 0 R O O M I 2 1 9

AGENDA 1. Getting to know you 2. Differentiating Assessment from Evaluation 3. Planning Assessments for measuring student performance 4. Indicators for effective assessment 5. Student Expectations 6. Aligning Assessment to Course Learning Outcomes 7. Closure

How do you normally answer the nagging question…….Are the students learning?

2. Evaluation

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Think of different ways you define “evaluation”.

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Write down at least two-three different definitions of evaluation.

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Share your definitions with someone beside you.

2. Assessment

Formulate a phrase that reflects your interpretation of “What is Assessment

”

SHARE

2. Summary – Evaluation Vs Assessment  Evaluation

Application of value or judgement about students’ performance

 Assessment

The collection and analysis of data collected about your students’ performance providing feedback for improvement

2. Assessment n Evaluation Formative: Ongoing to Improve Learning Process-Oriented: How Learning Is Going Reflective: Internally Defined Criteria/Goals Diagnostic: Identify Areas for Improvement Flexible: Adjust As Problems Are Clarified ( Dan Apple 1998) Summative: Final to Gauge Quality Product-Oriented: What’s Been Learned Prescriptive:Externally Imposed Standards Judgmental: Arrive at an Overall Grade/Score Ongoing Modifiability of Criteria, Measures

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So……Why do we need to assess before we evaluate?

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We need to answer the basic question………

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How do we know when the student has learned?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v

=oN-GEUPWRuw

3. Five Assessment Principles   To improve their teaching, faculty must define student outcomes and measure their attainment.

To improve their learning, students must learn how to use feedback to assess their own progress -“self assessment”.

   The best assessment derives from teachers’ questions about their own teaching.

Systematic assessment can be an intellectually challenging source of faculty satisfaction.

Assessment provides an impetus for active student involvement, a proven “best practice”.

Thomas Angelo & Patricia Cross (1993)

3. DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT  Initial data collected on students’ needs and interests.

 Purpose is to determine students’ strengths and learning needs in order to plan and adjust instruction.

 It is assessment for learning.

Faculty can plan following lessons to address deficiencies, bridge gaps, or revisit difficult content pieces.

3. Examples of formative assessments – Concept Tests for a Lesson Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3 • Low Level ?

• High Level ?

• Low Level ?

• High Level ?

• Low Level ?

• High Level ?

Testing of Concepts allows faculty to have more interaction with students For more info on concept tests see http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/conceptests/why.html

Concept tests can be used with face to face or on-line (clickers) classes.

Measuring Students’ Performance through Self Assessments

What are some opportunities for self assessment that students can benefit from?

3 mins. Discussion.

3. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT      The on-going collection of information used to monitor student performance.

Provides a window into students’ learning process and progress.

Encourages learning by providing students with specific feedback.

Assists with programming decisions and appropriate accommodations.

It is assessment for learning.

3. Where can you place Formative Assessments?

 Throughout the semester – examine points of intervention  At points where students can have enough time to “do something” about the feedback  With practice/mock mini tasks before major projects and/or assignments

4. Performance Indicators

Performance indicators are measurable indicators that demonstrate the achievement of an outcome.

The Outcomes are the main targets of learning you expect students to take away.

1. Performance indicators are used to assess progress towards the achievement of Expected Results ( whether students got it ) .

2. Results, therefore, must be expressed and measured by Performance Indicators ( criteria based on the expected results ) .

4. SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT  Assessment of what the students have produced at the end of a unit, term or year.

 Provides feedback for reflection to judge the effectiveness of a section or unit of study, or at the end of a course.

 It is an assessment of learning that comes at the END.

 TESTS,EXAMS, PROJECTS

4. SELECTING AN ASSESSMENT STRATEGY    No one assessment strategy is necessarily better than another.

Consider: -what knowledge and skills are students expected to learn - purpose for the assessment Align purpose, expectations to be assessed and method of assessment

4. INSTRUMENTS FOR MEASUREMENTS OF LEARNING Self Assessment and Peer Feedback  http://www2.uwstout.edu/content/profdev/rubrics/pptrubric.html

 Designing short classroom Assessments  Step 1 – Assessment must be authentic  Step 2 - Identify clear performance indicators  Step 3 - Give students feedback soon after  Step 4 - Monitor future work for progress and inclusion of feedback So how do I know that the students know the content?

5 . How do I integrate these ideas in an already developed Curriculum?

 Attend to your Lesson Plans  Be flexible to attend to students’ needs, learning styles, modes of learning ( time of day, content complexity, labs etc.

)  Create changes incrementally and give explanations to students for modifications, changes or new interventions  Allow students to be part of the designing of their learning process

5. Sharing your lesson intended learning with Students

       Step 1 – Create Learning Objectives for each session that ties into course LO’s Step 2 – Include them in your Lesson Plans Step 3 – Share with students Step 4 – Have students self-assess Step 5 – Build in several opportunities for assessing students’ work providing feedback on where and how they can improve Step 6 – Provide scoring guides/marking templates Step 7 – Have students formulate strategies for success based on feedback (learning contracts, learning journals etc.)

5. Creating a Framework for Monitoring Assessment

    Monitor student performance standards "explicit “ definitions of what students must do to demonstrate proficiency at a specific level - talk to other faculty teaching the same section.

If students are not meeting the standards at a particular point in the semester – recommend assistance where provided ( learning centre ) Suggest back up material or additional points of reference ( urls, texts, videos, peer assistance ) Provide multiple opportunities for student interaction so students can self-adjust e.g. Blogs, Group work, friendly competitions

6. Isolating the 3 Big Ideas in Your Lesson Plan  What are the three main points you would like the learners to take away form the session?

 How can I measure whether they got the main points?

 Look at main points collectively in tasks  Provide feedback if there are misinterpretations

Assessment types

Traditional quizzes& tests •paper/pencil •selected-response •constructed response Performance tasks & projects •open-ended •complex •authentic Worth being Familiar with Important to know& do Big Ideas Worth understanding

6. Building in Assessments in Lesson Planning  Create frequent opportunities in your lesson plans for activities that double up as informal assessments  Measure concepts at varies levels of difficulty (Blooms Taxonomy) then use a tool to measure whether students got it e.g. Reconnect, Connect and Project

6. Re-Designing your Teaching to include

Intentional Assessments

 Create a bank of assessment tools relative to your discipline and content area  Determine when and where they can be utilized  Remember to give feedback in time for demonstrated improved performance  Allow time for learners to integrate feedback into their repertoire of skills

7. TAKE AWAY KEY MESSAGES   Assessment strategies should align with the purpose and the expectations to be assessed – COURSE outcomes and SESSION learning Provide clear communications of how students will be assessed and evaluated and provide a SCORING GUIDE  Students should be given opportunities to perform at the required expectation and be guided to meet those expectations.

Two questions are at the heart of Assessment 

Where do we want students to be at the end of a course?

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How will we know if they got there?

CULMINATING ACTIVITY  In pairs examine 1 course (determine whose course it will be) Step 1 – Discuss the Learning Outcomes of the course Step 2 – Examine the evaluation plan (what makes up the grade of 100%) Step 3 – Determine where during the semester effective assessments can be done Step 4 - Identify what elements of the evaluation plan the assessments will address Step 5 – Share (volunteers to share with group)

7. Integrating Assessment into your Lesson Plans 1) Objectives and Expected Results

Constant assessment and revision

6) Ideas for next session

What did you achieve in terms of the Session, What do you intend to achieve or change?

How does these intents align with the course and program outcomes What approaches will you use?

(Teaching Strategies – classroom activities?

2) Strategies

What resources will you require?

Based on your session Lesson Plans

3) Inputs LO’s embedded in Sessions 5) Actual Results Students’ Performance

How well did you do in terms of what you achieved, versus what you intended to achieve or to change?

How do you measure it? (Intended Outcomes tied to Session Expectations

Performance Indicators 4) Outputs – In-class session - Implementation

Resources     Chickering & Gamson,

Change

Amer Assn for Higher Ed) (the journal of the Apple,

Process education teaching institute handbook

(Pacific Crest) Angelo & Cross,

Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers

, Second edition (Jossey-Bass) Tara Fenwick and Jim Parsons, 2000.

The Art of Evaluation, A Handbook for Educators

, Thompson Educational Publishing