Here
Pamela Grady and I have compiled a list of assessments that can be used in a
classroom. The list includes their
strengths, weaknesses and how technology is or can be used with the assessment.
Standardized Assessments
Strength-Test
that measures students’ performance against standards or norms and can serve as
potentially powerful tools for instruction and it is the most objective and
scientific measure available for assessing students’ abilities. The most common
form of answering a standardized assessment is in the form of selected
response, which would give students choices to select the correct answer.
Weakness-
Students may not test well in this type of assessment due to the design of the
test. This assessment such as the CRCT ( Criterion Referenced Competency Test)
test a compilation of content that the student was taught over an extended
period of time such as the length of a school year. Another flaw with
standardized testing such as the CRCT is the possibility that it may not be
properly aligned with standards for the states which could result in students
being tested over content that was not introduced yet.
Technology-
no technology used for this type of assessment as they are primarily pencil and
paper tests.
Alternate assessments
Strengths-
Alternate assessments may be given in a format that the students will be
measured against the standards, but not the same assessment that would
typically be used for this measure. Some states such as Georgia use an
alternate assessment to measure students with disabilities and how they are
being taught the content standards. “Alternate achievement standards must be
aligned to state academic content standards, although they may reflect
prerequisite or entry-level skills” (GADOE, 2012)
Weakness-
Alternate assessments could become a measure of how well the teacher adapts the
curriculum to meet the students’ needs rather than how well a student has
learned the content. Given that these assessments are generally designed for
students with cognitive disabilities it is difficult to determine if it is a
fair measure of how much a student has learned.
Technology-
often these assessments are given using the computer in the classroom, or with
other assistive technology that may be written into the students Individual
Education Plan. Data gathered during the assessment collection periods is
formulated into a digital portfolio.
Authentic Assessments
Strengths-
This type of assessment could be viewed as the test that is designed for the
student who is not a good test taker. In other words, authentic assessments are
basically a method for teachers to collect feedback to determine if the student
actually uses what they learned or if they just learned stuff for a test.
Weakness-
Some students lack the creativity to understand learning is more than simply
repeating what was taught in class. Students with disabilities who often do not
fare well on pencil and paper tests may have difficulty designing a method to
display their learning; they will have difficulty in transferring knowledge.
Technology-
Authentic assessments could be measured in the form of an electronic portfolio
to exhibit learning and data gathered from what was learned.
End of course test
Strengths-
The end of course test is designed to be given at the end of selected courses
often which are taught in high school. The tests are given in a selected
response format and are often graded off site from the school. The end of
course measures if a student learned the content from the standards based
instruction over the course of one semester.
Weakness-
The information gathered from the assessment arrives back with the teachers
after the course has been taught so there is no way for this assessment to
guide instruction in the classroom. Students could feel overwhelmed in
preparing for an end of course test as this test measures an entire semester of
learning.
Technology-
not implemented with this test as it is a pencil and paper selected response
test
Standards based project
based learning assessments/projects
Strengths-
Students are designing their own assessment as they develop a project based
upon the standards that was used for the teaching portion of the class. Project
based learning is a student centered learning environment in which students are
in charge of their learning.
Weakness-
Students may have difficulty understanding how to transfer the knowledge they
have gained into a viable project that exhibits a base of understanding. When a
student is taught on a project based learning curriculum it may cause them to
not understand that assessment is still a measure of what they have learned.
Technology-
Project based learning provides students with many outlets for using technology
as a classroom tool.
21st Century Assessments
Strengths-
These are non-traditional assessments, but are designed to prepare students for
the 21st century. Knowledge based assessments that assess students’ abilities
to recall, analyze, compare, infer and evaluate along with teamwork,
collaboration and moral character. These higher order skills are the tools that
students will need in order to be successful in the 21st century.
Weakness-
May not measure student learning against a specific standard which was taught.
Not all students will have higher order thinking that is at the same level at
the same time, but this type of assessment could become a highly individualized
assessment.
Technology-
With schools becoming more technological in the 21st century these assessments
could be implemented with a variety of technology including student designed
technology uses.
Graduation Test-
Strengths-
Allows teachers to know which students are prepared academically to graduate
from high school and are often mandated by the individual states as an exit
assessment from high school. Students are often given this assessment prior to
their senior year in high school and are given multiple opportunities to take
it and pass it.
Weakness-
This selected response test may be difficult for students due to the high level
of content that is included within the assessment.
Technology-
Selected response assessment with no use of technology
Teacher Created Test
Strengths-
Teachers may design these assessments based upon the most recent content that
was taught to the students. This type of assessment is often used as a measure
of how well a lesson was taught and the results are often used to help guide
instruction. Teacher created tests may vary from simple selected response to
brief oral response answers and are often used for a determination of immediate
learning.
Weakness-
Students become familiar with the concept of a weekly test such as a spelling
test and base their learning more on passing the test than on learning.
Technology-
Teachers could design these assessments to be given using the classroom
computer, interactive board or tablets in the classroom.
Writing assessments
Strengths-
Writing assessments will measure how well a student not only writes but also
how well they understand the mechanics of writing and usage of the English
language. Students will be given many opportunities to practice writing using a
prompt, but may not be given the prompt prior to the actual tested writing
assessment.
Weakness-
Students may not understand the concept of writing as an assessment. This is
one type of assessment in which the student may not prepare using a study guide
or other method of test preparation.
Technology-
Students may practice writing using a word processor, but on the actual
assessment they will not be allowed to write using technology.
Anecdotal Record
An
informal record of an event or behavior observed in the classroom. Anecdotal notes are used to record specific
observations of individual student behaviors, skills and attitudes as they
relate to the outcomes in the program of studies.
Advantages-
Students cumulative information on student learning and direction for further
instruction nor does it requires no special setting or time frame.
Weakness
– The recorded observation is based on
the observer’s interest, a complete picture may not be provided. Records may
not always be accurate. If the observer decides to write down the incident at
the end of the day and is poor at recalling details, important information may
be missed.
Technology
is not necessary for this assessment, however it can be used as a way to record
notes. A handheld tablet may be a way to
use technology to record the data, or type it using a word processing software
after handwriting it.
Attitude surveys
Strengths-When
completed in a systematic manner students' self reflections regarding group and
individual performance and affective characteristics such as effort, values,
and interest. Providing an oral survey allows students to share their ideas,
learn from others, and deepen the way they think about the topics being discussed. It can be reliable in illustrating strengths
and weaknesses in the curriculum. This helps the teacher in choosing the
teaching techniques that are successful and replacing the ones which are not.
Weakness
- Students may think that even though they don't write their name on their
survey, the teacher may still know it was theirs by the handwriting of their
name or their survey's position in the pile of other surveys. In this event,
some of the students will write what they think the teacher wants them to
write. This will invalidate the test.
Technology
– none is needed here but using a website to create a survey and have students to
complete would be a way to incorporate technology. One such site is http://freeonlinesurveys.com/
Checklist
Strength
-An assessment guideline listing skills, behaviors, or characteristics to help
guide and record teacher observations of students as they perform certain
tasks. There are also student checklists that can be used by students for
self-assessment purposes. This "provides
insight into student learning and growth”. The teacher finds out under what
conditions success is most likely, what individual students do when they
encounter difficulty, how interaction with others affects their learning and
concentration, and what students need to learn next; to gather information and
to make judgments about what students know and can do in relation to the
outcomes. They offer systematic ways of collecting data about specific behaviors,
knowledge and skills. There are no time
constraints in collecting the data. The information can be quickly recorded
anytime during program hours. In addition, checklists are easy to use,
efficient, and can be used in many situations.
Data from checklists can be
easily analyzed."
Weakness
-"The quality of information acquired through the use of checklists,
rating scales and rubrics is highly dependent on the quality of the descriptors
chosen for assessment. Their benefit is also dependent on students’ direct
involvement in the assessment and understanding of the feedback provided. The lack of detailed information is a
weakness . Checklists lack the richness
of a more descriptive narrative. Because of the format, only particular
behaviors are noted. Important aspects
of behaviors may be missed, such as how a behavior is performed and for how
long. Only the presence or absence of a behavior is noted.
Observation
Strength
-An informal assessment technique of watching students to identify strengths
and weaknesses, patterns of behavior, and cognitive strategies. Observations help determine which students
need additional support and how to adjust instruction to encourage more and
better learning. They provide insight
into student learning and growth. The teacher finds out under what conditions
success is most likely, what individual students do when they encounter
difficulty, how interaction with others affects their learning and
concentration, and what students need to learn next concept.
Weakness
– If observing a student can answer specific questions. Observing students is time consuming process
and seeing a specific behavior or absence of may not happen. It takes time to observe and note what is
seen.
Portfolio Assessment
Strength
- A form of authentic assessment in which students collect samples of their
work in a portfolio to document their progress over time. Different types of
portfolios include: showcase, which celebrates students’ best work;
descriptive, which demonstrates what students can do; evaluative, which
assesses students’ work against a standard; and progress, which documents
students’ work over time. Portfolios
are powerful tools that allow students to see their academic progress from
grade to grade. Work samples from all curricular areas can be selected and
placed in a portfolio. These can include stories, tests and reflections about
work samples. Portfolios can be organized according to chronology, subject
area, and style or goal area.
Weakness
-They can be extremely labor- and time-intensive, both to compile and to
review. They can be cumbersome to store, too, and quickly become unmanageable, particularly
if guidelines are hazy and excessive numbers of documents are included. In
order for the portfolio to work as an assessment device and not merely as a
student scrapbook, criteria for learning outcomes need to be carefully defined
and then applied to the review of student work. For the review to succeed,
reviewers must be carefully trained in the use of criteria and rubrics, and
acceptable inter-rater reliability must be established.
Technology
- Electronic portfolio can be created.
The software can be costly, and both faculty and students require technical
support and training.
Rubric
An
rubric is an evaluation tool that lists the important features that should be
present in students’ performance or products. Rubrics clearly identify what
will be graded. They are used to
gather information and to make judgments about what students know and can do in
relation to the outcomes. They offer systematic ways of collecting data about
specific behaviors, knowledge and skills. Grading
according to an explicit and descriptive set of criteria that is designed to
reflect the weighted importance of the objectives of the assignment helps
ensure that the instructor’s grading standards don’t change over time. Rubrics can reduce the time spent grading and
help instructors get a clearer picture of the strengths and weaknesses. A rubric can help instructors communicate to
students the specific requirements and acceptable performance standards of an
assignment. When rubrics are given to students with the assignment description,
they can help students monitor and assess their progress as they work toward
clearly indicated goals. When assignments are scored and returned with the
rubric, students can more easily recognize the strengths and weaknesses of
their work and direct their efforts accordingly.
Weakness
-The quality of information acquired through the use of rubrics is highly
dependent on the quality of the descriptors chosen for assessment. Their
benefit is also dependent on students’ direct involvement in the assessment and
understanding of the feedback provided.
Technology-
can be used to create rubrics. There are
websites that hacve them already created, some allow for adjustments and
changes. A simple word processing
program can also create a rubric.
References
GADOE,
2012 The Georgia Alternate Assessment. Retrieved from http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/curriculum-instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/pages/GAA.aspx
