Assessments

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

Carnegie Mellon University. (2012). Grading and Performance Rubrics. Retrieved from http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/teach/rubrics.html

 Wright, B.D. (2004). Strengths and Weaknesses: Tests, Portfolios, Interviews, Surveys, and Inventories Retrieved from   http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Search%A7ion=PDF3&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentFileID=170

Scholastic Professional Development Modules. (2000)Assessment Tool Types. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/dodea/Module_3/resources/red_tr_c03s03_assesstool.pdf

Alberta Education (2008). Assessment in Mathematics. Retrieved from http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mewa/html/assessment/index.html