ACP Night 2

Assessment for Learning

 Warm Up Questions:
1. What kind of
assessments will you
use in your classroom?
2. How can assessments
impact learning?
3. Check out the Learning
Target tri-fold board.
Who in the “World” is David Duez?
Tonight’s Topic:

Improving
Assessment
(And Motivation)
 Important Ideas
Concerning
Grading for
Learning
Based on the research,
presentation, and book by Ken
O’Connor
Who is Ken
O’Connor?
#1 – Target the learning
from the get go
#2 -- Relate grading to
the intended learning.
learning
#3 – Limit the attributes
included in grades to
individual achievement
 Examples of Assessment
Assessment OF Assessment FOR
Learning
Learning
• Present Targets before
• Test learning begins
• Quiz • Exit Ticket
• Directive Feedback
• Homework • Reassessment
• Essay • Examples of Good/Bad
work
• Project
 Example Video:
Andy Assessments in Science (10 min)
Assessment of Learning
Checks what has been learned to
date.
Is designed for those not directly
involved in daily learning and
teaching.
Is presented in a formal report.
Usually summarizes information
into marks, scores or grades.
Usually compares the student's
learning with either other
students or the 'standard' for a
grade level.
Does not need to involve the
student.
Assessment for Learning
Checks learning to decide what to do
next.
Is designed to assist teachers and
students.
Is used in responding to student work
and in conversation.
Usually detailed, specific, and descriptive
feedback in words and in relation to
criteria that has been set.
Usually focused on improvement,
compared with the student's 'previous
best' and progress toward a standard.
Needs to involve the student (the person
most able to improve the learning)
Video Clip – Douglass Reeves
Should schools eliminate the
zero?
 Make Grading Meaningful
“… the best thing you can do is
make sure your grades
convey meaningful, accurate
information about student
achievement.”

Brookhart, S., Grading, Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall, Columbus, OH, 2004, 34
 Purpose of Grades
“the primary purpose of…
grades… (is) to
communicate student
achievement to students,
parents, school
administrators, post-
secondary institutions and
employers.”
Bailey, J. and McTighe, J., “Reporting Achievement at the Secondary School Level: What and
How?”
P – Am I sending…
POSITIVE messages?

C – Am I offering…
CHOICES?

R – Am I
encouraging…
REFLECTION?
#1 – Target the
learning from
the get go.
 Learning
“Targets”
or Power
Standards
How can we help them hit the
target? 1961 – Norman Rockwell
Unit Plans ~ My “Target Sheets”
 How can you create learning
targets in primary grades?
• I Can Statements
• Handouts for 1st and 3rd grade - examples
 #2 – Relate
grading to
the intended
learning.
 Case Study #1 –
“Rick’s Mysterious Falling Grade”
The report card mathematics grade that Rick received in
December in grade 9 was about 25% lower than the
grade he received in June at the end of grade 8. His
parents were very concerned because Rick had
always enjoyed mathematics and achieved at a high
level. They went to the parent-teacher conference
wondering whether he needed a math tutor. When
they put this question to the teacher, she said that this
was not necessary. She went on to say that his
mathematics results were excellent; all his test scores
were more than 90%, but that he had received low
marks for participation, effort, group work, notebook,
homework, and so forth. Rick’s parents felt the grade
was very misleading because it did not indicate clearly
Rick’s level of mathematics achievement.
 O’Connor – Grades are Broken
When They:
• Include ingredients that distort
achievement
• Arise from low quality or poorly
organized evidence
• Are derived from inappropriate
number crunching, and when they
• Do not support the learning process
 O’Connor – How Can We Relate
Grading to the Intended
Learning?
Don’t assign grades using
inappropriate or unclear
performance standards; provide
clear descriptions of achievement
expectations.
 #2 – Limit the
attributes included
in grades to
individual
achievement
A Tale of Two
Students

Eddy and Norm

One student is Eddy,
Eddy and
one student is Norm.
Norm
Here are their grades in
science class:
First Period Science Class
Name Lab Grades Tests Miscellaneous Final
(20%) (60%) (20%) Grade

Attitude Participatin

Eddy 85 0 80 50 98 99 98 0 0 69 F
(late)

Norm 100 100 100 100 64 68 66 100 100 80 B

Do you see any problems with these
grades?
Name Lab Grades Tests Miscellaneous Final
(20%) (60%) (20%) Grade

Attitude Participation

Eddy 85 0 80 50 (late)98 99 98 0 0 69 F

Norm 100 100 100 100 64 68 66 100 100 80 B

 Does each student’s grade reflect
his
Name
maste ry
Lab Grades
of the material?
Tests Miscellaneous Final
(20%) (60%) (20%) Grade

Attitude Participation

Eddy 85 0 80 50 (late)98 99 98 0 0 69 F

Norm 100 100 100 100 64 68 66 100 100 80 B

 Norm is a “teacher pleaser.” He works
hard, tries hard. But did he master the
material?
Name Lab Grades Tests Miscellaneous Final
(20%) (60%) (20%) Grade

Attitude Participation

Eddy 85 0 80 50 (late)98 99 98 0 0 69 F

Norm 100 100 100 100 64 68 66 100 100 80 B

Eddy is less of a pleasure to have in class. But did
he master the material? Should he have to repeat the
semester?
Name Lab Grades Tests Miscellaneous Final
(20%) (60%) (20%) Grade

Attitude Participation

Eddy 85 0 80 50 (late)98 99 98 0 0 69 F

Norm 100 100 100 100 64 68 66 100 100 80 B

 Ice breaker
• 6 Phases of Teaching
• http://www.vimeo.com/3737090
Bonus & Extra Credit
 O’Connor: Bonus & Extra
Credit
Don’t give points for extra
credit or use bonus points;
seek evidence that more
work has resulted in a higher
level of achievement.
100 for “Dress Like a Pirate
Day?”
Celebrate! But,
grade???
 Presidential Debates

Students watch at home, take Cornell Notes,

turn them in the next morning before the first bell.