« Minutes with Charlie - 14 | Home | Minutes with Charlie - 16 »
Minutes with Charlie - 15
By Charlie | April 27, 2008
The distinction between assessments of learning and assessment for learning is vital if we are to develop and use a balanced assessment program. In simplistic terms, assessments of learning are assessments of the amount of learning accomplished at the end of a unit of study. Assessments for learning are assessments for the purpose of improving learning.
We will continue to examine assessments of learning in this Minutes with Charlie. Last time we examined the traits of quality assessments of learning. This time we are looking at the process of developing quality assessments of learning.
There is a common temptation to develop an assessment of learning in a given unit of study by making it a compilation of the assessments for learning used in that unit. One variation of this is to take the “best of the formative assessments” and combine them to make a “best summative assessment of learning”. In response to this plan, let me just quote the old hymn, “yield not to temptation”.
There are several reasons this plan is counterproductive. One, the assessments for learning used during the unit have a purpose distinct from the purpose of the assessment of learning. The formative assessments are to inform student and teacher about learning to that stage and to help guide decisions about instruction and learning. The summative assessments are to measure the learning accomplished over that time period. Two, the repetition of these assessments becomes simply an assessment of recall ability not of the knowledge and skills demanded by the TEKS. Finally, the nature and content of the assessments for learning used during a unit may change based upon the results, but an assessment of learning should have been developed prior to beginning any instruction.
There are several stages in the development of quality assessments of learning. Let’s examine a few of these:
1. Identify the priority leaning targets and the degree of rigor of each one. Among all the learning targets covered in the unit, determine the desired sampling of the priority targets to assess.
2. Develop a “blueprint” of the assessment. This will indicate the focused learning targets, the number of assessment items addressing each targets (sample), the weight of each items (sort of a relative importance), and the method of assessment to be used for each (selected response, extended response, performance/ project or personal communication)
3. Once you have a blue print that you believe accurately portrays a quality assessment for the unit, set about developing the actual array of questions or items based on the blue print.
4. Upon completing the item development, have the assessment reviewed by peers to check for items that either do not truly assessment the identified target or contain items that could bias the student response.
As the unit of study progresses, periodically review your assessment of learning to insure that both instruction and your assessments for learning are providing opportunities for the students to develop the knowledge and skills to be assessed on the assessment of learning.
Personal Reflection: Do I, as a common practice, invest time to develop a quality assessment of learning prior to planning and starting instruction?
Topics: Assessment OF Learning, Minutes with Charlie |