Lydia Zeller Post 1

Lydia Zeller – QTC – Blog #1 – Chapter 14

Assessment

Informal Assessment vs. Formal Assessment

                I can use informal and formal assessment within one class period. For example, I use informal assessment as I walk around the room helping individuals who ask for help with an assignment. The questions they ask, and the responses they give to my questions back, often give me a good idea of what they are struggling with. This also gives me a chance to explain a concept another way that will hopefully make more sense to that student. I like to use this assessment because it lets me work with each student individually. At the end of a class I sometimes give an “exit ticket” as a formal assessment. I will have each student answer a question on a piece of paper and turn it in on their way out of the door. The question will be aligned with the objective and essential question for the day. For example, “What are the steps in mitosis?” This formal assessment gives me an idea of where they currently stand with knowing the steps of mitosis. This assessment is good because I have a concrete piece of evidence of their learning.

Traditional Assessment vs. Authentic Assessment

                To have a traditional assessment and authentic assessment at the same time, I can ask different kinds of questions on a quiz. For example, one question may ask what osmosis (the diffusion of water across a cell membrane) is showing traditional assessment where another question may ask why fingers are wrinkly after being in water for an extended period of time. Students should be able to apply what they understand about osmosis by explaining that the concentration of water is higher on the inside of the finger than the outside and so the water moves out of the finger by osmosis. Being able to apply this knowledge to something that happens every day shows authentic assessment. I like to use both forms of assessment on a quiz because it shows how deeply the students understand the concepts.

Paper-pencil Assessment vs. Performance Assessment

                I have used both of these types of assessments in my class room. For example, while learning about machines, specifically levers, I asked students to draw and label the three types of levers. Before asking them to write them on paper at the end of the unit, I had them practice the order in a performance assessment. I put the students in groups of three with cards that contained the name of each part of a lever. I would ask them to get in order of a specific type of lever. The students worked together to arrange themselves correctly. I like to use performance based assessments like this to help prepare and practice for the paper-pencil assessment.

Standardized Test vs. Teacher-developed Assessment

                 During the course of the school year there are several standardized tests developed by the state that we administer. One is the DEA (Discovery Ed Assessment). This test is taken at three different points in the year, measuring how much knowledge of the curriculum each student is gaining. In theory, students score better each time because we have covered more of the test material in class. Another example is the TCAPS (Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program) taken by students every year through the eighth grade. One last example is that my honors students take a midterm in December created by the state. However, I use teacher-developed assessment for each unit we cover. I work with my teaching partner to develop each test. These tests ask questions that may be of a more familiar format for students as they may use examples we specifically discussed in class. In theory, using teacher-developed assessments help prepare students for standardized testing.

Criterion-referenced Assessment vs. Norm-referenced assessment

                In my classroom, the regular unit tests are examples of criterion-referenced assessments. These tests are written to test each objective and standard. Right and wrong answers show where mastery of content as occurred or not occurred. An example of norm-referenced assessment occurs with the annual TCAPS. When students receive their results they are shown a percentile. This percentile shows them how well they did compared to all others in the state taking the assessment.

                There are advantages and disadvantages to both criterion-referenced assessment and norm-referenced assessment.

Criterion-Referenced Advantage: This can show where students are showing mastery with concepts versus non-mastery of content.

Criterion-Referenced Disadvantage: This may not show how deeply a student understands a concept. Is the question just scratching the surface?

Norm-Referenced Advantage: This can show the highest achievers in a cohort.

Norm-Referenced Disadvantage: A student may appear to be in the middle fifty percent of a cohort but that does not mean they do not know the material.