Reflecting on assessment: a tale of hope and ideals j mc-carthy

Rethinking Assessment: A Tale of Hope and *
Ideals

Norms
• All voices need to be heard (we
benefit from everyone’s experiences)
Rethinking Assessment: • Monitor own Zone of Proximal
A Tale of Hope & Ideals Growth
• Seek to understand before being
understood –Stephen Covey
John McCarthy, Ed.S. (Questions are gifts)
Education Consultant
Wayne RESA
mccartj@resa.net
734.330.1421 Please set cell phones to vibrate or silent mode, or turn off. Thank you.
wb4all.blogspot.com

Creating Reflective Conversations “A goal that can’t be measured is just a slogan.”
• Grading
‐‐N.H. Dept. Of Ed
‐‐Purpose = Academic Achievement
‐‐Eliminate Grade Fog
• Assessment
‐‐Learning Target Focused
‐‐Formative assessments track trends for learning
needs towards graded milestones.
• Differentiation
‐‐Begin where learner is at
‐‐Assessment options = Learner’s Strengths

John McCarthy, Ed.S. ‐ mccartj@resa.net ‐
jmccarthyeds@gmail.com ‐
wb4all.blogspot.com 1

Ideals

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and
seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is
no real security in what is no longer meaningful.
There is more security in the adventurous and
exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change
g g
there is power.
‐‐Alan Cohen

Formative Assessments
Academic Progress
The primary purpose of formative assessments is
The primary purpose of an academic grade is to to track what a student knows and does not
indicate if a student has sufficiently mastered know. Based on sufficient data, determine next
curriculum to be placed in the next grade or steps in the student’s learning achievement.
more advanced subject.
45 45 45
38 38 38
360 360 360
135 . 135 . 135
2200 1710 495


Ideals

Starting Place for Learning‐based How many exposures to a concept do learners need
Instruction for 80% mastery?

 “Differentiation is making sure that the right
students get the right learning tasks at the right
time. Once you have a sense of what each student
holds as ‘given’ or ‘known’ and what he or she
needs in order to learn, differentiation is no longer
24
an option; it is an obvious response.”

Assessment as Learning: Using Classroom
Assessment to Maximize Student Learning
Lorna M. Earl, Corwin Press, Inc.
2003 – pp. 86‐87

Marzano, Classroom Strategies That Work, p. 67

Grade Reporting Grade Reporting
• Academic Achievement (Performance)
– Standards‐based assessment data
– Performance‐based assessments
– Milestone assessments
y g
– Later assessments carry more weight than earlier
assessments.
• Academic Achievement (Performance)
• Academic Growth (Progress) Student Academic (4)
Summer 4
• Effort (Process) Barry 4
AGE or 3Ps Katie 1


Ideals

Grade Reporting Grade Reporting
• Academic Growth (Progress) • Effort (Process)
– Measure gains from where a student started to – Organization skills
where s/he is now. – Class work
– Portfolio – Homework
Standards‐based assessment
– St d d b d t – Participation

Student Academic (4) Growth (3) Student Academic (4) Growth (3) Effort (3)
Summer 4 2 Summer 4 2 1
Barry 4 1 Barry 4 1 1
Katie 1 3 Katie 1 3 3

7 Strategies of Assessment FOR Learning Planning Questions
1. Provide a clear and understandable vision of the learning
target—“What’s the learning?”
Starting Point for Unit and Lesson Planning
2. Use examples and models of strong and weak work—“What • What should students know, understand, and
does quality look like?”
be able to do?
3. Offer regular descriptive feedback– “What are my strengths
and where do I still need work?” • How will students demonstrate what they
4. Teach students to self‐assess and set goals—Metacognition.
4 Teach students to self‐assess and set goals—Metacognition know?
5. Design lessons to focus on one aspect of quality at a time—
Go to the heart of the learning. During Development of Unit and Lesson Planning
6. Teach students focused revision—revising initial work allows
students to demonstrate growth in learning. • What will you do for students who do not
7. Engage students in self‐reflection and let them keep track of succeed?
and share their learning—summarization and portfolios
• What will you do for students who already know
From Classroom Assessment for Student Learning (Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis, and Chappuis) the unit?


Ideals

Who do you want to pack your Test Scores & Average
parachute?
Tests Student 1 Student 2 Student 3
Parachute‐Packing Test Scores
1 95 80 30
2 85 90 40
Competency/
Mastery Level 3 95 70 60
4 85 98 70
5 100 70 60
6 75 98 65
7 70 70 90
8 60 90 95
9 55 65 100
Avg: 80 81 68

Principles of Effective Grading and
Solve this Story Problem
Reporting
1. It’s unwise to over‐grade student work. Jamal loves 4th grade. He made an excellent funny
2. Grades should be based on clearly specified learning video critique of the main characters from Harry
goals. Potter’s final book. He has an E for 4th grade Reading in
3. Grades should be criterion‐based, not norm‐based. Semester 1. It’s based on the final exam, 7 short
4. Data used for grading must be valid (measure what
answer essays—
we intend to measure). That is, the data must be free his score was 20%.
of “Grade Fog.”
5. Grade later in the learning cycle rather than earlier. What is the real problem?
6. When it’s time for report cards, practice 3‐P grading What is an appropriate
assessment solution?
Carol Ann Tomlinson, ASCD 2008, New Orleans


Ideals

Data‐Driven Dialogue??? Data‐Driven Dialogue???
Comprehensive Main Ideas: Comprehensive
Group Final Writing: Supporting Details Final
Quiz Work Quiz Exam Average Organization
& Ex. *
Transitions Exam
Average
*
20 50 20 100 100 20 50 20 100 100
Thor 16 50 18 80 86 Thor 16 50 18 80 82
Katie 10 50 10 60 68 Katie 10 50 10 60 58
Summer 20 50 20 95 97 Summer 20 50 20 95 96
Barry 10 0 0 100 58 Barry 10 0 0 100 83/100
* Formative data reported in Gradebook as not calculated for a grade.
What do we know about these students’ learning needs?
What do we know about these students’ learning needs?

From… Transform to…

Patricia Scriffiny. Seven Reasons for Standards-Based Grading, Education Leadership. 10/2008. Vol.66.2 Patricia Scriffiny. Seven Reasons for Standards-Based Grading, Education Leadership. 10/2008. Vol.66.2


Ideals

The Zero Factor
Solve this Story Problem
Christine did poorly on a graded assignment,
but 3 days later she appears to understand the “A zero has an underserved
concepts and skills. The teacher considers two and devastating influence so
options. much so that no matter what
A. Allow Christine to redo the assignment for the student does, the grade
full credit. distorts the final grade as a
B. For Christine, replace the grade with the true indicator of mastery.
results of the next graded assignment, Mathematically and ethically
which builds on the previous assignment. this is unacceptable.”
(Wormeli, Fair Isn’t Equal.
How could these options reduce grade fog? 2006, pp. 137‐8)
What obstacles to measuring student achievement might
these options create?

Achievement vs. The #’s Game
Alternatives v1.5
• 91, 91, 91, 91, 91
Total = 455. Mean = 91.1. Current Grade = A
• 91, 91, 91, 91, 91, 55
• 91, 91, 91, 91, 91, 0
Total = 510. Mean = 85. Current Grade = B
Total = 455. Mean = 75.8. Current Grade = C
• To raise Mean to an 89.5, an A, this student • To raise Mean to an 89.5, an A, this student
h d
55
must score a 91 on the next ___assignments must score a 91 on the next __ assignments.
18
(55 ninety-one’s) (18 ninety-one’s)


Ideals

A Fair Grading System? Alternatives v2.0
Pt. Diff
Scale Pts Dif Scale Pts Dif A: 40‐35 6
A: 100‐41 60 10 B: 34‐30 5
A: 100‐90
C: 29‐20 10
B: 40 31
B: 40‐31 10 B: 89‐80
B 89 80 10
D: 19‐10 10
C: 20‐30 10 C: 79‐70 10 10
E: 9‐(5)‐0
D: 20‐11 10 D: 69‐60 10
F: 10‐0 11 F: 59‐0 60 s

Achievement vs. The #’s Game Achievement vs. The #’s Game
• 37, 37, 37, 37, 37 • 37, 37, 37, 37, 37, 5
Total = 185. Mean = 37. Current Grade = A Total = 190. Mean = 31.6. Current Grade = B
• 37, 37, 37, 37, 37, 0
Total = 185. Mean = 30.8. Current Grade = B • To raise Mean to a 35, an A, this student must
6
score a 37 on the next __ assignment(s)
• To raise Mean to a 35, an A, this student must (6 thirty-sevens)
8
(8 thirty-sevens)


Ideals

Alternatives v2.5b
• 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Pt. Diff Total = 20. Mean = 4. Current Grade = A
A = 4pts
A: 4.0‐3.5 .5 • 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 0
B= 3pts or 3.2
B: 3.4‐3.0 .5 Total = 20. Mean = 3.3. Current Grade = B
C=2pts or 2.4
C: 2.9‐2.0 1
D=1pts or 1.4
D=1pts or 1 4
D: 1.9‐1.0 1 • To raise Mean to a 3.5, an A, this student must
E= .5 or .8
E: 0.9‐0.5 .5 2
(2 fours)
s

Mean or Mode
4, 4, 4, 4, 4, .5
Total = 20.5 Mean = 3.4. Current Grade = B • Larry: 85, 82, 92, 71, 82, 81, 62, 78
To raise Mean to a 3.5, an A, this student must – Mean: 79.1 = C
1
score a 4 on the next __ assignment (s) – Mode: 4 – 80s, 2 – 70s, 1 – 90, 1 – 60 = B

(1 four) • Larry: 85, 82, 92, 71, 82, 81, 62, 0
– Mean: 69.3 = D
– Mode: 4 – 80s, 1 – 70s, 1 – 90, 1 – 60, 1 ‐ 0 = B


Ideals

Annotated Bibliography
• Wormeli, Rick. Fair Isn’t Always Equal: Assessing & Grading In the Differentiated
Classroom. Stenhouse Publishers: 2006
Address quality elements of good assessment and grading practices based on getting an accurate
understanding of student learning. Provides strategies and different views for thinking and methods for
effective assessment and grading. Great for teachers and administrators. Makes for an excellent book
study for schools and districts looking to build clarity in assessing student learning.
• O’Connor, Ken. A Repair Kit for Grading: 15 Fixes for Broken Grades. ETS: 2007
Teachers and school/district leaders gain a deeper understanding of the issues involved in sound grading
practices. Includes: practical strategies and alternatives to help change how students are graded.
• O’Connor, Ken. How To Grade For Learning. Corwin Press; 2nd Ed.: 2002
The author shows how to link grades and standards. His eight models assist teachers in designing and
conducting grading practices that help students feel more in control of their academic success.
• Marzano, Robert. Classroom Assessment & Grading that Work. ASCD: 2006
Learn about a framework for developing a formative assessment program based on a standards‐based
focus. Looks at traditional systems with a critical eye for implications, and adjustments needed to be
more effective to student learning needs.
• Marzano, Robert. Transforming Classroom Grading. ASCD: 2000
Take a close look at grading practices. Look at seven types of assessment that, worked together, give a
complete view of student learning. Provides for needed discussion around the impact of ineffective and
effective grading practices.


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