Analysis of the assessment methods used in a practical construction task.

1. Ian Armitage
St John’s Grammar School
27th April 2015
Assessment Methods: Manual Skills Task

2. • Assessment can be defined as “The purposeful gathering and analysing of
information about student achievement” Duchesne, et al (2013) p.476.
This definition gives us scope as assessors as to how we treat the information
gathered. It can be used for learning, of learning and as learning. Assessment
can be summative, formative, even self- and peer- assessed. (Duchesne, 2013).
• It is the intention of this presentation to examine one assessment activity,
relating learning goals to assessment methods.
• Participants in this workshop should come away with an extended awareness
of how to apply ongoing assessment in the classroom and the significance of
feedback on the learning process.
Introduction

3. Bedside Cabinet Skills Task

4. This task is for Year 12 SACE Stage 2 students.
• Students are given an incomplete drawing from which they build a basic
carcase for a bedside cabinet. Skills assessed are basic machining,
accurate material preparation and assembly.
• The task is completed in the workshop during term 1.
• Students are assessed on their ability to plan, produce, know and
understand in accordance with the SACE Learning and Assessment Plan
for this subject.
Who to Assess & What to Assess

5. • Construct a small cabinet based on the plan provided.
Constraints
• The construction will require the:
Use of routered joints for the carcase
Outcome to be completed in 5 x 45 minute lessons
• This task requires the demonstration of the selection of
materials and procedures and skills in the use of materials
and components, techniques and equipment, to safely
manufacture a quality product.
Evidence:
Apart from observations and discussions with your teacher
during the construction stages, you need to keep evidence of
your planning and procedures.
• Planning and Producing: There are changes you made to
the given basic drawing. Explain why you made those
changes. Keep a photo journal of your work documenting
the procedures and processes used. Include safety and
any other special considerations. As your work progresses
you will be faced with unforseen issues that need
resolving, document your solutions to these.
Your work from this task will continue with Skills Task 2.
The Task

6. Planning Producing
A Purposeful testing and refined
modification and validation of
ideas or procedures.
Sophisticated application of appropriate skills, processes, procedures, and techniques to
create a product or system to a precise or polished standard and specification.
Accomplished use of resources, equipment, and materials to create a product or system safely
and accurately.
Accomplished and resourceful development of solutions to technical problems that may arise
during product or system realisation.
B Thoughtful testing, modification,
and validation of ideas or
procedures.
Capable application of appropriate skills, processes, procedures, and techniques to create a
product or system to a mostly precise or polished standard and specification.
Capable use of resources, equipment, and materials to create a product or system safely and
mostly accurately.
Thoughtful development of solutions to technical problems that may arise during product or
system realisation.
C Competent testing, modification,
and validation of ideas or
procedures.
Competent application of skills, processes, procedures, and techniques to create a product or
system to an appropriate standard and specification.
Competent use of resources, equipment, and materials to create a product or system safely
and generally accurately.
Development of appropriate solutions to technical problems that may arise during product or
system realisation.
Performance Standards

7. Content Domain
What we want to assess
More of the traits
SOLO taxonomy
^
I
I
Response Domain
Outcomes/ responses
Test, refine, modify, validate
ideas or procedures
EXTENDED ABSTRACT
I
I
I
Develops jigs or other aids,
predicts problems before they
arise. Selects materials
Develop solutions to problems
that arise
RELATIONAL
I
I
Develops procedures,
overcomes problems
Apply skills, processes,
procedures, techniques to
create a product to specification
MULTI-STRUCTURAL
I
I
I
I
Works to fine tolerance on
joints, cuts & Assembly
Knowledge of skills, processes,
procedures & techniques
UNI-STRUCTURAL
I
I
Lists processes and
procedures to be used
PRE-STRUCTURAL
I
I
V
Less of the traits

8. • Artefacts offer high validity and authenticity. Tasks are similar to those performed in the real
world. Artefacts may be used as evidence for future employers or may be retained by the teacher
as exemplars for future students.
• Assessments may lack reliability as different assessors may differ on their view of “excellence”.
Brown and Race (2013)
• Here this weakness is reduced by the ongoing nature of the task.
• Certainly a more detailed checklist could be a useful tool. This is Assessment OF learning,
summative, used for accountability and reporting to SACE on student achievement.
Critique of the assessment

9. • Valid The assessment methods and task are strong indicators of
student learning and reflect that learning
• Reliable There is consistency between scores is assessed on several
occassions
• Objective Assessment results will be the same for anyone marking them
• Fair The assessment methods allow the student to show their
knowledge and skill
• Feasible The task is capable of being done
• Authentic Assessment tasks reflect performances expected in the ‘real
world’
• Wash back Is it ‘teaching to the test’?
Effectiveness of the Assessment

10. • Continuous assessment
• Formative & Diagnostic
• Sensitive and Constructive
• Dynamic and Interactive
• Motivational
• Promote Learning Goals and Assessment Criteria
• Develop Capacity For Self-assessment
• Recognise Achievements
Feedback In The Classroom

11. Just Pass: The student has needed guidance and assistance at each step. Dimensions
may be out by up to 5 mm from the specification, procedures have not been followed
closely and intervention may have been necessary. Some work may have had to be
redone.
Feedback focuses on the task and processes to ensure learning and that the task is
completed to a standard where it can be used in the next step. Errors are identified and
strategies developed with the student to correct them: “You need to follow this
procedure”. Feedback given during discussion is written down as a record and a
reference.
Expected Performance

12. Credit: The student has worked mainly independently but has
sought help where appropriate. Work is done to fine tolerance with
dimensions within 2 mm. Problems have been overcome with
thoughtful solutions and not repeated.
Focus is given to the process and self-regulation. “You need to pay
attention to this detail”.
Expected Performance

13. High Distinction: The student has worked independently to
achieve accurate results. Dimensions are within 1mm, joints are a
push fit and angles are square. Time has been used wisely,
problems have been considered before they arise with creative
solutions.
Feedback focuses on reflection on how success was achieved and
preparation for the next step.
Expected Performance

14. • Focuses learning on the student.
• Helps them develop self-assessment (Assessment AS learning),
motivation and self-esteem.
• Encourages dialogue about learning, clarifies performance standards.
• Provides information to shape teaching.
Feedback in Assessment

15. As a teacher:
• What type do you give?
• What happens with it?
• What would you like to happen with it?
As a student:
• What type did you get?
• Was it helpful?
• What did you do with it?
How will you change the feedback you use in your teaching?
Consider

16. Please visit slide share site
http://www.slideshare.net/iarmitage/assessment-methods-pd-presentation
to offer feedback on this presentation. Particularly you may wish to make
suggestions about the task itself or the assessment used.
Assessment and Evaluation

17. 1 Black, Paul & William, Dylan 1998, 'Inside the black box: raising standards through classroom assessment', Phi Delta
Kappan, vol. 80, no. 2.
2 Darr, Charles 2005, 'A hitchhiker's guide to reliability', Set: research information for teachers, no. 3.
3 Darr, Charles 2005, 'A hitchhikers guide to validity', Set: research information for teachers, no. 2.
4 Duchesne, Sue, McMaugh, Anne, Bochner, Sandra & Krause, Kerri-Lee 2013, 'What is assessment? [extract from chapter
12: Assessment and reporting]', in Duchesne, Sue, McMaugh, Anne, Bochner, Sandra & Krause, Kerri-Lee , Educational
psychology: for learning and teaching, 4th edn, Cengage Learning, South Melbourne, Vic.
5 Earl, Lorna M 2003, 'Assessment of learning, for learning, and as learning', in Earl, Lorna M, Assessment as learning: using
classroom assessment to maximize student learning, Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
6 Hattie, John & Timperley, Helen 2007, 'The power of feedback', Review of Educational Research, vol. 77, no. 1.
7 Nitko, Anthony J & Brookhart, Susan M 2011, 'Summaries of taxonomies of educational objectives: cognitive, affective,
and psychomotor domains', in Nitko, Anthony J & Brookhart, Susan M, Educational assessment of students, 6th edn,
Pearson Education, Boston, Mass.
8 Pellegrino, James W, Chudowsky, Naomi & Glaser, Robert 2001, 'The nature of assessment and reasoning from evidence',
in National Research Council (U.S.). Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Committee on the
Foundations of Assessment, Pellegrino, James W, Chudowsky, Naomi & Glaser, Robert (eds.), Knowing what students
know: the science and design of educational assessment, National Academy Press, Washington, DC.
References: