ERIC ED384474: Science and Math Assessment in K-6 Rural and Small Schools. Rural, Small Schools Network Information Exchange: Number 14, Spring 1993.

155 Pages·1993·6.7 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 384 474
RC 020 177
TITLE
Science and Math Assessment in K-6 Rural
and Small
Schools. Rural, Small Schools Network Information
1
Exchange: Number 14, Spring 1993.
INSTITUTION
Regional Laboratory for Educational
Improvement of
the Northeast & Islands, Andover, MA.
SPONS AGENCY
Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED),
Washington, DC.
PUB DATE
93
CONTRACT
RP91002008
NOTE
185p.; Photographs will not reproduce
adequately.
PUB TYPE
Collected Works - General (020)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PCO8 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
*Academic Standards; Curriculum Based
Assessment;
Educational Change; Educational Practices;
Educational Testing; Elementary Education;
*Elementary School Mathematics; *Elementary
School
Science; Evaluation Methods; Informal
Assessment;
*Portfolio Assessment; Program Descriptions; *Rural
Education; *Student Evaluation
IDENTIFIERS
*Alternative Assessment; Authentic
Assessment
ABSTRACT
This packet includes reprints of journal articles
and
other resources concerning the assessment of science
and math in
small, rural elementary schools. Articles include: (1)
"Standards,
Assessment, and Educational Quality" (Lauren B. Resnick);
(2) "A True
Test: Toward More Authentic and Equitable Assessment"
(Grant
Wiggins); (3) "How World-Class Standards Will
Change Us" (Arthur L.
Costa); (4) "Smart Tests" (Deborah L. Cohen);
(5) "Laser Disk
Portfolios: Total Child Assessment" (Jo Campbell);
(6) "Portfolios
Invite Reflectionfrom Student's and Staff" (Elizabeth
A. Hebert);
(7) "Portfolio Assessment in the Hands
of Teachers" (Clare Forseth);
(8) "Portfolio Assessment" (Susan Black); (9)
"Assessing the Outcomes
of Computer-Based Instruction: The Experience
of Maryland" (Gita Z.
Wilder, Mary Fowles); (10) "Why Standards May
Not Improve Schools"
(Elliot W. Eisner); (11) "Assessing Alternative
Assessment" (Gene I.
Maeroff); (12) "Assessment Recordkeeping in
a Non-Graded
Developmentally-Based Program" (Elsbeth Bellemere,
Jeanne King); (13)
"Strategies for the Development of Effective
Performance Exercises"
(Joan Boykoff Baron); (14) "Evaluating
Elementary Science" (Rodney L.
Doran and others); (15) "Science for All: Getting
It Right for the
21st Century" (Kenneth M. Hoffman, Elizabeth K. Stage);
(16) "Active
Assessment for Active Science" (George E. Hein); (17) "The
Nature of
Elementary Science: What Does 'It' Look Like?" (Gregg
Humphrey); (18)
"Assessment: What Is 'IT'?" (Gregg Humphrey); (19)
"What's Worth
Assessing?" (Monte Moses); (20) "Creating
Benchmarks for Science
Education" (Andrew Ahlgren); (21) "Assessment,
Practically Speaking"
(Lehman W. Barnes, Marianne B. Barnes); (22) "Getting
Connected to
Science" (Candace L. Julyan); (23) "EDTALK:
What We Know about
Science Teaching and Learning"; (24) "What We've
Learned about
Assessing Hands-On Science" (Richard J. Shavelson,
Gail P. Baxter);
(25) "NCTM's Standards: A Rallying Flag for Mathematics
Teachers"
(Thomas A. Romberg); (26) "Measuring What's
Worth Learning"; (27)
"Report Offers Glimpse of Mathematics
Assessment of the Future"
(Robert kothman); (28) "The Power of Thinking Mathematics"
(Alice 3.
Gill, Lovely H. Billups); (29) "Bringing Meaning
to Math with a
Student-Run Store" (Deborah Black); (30) "Employer
Expectations for
School Mathematics" (Henry 0. Pollak); and (31)
"Evaluating Problem
Solving in Mathematics" (Walter Szetela, Cynthia Nicol).
(LP)
RURAL, SMALL SCHOOLS NETWORK
EXCHANGE
INFORMATION
Number 14
SPRING 1993
SCIENCE AND MATH ASSESSMENT
IN K-6 RURAL AND SMALL SCHOOLS
U.& DEPARTMENT OF
"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS
EDUCATION
Mc* of Educational Research
and Improvement
MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
/NS
document has been reproduced
as
received from the person
or organization
oncenating ft
O Minor changes have been
made to Improve
(*Production Quality
Points of view or opinions
stated in this docu-
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
ment do not nOCOSSanly fepreSent
official
OERI position or policy
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)."
The Regional Laboratory
for Educational hnia Nentent of the Northeast & Islands
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
This publication is based on work sponsored wholly or in part by the U.S. Department of Education
under contract number RP 91002008. The content of the publication does not necessarily reflect
the views of the department or any other agency of the U.S. Go
ment.
The Regional Laboratory
for Educational Improvement of the Northeast & Islands
Spring 1993
Dear Rural, Small School Leader:
The need for alternative assessment methods is evolving alongside a growing shift from
schools that are content-centered to schools that are learner-centered. Higher order
thinking processes, decision making skills and cooperative grouping strategies are just a
few of the myriad student proficiencies that schools are choosing to assess. The range of
articles in this Rural, Small Schools Network Information Packet includes a discussion of
assessment standards, an overview of a variety of assessment methods, and descriptions
of 'state of the art' science and math programs.
Students are assessed on what they learn; as well as how they respond to a test. In the
past educators have relied heavily on one testing instrument. Multi-faceted assessment
instruments like portfolios, essays, multiple choice questions, and hands-on presentation
instruments now provide a more in-depth perspective of what students have learned as
well as offering students a variety of ways to demonstrate their knowledge.
We hope you find this packet informative as you look at assessment as a way of
gathering information about students' learning processes. An evaluation card has been
provided so you can send us your feedback. We also welcome your suggestions for
future Information Exchange Packet topics. Please jot any ideas you may have on the
card or contact us at the Rural, Small Schools Network, 83 Boston Post Road, Sudbury,
MA 01776, [phone].
Sincerely,
John R. Sullivan, Jr., Ed.D.
Virginia L. Warn
Program Director
Associate Program Director
Rural, Small Schools Network
Rural, Small Schools Network
Servin:.; Nett E/whin(l. Nott
Inrk.
Puerto Rico. and the U.S. Wiwi') Islands
300 Brickstune Square: Suite 900. indoter IN 01810 [phone] Fax [phone]
3
CONTENTS
SCIENCE AND MATH ASSESSMENT IN X -6 RURAL AND SMALL SCHOOLS
Overview of Assessment
SECTION I:
"Standards, Assessment, and Educational Quality," by Lauren B.
Resnick, Stanford Law and Policy Review, Winter 1992-93.
"A True Test:
Toward More Authentic and Equitable Assessment," by
Grant Wiggins, Phi Delta Kappan, May 1989.
"How World-Class Standards Will Change Us," by Arthur L. Costa,
Educational Leadership, February 1993.
"Smart Tests," by Deborah L. Cohen, Teacher Magazine, March 1993.
"Laser Disk Portfolios:
Total Child Assessment," by Jo Campbell,
Educational Leadership, May 1992.
"Portfolios Invite Reflection--from Students and Staff," by Elizabeth
A. Hebert, Educational Leadership, May 1992.
"Portfolio Assessment in the Hands of Teachers," by Clare Forseth,
The School Administrator, December 1992.
"Portfolio Assessment," by Susan Black, The Executive Educator,
February 1993.
"Assessing the Outcomes of Computer-Based Instruction:
The Experience
of Maryland," by Dr. Gita Z. Wilder and Mary Fowles, T.H.E. Journal,
September 1992.
"Why Standards May Not Improve Schools," by Elliot W. Eisner,
Educational Leadership, February 1993.
"Assessing Alternative Assessment," by Gene I. Maeroff, Phi Delta
Kappan, December 1991.
"Assessment Recordkeeping in a Non-Graded Developmentally-Based
Program," by Elsbeth Bellemere and Jeanne King, presented at the
High/Scope Foundation Conference on Assessment in Ypsilanti, Michigan,
Winter 1990.
"Strategies for the Development of Effective Performance Exercises,"
by Joan Boykoff Baron, Applied Measurement in Education, copyright
1991.
SECTION Science Assessment X-6
"Evaluating Elementary Science," by Rodney L. Doran, Douglas Reynolds,
Janice Camplin, and Nicholas He)aily, Science and Children, November/
December 1992.
"Science for All:
Getting It Right For the 21st Century," by Kenneth
M. Hoffman and Elizabeth K. Stage, Educational Leadership, February 1993.
"Active Assessment for Active Science," by George E. Hein, Expanding
Student Assessment, edited by Vito Perrone, copyright 1991 by the
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
"The nature of elementary science:
what does "it" look like?," by
Gregg Humphrey, Teachers' Lab, September 1991.
"Assessment:
what is "IT?," by Gregg Humphrey, Teachers' Lab,
November & December 1991.
"What's Worth Assessing?," by Monte Moses, The School Administrator,
December 1992.
"Creating Benchmarks For Science Education," by Andrew Ahlgren,
Educational Leadership, February 1993.
"Assessment, Practically Speaking," by Lehman W. Barnes and Marianne
B. Barnes, Science and Children, March 1991.
"Getting Connected to Science," by Candace L. Julyan, Hands On!,
Volume 14, Number 1, Spring 1991.
EDTALK:
What We Know About Science Teaching And Learning, published
by the Council for Educational Development and Research, pages 57-62.
"What We've Learned About :Assessing Hands-On Science," by Richard J.
Shavelson and Gail P. Ba'ter, Educational Leadership, May 1992.
SECTION III:
Math Assessment K-6
"NCTM's Standards:
A Rallying Flag For Mathematics Teachers," by
Thomas A. Romberg, Educational Leadership, February 1993.
"Measuring What's Worth Learning," a report from National Academy
Press, copyright 1993.
"Report Offers Glimpse of Mathematics Assessment of the Future," by
Robert Rothman, Education Week, December 9, 1992.
"The Power of Thinking Mathematics," by Alice J. Gill and Lovely H.
Billups, American Educator, Winter 1992.
"Bringing meaning to math with a student-run store," by Deborah Black,
Teachers' Lab, November/December 1992.
"Employer expectations for school mathematics," by Henry 0. Pollak,
Teachers' Lab, October 1992.
"Evaluating Problem Solving in Mathematics," by Waite:: Szetela and
Cynthia Nicol, Educational Leadership, May 1992.
Overview or Assessment
SECTION I:
Reprinted with permission from Stanford Law and Policy Review, Winter 1992-93.
Standards, Assessment, and Educational Quality
Lauren B. Resnick
Learning Research and Development Center
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
1993
Stanford Law and Policy Review, a, 53-59.
Standards, Assessment, and
Educational Quality
by
Lauren B. Resnick
National performance
standards can play a
vital role in systemic
American schools
leaders managers, engineers,
are
underachieving institutions.
physicians, lawyers, and other
education reform.
professionals to use their minds
Their aspirations are too low and
they are not working up to
well. For the majority of students,
capacity. The reason lies not in
however, educational aims were
students learning less than before.
much more modest. The goal was
to teach basic citizenship and to inculcate the limited
Indeed, scores on tests of "basic skills" have risen over the
skills young people would need to take their places as
past two decades.' But students are not learning the skills
and knowledge they will need in the future. Why is this
workers in an economy needing many more willing hands
It was a mass production form of
than active minds.
so?
education suited to the mass production economy of the
Schooling as we know it today was designed early in
Broad, liberating education for the many was
this century) It aimed to educate a small elite of future
time.'
American
considered unnecessary and unachievable.
tests, the standardized tests that report on children's and
Dr. Lauren B. Remick is the director of the Learrung Research and
schools' "grade level", are the products of mass production
Development Center at the Untuerury of Pittsburgh and a Professor in
education' They assess students' command of disembodied
the Department of Psychology and School of Education as the Univ.
bits of information, not their ability to analyze complex
of Piasburgh. She is also the co-director of the New Standards
situations or marshal knowledge to solve problems.' Yet
Project, which is developmg a new national student performance
assessment system. Preparation of this paper was supported by grants
these tests substantially control what is taught in schools.
from the Pew Charitable Trusts and the John D. aid Catherme T.
The strategy seemed to work for many decades:
MacArthur Foundation for the work of the New Standards Project.
Living standards rose for more and more Americans and
An earlier version of the paper was irreserued at the annual meeang of
American democracy seemed secure' But the world at
the American Educational Research Assoc-v.:mon, April 1992, as part
the beginning of the next century will bear few rewards for
of the symposnan: "The Federal Reform of Education: Boon or
individuals or nations that limit themselves to educating
Bane for American Public Schools.'
WINTER 1992-93
53
8
LAUREN B. RESNICK
changes in the way schools are managed and in how
only a few to think.' To maintain a high-wage economy,
schools relate to families, communities, and the social
almost all individualswill have to think their way though
service delivery system. Stimulating and enabling these
their workdaysanalyzing problems, proposing solutions,
interlocking changes constitutes a systemic reform po licy
troubleshootingandrepairing equipment, communicating
the only kind of policy likely to produce the new levels of
with others, and managing resources of time and materials.
student achievement that are sought.
For the first time since the Industrial. Revolution, the
human resource needs of a vibrant economy and the civic
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND
requirements of a truly participatory democracy are
SYSTEMIC CHANGE
converging. The time has come for American schools to
set their sights higher, to move from their inherited
Implementing systemic change requires attention
preoccupation with low-level fact and skill learning to
not only to how the elements of a system function
the goals of thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving for
together in equilibrium, but to how they might influence
every student.
.
one another in a period of disequilibrium, and which
Doing so will require the most thorough revision of
elements might be most susceptible to organized,
aspiration and practice that any set of institutions has
of
intentional modification. In some countries, an effort at
ever known. It will necessitate setting new standards
national improvement of education would begin with
quality and mobilizing all resources to ensure that every
attention to curriculum and, perhaps, organizational
:
structure, including teacher certification requirements.'
The time has come for
Both of these would fall under the purview of a ministry
American schools to set their
of education with the power. after consultation appropriate
to the country's processes, to impose the curriculum and
sights higher and address the
the new forms of organization. Textbooks, exams, and
goals of thinking, reasoning
the content of teacher education programs would change
in due course in response to the mandated curriculum.
and problem-solving.
In countries that, like us, have traditions of local
rather than national control of education, this centralized
approach to changing the system is not available. Some
single child, regardless of the child's race, language,
countries, most notably Britain, have responded to this
origin, or presumed native ability, has the learning
condition by overthrowing significant aspects of the
opportunities needed to meet those standards.
It will
local control tradition and moving toward a national
mean re-educating teachers to work in new ways and
;
curriculum.9 We in the United States are trying to induce
giving them the authority they will need to set a new
systemic changes without federalizing education and
course with their students. New methods of assessing
student achievement will be essential in this
without creating a controlling national curriculum. We .:
What are the
need a different point of departure.
transformation.
possibilities!
New forms of assessment, assessments based on
complex task performances, scored by trained and
Three frequently proposed starting points for reform
are textbooks, teacher education, and education
thoughtful judges, can release educators from the grip of
governance. All are crucial to a full program of systemic
testing programs that drive instructional attention away
reform. But none of the three serves as a promising
from thoughtfulness and complex applications of
starting point. Consider textbooks first. These serve as a
They can exemplify new standards for
knowledge.
kind of de facto national curriculum, and changes in
achievement and provide clear representations of what
textbooks would strongly influence what is taught and
students should now be striving to learn and teachers
But because textbook publishers respond
learned.
teach.
primarily to market incentives, a radical change in demand
Standards and assessment alone, however, will work
from purchasers ( i.e., educators) must be created.
no magic. Real educational improvement requires
Textbook publishing can be expected to follow, not lead,
interlocking and coherent changes in several components
of the education system.
These include curriculum,
the reform effort.
textbooks, teacher preparation, and continuing
The prospects are not much better for teacher
education as a starting point. The argument for reforming
professional development. Further, for these elements to
teacher education is compelling; only a quite differently
sustain themselves, there will need to be fundamental
STANFORD LAW Si. POLICY REVIEW
S4
9
STANDARDS, ASSESSMENT, AND EDUCATIONAL QUALITY
prepared teaching force will be able to educate students
ordinary ways of proceeding as soon as they become too
in the new, more demanding ways that are required for
visibly successful or their special advocates move on so
But teacher education in this country is
new challenges.
the future.
largely controlled by institutions with even greater
Performance standards are a promising start for
traditions of "local" control than the public schools.
systemic change. We need an education system in which
good schools that have high expectations for students
Individual faculty at colleges and universities substantially
and that work hard to meet them can thrivewhere
control their own programs of instruction. No one has
proposed a convincing and, at least for the moment,
good schools are the norm rather than exceptions needing.
special protection. We should organize education so that
it does not depend upon a few exceptional people putting
We in the United States are
out extraordinary effort, but relies instead upon thousands
of competent and committed people working in concert
trying to induce systemic
with, rather than against, the "system." Performance
change without federalizing
standards represent the best means to achieve this. Such
education and creating a
standards provide tangible goals that students can strive
to achieve. Standards also allow teachers to measure
controlling national
student performance against an objective criterion of
curriculum.
If we can agree on national standards for
excellence.
student achievement and create conditions in school
systems all over the country in which those standards are
internalized and made the centerpiece of educators and
politically viable means of d irectly inducing the hundreds
students' efforts, there is a good probability that
of institutions responsible for educating teachers to make
radical changes in what they do themselves or demand of
curriculum, professional development, textbooks, and,
future teachers. Furthermore, even with major changes
eventually, teacher preparation can be changed so that
in pre-service teacher education, it would take a long
the entire system is working toward the standards.
time to change schooling practice. Newcomers to any
INTERNALIZED STANDARDS: KEY TO A
profession are not well positioned to cake the lead in
NEW CULTURE OF TEACHING
changing practice.
For many years to come, the vast
majority of teachers in place will have been educated in
the "old" ways. Means must be found to more directly
This approach may sound like a prescription for
affect the practices of those already in the teaching force.
federal, or at least national, tests or exams tied to standards
What about changing the management structure of
set by a committee of experts. It is not. National standards
alone will not achieve our goals. Standards must be
educationgiving local educators and parents more direct
decision-making power? There seems little doubt, for
internalized. Unless standards are held as personal goals
reasons discussed below, that such changes are essential
by teachers first, and eventually by studentslittle in the
way of profound educational change can result from a
to overall systemic reform. Apart from a few schools with
substantial outside resources, however, changes in
standard-setting and assessment process. Let us consider
management and decision making have, so far, rarely
why this is so.
produced significant changes in curriculum, teaching,
If a national test embodying the highest standards
and learning. Those that have reached such results have
of a thinking curriculum could be created in Washington
almost always depended upon exceptional individual
and given to every student in America, with test scores
leaders.'° These leaders often negotiate special privileges
sent back to schools from a national office, educators
for the schoolfor example, freedom from certain
might hope to change their school's performance
mandated tests during an experimental period, the right
especially if some consequences for themselves or their
to choose faculty in ways that are not standard in their
students were attached to test scores. But if educators did
districtand sometimes raise extra funds from
not understand in a profound manner the differences
foundations and other donors. Such schools are tolerated
between high and low scores, they would not know how
as exceptional experiments that do not really challenge
to direct their efforts. Adclitionai I
if educators were not
the normal ways in which the system works. Without a
personally invested in the standards and assessments
change in the surrounding system, exceptional schools of
based on them, the various forms ofcheating and"working
this kind are fragile and likely to be driven back to
around the system" that have bein amply documenked in
I 0
WINTER 1992.93
SS