ERIC ED498247: Effective Student Assessment and Evaluation in the Classroom: Knowledge + Skills + Attributes

2006·0.2 MB·English

by  ERIC

Effective Student Assessment and
Evaluation in the Classroom
KNOWLEDGE + SKILLS + ATTRIBUTES
ALBERTA EDUCATION CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION DATA
Effective Student Assessment and Evaluation in the Classroom: Knowledge and Skills and Attributes.
ISBN 0 – 7785 – 4747 – 7
1. Teachers -- Training of -- Alberta. 2. Teaching -- Alberta -- Standards. 3. Educational tests and measurements
-- Alberta. 4. Grading and marking (Students) -- Alberta. 5. Students -- Rating of -- Alberta.
LB3058.C2.E27 2006 371.27
For more information contact:
Teacher Development and Certifi cation Branch
Alberta Education
44 Capital Boulevard
10044 – 108 Street N.W.
Edmonton, Alberta
T5J 5E6
Telephone: [phone] – to be connected toll-free call 310-0000
Fax: [phone]
A PDF version of this document is available on the Council of Alberta Teaching Standards (COATS) website at:
http://www.teachingquality.ab.ca/resources/
This document is intended for:
1. ACADEMIC STAFF - FACULTIES OF EDUCATION
2. GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS - FACULTIES OF EDUCATION
3. SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
4. SUPERINTENDENTS
5. TEACHERS
Copyright ©2006, the Crown in Right of Alberta, as represented by the Minister of Education,
Alberta Education, Teacher Development and Certifi cation Branch, 44 Capital Boulevard, 10044 – 108 Street N.W., Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada T5J 5E6
Every effort has been made to provide proper acknowledgement of original sources. If cases are identifi ed where this has not been
done, please notify Alberta Education so appropriate corrective action can be taken.
Permission is given by the copyright owner to reproduce this document, or any part thereof, for education purposes and on a non-profi t
basis, with the exception of materials cited for which Alberta Education does not own copyright.
Overview
Effective Student Assessment and Evaluation in provide a foundation for more in-depth
the Classroom: Core Knowledge and Skills and information gathering and research about
Attributes (Effective Student Assessment) is the ways that Alberta teacher professional
product of a collaborative effort among Alberta’s development institutions and professional
basic education stakeholders. The purpose of the development providers may further enhance
document is to more clearly articulate the student the quality of teaching in Alberta by
assessment knowledge, skills and attributes strengthening education graduates’ student
expected under the Teaching Quality Standard assessment competencies.
Ministerial Order of applicants for Alberta interim
The document presents a snapshot of current,
professional teacher certifi cation.
sound student assessment practices. All those
The document aims to: involved in its preparation recognize that
student assessment is a dynamic fi eld that is
serve as a statement of the repertoire of student i
constantly evolving; therefore, any guide to
assessment principles and core knowledge,
student assessment like this document must be
skills and attributes that all Alberta teacher
periodically revisited and revised.
preparation institutions, each in their unique
manner, are expected to provide to their The Expert Committee’s fi nal draft was reviewed
graduates; by 32 attendees at the 2005 Colloquium on
Student Assessment (Colloquium) that included
inform prospective employers about the student
representatives of Alberta teacher preparation
assessment principles and core knowledge, skills
programs, the Alberta Assessment Consortium,
and attributes they may reasonably expect of
the College of Alberta School Superintendents
recent Alberta, Bachelor of Education graduates
(CASS), the Alberta Teachers’ Association
as they begin their teaching careers;
(ATA) and Alberta Education. On the basis of
their review, Colloquium attendees suggested
provide a summary of the core student
a number of amendments to the Expert
assessment principles, knowledge and skills
Committee’s draft. These suggestions focused
which teachers, school authorities, professional
primarily not on substance but rather urged
development providers and others may use
greater emphasis on specifi c issues, for example,
when planning and developing professional
the important role of teachers’ professional
growth opportunities for beginning and other
judgment in assessment for student learning.
teachers; and
E F F E C T I V E S T U D E N T A S S E S S M E N T A N D E V A L U A T I O N I N T H E C L A S S R O O M
The Working Committee on the Effi cacy of
Teacher Preparation Programs and Beginning
Teachers’ Opportunities for Professional Growth
(Working Committee) duly considered suggestions
arising from the Colloquium and has made every
effort to refl ect them in this document while at
the same time maintaining the substance of the
Expert Committee’s content.
Acknowledgements
The Expert Committee developed initial drafts of EXPERT COMMITTEE CHAIR:
the document while the Working Committee was Dr. W. Todd Rogers, University of Alberta
responsible for fi nal editing and preparing the EXPERT COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
document for publication. Dr. Nola Aitken, University of Lethbridge
Dale Armstrong, University of Alberta
ii
Dr. John Hull, King’s University College
Dr. Joanne Neal, Concordia University College
Dr. Hsing Chi Wang, University of Calgary
Dr. Ian Winchester, University of Calgary
WORKING COMMITTEE CHAIR:
Dr. Mark Swanson, Alberta Education
WORKING COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Dr. Fern Snart, University of Alberta
Dr. Hans Smits, University of Calgary
Dr. June McConaghy, Concordia University College
Dr. Craig Loewen, University of Lethbridge
Dorothy Stanley, Alberta Teachers’ Association
Jerry Zimmer, College of Alberta School Superintendents
Dr. John Burger, Alberta Education
Laurette Setterlund, Alberta Education
E F F E C T I V E S T U D E N T A S S E S S M E N T A N D E V A L U A T I O N I N T H E C L A S S R O O M
Table of Contents
OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................i
BACKGROUND .................................................................................................1
GLOSSARY OF TERMS ................................................................................... 3
PROCEDURE ................................................................................................... 7
NATURE AND ROLE OF STUDENT ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION .......... 9
The Need for Student Assessment and Evaluation ........................................9
Student Assessment and Evaluation Depend on Professional Judgment .....11
iii
CORE STUDENT ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS ............................................................................13
A. Purposes of Classroom Assessment and Evaluation ...............................13
B. Developing Classroom Assessment and Evaluation Methods .................15
C. Selecting Classroom Assessment and Evaluation Methods .....................18
D. The Nature and Characteristics of External Testing and Examination
Programs ..............................................................................................20
E. Analyzing and Using the Results of Classroom Assessments, Provincial
Achievement Tests, and Diploma Examinations .....................................23
F. Communicating and Reporting Assessment Information and Results .....25
SUMMARY .....................................................................................................27
REFERENCES USED TO PREPARE THE REPORT .............................................29
LIST OF RESOURCES ......................................................................................31
E F F E C T I V E S T U D E N T A S S E S S M E N T A N D E V A L U A T I O N I N T H E C L A S S R O O M
iv
E F F E C T I V E S T U D E N T A S S E S S M E N T A N D E V A L U A T I O N I N T H E C L A S S R O O M
Background
Section 18(1) of the School Act for the Province assessment instruments including provincial
of Alberta sets out the duties that teachers must assessment instruments, and how to use the
perform while providing instruction to or in the results for the ultimate benefi t of students.
supervision of students. Included in this set of (Teaching Quality Standard Ministerial Order,
duties is the requirement that teachers must 1997)
“regularly evaluate students and periodically report
Under a Memorandum of Agreement about
the results to the students, the students’ parents
teacher certifi cation between the Minister
and the board” (Section 18(1) (e); Province of
of Education and appropriate offi cials of the
Alberta School Act, Chapter S-3, p. 24). Congruent
universities and university colleges offering
with this section of the Act, a series of 17
teacher preparation programs in Alberta, the
knowledge, skills, and attributes (KSAs) expected
Minister periodically reviews the effi cacy of these
of applicants for interim professional teacher
teacher preparation programs and beginning
certifi cation were identifi ed in the Teacher Quality 1
teachers’ opportunities for professional growth.
Standard Ministerial Order #016/97 to guide the
The information and fi ndings gathered from each
design of teacher preparation programs in Alberta.
review serves as the basis for recommendations
KSA 2(k) refers, in broad terms, to the assessment,
about ways to further enhance the quality of
evaluation, and communication knowledge, skills,
teaching in Alberta that the Minister may make
and attributes beginning teachers are expected to
to individuals in the universities and university/
possess upon completion of a teacher preparation
colleges responsible for the teacher education
program:
preparation programs and individuals in the fi eld
As situations warrant, teachers who hold an responsible for professional development.
Interim Professional Certifi cate are expected to
The Working Committee represents teacher
demonstrate consistently that they understand:
preparation institutions and key education
the purposes of student assessment. They stakeholders in Alberta and directs and manages
know how to assess the range of learning the periodic reviews on behalf of the Minister.
objectives by selecting and developing a The fi rst of these reviews was completed in
variety of classroom and large scale assessment March 20021. The Working Committee’s report,
techniques and instruments. They know how to Effi cacy of Alberta Teacher Preparation Programs
analyse the results of classroom and large scale and Beginning Teachers’ Professional Growth
1 A survey of teacher education graduates was completed as part of this review. The graduates were asked to indicate their perceptions of the
degree to which the teacher preparation program they completed prepared them in terms of each of the 17 KSAs.
E F F E C T I V E S T U D E N T A S S E S S M E N T A N D E V A L U A T I O N I N T H E C L A S S R O O M
Opportunities (Effi cacy Report), was presented Working Committee appointed an Expert
to the Council on Alberta Teaching Standards Committee to develop a document that describes
(COATS). COATS reviewed the 2002 report and the core student assessment, evaluation, and
provided a set of recommendations to the Minister. communication knowledge, skills, and attributes
that are essential to meet KSA2(k).
Among the recommendations made by COATS was
that the Working Committee focus on KSA 2(k). The present document is a report of the work of
Student assessment was one of the areas identifi ed the Expert Committee. The document can be used:
in the Effi cacy Report in which the quality of
i. as a statement of the repertoire of student
teacher preparation and beginning teachers
assessment principles and core knowledge,
opportunities for professional development needed
skills, and attributes (including, as appropriate,
to be enhanced. The Minister accepted this
methods and approaches) all preparation
recommendation.
programs in Alberta are expected to provide to
Consequently the Working Group held a graduates, notwithstanding that each individual
colloquium in April 2004 at which representatives program may deliver the repertoire in a manner
from the universities and university colleges that and using approaches unique to it;
offered teacher education programs and other
ii. to inform employers about the core and level of
education stakeholders:
student assessment principles, knowledge, and
shared current philosophies and practices related skills that they may reasonably expect of recent
to providing Alberta teacher education graduates Alberta BEd graduates when they commence
2
with the student assessment, evaluation, and their teaching careers in the classroom;
communication knowledge and skills required for
iii. as the core repertoire of student assessment
interim professional teacher certifi cation;
principles, knowledge, and skills teachers
and themselves, schools, school authorities,
professional development providers, and
discussed possible steps or activities that could
others may use when planning and developing
be taken to improve delivery to education
professional growth opportunities for beginning
students and beginning teachers competencies
and other teachers; and
related to student assessment and evaluation.
iv. to provide the framework for more in-depth
Participants’ views refl ected the complexity
information gathering and research about the
of assessing and evaluating student learning
ways Alberta teacher preparation institutions
and communicating the fi ndings and results to
and professional development providers may
the students’ parents and guardians, and the
further enhance the quality of teaching in
challenge of preparing beginning teachers to
Alberta with respect to student assessment.
perform these activities. There appeared to be a
(Alberta Core Student Principles, Knowledge
shared expectation that all education graduates
and Skills Project, June 21, 2004 Draft, p. 3)
should develop a common foundation of student
assessment, evaluation, and communication
knowledge and skills. Toward this end, the
E F F E C T I V E S T U D E N T A S S E S S M E N T A N D E V A L U A T I O N I N T H E C L A S S R O O M
Glossary of Terms
To guide the preparation of this document, the Expert Committee defi ned the following concepts:
Assessment: Assessment is the process of Classroom Assessment: Assessments
collecting information about a student to aid in developed or chosen and used by teachers
making an evaluation about the progress and in their classrooms to determine the progress
development of a student. and achievement of the knowledge, skills, and
attitudes by their students, and used to refi ne
Assessment Method: A strategy or technique
their own instruction.
teachers who evaluate students may use to
acquire assessment data and information. Criterion-Referenced: Evaluation relative to
These methods include, but are not limited grade level curriculum standards (learning
to, observations, anecdotal notes and records, outcomes).
3
text- and curriculum-embedded questions and
Diagnosis: Diagnosis refers to the careful
tests, paper-and-pencil tests, computer adaptive
investigation of a condition by its symptoms
and on-line tests, oral questioning, benchmarks
and history for purposes of identifying
or reference sets, interviews, peer-and self-
specifi cs of the condition, for example
assessments, standardized criterion-referenced
identifying students’ learning issues and
and norm-referenced tests, and performance
needs, so that the condition may be
assessments (e.g., writing samples, exhibitions,
effectively addressed. The term also refers
portfolio assessment, and project and product
to the opinion which formally reports on the
assessments). Several labels have been used
investigation and its fi ndings.
to describe subsets of these alternatives, with
the most common being “direct assessment,”
Diploma Examinations Program: School exit
“authentic assessment,” “performance
examinations in selected Grade 12 courses,
assessment,” and “alternative assessment.”
the results from which count 50% toward the
For the purposes of the document, the
fi nal blended mark for each course. The main
term assessment method has been used to
purposes of these examinations are to:
encompass all the strategies and techniques
that might be used to collect information from certify the level of individual student
students about their progress toward attaining achievement in the selected Grade 12
the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to be courses in which the student is enrolled and
learned. in terms of the expected learning outcomes
provided in the programs of study
E F F E C T I V E S T U D E N T A S S E S S M E N T A N D E V A L U A T I O N I N T H E C L A S S R O O M
ensure that province-wide standards of Grade Level of Achievement: A teacher
achievement are maintained judgment, based on the results from
a variety of classroom assessments
report individual and group results to assist
throughout the school year, expressed as
schools, authorities, and the province in
a whole number in relation to learning
monitoring and improving learning.
outcomes in a subject area after a
course for a specifi c grade level has been
Evaluation: Evaluation involves making judgments
completed.
about the quality, value, or worth of a response,
product, or performance based on established
Norm-referenced: Evaluation in relation to
criteria. Evaluations are usually based on multiple
other students within a group.
sources of information and can be used (i) to
inform students, and their parents/guardians Programs of Study: Alberta’s Kindergarten
where applicable, about the progress they are to Grade 12 curriculum is outlined in legal
making towards attaining the knowledge, skills documents called programs of study.
and attitudes to be learned; and (ii) to inform Each document outlines why the program
the various personnel who make educational is offered, what students are expected
decisions (instructional, diagnostic, placement, to learn, and the basic principles about
promotion, graduation, curriculum planning, how students are to achieve the required
program development, policy) about students. knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
Formative Assessment: Assessments that take Provincial Achievement Testing Program:
4
place during instruction and learning to: End of year provincial achievement tests at
Grades 3 (Language Arts and Mathematics)
inform students, on an ongoing basis, about
and 6 and 9 (Language Arts, Mathematics,
their progress towards achieving the intended
Science, and Social Studies). The main
learning outcomes as set out in the programs
purposes of these tests are to:
of study
provide feedback to students and their
identify the gains and diffi culties students are
parents/guardians on how well the
experiencing in what they are being asked to
students have learned curriculum-based
learn or perform
learning outcomes as defi ned in the
programs of study
provide specifi c, descriptive, and meaningful
feedback
provide information to teachers on
how well their classes have achieved
motivate students to learn by providing
the learning outcomes set out in the
feedback on a continuous basis
programs of study, permit comparison of
monitor student performance toward the the results of their own assessments to
expected learning outcomes as set out in the the provincial achievement test results,
programs of study and adjust instruction on and provide additional feedback on the
the basis of the fi ndings where necessary. effectiveness of their teaching methods
E F F E C T I V E S T U D E N T A S S E S S M E N T A N D E V A L U A T I O N I N T H E C L A S S R O O M