Instruction and Assessment: Pedagogy Flashcards
Describe the evaluation context of homework.
- Homework should not be assigned as punishment or the teacher falling behind
- It should be used if students are unable to complete a project during class, to gather info, to practice new skills, or to devise a solution to a complex problem based on a real-life situation, interesting and relevant to the students’ daily experiences
- Clear written instructions, expectations and rubric, answer questions and address concerns, reasonable due date, consider students’ other academic requirements, resource material is adequate and readily available, collect on the date specified, grade it, and return it promptly, be consistent with assessment protocol and provide thoughtful, helpful comments
Explain how to use the assessment station most effectively.
Because the assessment station is an interactive tool, the area needs to be equipped with the appropriate equipment necessary to complete the task. The students need to understand how to operate the instruments in a safe manner and therefore instructions should be provided both in writing and verbally. Questions should be asked and answered before any activity is started. If it is a group activity, each student needs to contribute to the assigned task.
The work submitted by each student is evaluated using a rating/grading scale or a checklist/rubric. For example if the task required the use of a microscope, the checklist should have points related to its use. If it as a group project, cooperation, helpfulness and leadership skills should be noted
Describe the evaluation context of a rating scale.
A rating scale is used to evaluate a student against a predetermined continuum. It is particularly useful for rating an oral presentation such as a speech, debate or stage performance, and for students to use as self-assessment tool.To increase the scale’s reliability, when developing the criteria to be evaluated, the activity needs to be broken into specific manageable parts. Each criterion may need its own rating system. Scale points need to be created. One to five, five being best. Very Good/Good/Average/Poor/Very Poor standard. Another system? Planning is important.
Discuss the methods of data recording and how to use them effectively in student assessments.
There are three ways to record data about individual student performance. Each provides important information and lends itself to evaluating different aspects of student growth. Anecdotal Records are observations of day-to-day activities, eg, how the student interacts in a group, his ability to complete a hands-on assignment, his demeanor while taking tests, and his development of particular cognitive skills. All these offer opportunities for teacher comments. The criteria on observation Checklists vary depending on what the teacher wants to evaluate. They can be used to measure the growth of knowledge, a change in attitude, or the understanding of new skills. Checklists can also be used to evaluate written assignments, oral presentations, class participation, completion of individual and/or group work, or any activity that requires assessment. Rating Scales are similar to observation checklists. The difference between the two is that checklists are used to determine the presence or absence of a skill, while rating scales measure the quality of the performance.
List some ways to evaluate the effectiveness of a test.
Teachers should have confidence that a test accurately measures students’ knowledge: therefore it is important to monitor its effectiveness each time it is used. Before the test is given, all items should be reviewed to ensure that they still meet the criteria established for understanding the material and if one item does not meet the criteria, either rework it or remove it. If most students, including the better ones, miss the same question, perhaps it is too difficult or is not worded properly. If the item is salvageable, rework it, and if not, delete it. Asking for student feedback on one or two items is an effective way to determine if they are still appropriate or if they should be reworked or removed. Veteran teachers usually develop a “feel” for whether a test is an accurate reflection ofwhat students know. If individual items or entire tests are reused, it is imperative to keep them in a secure place to minimize the possibility of cheating.
Shown is an observation checklist that could be used to evaluate a class discussion.
Subject Being Discussed: Class: Date: Time Elapsed
Student Names
Spoke clearly, Listened to other opinions, Waited for turn, Comment was Relevant, Challenged a Comment, Stated Reasons for Challenge, Noticed a Discrepancy, Stated a Relationship Between Ideas, Offered a Conclusion, Inclusive Behavior Shown
NOTE: can be modified according to teacher requirements.
Describe portfolios as a means of student assessment.
A portfolio is a collection of the student’s work assembled over a period of time (eg, six week grading period, one semester, the entire year). Various items can be included: contracts, copies of completed activities such as papers, presentations and pictures of props; performance assessments made by the student, his peers, and the teacher; copies of class work and homework; classroom tests; and state-mandated exams. A portfolio is a powerful aide in assessing the student’s progress and an excellent format to present to parents so they can review their child’s progress. The decision on what to include should be a collaboration between the student and the teacher. What will be included: examples of best work, worst work, typical work, or perhaps some of each? Will the student keep a copy as a reference point? Decisions need to be made and rules established as early as possible in the process so that progress is accurately and fairly recorded.
Discuss technical qualities of assessments.
One issue that must be considered when developing academic assessments is the technical quality of the examination. The National Center for Research on Evaluation Standards and Student Testing (CRESST) developed the following criteria to evaluate technical quality: Cognitive Complexity: requires problem-solving, critical thinking and reasoning ability Content Quality: correct responses demonstrate knowledge of critical subject matter
Meaningfulness: students understand the value ofthe assessment and the tasks involved
Language Appropriateness: clear to the students and appropriate to the requested task.
Transfer and Generalization: indicates ability to complete similar tasks and the results permit valid generalization about learning capabilities.
Fairness: performance measurements and scoring avoid factors irrelevant to school learning. Reliability: consistently represents data added to students background knowledge.
Consequences: it results in the desired effect on students instructors and the educational system
Describe the evaluation context of an observation checklist.
An observation checklist is a list of specific skills, behaviors, attitudes, and processes that are relevant to a student’s development and contribute to his ability to successfully complete learning activities. To be effective, these checklists need to be used frequently and be collected over a period of time. One or two observations can be misleading and will not provide an accurate measurement to reach a fair evaluation. Before using a checklist, a teacher must decide upon its purpose, how and when it will be used, and what the criteria will be. During the observation period, all occurrences of each item shown on the list need to be recorded. It is helpful for later evaluation if the teacher has a quick reference shorthand system to describe each appearance, e.g., equals excellent, equals adequate,? equals iffy,X equals inappropriate. After the session, notes should be added to clarity or elaborate the shorthand ratings.
Describe individual assessments.
Individual assessments focus on the progress each student made during a defined period of time (e.g, every six weeks, at the end of the semester) rather than in a team collaboration. A variety of activities such as written assignments, oral presentations, and class participation should be incorporated into the assessment in order to obtain a broader, more realistic view of the student’s understanding of the material. The assessment process should be fully explained so that the student knows what is expected. He is evaluated using one or all of the following standards:
self-referenced-based on his previous level of progress
criterion-referenced a defined, school or district-wide standard
norm-referenced based on the progress of groups of students the same age or grade level
Using a combination of standards instead of relying on one method presents a clearer, more accurate picture of the student’s growth.
Describe oral assessments.
Oral assessments are used for two reasons: when written assessments are not feasible, and to evaluate a student’s mastery of such topics as verbal language proficiency, debating skills, and the ability to think and respond quickly. These types of assessments can be stressful and some students may have trouble responding and become tongue-tied, and therefore it is important to conduct the session in private or in an atmosphere of acceptance. As an interactive form of communication, the teacher needs to avoid filling in the blanks and providing body language clues that might influence the student’s response. It is also important to avoid accentuating gender, race, or cultural differences in the content or delivery of the questions and/or tasks. The examination period should be long enough and the tasks required general enough in order to ensure that the student’s knowledge and proficiency can be adequately presented and evaluated.
Describe the evaluation process of an anecdotal record.
An anecdotal record is a written description of observed behavior. They are usually in an alphabetized book, binder, or folder and should be kept organized so it is easy to find notes concerning a particular student. There are computer programs available that make retrieving the data simple To be effective, observations need to be made frequently and incidents need to be described completely and objectively; the teacher’s analysis should be used as a guide for appropriate responses. Both successful situations and unsuccessful attempts need to be recorded in order to present an accurate picture of the student’s progress The evaluation context is
Formative: recalling the incident may raise an alert that something that needs to be addressed
Summative: since observations are made over a period of time they are an effective way to track student attitude, behavior knowledge acquired, cognitive skills learned, etc.
Diagnostic: consistent attention to performance may spotlight areas that need special attention.
Describe an assessment station.
An assessment station is a designated area, inside or outside of the classroom, used for the specific purpose of evaluating students’ progress performing a task. Individuals or groups can be assigned to complete a task, use a piece of lab equipment or work with some technological device. The purpose is to assess the knowledge acquired, processes used, skills displayed, and general attitude about the task, and if working in a group, how each student interacts with the other members of the team
The assessment station should function the same way every time it is every used. This builds consistency and reduces the time needed for explanations and demonstrations before and during future assessments. Instructions should be clear, concise and specific and explain exactly how the area should be left for the next student. Activities performed in the assessment station should be simple, straightforward and relate to the material being studied.
