© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
CHAPTER 16
Classroom Assessment and Grading
© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Learning Goals
1. Discuss the classroom as an assessment context.
2. Provide some guidelines for constructing traditional tests.
3. Describe some types of alternative assessments.
4. Construct a sound approach to grading.
© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Classroom Assessment
The Classroom as an Assessment
Context
Assessment as an Integral Part
of Teaching
CurrentTrends
Making Assessment
Compatible withContemporary
Views of Learning and Motivation
Creating Clear, Appropriate
Learning Targets
EstablishingHigh-QualityAssessments
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Assessment as an Integral Part of Teaching
Pre-Instruction Assessment
Formative Assessment
Summative Assessment
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Learning Targets
1. Define what students should know and be able to do, and
2. Provide criteria for judging whether students have attained the stated learning target.
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Establishing High-Quality Assessments
ValidityValidity Does the assessment measure what it is intended to measure?
ReliabilityReliability Does the assessment yield stable and dependable scores relatively free of measurement errors?
FairnessFairness Do all students have equal opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skill?
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Current Trends in Classroom Assessment
Include some performance-based methods of assessment
Examine higher-level cognitive skills Use multiple assessment methods Use more multiple-choice items to prepare
students for taking high-stakes state-standards-based tests
Have high performance standards Use computers as part of assessment
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Classroom Assessment
Constructed-Response
Items
TraditionalTests
Selected-ResponseItems
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Traditional Tests
Traditional tests are typically paper-pencil tests in which students select from choices, calculate numbers, construct short responses, and write essays.
Two main types: Selected-response items Constructed-response items
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Selected-Response Items Multiple-Choice Items
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Selected-Response Items True-False Items
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Selected-Response Items Short-Answer Items, Essay Items
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Classroom Assessment
PortfolioAssessment
AlternativeAssessments
Performance Assessment
Trends in Alternative
Assessment
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Alternative Assessments
Authentic assessment includes dance, music, art, and physical education as well as papers, projects, experiments, and portfolios.
Authentic assessment means evaluating a student’s knowledge or skill in a context that approximates the real world or real life
as closely as possible.
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Performance Assessments
Performance assessments are evaluated when
specific criteria (behaviors) are performed by the student.
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Guidelines forPerformance Assessments
Establishing a clear purpose Identifying observable criteria Providing an appropriate setting Judging or scoring the performance
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Portfolio Assessments
Artifacts: Students’ papers and homework.
Reproductions: Documentation of a student’s work outside the classroom.
Attestations: Teachers’ or others’ documentation of a student’s work.
Productions: Documents prepared especially for the portfolio.
Portfolio assessment consists of evaluating a systematic and
organized collection of a student’s work that
demonstrates the student’s skills and accomplishments.
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Using Portfolios Effectively
Establishing purpose Growth portfolio Best-work portfolio
Involving students in selecting portfolio materials
Reviewing with students Setting criteria for evaluation Scoring and judging
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Classroom Assessment
Grading andReporting
Performance
The Purposes of Grading
Some Issuesin Grading
Reporting Students’ Progress and
Grades to Parents
The Components
of a Grading System
© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Purposes of Grading
Informational: The grade represents the teacher’s
summary judgment of student performance.
Administrative: Help determine class rank,
graduation, and promotion.
Motivational: Students are motivated to achieve high grades and to fear low grades.
Guidance: Help in appropriate course
selection and identifying students with special
needs.
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Standards of Comparison
Based on comparison of student’s performance with classmates
Referred to as “grading on the curve”
Grading scale determines what percentages of students get particular grades
Based on comparisons with predetermined standards or criteria
Referred to as “absolute grading”
Grading is based on level of mastery
Criterion-Referenced Grading
Norm-Referenced Grading
© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Grading and Reporting Performance
The Report Card Standard method of reporting student progress
Letter and numerical grades are typically used, some checklists
Some report affective characteristics Some provide teacher’s summative
comments
Written Progress Report
Reports can include student’s performance on tests, projects, reports
Can include comments on student motivation, cooperation, and behavior
Suggestions for parents
Parent-Teacher Conference
Provide an opportunity to give parents useful information
Provide an avenue to develop parent-teacher partnerships on the student’s behalf
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Enter the Debate
Should grades be abolished?
YES NO
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Crack the CaseThe Project
1. What are the issues involved in this situation?
2. What did Mr. Andrews do wrong?
3. How should he have gone about developing his alternative assessments?
4. How should he have developed his grading guide?
5. What do you think of the practice of including an effort grade on students’ projects? Why?
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Reflection & ObservationReflection: How have teachers assessed
your learning? How did different types of
feedback affect your self-perceptions and motivation to learn?
