ELED 417aPractical Assessment in the

Elementary Classroom ISpring 2008

May 6

Goals, Objectives, and Targets

• Don’t stress too much about these concepts• Just keep in mind where you are in relation to

goals, objectives…• Use standards as needed, as guides• All of these are important to IEPs• Goals = EALRs• Objectives = EALRs and GLEs• Instructional Objectives = GLEs• Targets = GLEs and how learning is measured• Use this information for WWU Lesson Plan

Goals

• Broad statements that cover large time span

• Can be assessed, but too much interference may enter

• Set student expectation early on

• While they tell where you’re going, they aren’t a road map how to get there

Objectives

• Give a clearer picture of how and what will be done, more specific than a goal

• Will include the use of action words

• Will include a behavior, audience, criterion, and condition

• Can be affected by specificity, too much or too little (see table 2.1, page 30)

Learning Targets

• Have as a condition, something is going to change—learning will take place

• Are LT different than objectives?

• Refer to Figure 2.2, page 41

• Notice learning targets give more information on the assessment

What are some things to consider when writing learning targets?

Refer to Figure 2.1 on page 39

Learning Target

Content

What Students Should Know and Be Able to Do

Learning Target

Criteria

Dimension of Student Performance Used for Judging Attainment

Learning Target

Content

What Students Should Know and Be Able to Do

Criteria

Dimension of Student Performance Used for Judging Attainment

Learning Target

Learning Targets

• The first component of the Keys to Quality Assessment

Keys To Quality Assessment

• Clear Targets– Knowledge-Thinking-Behavior-Product-Affect

• Sample Material– Remember the circles

• Control for Interference– Validity and reliability

• Clear Purpose for Assessment– Decision making-Instruction-Control

Differences Between the Keys and the Textbook

• Knowledge• Thinking• Behavior• Product• Affect

• Knowledge and Simple Understanding

• Deep Understanding and Reasoning

• Skills• Products• Affective

Learning Targets

• The first component of the Keys to Quality Assessment

• Need to be the junction between content and criteria

Content

What Students Should Know and Be Able to Do

Criteria

Dimension of Student Performance Used for Judging Attainment

Learning Target

Learning Targets

• The first component of the Keys to Quality Assessment

• Need to be the junction between content and criteria

• Content—Is the content appropriate for the target?

Multiplication Facts + Deep Understanding = ?

Multiplication Facts + Knowledge = !

Many times content drives the target.

Don’t waste time looking for something that’s not there.

Learning Targets

• The first component of the Keys to Quality Assessment

• Need to be the junction between content and criteria

• Content—Is the content appropriate for the target?

• Is the content appropriate for the student?

1st Grade + Struggle between proletariat and bourgeoisie = ?

1st Grade + People and their jobs = !

Learning Targets

• The first component of the Keys to Quality Assessment

• Need to be the junction between content and criteria

• Content—Is the content appropriate for the target?

• Is the content appropriate for the student?

• Is the content needed?

Do you really need to read a poem about flowers when teaching the parts of a flower?

Are you teaching in the circle?

Learning Targets

• Criteria—What are the generally accepted criteria?

Sources of Generally Accepted Criteria

• Peers– Good source with experience– May be tainted or biased

• Standards– Very complete– Designed by organizations/committees

• Rubrics/Scoring Criteria– Can be tailored to situation and in-depth– Can take significant amounts of time to design

Learning Targets

• Criteria—What are the generally accepted criteria?

• Is the criteria developmentally appropriate?

1st grade + Write a 500 word paper on turtles = ?

1st grade + Draw the best turtle you can = !

Learning Targets

• Criteria—What are the generally accepted criteria?

• Is the criteria developmentally appropriate?

• How do I explain criteria?– Exemplars or anchors

• Create samples of acceptable performance• Post past student work• Post Graphic Organizers

Levels of Instruction and Assessment

• Bloom’s Taxonomy– Standard by which most all others work from– Simplistic (?) so there is common

understanding

• Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy of Objectives

• Alternatives– How People Learn– Understanding By Design

Starting to Gather DataThe cumulative folder

• Report cards• Health care plans• Schools attended• Family history• Court orders• Notice of programs• Attendance

• Records requests• Notes from parents• Long-term study

notice• Birth certificate• Enrollment cards• Work samples• Test reports

Test Reports

• WASL

• Norm referenced

• Local assessments

• Scores– Raw– % correct– Percentile– Grade Equivalent

More Data

• Talk with previous teacher– Do they have work samples (portfolio)?– What seemed to work for them?– What didn’t work?– What would they have done different?

• Talk with principal or counselor

• Talk with school nurse

• Support staff

Start Observing

• Once the students come to you, what is the natural flow?

• Are there any leaders or standouts?

• Are there any shy, reserved students?

• Which student is an overachiever?

• Which student is an underachiever?

Pre-assessment

• Are you interested in base skills or range of skills?

• Watch validity, reliability, fairness– Don’t assume global weakness– Watch and formulate over time– Allow for alternate formats– More frequent assessment is better than one

large one– Don’t be fooled by appearances

Bias

• Be honest and ask yourself:– Is the data helping me better work with

student?– Is the data biasing me toward the student?

Remember