Assessment Overview

Summary

This webinar focuses on enhancing teachers' understanding of classroom assessment through various strategies. It introduces four models of assessment: an overview, assessment for learning, assessment as learning, and assessment of learning. The key takeaway is that assessment serves as feedback, driving student improvement and informing instruction. Teachers are encouraged to use backward planning, diverse assessment tools, and strategies like rubrics, checklists, and anecdotal records. The aim is to provide meaningful, varied, and timely feedback, ensuring assessments are manageable and aligned with learning goals for both students and teachers.

Takeaways

• 📚 Assessment is an integral component of instructional design, guiding teacher planning and instruction.
• 💡 The primary purpose of assessment is to promote learning for students, emphasizing feedback over final grades.
• 🔄 There are three key types of assessment: assessment for learning, assessment as learning, and assessment of learning.
• 🎯 Teachers need to use backward planning, starting with identifying the targeted understandings and skills based on curriculum expectations.
• 🧠 Effective assessment should be varied, balanced, flexible, and sensitive to student diversity and needs.
• 📝 Multiple assessment strategies, such as rubrics, checklists, anecdotal records, and numerical scoring, provide a more complete picture of student learning.
• 📊 Assessment tools should align with the complexity of tasks, using rubrics for performances and checklists for behaviors or skills.
• 🕒 Timely and specific feedback is essential for student progress and learning, far more valuable than report card marks.
• 👩‍🏫 Teachers must continually reflect on their practices, adjusting instruction based on formative assessment data and student progress.
• 🎓 Professional judgment is critical, guided by curriculum expectations, evidence of learning, and ongoing reflection.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the assessment webinar mentioned in the transcript?

The main purpose of the assessment webinar is to help teachers enhance their understanding of classroom assessment, learn new strategies, and apply meaningful and well-organized approaches used by their peers.

How does the webinar structure its content regarding different types of assessment?

The webinar is structured into four models: Model 1 provides an overview of assessment, Model 2 focuses on assessment for learning, Model 3 discusses assessment as learning, and Model 4 covers assessment of learning.

Why is feedback considered a crucial part of assessment?

Feedback is considered crucial because it promotes learning for students. The primary purpose of assessment is to help every student improve their learning, and feedback plays a key role in achieving this.

What are some critical questions that assessment inspires teachers to ask?

Assessment inspires teachers to ask questions like: Are we teaching what we think we're teaching? Are students learning what they're supposed to be learning? Are we using the best teaching strategies to improve student learning?

How should effective assessment be designed, according to the webinar?

Effective assessment should be varied, balanced, and flexible, demonstrating sensitivity to student needs and diversity. It should be manageable, meaningful, and designed to provide optimal learning opportunities for students.

What are the three main roles of assessment outlined in the transcript?

The three main roles of assessment are: providing students with feedback on their work, helping students set learning goals and monitor progress, and evaluating and reporting their progress in the form of grades or marks.

How does professional judgment play a role in the assessment process?

Professional judgment is essential because it involves purposeful, systematic thinking, informed by teachers’ knowledge of the curriculum, learning context, evidence of learning, and assessment criteria. This judgment evolves through reflection and self-correction.

What is backward planning in the context of assessment?

Backward planning involves identifying targeted skills and knowledge from the curriculum, determining appropriate assessment strategies, and planning learning experiences that will enable students to succeed. It ensures that assessment is aligned with learning goals.

Why is it important for assessment strategies to match the intended criteria?

It is important because the right strategy ensures that the assessment accurately captures the intended learning outcomes. Using multiple opportunities and methods allows students to demonstrate their learning in different contexts, providing a clearer picture of their progress.

What types of tools are recommended for different assessment tasks?

Rubrics are recommended for complex performances, checklists and rating scales for tasks like skill demonstrations and group participation, anecdotal comments for open-ended tasks like journals, and numerical scoring for more straightforward tasks like multiple-choice questions.