Keynote used for teacher professional development on grading and assessment. Special focus on using assessment to improve learning.

1. Assessment & Grading
for Learning
Kyle Kauffman & David Vega
South Western High School
October Inservice 2011
The most erroneous stories are those we think we know best -
and therefore never scrutinize or question.
- Stephen Jay Gould

2. If a man will begin with certainties,
he shall end in doubts;
but if he will be content to begin with doubts
he shall end in certainties.
- Sir Francis Bacon

3. If a man will begin with certainties,
he shall end in doubts;
but if he will be content to begin with doubts
he shall end in certainties.
- Sir Francis Bacon

4. Assessment & Grading
Committee
• grading and assessment committee.swsd.wikispaces.net
• 2010-2011 Reviewed Grading
• 2011-2012 Review Assessment
• Generated “Belief Statements” & “Best Practices”
for Grading

7. Grading

8. Grading Belief Statements
Grading will reflect what students know, understand,
and are able to do.
Teachers will not use practices that directly distort
the measure of student performance.
Grades will be based on a variety of high-quality
summative, common assessments.
Students should be involved in the assessment and
grading process.

9. What does each
“Grading Belief Statement”
mean to you?

10. Grading Belief Statements
Grading will reflect what students know, understand,
and are able to do.
Teachers will not use practices that directly distort
the measure of student performance.
Grades will be based on a variety of high-quality
summative, common assessments.
Students should be involved in the assessment and
grading process.

11. Assessment

13. Assessment Overview:
A Three Part Thriller
1.Foundations
2.Quality
3.Depth

14. Part 1 of 3: Foundations
Assessment for Learning
• Assessment Terminology
• Assessment Research
• Assessment Types and Purpose
• Assessment as Feedback

15. Assessment
Terminology

18. measured performance against
achievement established criteria
process of describing & interpreting
assessment student performance; used for formative
scores, summative scores, or feedback
evaluation judgement of achievement over time
item, tool, strategies and elements used to collect
assessment data; can be obstructive,
product unobtrusive, or student generated

19. measured performance against
achievement established criteria
process of describing & interpreting
assessment student performance; used for formative
scores, summative scores, or feedback
evaluation judgement of achievement over time
item, tool, strategies and elements used to collect
assessment data; can be obstructive,
product unobtrusive, or student generated

22. statement of what and how well students
are expected to understand and
standard perform; broad & measurable, requiring
multiple lessons to achieve
statement of what and how well students
objective or are expected to understand and
learning goal perform; narrow & measurable,
achievement of one / multiple per lesson
consistency of the assessment strategy in
reliability measuring what it is supposed to
measure
the degree to which an assessment
validity strategy measures what it is intended to
measure

23. statement of what and how well students
are expected to understand and
standard perform; broad & measurable, requiring
multiple lessons to achieve
statement of what and how well students
objective or are expected to understand and
learning goal perform; narrow & measurable,
achievement of one / multiple per lesson
consistency of the assessment strategy in
reliability measuring what it is supposed to
measure
the degree to which an assessment
validity strategy measures what it is intended to
measure

24. To Be Data-wise
Increase reliability:
construct several questions assessing
the same concept or skill and analyze
performance over the set.
Common, is key

25. To Be Data-wise
Increase validity:
Carefully align questions and items
with objectives or standards and
analyze results of classroom
performance against external
assessments
Common, is key

28. criterion- measurements of performance against
objectives, learning goals, expectations, or
referenced criteria
norm- measurements of performance against
other students or segments of a
referenced population
self- measurements of performance against
referenced prior attempts by the student

29. criterion- measurements of performance against
objectives, learning goals, expectations, or
referenced criteria
norm- measurements of performance against
other students or segments of a
referenced population
self- measurements of performance against
referenced prior attempts by the student

32. assessment conducted before instruction
diagnostic to determine student readiness or
interests
assessment conducted during learning to
formative inform teachers and students of ways to
improve learning
assessment conducted at regular
benchmark intervals to determine progress towards
learning goals; used often as evaluation
assessment conducted at the conclusion
summative of a period of learning primarily for
assigning grades and evaluations

33. assessment conducted before instruction
diagnostic to determine student readiness or
interests
assessment conducted during learning to
formative inform teachers and students of ways to
improve learning
assessment conducted at regular
benchmark intervals to determine progress towards
learning goals; used often as evaluation
assessment conducted at the conclusion
summative of a period of learning primarily for
assigning grades and evaluations

34. As a teacher, how do
you use classroom
assessment?

35. How do students in
your classroom use
assessments?

36. “Assessment always has more to
do with helping students grow than
with cataloging their mistakes.”
C. A. Tomlinson

37. Assessment
Research

38. When Lipsey & Wilson (1993) analyzed
204 research studies on the effect on
learning of having clearly defined
goals or objectives, they found an
average effect size of 0.55 which is
21 percentile points.

39. “The research reported here shows
conclusively that formative assessment
does improve learning.”
P. Black & D. Wiliam
Assessment in Education 1998
The effect size (0.7) is equivalent to elevating the
average American student in math to the performance
level of the average student from Singapore, Korea,
Japan, or Hong Kong.

40. In meta-analysis of 196 studies, “feedback” was
found to have an average effect size of 0.79, which
is 29 percentile points (Hattie & Timperley, 2007).
However, feedback can have negative affect on
achievement and ES are variable.
negative feedback = -0.14 reinforcement = 0.94 (33 PP)
punishment = 0.20 cues = 1.10 (36 PP)
praise = 0.14 Hattie & Timperley, 2007

41. Achievement Gain Associated with Number of Assessments
Over 15 Weeks (Bangert-Drowns, Kulik, and Kulik, 1991)
# of Assessments Effect Size Percentile Point Gain
0 0 0
1 0.34 13.5
5 0.54 20.0
10 0.60 22.5
15 0.66 24.5
20 0.71 26.0
25 0.78 28.5
30 0.82 29.0

42. How much of the
assessment tools &
practices are common
across grade-level or
course?

43. Common Assessments...
• are more efficient.
• are more equitable.
• effectively determine if the curriculum is being
learned.
• inform the practice of individual teachers.
• build a team’s capacity to improve its program.
• facilitate a systematic, collective response to
students who are experiencing difficulty.
DuFour (2006)

44. From Focus...
Teams should make the development
and refinement of good text-based
questions among their highest priorities -
creating banks of temporary and permanent collections
of questions readily available to all teachers, trying the
questions, and then discussing results
(Which questions worked? Which bombed?)
Schmoker (2011)

45. Professional Learning
Communities

46. Four Fundamental Questions that
Drive the Work of a PLC
1. What is it we want our students to learn?
2. How will we know if each student has learned it?
3. How will we respond when some students do
not learn it?
4. How can we extend and enrich the learning for
students who have demonstrated proficiency?
DuFour

47. OUR Promise To You...
We are a community that will work together to help
each and everyone of us reach our potential.
• You will always know what you are learning
and why it is important.
• We will make sure you do learn, and we will
check to see if you are.
• We will help you when you do not learn.
• We will raise your level of learning even
higher if you understand.
www.somonauk.net

48. Assessment
Types & Purpose

50. Stages in the Backward Design Process
& the LFS Connection
Identify desired
results.
Determine
acceptable
evidence.
Plan learning
experiences and
G. Wiggins & J. McTighe instruction.

51. Stages in the Backward Design Process
& the LFS Connection
Identify desired
results.
Determine
acceptable
evidence.
Plan learning
experiences and
G. Wiggins & J. McTighe instruction.

52. Stages in the Backward Design Process
& the LFS Connection
.
.D
Identify desired
K.U
results. on ts
m en
om sm
C es
Determine
acceptable
A ss
evidence.
Plan learning
experiences and
G. Wiggins & J. McTighe instruction.
Units and Lesson Plans

53. How well do your assessments
measure, provide feedback, and
report achievement towards the
objectives on unit KUD’s?

54. informs the
learning
process
informs the
evaluation
process

55. assessment conducted before
diagnostic instruction to determine student
readiness or interests informs the
learning
assessment conducted during learning process
formative to inform teachers and students of
ways to improve learning
assessment conducted at regular
intervals to determine progress
benchmark towards learning goals; used often as
evaluation informs the
assessment conducted at the
evaluation
conclusion of a period of learning process
summative primarily for assigning grades and
evaluations

56. assessment conducted before
diagnostic instruction to determine student
readiness or interests informs the
learning
assessment conducted during learning process
formative to inform teachers and students of
ways to improve learning
assessment conducted at regular
intervals to determine progress
benchmark towards learning goals; used often as
evaluation informs the
assessment conducted at the
evaluation
conclusion of a period of learning process
summative primarily for assigning grades and
evaluations

57. assessment conducted before
diagnostic instruction to determine student
readiness or interests informs the
learning
assessment conducted during learning process
formative to inform teachers and students of
ways to improve learning
assessment conducted at regular
intervals to determine progress
benchmark towards learning goals; used often as
evaluation informs the
assessment conducted at the
evaluation
conclusion of a period of learning process
summative primarily for assigning grades and
evaluations

58. assessment conducted before
diagnostic instruction to determine student
readiness or interests informs the
learning
assessment conducted during learning process
formative to inform teachers and students of
ways to improve learning
assessment conducted at regular
intervals to determine progress
benchmark towards learning goals; used often as
evaluation informs the
assessment conducted at the
evaluation
conclusion of a period of learning process
summative primarily for assigning grades and
evaluations

59. Formative Assessment
“Formative assessment is a planned process in which
assessment-elicited evidence of students’ status is
used by teachers to adjust their ongoing instructional
procedures or by students to adjust their current
learning tactics.”
- W. James Popham

60. Formative Assessment
“Formative assessment is a
planned process in which teachers or
students use assessment-based evidence to
adjust what they’re currently doing.”
- W. James Popham

61. Comparison of
Formative and Summative Assessments

62. Comparison of
Formative and Summative Assessments
Formative Summative
To improve instruction and To measure student
Function adjust tactics competency
(form the improvement) (summarize the achievement)
When
Ongoing throughout unit End of unit or course
administered
To gauge progress toward
How students To monitor understanding
course or grade-level goals &
use the results and adjust tactics
benchmarks
How teachers To check for understanding
For grades, promotion
use the results and modify instruction

63. Comparison of
Formative and Summative Assessments
Formative Summative
To improve instruction and To measure student
Function adjust tactics competency
(form the improvement) (summarize the achievement)
When
Ongoing throughout unit End of unit or course
administered
To gauge progress toward
How students To monitor understanding
course or grade-level goals &
use the results and adjust tactics
benchmarks
How teachers To check for understanding
For grades, promotion
use the results and modify instruction

64. Comparison of
Formative and Summative Assessments
Formative Summative
To improve instruction and To measure student
Function adjust tactics competency
(form the improvement) (summarize the achievement)
When
Ongoing throughout unit End of unit or course
administered
To gauge progress toward
How students To monitor understanding
course or grade-level goals &
use the results and adjust tactics
benchmarks
How teachers To check for understanding
For grades, promotion
use the results and modify instruction

65. Comparison of
Formative and Summative Assessments
Formative Summative
To improve instruction and To measure student
Function adjust tactics competency
(form the improvement) (summarize the achievement)
When
Ongoing throughout unit End of unit or course
administered
To gauge progress toward
How students To monitor understanding
course or grade-level goals &
use the results and adjust tactics
benchmarks
How teachers To check for understanding
For grades, promotion
use the results and modify instruction

66. Comparison of
Formative and Summative Assessments
Formative Summative
To improve instruction and To measure student
Function adjust tactics competency
(form the improvement) (summarize the achievement)
When
Ongoing throughout unit End of unit or course
administered
To gauge progress toward
How students To monitor understanding
course or grade-level goals &
use the results and adjust tactics
benchmarks
How teachers To check for understanding
For grades, promotion
use the results and modify instruction

68. When the chef tastes the soup,
it’s formative assessment.

69. When the chef tastes the soup,
it’s formative assessment.
When the patron tastes the soup,
it’s summative assessment.

70. When the chef tastes the soup,
it’s formative assessment.
When the patron tastes the soup,
it’s summative assessment.
it’s not the assessment tool...

71. When the chef tastes the soup,
it’s formative assessment.
When the patron tastes the soup,
it’s summative assessment.
it’s not the assessment tool...
it’s what you do
with the information

72. Unless there is specific feedback,
it’s not assessment - just an activity
Unless there are opportunities to improve,
it’s not assessment - just an evaluation

73. Making Success a Possibility for All Students in a Standards Based Curriculum & Assessment System
Key point 1: Unless specific feedback is provided, it’s not an assessment – just an activity.
Key point 2: Unless opportunities to improve are provided, it’s not an assessment – just an evaluation.
Key point 3: Students should have clear learning targets and continuous specific feedback about their progress towards those targets.
(objectives) (assessment)
Differentiation of Instruction
Enrichment
Pre-assessment
(Diagnostic)
Instruction on
Success New Objectives
Standards
Formative Further Summative
Curriculum
Instruction Assessment(s) Success
Instruction Assessment(s)
Objectives
Evidence for
Needs Improvement Evaluation/Grades
Correctives
Needs Improvement
Adapted from Guskey, T.R. and J.M. Bailey. Developing Grading and Reporting Systems for Student Learning. p. 98 © 2001 Sage Publications

74. Assessment
Feedback

75. “Learning can be enhanced to the degree that
students share the challenging goals of
learning, adopt self-assessment and
evaluation strategies, and develop error
detection procedures and heightened
self-efficacy to tackle more challenging tasks
leading to mastery and understanding of lessons.”
- Hattie & Timperley (p 103)

76. What are the qualities
of effective feedback?

77. Feedback is effective...
• When it relates to...
• Task (the what)
• Process (the how)
• Self-regulation (the choices)
• When it is not about...
• Self (the who)

78. Feedback is effective...
• When it is...
• Frequent, positive and specific
• Suggesting ways to improve
• Reinforcing progress
• When it is not negative
(actually produces decreased achievement)

79. The Gomez family is taking a trip from Kittanning [Pennsylvania] to Atlanta,
Georgia. The trip is 744 miles. They are leaving at 6 a.m. and would like to
arrive at 6 p.m. How fast would they have to drive in order to arrive on time?
Show and explain your work.
Brookhart pg 32

80. The Gomez family is taking a trip from Kittanning [Pennsylvania] to Atlanta,
Georgia. The trip is 744 miles. They are leaving at 6 a.m. and would like to
arrive at 6 p.m. How fast would they have to drive in order to arrive on time?
Show and explain your work.
Response #1
Work:
12 hours
744 miles ÷ 12 hours = 62
mph
62 mph
Explanation: I counted how
many hours they drove which
is 12 then divided 12 into 744
to get my answer of 62 mph. Brookhart pg 32

81. The Gomez family is taking a trip from Kittanning [Pennsylvania] to Atlanta,
Georgia. The trip is 744 miles. They are leaving at 6 a.m. and would like to
arrive at 6 p.m. How fast would they have to drive in order to arrive on time?
Show and explain your work.
Response #1
Feedback:
Work:
12 hours “This is correct, but
explain why you divided
744 miles ÷ 12 hours = 62
mph — what are you looking
to find? Your
62 mph explanations are
improving — continue to
Explanation: I counted how
many hours they drove which include every piece of
is 12 then divided 12 into 744 data in the explanation.”
to get my answer of 62 mph. Brookhart pg 32

82. The Gomez family is taking a trip from Kittanning [Pennsylvania] to Atlanta,
Georgia. The trip is 744 miles. They are leaving at 6 a.m. and would like to
arrive at 6 p.m. How fast would they have to drive in order to arrive on time?
Show and explain your work.
Brookhart pg 32

83. The Gomez family is taking a trip from Kittanning [Pennsylvania] to Atlanta,
Georgia. The trip is 744 miles. They are leaving at 6 a.m. and would like to
arrive at 6 p.m. How fast would they have to drive in order to arrive on time?
Show and explain your work.
Response # 2
Work:
d=rxt
744 = r x 12
12 12 62 = r
744 = 62 mph · 12 hours
distance = rate x time
Explanation: In order to get the
rate, I took the amount of hours
and cancelled it out by dividing
12 by 12 and 744 by 12 and got
the rate which is 62.
Brookhart pg 32

84. The Gomez family is taking a trip from Kittanning [Pennsylvania] to Atlanta,
Georgia. The trip is 744 miles. They are leaving at 6 a.m. and would like to
arrive at 6 p.m. How fast would they have to drive in order to arrive on time?
Show and explain your work.
Response # 2 Feedback:
Work:
d=rxt
“Good use of the
744 = r x 12 formula.”
12 12 62 = r
744 = 62 mph · 12 hours
distance = rate x time
“62_? Please refer to the
Explanation: In order to get the
rate, I took the amount of hours question to display the
and cancelled it out by dividing units! Good
12 by 12 and 744 by 12 and got Explanation!”
the rate which is 62.
Brookhart pg 32

85. Can multiple choice be
effective as a feedback
tool?

86. multiple choice items can give feedback to teachers...
distractors based on misconceptions
Stem: A plant is able to grow larger because
A student who chooses this answer
does not understand that nutrients
A. it gets its food from the soil. misconception
are manufactured internally by the
plant.
The student understands that food is
manufactured internally but does not
B. it turns water and air into sugar. oversimplification understand that water and carbon
dioxide are used to make sugar and
oxygen.
The student does not understand
that chlorophyll is only the pigment
C. it has chlorophyll to produce food. overgeneralization
that absorbs light energy; doesn’t
actually produce sugars..
D. it adds biomass through photosynthesis. correct answer D. Fisher & N. Frey pg 108

87. multiple choice items can give feedback to teachers...
distractors based on misconceptions
Stem: A plant is able to grow larger because
A student who chooses this answer
does not understand that nutrients
A. it gets its food from the soil. misconception
are manufactured internally by the
plant.
The student understands that food is
manufactured internally but does not
B. it turns water and air into sugar. oversimplification understand that water and carbon
dioxide are used to make sugar and
oxygen.
The student does not understand
that chlorophyll is only the pigment
C. it has chlorophyll to produce food. overgeneralization
that absorbs light energy; doesn’t
actually produce sugars..
D. it adds biomass through photosynthesis. correct answer D. Fisher & N. Frey pg 108

88. Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning
• Where Am I Going?
• Provide students with clear learning targets
• Show strong and weak work
• Where Am I Now?
• Offer regular descriptive feedback
• Teach self-assessment & goal setting
• How Can I Close the Gap?
• Design focused lessons
• Teach focused revision
• Engage students in self-reflection Chappuis (2009)

89. Scores as Feedback

90. Why do we assign
percentage scores?

91. What feedback does a
student receive from a
percentage score?

92. Adopted from Marzano & Associates as
published in “Classroom Assessment &
Grading That Work” (ASCD)

93. Adopted from Marzano & Associates as
published in “Classroom Assessment &
Grading That Work” (ASCD)

94. Adopted from Marzano &
Associates as published in
“Classroom Assessment &
Grading That Work” (ASCD)

95. Adopted from Marzano & Associates as published in “Classroom Assessment & Grading That Work” (ASCD)

96. Adopted from Marzano & Associates as published in “Classroom Assessment & Grading That Work” (ASCD)

97. Assessment for Learning
3 New Insights
2 Questions
1 Action

98. A quality assessment system,
with emphasis on formative assessment,
can drastically improve student learning.

99. Resources
Bangert-Drowns, R. L., J. A. Kulik, and C. C. Kulik. "Effects of Frequent Classroom Testing." Journal of Educational Research 85.2 (1991):
89–99. Print.
Black, Paul, and Dylan Wiliam. "Assessment and Classroom Learning." Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice 5.1 (1998):
7–74. Print.
Brookhart, Susan M. How to Assess Higher-order Thinking Skills in Your Classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2010. Print.
Brookhart, Susan M. How to Give Effective Feedback to Your Students. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development, 2008. Print.
Chappuis, Jan. Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning. Boston: Pearson Education, 2009. Print.
DuFour, Richard. Learning by Doing: a Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree, 2006. Print.
Fisher, Douglas, and Nancy Frey. Checking for Understanding: Formative Assessment Techniques for Your Classroom. Alexandria, VA:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2007. Print.
Guskey, Thomas R., and Jane M. Bailey. Developing Grading and Reporting Systems for Student Learning. Thousand Oaks: Corwin, 2001.
Print.
Hattie, J., and H. Timperley. "The Power of Feedback." Review of Educational Research 77.1 (2007): 81–112. Print.
Lipsey, Mark W., and David B. Wilson. "The Efficacy of Psychological, Educational, and Behavioral Treatment: Confirmation from Meta-
analysis." American Psychologist 48.12 (1993): 1181–209. Print.
Marzano, Robert J., and John S. Kendall. Designing & Assessing Educational Objectives: Applying the New Taxonomy. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Corwin, 2008. Print.
Marzano, Robert J. Classroom Assessment & Grading That Work. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development,
2006. Print.
Marzano, Robert J. Formative Assessment & Standards-based Grading. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree, 2010. Print.
O'Connor, Ken. How to Grade for Learning: Linking Grades to Standards. Arlington Heights, IL: SkyLight Professional Development, 2002.
Print.
Popham, W. James. Transformative Assessment. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2008. Print.
Schmoker, Michael J. Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2011. Print.
Tomlinson, Carol A., and Jay McTighe. Integrating Differentiated Instruction & Understanding by Design: Connecting Content and Kids.
Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2006. Print.
Wiggins, Grant P., and Jay McTighe. Understanding by Design. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2006. Print.