Assessment Plan Final Paper week 6

Main Title: Assessment Plan Final Paper

Stephanie Grant

Ashford University

Learning & Assessment for the 21^st Century

Prof. Darrell Rice

December 18, 2012

 

Abstract

Assessment is one or more process that identifies, collect, and prepares data to evaluate the attainment of student outcomes and program educational objectives.  Effective assessment uses relevant direct, indirect quantitative and qualitative measures as appropriate to the outcome or objective being measured.  Appropriate sampling methods may be used as part of an assessment process.  In my paper it would show the purpose of my assessment plan how it would have validity, reliability, and accuracy.  Within this assessment plan it will show the learning outcome, assessment context where I used a particular task in which the learners will be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have gained.  I will also show how the holistic rubric will be able to generate a score for the entire assessment plan.  And the test constraints will consist of instructions of what the students must do before the test is actually administered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purpose and Learning Outcome

When developing an assessment plan to assess the learners’ performance it should promote learning.  Starting an assessment plan should have a meaning of purpose and objectives that provides an outline for the assessment plan and shows reliability, and validity of the test.  Educators learning outcomes should be relevant and identical so it can be an accurate measure of learning by the student, also the question from your assessment should be in context with your learning outcomes and connect with the learner.  If the educator starts with the purpose of the assessments, it will determine the major learning outcome.  Also if the extent or purpose of the assessment is defined it should coincide with the course curriculum and materials of which comprehension is being assessed.  Once the learning outcomes are determined, the assessment context can be identified in order to allow the students to demonstrate the knowledge, comprehension, or skills gained.

Purpose: The purpose of my assessment plan is to measure 5^th graders understanding and the concept of math, by demonstrating comprehension of word definitions of data and statistics.  To access the students’ knowledge on definitions of words that include math.

Learning Outcomes: The students will read the definition and choose the word that matches.  And I will also have students write an essay on ranging numbers.

Assessment Context

The assessment context that is designed into my assessment plan is considered formative and summative in order to provide an ongoing and final assessment of students learning.  Both formative and summative assessments make an available measurement that evaluates students’ knowledge and comprehension (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010).  The assessment plan I designed can be considered as summative assessment.  It is more conventional which consists of assessment questions such as: (multiple choice, and essay questions).  With summative assessments students are evaluated upon completion of the work and the focus is on the final product.  The summative test assesses what materials the student has learned and retained during the entire course.  The test are primarily instruments or tools that presents comprehensive impression of what the student has learned, as well as what improvements are needed (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010).  The educator collects the information from the assessments and other sources of measurements (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010).

Teacher Name: Stephanie Grant                                                        7^th Graders

Student Name: _____________________

Date: ________________

Test multiple choice Data Statistics Word-O-Rama and Essay

1: span from lowest to highest numbers in

a)     coordinates

b)    diagram

c)     range

d)    combinations

 

2: The ___________ of the statistics were nearly 100%

a)     range

b)    diagram

c)     Venn diagram

d)    certainty

 

3: the odds or chance something will happen

a)     certainty

b)    likelihood

c)     diagram

d)    data

 

4: enter the facts and ___________ to be analyzed

a)     diagram

b)    event

c)     data

d)    certainty

 

5: values used to find the position of a point

a)     combinations

b)    event

c)     range

d)    coordinates

 

6: a method of representing points in space

a)     coordinates

b)    coordinate system

c)     event

d)    diagram

 

7: drawing a sketch that makes something clear

a)     certainty

b)    coordinates

c)     diagram

d)    coordinate system

 

8: In a ________, circles show relatedness

a)     diagram

b)    Venn diagram

c)     arrangement

d)    data

 

9: to become detached or separated

a)     break

b)    likelihood

c)     coordinates

d)    event

 

10: incident

a)     coordinate system

b)    diagram

c)     event

d)    data

 

11: different arrangements of numbers into groups

a)     event

b)    range

c)     combinations

d)    diagram

 

12: The ________ of the data on the graph made it clearer.

a)     Event

b)    Venn diagram

c)     arrangement

d)    break

 

Essay question:  Explain how numbers range from lowest to highest?

 

Test Constraints: The students will be given 30min to complete the multiple choice and 30 min to complete the essay question a (½ - 1 page).  Students will be given a 10 minute warring before the time is ending for the test.  Students are not allowed to talk but can raise their hand to ask the teacher a question.  Also prior before the test the students will be given two number 2 pencils, 3 two sheets of plain paper, and 1 sheet of note book paper.  The two plain sheets of paper will be used as rough draft and the 1 sheet note book paper will be used for the final essay paper.

 

 

Holistic Rubric

Analysis of multiple choice and essay test

Teacher name: Stephanie Grant

Student Name: __________________________

Category	4 Excellent	3 Above Average	2 Average	1 Needs Improvement	Score
Multiple Choice Test and Essay Question	Effectively understood the topic and task. Well developed, clear explanation. Is exceptionally organized and well developed. Shows excellent details and explanations.	Understood the topic and tasks well, though some points are fully elaborated. Is generally well organized, and well developed, using appropriate and sufficient explanations and details.	Understood the topic and task, although some points may not be fully elaborated.  Is somewhat organized and developed. Shows some explanation and details.	Shows little understanding of topic and tasks. Points are not fully elaborated.  Is very little organized and developed. Explanation and details are limited.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

In conclusion the students will be able to identify math problems in word form statistics; they will be able to comprehend an understanding of how numbers can range from low to highest.  The purpose of this assessment plan was to help students gain a different perspective of how math questions can be formatted as well as evaluate the students understanding of math.  While applying a rubric for the students it helps them to see where they stand and what they need to improve on.  Overall this was a very challenging assignment which not only will help the student but it also helped me to understand why and how to evaluate a student.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Multiple Choice Test Answers

1.     C (Range)

2.     D (Certainty)

3.     B (Likelihood)

4.     C (Data)

5.     D (Coordinates)

6.     B (Coordinate System)

7.     C (Diagram)

8.     B (Venn Diagram)

9.     A (Break)

10.  C (Event)

11.  C (Combinations)

12.  C (Arrangement)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

http://www.abet.org/assessment-planning/

(Kubiszyn, Tom & Borich, Gary 2010)

http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/math-games/4th-grade-math/data-statistics-4th/

http://www.vocabularyspellingcity.com

http://www.education.com/reference/article/formative-and-summative-assessment

http://stephanie4095.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

 

 http://stephanie4095.blogspot.com

Formative and Summative Assessment Edu645

Main Title: Formative and Summative Assessment

Stephanie Grant

Ashford University

Learning & Assessment for the 21^st Century

Prof. Darrell Rice

November 15, 2012

 

Main Title: Formative and Summative Assessment

Compare and contrast formative and summative assessment.

While there are two types of assessments use in the classroom they both measures a students learning, and each have a specific tool and is required to ensure that each is done adequately.  Formative assessment has a variety of procedures such as: observation, feedback, and journaling.  To measure effective formative assessment, the use of quality assessment tools and the use of information gained from these assessments to change and improve instruction key.  Formative assessment is interactive and cyclical in nature and can result in significant learning gains but only when the assessment results are used to inform the instructional and learning process.

Summative assessments provide information at the student, classroom and school levels. Defining characteristics of effective summative assessment include a clear alignment between assessment, curriculum, and instruction, as well as the use of assessments that are both valid and reliable.  When objectives are clearly specified and connected to instruction, summative assessment provides information about a student’s achievement of specific learning objectives.  Summative assessments (or more accurately, large-scale, standardized assessments) are frequently criticized for a variety of reasons: 1) they provide information too late about a student’s performance 2) they are disconnected from actual classroom practice meaning that one assessment cannot represent the full content area.  Many educators and parents feel they have a lack of “consequential validity” and therefore the tests results are used in an inappropriate way.  Other concerns are related to state accountability systems because high stakes, such as student retention or teacher performance pay are attached to performance on state assessment systems.

(http://educationaccordingtojenny.blogspot.com/2012/04/compare-and-contrast-summative-and-formative)

Regardless they both serve a purpose and that is to develop a students learning experience in the classroom, and they both must be used throughout the year to measure the effectiveness and understanding of a lesson and the effectiveness of the educator and student.  (http://educationaccordingtojenny.blogspot.com/2012/04/compare-and-contrast-summative-and-formative)

What is the purpose of formative and summative assessment as it relates to learning? 

Summative tests/assessments are intended to provide a measure or gauge of student learning following the completion of a unit of instruction.  They are used to assign grades evaluate curriculum effectiveness; evaluate annual gains in students, school, and district academic improvement (i.e., to meet state and federal accountability requirements), and for a variety of other purposes (Tom Kubiszyn & Gary Borich Educational Testing & Measurement Classroom Application & Practice 9^th edition).  Other purposes of summative learning are to sort students rank in order, maximize student learning through standardized tests. (http://www.slideshare.net/jcheek2008/formative-assessment-vs-summative-assessment)

Formative tests/assessments are brief it minimizes interference with instructional time and to facilitate repeated administration in the classroom.  One type of formative assessment is called curriculum-based measurement (CBM) – which are called probes they are about a minute long and are intended to be utilized on an ongoing, frequent basis as part of the instructional process to monitor student progress (progress monitoring),  (Tom Kubiszyn & Gary Borich Educational Testing & Measurement Classroom Application & Practice 9^th edition).  Other purposes for formative learning are to promote further improvement of student learning during the learning process, and involve students in the ongoing assessment of their own achievement.

With summative assessments, students are evaluated upon completion of the work and the focus is on the final product.  With formative assessments, students are evaluated during the work process and the focus is on improving the process.  For example, a summative assessment would be a state achievement test and a formative assessment would be a teacher’s response to journal entries. (National Council of Teachers of English)

So with that being said formative and summative tests assessment shows the progress of a students learning and what their strengths and weaknesses are.  If the student needs more help intensive and deliver the instructions differently so the student can understand it.  With formative & summative it can inform the teacher and the student and the teacher  would know if the student is getting a clear understanding of the course concept  and allows the teacher to make beneficial changes in instruction for the good of the student.  When making these adjustments it helps to ensure students achieve targeted standard base learning skills. It also helps the students know how well their work or understanding compares to state criteria or other students, and motivate the students to work in order to understand the course material.

How might an educator use each to reflect on his or her teaching strategies? 

They may reteach a concept, use alternative instructional approaches, or offer more opportunities for practice and reinforcement; by doing these activities it can lead to improve students’ success.  An educator can also use a formative test assessment to provide feedback to students about their progress and to guide decisions about the next steps in the learning process, by closing the gap between the learners’ current and desired states.  A planned process in which teachers or students use assessment-based evidence to adjust what they are currently doing (Popham 2008), formative assessment happens throughout the learning.

Feedback – when the educator and the student both give feedback they can identify the current status of a students learning of that course and the next step a student can take to improve on.  By involving students – when you let the student get involved in making decisions about their own learning and in self-assessment it helps the student to build their knowledge and understanding on how to improve.  Learning Progression can be used to reflect on educators teaching strategies.  The teacher uses it to break a learning goal into smaller, more manageable sub goals.  The teacher identifies a students’ location on the learning continuum and works collaboratively with the student to set a series of smaller goals. (e.g., Black & William, 1998 Saddler, 1989) https://teal.ed.gov/tealguide/formativeassessment

The educator will be able to match the students with appropriate materials and learning conditions, on how to group the students, whether students need alternative materials, how much time to allocate to specific learning activities, which concepts need to be re-taught to specify students, and which students are ready to advance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Tom Kubiszyn & Gary Borich Educational Testing & Measurement Classroom Application and Practice 9^th edition

 (Popham 2008)

https://teal.ed.gov/tealguide/formativeassessment

http://www.slideshare.net/jcheek2008/formative-assessment-vs-summative-assessment

(http://educationaccordingtojenny.blogspot.com/2012/04/compare-and-contrast-summative-and-formative)

 

Marks and Marking Systems Reflection

Main Title Marks and Marking Systems Reflection

Stephanie Grant

Ashford University

Learning & Assessment for the 21^st Century

Prof. Darrell Rice

December 7, 2012

 

 

 

Abstract

Grading on a curve, in one form or another, is a common practice in higher education.  The practice is often criticized for ignoring the possibility that an instructor and the class may have together worked to the point where more than half of the students have earned a top grade (Roth, 2000).  Critics also suggest that grading on a curve does not provide the ideal incentives for student motivation (Michaels, 1976) But the practice also has wide spread support.  It is advocated as an antidote to grade inflation.  It is also used in contexts in which institutions feel the obligation to distinguish among performances for the purpose or evaluating students for professional and graduate schools.  While critics tend to argue that goals ought to focus more on teaching and less on evaluation and ranking.  In my journal I will discuss about curve grading and the pros and cons of it and why a teacher grade on a curve and does it motivate the student as well as the teachers. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why do you think some teachers like to grade students “on a curve”? 

·       Because some educators who grade on a curve believe that students will be motivated to study if they know that only a limited number of students can receive an “A” grade.

 

·       They are following a high-stakes testing model such as the ACT, GRE, and the STAAR.  These tests are used to determine which students are accepted or rejected by educational institutions; some teachers believe that the only way to prepare students for such norm-referenced tests is to give such tests in their own courses.

 

·       Some who grade on a curve believe it is the only way to guard against grade inflation.

 

·       Most who grade on a curve do it because their discipline has a long-established tradition of such a practice.

 

Sometimes districts or schools encourage grading on the curve by specifying the percentages of students who will be assigned various grades.  The following distribution is an example:

Grade	Percentage of Students
A	10
B	25
C	40
D	20
F	5

 

The main advantage of such a system is that it simplifies marking decisions.  With clear-cut decision-making guidelines, there is no apparent need for teachers to deliberate or agonize over what cutoff scores should determine student grades; the student is either in the top 10% or he or she doesn’t get an A.  However, there are several disadvantages in such a system the marking system fails to consider differences due to the overall ability level of the class.  Regardless of achievement, in such a system some students will always get A’s, while others get F’s.  Another problem involves the percentages ----- why not 5% A’s or 15% A’s?  The percentages are set rather arbitrarily.  Furthermore, what does it mean when a student gets an A?  Has the student mastered all course content?  Or was the student lucky enough to be in a class of low-performing learners?  Such a system says nothing about absolute achievement, which makes comparisons across grades and schools difficult. (Tom Kubiszyn & Gary Borich)

Let us look at some other pros and cons of grading on a curve.

The Benefits:

·       Relative Performance:  The grades are assigned according to the relative performance of other students, so the difficulty of the subject itself is masked.  This gives a sense of confidence to the student to tackle any subject.

 

·       Difficulty in Comparison: The percentile scores are calculated according to highest score achieved in the class.  This may not be very high.  So the comparison with the numerically high scores of other systems becomes impossible, this is leveling the playing field for every student.

 

·       Easier to Go to College:  More often than not, the relative score is generally higher than the actual numerical score.  This way it becomes easy to get into college.

 

The Drawbacks:

·       Grade Margins: Grading on a curve increases the problem of those students who are near to the margin between the two grades.  It may happen that a student is getting grade B in the normal grading system, but is getting grade C in the curve grading system.  This is a big problem.

 

·       Study Groups: Better performance by the study groups may show that the curve grading (the actual curve) is peaking, but individually, this may not be the case.  The student may end up performing below par.

 

·       Dealing with Different Grading System: A student, who is habituated with grading on a curve system in schools, is in for a rude shock when he encounters a different system (this may happen when he enters college or a graduate school).  Typically low performing students who are used to getting better grades may not adjust to the new system quickly.

 

The pros and cons of this system are many.  But it is definitely helpful for the weaker students, and at the same time, acknowledging the strengths of achieving and hard-working student.  This should be the only reason to adopt this system.

 

Do you see merit in the authors’ point about teachers being less motivated to improve when doing this?  Why or why not?  Yes, because no matter how well or poorly the teacher teaches, his or her students always get the same percentage of grades, so why should a teacher try to improve academic learning.  Because a curve is being based on the higher achieving students in order to boost the lower achieving students’ grades and sometimes a teacher would drop the lowest quiz grade as well.  Maybe with this entire high stakes testing the teacher feels it is more added pressure so by curving the grades it will make it a little easier on them and the students have a better chance of passing the class so they can focus more on passing the  high stakes (standardized testing).  “Grading on the curve” means is that your grade or mark depends on how your achievement compares with the achievement of other students in your class. (Tom Kubiszyn & Gary Borich) 

If you sit down and evaluate grading whether it is on a curve or not too many students have been led to believe that getting A’s is the point of going to school, and is the most important thing to do.  Not only does it looks good on your transcript & GPA score but teachers and corporations view that as if the student is smart and understood the concept of what their major is, and it makes them more marketable.

What effect do you think it might have on student motivation?  Explain.  Their interest in learning itself is diminished; they will prefer easier tasks – not because they’re lazy, but because they’re rational.  Think about it if the point is to get an A your odds are better if you avoid taking intellectual risk; students tend to think in a more superficial fashion and to forget what they learned more quickly when grades are involved.  The student will not study or study as hard because they know they will receive a curve in that class so they show no interest.  Covington’s fundamental belief is that the root of all academic motivation is for students to preserve and enhance a sense of “self-worth”.  If students can successfully compete for high grades, they may feel motivated to strive toward that goal, since achieving that will benefit their sense of self-worth.  For those who are less likely to compete for top grades, self-worth can be preserved successfully by not trying, since failure can perceived as a lack of effort rather than a lack of intelligence. 

Remember the game of musical chairs?  It’s the game where children dance around a circle of chairs to music.  When the music stops, kids rush to sit in the chairs.  There are never enough chairs for everyone, and the slowest children are out of the game once the faster children have found seats.  The game is set up so that for one person to win, another must lose.  A similar game is played in classrooms every day, from elementary grades to universities ---- and it’s popular.  Grading on the “Curve” is a method of grading that is based on the belief that letter grades in any given class should be distributed along a bell curve.  Traditionally grading on the curve has been viewed as motivational by teachers because it fosters competition.  Teachers that curve are both feared and admired for their limited offerings of “A’s”, and the pressure of being one of the few to get a high grade is believed to stimulate students to work harder, study longer, and take their class more seriously.

When you evaluate grading on a curve it is useful as well as hurtful to the students.  I remember in high school the teacher graded on a curve I was glad because it boosted my grade.  But when I actually think about receiving that curve it did more harm to me than good. Why?  Because in my other classes they didn’t grade on a curve and it made it much harder for me.  I rather receive a grade that I worked for than a curve because I would appreciate it more and if I did poorly on a test or assignment I would worker harder to do better.  It is always good to know what your weaknesses are so you can improve if you don’t know what they are how you can improve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

http://www.academic.georgiasouthern.edu/ijsotl/v2n2/articles/pdfs/article_Kulick_Wright.pdf  vol.2, No.2 (July 2008) ISSN 1931-4744 @ Georgia Southern University

(Tom Kubiszyn & Gary Borich) Educational Testing & Measurement Classroom Application and Practice 9^th edition

http://ctl.byu.edu/dp/?P=59

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/grading-on-a-curve-pros-and-cons.html

http://www.education.com/magazine/article/grades_any_good/.com

http://www.teaching.monster.com/benefits/articles/5658-why-grading-on-the-curve-hurts