Classroom Assessment Chapter 7

     To help us work towards our school goal of improving our understanding and practice of assessment, my principal has provided our staff with a copy of Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing it Right - Using it Wellby Jan Chappuis, Rick Stiggins, Steve Chappuis, and Judith Arter. As I make my way through the book, I will be summarizing my learning as a means of organizing my thoughts and getting clarification on particular ideas.


Classroom Assessment for Student Learning Cover. (Accessed 2016). Uploaded to Amazon; Pearson Education. Available online at: https://www.amazon.ca/Classroom-Assessment-Student-Learning-Doing/dp/0132685884

Chapter 7 - Performance Assessment

* see Chapter 4 for the most appropriate times to use selected response assessments

* before you begin, use the assessment development cycle and make a blueprint (Ch. 4)

* remember to not confuse activities with learning targets!

Determine Sample Size with Performance Assessment

1 ) Complexity of the Target
- the more complex, the more evidence required
(ex) reading rate = less complex, reading fluency = more complex

2 ) Decision the Evidence will Inform
- for learning requires low level of evidence

3 ) Consistency of Performance
- use professional judgement
- gather more evidence for students with high fluctuations
     - make sure any applicable biases are addressed first

4 ) Proximity to the Cutoff Mark
- gather more evidence for those students who fall close to grade-divides 
(ex) students who are between a 3-4 on the provincial report cards

Selecting, Revising, or Developing the Task

1 ) The Content
- what learning target is demonstrated?

2 ) Target Alignment
- content validity
- only assess aspects of the learning target; NOT things like neatness

3 ) Authenticity
- realistic context as close to real-life as practical

4 ) Choice
- use cautiously as choices need to fit the target, not vary in difficulty & ensure validity

5 ) Level of Scaffolding
- point the way to success without doing the thinking for the students

6 ) Interference
- make sure aspects of the task do not interfere with achieving the actual learning target
(ex) too high of reading level in the instructions, situations requiring specific cultural/linguistic backgrounds

Structure of the Task

- be as specific as possible and ensure students know: 
     - what knowledge they need (the target)
     - what they need to accomplish
     - what they are creating
     - what materials they need
     - how much time they have
     - what conditions need to be met
     - what help is allowed
     - what scoring criteria will be used

Chappius, et al. (2012). Figure 7.8 Characteristics of a Good Rubric. Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, pg 231.
* make sure scoring rubrics only include info on the qualities of the task; NOT directional instructions like word limits

Process for Developing Rubrics

1 ) Establish a Knowledge Base
- work with those knowledgeable in the area
- determine what quality looks like
- review existing rubrics for inspiration

2 ) Gather Samples of Student Performances/Rubrics
- familiarize yourself with a range of quality 
- student work, provincial examples, peer examples, self created, hard copy, video, audio
- at least 20 pieces

3 ) Sort Work by Level of Quality
- sort into weak, medium & strong
- write specific descriptions as to why its sorted that way
- relate descriptions back to learning target

4 ) Cluster Descriptions by Trait
- combine similar descriptions
- omit repeats
- separate those that cannot be linked

5 ) Identify Samples that Illustrate Each Level
- will be used as models/examples
- which are strong? weak? start with the extremes
- have multiple examples for each level
- try to include those that identify common misconceptions

6 ) Test & Revise as Needed

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I WANT TO KNOW:

I found this chapter very confusing as it seemed to focus more on rubrics (in general) than anything else....

Please leave your thoughts below :)

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