Assessment in Classroom

1. Assessment in Classroom

2. Today's session – ASSESSMENT IN CLASSROOM Objectives: • Definition • Types • Characteristics • Benefits • Kind of evaluation • How to use cats • CATS techniques • Application to nursing

3. The Word “Assess” • From the Latin verb “assidere” = “to sit by” e.g., as an assessor or assistant-judge. • Hence “in assessment of learning” = “to sit with the learner” • Implies it is something that we do with and for students and not to students • Assessment is the art and science of knowing what students know • It provides “evidence” of students’ knowledge, skills, and abilities

4. WHAT IS AN ASSESSMENT? It involves systematically gathering, analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those expectations and standards; and using the resulting information to document, explain, and improveperformance.”

5. Types of assessment (higher education) • Institutional assessment • Curricular and program assessment • Course and classroom (learner-centered) assessments Our focus today: classroom assessments

6. Assessments fit into four categories: • Screening(Which students may need extra help?) • Diagnostic(What are the student’s strengths and weaknesses?) • Outcome(Did the student make progress towards the core standards?) • Progress Monitoring (Is learning happening during instruction?)

7. What is a classroom assessment? • Classroom Assessment is an approach designed to help teachers find out what students are learning in the classroom and how well they are learning it. (Method for understanding student learning). • Systematic collection and analysis of information to improve educational practice. (To Identify, Record, and Monitor Student Progress). • It provides faculty and students with information and insights needed to improve teaching effectiveness and learning quality.“ (Based on the belief that the more you know about what your students know and how they learn, the better you can plan your learning activities and structure your teaching).

8. What is classroom assessment? • Classroom assessment is both a teaching approach and a set of techniques. The techniques are mostly • simple, • non-graded, anonymous, • in-class activities (gives both you and your students useful feedback on the teaching-learning process).

9. HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT THEY DO KNOW? • Standardized tests (summative) • Alternative assessments (formative)

10. Summative Vs formative assessment Summative Assessment • Is separated from the act of teaching • Is carried out at intervals when achievement has to be summarized and reported • Looks at pastachievements • Adds procedures or tests to existing work • Involves only grading and feedback of grades to students • “Certifies” achievement. Formative Assessment Informal: carried out frequently and is planned at the same time as teaching Provides interactive and timely feedback and response: which leads to students recognizing the (learning) gap and closing it (it is forward-looking) In addition to feedback, includes self-monitoring Fosters life-long learning: It is empirically argued that it has the greatest impact on learning and achievement.

11. Classroom assessment versus evaluation • Evaluation– Summative: Summary of earlier discussion • Classroom assessment – formative Benefits to: • Students • Teachers/faculty • University

12. How do CATs compare to “Typical Testing?”

13. Areas We Can Explore with CATs

14. Types: Informal And Formal Classroom Assessment INFORMAL: • Instructors rely on answers to questions, • listen to student comments, • monitor body language and facial expressions. FORMAL • Evaluations that provide information that can be used to improve course content, methods of teaching, and, ultimately, student learning. • Formative evaluations are mosteffective when they are done frequently. • and the information is used to effect immediate adjustments in the day-to-day operations of the course. • Some faculty incorporate a CAT into every class session.

15. What Does the Research on Formative Assessment Tell Us? • All students can succeed with appropriate guidance • Learners’ perceptions and beliefs about their capacity to learn affects their achievement • Development of self-assessment is vital • Need to move from “evaluation” to assessment Therefore … • Consider separating feedback from grading • Focus on learning rather than just summative assessment • Encourage reflective assessment with peers

16. Characteristics of an Exemplary “Assessment Task” ValidYields useful information to guide learning CoherentIs structured so that activities lead to desired performance product AuthenticAddresses ill-defined problems/issues that are enduring or emerging RigorousRequires use of declarative, procedural, and metacognitive knowledge EngagingProvokes student interest and persistence ChallengingProvokes, as well as evaluates, student learning RespectfulAllows students to reveal their uniqueness as learners ResponsiveProvides feedback to students leading to improvement

17. Questions to Ask When Developing an Effective “Assessment Task”. (Essential Components of Critical Thinking and Problem-solving) From the perspective of cognitive psychologists three types of knowledge interact in the process of thinking critically and solving ill-defined problems: • Declarative knowledge: knowing the facts and concepts in the discipline • Procedural knowledge: knowing how to reason, inquire, and present knowledge in the discipline • Metacognition: cognitive control strategies such as setting goals, determining when additional information is needed, and assessing the fruitfulness of a line of inquiry.

18. Seven Characteristicsof Classroom Assessment • Learner-Centered: focused on learning rather than teaching. 2. TeacherDirected: depends on the judgment and knowledge of teachers. 3. MutuallyBeneficial: benefits both students & teachers. 4. Formative: used to improve teaching, not evaluate overall effectiveness. 5. Context-Specific: what works in one class may not work in another. 6. Ongoing: uses a perpetual “feedback loop”. 7. Rootedin Good Teaching Practice: takes what teachers already do and tries to make it more systematic, more flexible, and more effective.

19. Assessment loop cycle

20. Benefits of classroom assessment • Serves as an ongoing communication process between you and your students over the entire semester. • To determine the degree to which the objectives of a course or particularclass period have been achieved. • Provides specific feedback on what is working and what is not working. • Provides increased understanding about student learning in your classroom, allow to adapt your teaching as the course progresses.

21. Why should I use CATs?

22. For students, more frequent use of CATs can:

23. How do students directly benefit from classroom assessment? For students, CATs can: • help develop self-assessment and learningmanagement skills; • reduce feelings of isolation and impotence, especially in large classes; Reduce uncertainty of student learning between exams. • increase understanding and ability to thinkcritically about the course content; Meta-cognitive skills – awareness and understanding of their own learning skills, performance and habits. • foster an attitude that values understanding and long-termretention; • Develop a culture of openness and consistent feedback • show your interest and caring about their success in your classroom.

24. Classroom Assessment Addresses The Following Questions Such As • Are my students learning what I think I am teaching? • Who is learning and who is not learning? • What am I doing that is useful for these students? • What am I doing that is not useful for these students? • QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF? • What do you want to learn by using a CAT? • How will the feedback be helpful to you?

26. How do I use Classroom Assessment Techniques?

27. CATS WHAT DO THEY ASSESS? What kinds of evaluations are CATs designed to perform? Course-related knowledge and skills(including • prior knowledge, recall and understanding; • analysis and critical thinking skills; • synthesis and creative thinking skills; • problem solving skills; and • application and performance skills) Student attitudes, values, and self-awareness (including • students' awareness of their own values and attitudes; • students' awareness of their own learning processes; and • course-related learning and study skills awareness) Reactions to instruction methods (including • student and peer reactions to teachers and teaching, • class activities, assignments, and materials)

28. To consider when choosing CAT • Levels of Time and Energy Required for: • Prep: Faculty to prepare to use this CAT • In class: Students to respond to the assessment • Analysis: Faculty to analyze the data collected. • Scale: Low, Medium, High

29. Choosing The Right Assessment • Considerations: • Time & Energy • Preparation • Front End vs. Back End • Student Response • Teaching Goals

30. COURSE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL: A)PRIOR KNOWLEDGE Pre assessment survey • Familiarity with classroom assessment. • Have ever used classroom assessment • Assignments and quizzes • A little informal, un-graded assessment • How assessment differs from evaluation • Assessment pre and current, evaluation post • Lines between the two blurred • Benefits to teachers and students • Evaluate and improve teaching methods • Improve learning and assess knowledge level

31. course assessment knowledge and skills * Surveys of Knowledge. Ask students (before topic is covered) what their beliefs about the topic are. • Background Knowledge Probe Description: • gives feedback on students' prior learning. • At the first class meeting, many college teachers ask students for general information on their level of preparation, often requesting that students list courses they have already taken in the relevant field. • short, simple questionnaires prepared by instructors for use at the beginning of a course, at the start of a new unit or lesson, or topic. • It may require students to write short answers, to circle the correct response to multiple-choice questions, or both.

32. Background Knowledge ProbeStep-by-Step Procedure: 1. Before introducing an important new concept, subject, or topic in the course syllabus, consider what the students may already know about it., try to find at lease one point that most students are likely to know, and use that point to lead into others, less familiar points. 2. Prepare two or three open-ended questions, a handful of short-answer questions, or ten to twenty multiple-choice questions. 3. These questions need to be carefully phrased, since a vocabulary that may not be familiar to the students can obscure your assessment of how well they know the facts or concepts.

33. Background Knowledge ProbeStep-by-Step Procedure: • Write your open-ended questions on the chalkboard, or hand out short questionnaires. • Direct student to answer open-ended questions succinctly, in two or three sentences if possible. • Make a point of announcing that these Background Knowledge Probes are not tests or quizzes and will not be graded. • Encourage students to give thoughtful answers that will help you make effective instructional decisions. • At the next class meeting, or as soon as possible, let students know the results, and tell them how that information will affect what you do as the teacher and how it should affect what they do as learners.

34. ASSESSING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE • Background Knowledge Probe: an illustration • Short, simple questionnaires prepared by instructors for use at the beginning of a course, at the start of a new unit or lesson, or prior to introducing an important new topic. • For fast analysis responses can be sorted into "prepared" and "not prepared" piles. • For a detailed analysis answers can be classified into the following categories: • [-1] = erroneous background knowledge; • [0] = no relevant background knowledge; • [+1] = some relevant background knowledge; • [+2] = significant background knowledge. • With this feedback faculty can determine the most effective starting point for a given lesson and the most appropriate level at which to begin instruction.

35. Background Knowledge ProbeExample: • In response to each name, term or concept, circle the number that best represents your current knowledge:  1. Assessment • Have never heard of this • Have heard of it, but don’t really know what it means • Have some idea what this means, but not too clear • Have a clear idea what this means and can explain it  2. Classroom Assessment • Have never heard of this • Have heard of it, but don’t really know what it is • Have some idea what it is, but not to clear on its purpose • Have a clear idea what this is and can explain how to use it

36. B. ASSESSING UNDERSTANDING

37. Minute Paper: Step-by-Step Procedure: • Try out your Minute Paper on a colleague or teaching assistant before using it in class. • Plan to set aside five to ten minutes of your next class to use the technique, as well as time later to discuss the results. • Before class, write one or, at the most, two Minute Paper questions on the chalkboard or prepare an overhead transparency. At a convenient time, hand out index cards or half-sheets of scrap paper. • Unless there is a very good reason to know who wrote what, direct students to leave their names off the papers or cards. • Let the students know how much time they will have (two to five minutes per question is usually enough), what kinds of answers you want (words, phrases, or short sentences), and when they can expect your feedback.

38. Assessing Understanding Muddiest Point: Similar to One-Minute Paper but only ask students to describe what they didn't understand and what they think might help. • At the end of class, ask students to jot down a quick response to one question: "What was the muddiest point in the … [class meeting, presentation, lecture, etc.] ?” • Pass out slips of paper or index cards for students to write on. • Look for common types of muddy points. • Sort them into piles -several piles containing groups of related muddy points, and one "catch-all" pile made up of one-of-a-kind responses. • With this feedback faculty can discover which points are most difficult for students to learn. • Collect the responses by stationing yourself at the door and collecting "muddy points" as students leaving or a "muddy point" collection box by the exit is another. 

39. Course knowledge and skill: B) ASSESSING RECALL Focused Listing: • This focuses on a single important term, name, or concept from a particular lesson or class session and directs students to list several ideas that are closely related to that “focus point.” • Student responses can be compared to the content of your own lists. • Focused listing can be used before, during, or after the relevant lesson.

40. Focused Listing Example • At the end of this workshop, participants are given 2-3 minutes to complete the following task. • An EG., Please list important characteristics of CATs. • I would review the responses and determine where more emphasize might be needed in future workshops/lessons. • For eg, if only 50% of the students listed “teacher-directed” as a characteristic, I would then know that more attention must be paid to this characteristic in future workshops/communications.

42. B. Assessing skill in synthesis and creative thinking

43. C. Assessing Skill in Analysis and Critical Thinking • Categorizing Grid: Students are given a grid containing two or three important categories along with a scrambled list of items, which students must then sort into the correct categories. • With this feedback faculty can determine quickly whether, how, and how well students understand “what goes with what.” • Students can also see if they need to revise their categorizing rules.

44. Categorizing Grid (Eg): • Categorize the characteristics of typical testing and the corresponding characteristics of CATs. Assess Achievement - Longer/Involved – Anonymous – Feedback for Learning – Graded - Formative (ongoing) – Not Anonymous - Not Graded - Summative (one shot) – Quick and Easy

45. Categorizing Grid

46. Pro and Con Grid: • Students are given a grid containing two or three important categories along with a scrambled list of items, which students must then sort into the correct categories. • This feedback provides faculty a quick overview of a class’s analysis of the pros and cons, costs and benefits, and advantages and disadvantages of an issue of mutual concern. • Faculty can thus see the depth and breadth of the students’ analyses and their capacity for objectivity. • Eg: Make a list of the pros and cons for using CATs instead of formal tests to get feedback on student learning. Try to provide at least 3 of each.

47. Assessing skill in application and performance

48. Assessing skill in application and performance • Directed Paraphrasing Example: • Paraphrase what you have learned about reasons for using CATs. Direct your paraphrase to a colleague with no knowledge of CATs. • I would review the submissions and look for common patterns of clarity and confusion and make any necessary enhancements to the content of the workshop.

49. Quick thinks – paraphrase the idea Students are asked to explain something in their own words to a specific audience Eg: Your assigned patient, a 1 week old child with dyspnea is going to have a bronchoscopy with sedation (Chloral Hydrate is ordered) to film the child’s vocal cords. The child’s parents are very anxious. • Explain the procedure to the parents. • Also identify questions they might ask and how you would respond.