Figure 6.1
Types of Assessment Items and Formats Related to Different Aspects of Grading |
Aspects of Grading
| Assessments
|
Forced-Choice
| Essay
| Short Written Response
| Oral Reports
| Performance Tasks
| Teacher Observation
| Student
Self-Assessment |
Informational Topics
| M
| H
| H
| H
| H
| M
| H
|
Process Topics
| L
| M
| L
| M
| H
| H
| H
|
Thinking and Reasoning
| M
| H
| M
| H
| H
| L
| H
|
Communication
| L
| H
| L
| H
| H
| L
| H
|
Non-achievement Factors
| L
| L
| L
| L
| M
| H
| H
|
Conventional Multiple Choice
| Stem
Number of Distractors –Challenge is viable designing Correct Choice |
Matching
| Correct choice for one item is the distractor for another
More choices than items prevents deducing right answers Students knowledge of a number of factors can be proved |
Alternate Choice
| Multiple choice item with only two options
Useful in testing students’ knowledge of terms and phrases Disadvantage is that 50/50 guessing |
True-False
| Statement accurate or inaccurate
Writing false statements is challenging Student may only seek out errors & 50/50 guessing possibility |
Multiple Response Items
| More than one correct response
Not only correct response but combination of responses that is correct Caution to not let analysis and comparison requirements cloud desire to assess knowledge |
| Other form determine if each separate item is correct or incorrect
Advantage is more than one feature of a student’s knowledge on a given topic can be assessed | |
Fill-In-The-Blank
| Used for when there is generally only one right answer |
Using Rubrics to Score
| If a set of forced-choice items address a single topic taken as a whole can be scored as performance level.
Might make a valid decision about levels of understanding and skill presented in a rubric |
| Recommended if using Forced-Choice Items | At least 4 forced-choice items on a given topic
Expanded matching format Multiple-response items Fill-in-the-Blank | 1. Minimize the amount of reading time required for each item
2. Avoid trick items where the intent is to deceive or confuse students 3. Avoid verbatim phrasing from textbooks 4. Avoid verbiage when writing items 5. Avoid negative phrasing 6. Include the central idea and most of the phrases in the stem. 7. Phrase all options in a parallel manner with similar length. |
Information
| The question should include information that can be used in answering the question taking emphasis off recall. |
Process
| Gives teachers useful but not optimal information about process knowledge |
Thinking and Reasoning
| Questions Useful for Assessing Thinking and Reasoning Skills
|
Thinking and Reasoning Process
| Related Questions
| |
| 1. Comparing and Contrasting | Do you want to determine how things are similar or different? | |
| Analyzing Relationships | Do you see a relationship or patter that is central to the information? How would you describe the relationship or pattern? | |
| Classifying | Do you want to organize things into groups? Do you want to identify the rules or characteristics that have been used to form groups? | |
| Argumentation | Is there a position you want to defend on a particular issue?
ð Are there differing perspectives on an issue that you want to explore? | |
| Making inductions | What conclusions can you make based on what has been observed? | |
| Making deductions | What rule or rules are operating in this situation? Based on these rules, what can be concluded?
ð Are any rules not being followed in this situation? | |
| Experimental inquiry | Is there a prediction you want to make and then test?
ð Do you have a new theory or idea that you want to explore? | |
| Investigation | Do you have a hypothesis about a past or future event that you want to explore? | |
| Problem Solving | Do you want to describe how some obstacles can be overcome? | |
| Decision Making | Is there an important decision to study or make? |
Communication Skills
| Writing answer is opportunity to assess writing skills
Directions should include letting students know specifically what skill will be assessed |
Using Rubrics to Score Essays Oral Reports, & Performance Tasks
| Separate criteria for each element being assessed. |
Using Rubrics to Score Short Answer
| Usually only one criteria |
Process
| Effective for assessing process-oriented topics
In order to be useful, clarity is needed about what skills are being assessed through observation - Interaction or informal interview allows for prompting to elicit elaboration and depth of comprehension - Interviews produce far more information than other measures about knowledge on a topic |
Non-Achievement Factors
| Performance levels of desired behaviors should be identified and established for teachers to use with students in giving observational feedback
Not meant to establish right or wrong but current performance level on a continuum Best suited method to evaluate non-achievement factors since they are behavioral in nature and need to be observed in order to be evaluated. |
Using Rubrics to Score
| Separate criteria for each element being assessed. |
Use
| Utilized in at least two ways: 1) individual assessments 2) final topic scores
Most effective when students are aware of the specific elements (topics) on which they are to assess themselves and the specific criteria they are to use in making their assessment. |
Individual Assessments
| Students rate themselves based on each topic addressed in the assessment before teacher scores using the same criteria a teacher uses.
Teachers determine for themselves whether to score without knowledge of self-assessment to be free of bias OR Utilize Self-Assessment with accompanying justification for assessment as further evidence of student’s understanding |
Final Topic Scores
| Students provide a summative account, end of marking period, of how well they did on each topic. Students present evidence to justify the rating they give themselves. |
Assessment Conference
| Teacher and student jointly analyze strengths and weaknesses relative to specific outcomes and discuss performance throughout the marking period. Comparison of teacher’s topic scores and student’s self-assessment. Discrepancies are discussed in depth. |
Using Rubrics to Score
| Separate criteria for each element being assessed. |