Professional Documents
Culture Documents
TE 407
Fall 2016
Adapting Instruction to Individual Learner: Assessment
Defining Assessment
Assessment is the collecting, analyzing and review data to improve our
teaching approaches and the learning of our students. Assessment comes in
two main forms; summative and formative assessment. Formative
assessment is the type of assessment that you do throughout the learning
process; whereas summative assessment is done and the conclusion of the
learning process.
According to Dylan William (2011) formative assessment was originally
defined by Benjamin Bloom in 1969. Bloom is quoted saying that formative
assessment is the brief tests used by teachers and students as aids in the
learning process. While such tests may be graded, and used as part of the
judging and classificatory function of evaluation, we see much more effective
use of formative evaluation if it is separated from the grading process and
used primarily as an aid to teaching.
The purpose of formative assessment is to assess the students
throughout the learning process to improve teaching and learning by
diagnosing students challenging areas (Dante, 2016, p 154). This is done by
gathering data through things such as observations and homework and
analyzing and review what they say about the students learning and our
teaching practices.
As stated earlier, summative assessment is assessment done at the
end of the learning process, such as chapter tests, final exams, final projects,
ACT, SAT. These tests are looking to evaluate the students on learning
outcomes (Dante, 2016, p 154). This type of assessment is a high-risk
assessment for the student and the teacher, as many school districts use this
as a gauge of teacher ability to teach well.
Objective Assessment
The chapter 8 quiz on the Constitution Era has multiple components to
it; short answer, true and false, and matching. The knowledge assessed
seems to focus more on the civics portion the era. The content covers the
formation of the bill of rights, the separation of powers, etc. but fails to test
students on the events that were essential to these changes in our
government.
When thinking about the skills of a historian the overall quiz doesnt
assess many of them. It does test the student knowledge and understanding
of our government and how it is set up. It is lacking in other areas such as
critical thinking and writing skills. While it might be lacking in skills of a
historian it does assess the skills and understanding to the work of a citizen
Understanding:
Cartoon
demonstrates a
clear understating
of a historical event
or topic of the era.
Exceeds
Expectati
on
30
Perspective:
Cartoon provides an
historical
perspective of the
event or topic.
(X 2)
Illustration:
Cartoon effectively
uses an illustration
that has symbols,
labels, parodys, or
exaggerations
20
Accuracy: Cartoon
is historically
accurate.
Ground Rules are
Met: 1. If
presenting; 2 min
max
2. Not presenting
written explanation
2-page max
3.Typed
bibliography
15
Grammar,
Spelling, etc
Meets
Expectations
Approaching
Expectations
Needs
Improvement
20
10
strength was with the three branches of the government. They struggled
most with the types of powers in the government. This was evident because
the matching portion had Student Z match the powers description with the
type of power and they got all the answers incorrect.
Looking at their unit project I was able to see how they placed the
three branches of the governments power in relation to each other. Student
Z drew a picture of a tree with three branches. Each of the branches were
labeled either executive, judicial, or legislative and each had equal numbers
of leaves and birds on that branch. I could see more of Student Zs thinking
and understanding of the Branches of government.
Although I could see what Student Z had a good understanding of the
content from the project more than the test, the opposite is true for seeing
what Student Zs areas of struggle are. I cant tell what areas the student
needs improvement in because they could choose what content to cover on
the project. When the content is an option, students will likely choose
content they are comfortable with. The nature of a test covers all content of
the chapter, thus allowing me to see what aspects that Student Z needs to
improve in.
If possible I would like to extend the learning of the test after it is over.
I think it would be beneficial for the students to have an in-depth look at
what they got wrong. The content on the test is important for understanding
the next chapter, history builds upon itself. To accomplish this, I would have
students write out, for every wrong answer, what the correct answer is and
include why it is the right answer.
If I were the one grading and providing feedback to Student Z on their
project I would give them this feedback:
Very creative work. I like the visual representation of the equal powers.
Tell me more about your drawing, why is the tree singing?. Dont forget
about the ground rules requirement of a typed explanation.
I would change the amount of time I spent on the different powers
Student Z didnt provide any correct answers for this section of questions,
but seems to have done well outside of that content area. This might be a
more difficult area to learn from this chapter.
Works Cited
Dante D. Dixson & Frank C. Worrell (2016) Formative and Summative
Assessment in the Classroom, Theory Into Practice, 55:2, 153-159,
doi:10.1080/00405841.2016.1148989
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2016.1148989
Wiliam, D. (2006). Formative Assessment: Getting the Focus Right. Educational
Assessment, 11(3-4), 283289.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10627197.2006.9652993