Monitoring Performance Flashcards
(38 cards)
How could portfolios be used for the purpose of formative assessment in the classroom?
A. Students select which pieces to add to the portfolio and write a reflection about each.
B. The teacher displays the portfolios at Open House so parents can see growth throughout the year.
C. The teacher uses a rubric to score the portfolios at the end of the instructional unit.
D. The teacher reads through the portfolios weekly before planning the next week’s instruction.
Choice D is best.
For Choice D, we know that the teacher checks the portfolios at regular intervals before planning instruction. This indicates they are being used as formative assessments in this choice.
Since the question asks about portfolios used as formative assessment, you should select a choice about them, informing instruction.
Choice A sounds like a description of common elements of a portfolio, but it doesn’t involve guiding the teacher’s instruction. Student selection and reflection sound much closer to self-assessment than formative assessment.
For Choice B, we know that showing growth over time is a common purpose of a portfolio, but this choice still does not inform the teacher’s instruction.
For Choice C, while it is common for portfolios to be scored with a rubric, “end of the instructional unit” is a big clue that this is not a description of formative assessment. The portfolios are being used for summative assessment in this choice.
When might a teacher use a norm-referenced assessment?
A. to form small groups for targeted intervention
B. to determine if students mastered state grade-level standards
C. to identify the potential need for additional academic support
D. to plan instruction based on identified gaps in learning
Choice C is best.
For Choice C, since norm-referenced assessment ranks students based on performance, we can use it to see the lowest-performing students. We don’t know what they’re struggling with, but we do know they’re performing below their peers. Norm-referenced assessment can identify which students may need additional academic support.
Norm-referenced means that students are ranked or compared to each other. You should select the answer choice that reflects this.
For Choice A, forming small groups for targeted instruction sounds like it’s done through criterion-referenced assessment. You have to know what set of criteria you’re targeting for intervention to begin. You also have to know which students are struggling with the specific skills to inform who needs to be in the targeted group.
For Choice B, determining whether or not students mastered grade-level standards also sounds like a criterion-referenced assessment. The state standards are set criteria.
For Choice D, the planning part sounds like a formative assessment, and the identified gaps in learning align with some kind of pre-assessment, like a diagnostic test.
Universal Screener
assessment administered to all students to gather data and form groups, such as intervention groups
Specific Feedback
teachers are clear and particular when giving feedback and provide next steps so students know what to do about it
Rubric
assessment tool that outlines specific criteria and performance levels for evaluating student work, providing clear guidelines and standards for both instructors and students to ensure consistent and objective grading
Curriculum-Based Assessments
testing the curriculum being taught
Timely Feedback
teachers provide feedback to students in a timely manner so they have adequate time to apply it
Performance-Based Assessment
assessment that requires students to show mastery of specific skills by demonstrating, producing, or performing something
Example.
designing and performing experiments, building models, writing poems or shorts stories, and developing portfolios
Informal Assessments
more flexible than formal assessments and can be adjusted to fit the situation and particular needs of the student being tested
Example.
observations during a lesson
Formative Assessments
ongoing evaluations to monitor student progress
Example.
using exit tickets to check understanding of the day’s lesson
Formal Assessments
a usually post-instruction assessment with the purpose of assessing student knowledge, retention, and application; often involve the use of a standardized rubric or scoring guide based on several criteria
Example.
chapter tests, semester tests
Teachable Moments
unexpected events that provide an opportunity to teach something
Example.
typo in an article that leads to a lesson on apostrophes
Progress Monitoring
periodic assessments to monitor student growth and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction
Example.
The teacher prepared a progress monitoring assessment to see how much each student had improved and learn if his new instructional approach was effective.
Balanced Feedback
teachers let students know both their strengths and weaknesses when giving feedback
Summative Assessments
evaluations at the end of an instructional period
Example.
final exams or projects that assess overall learning
Criterion-Referenced Tests
tests in which a standard has been set for the test taker to achieve in order to pass the test
Example.
a multiple choice or short answer test on the content of a unit of study in which a 70% is needed to pass
Exit Slips
short formative assessment given by a teacher after completing a lesson to determine the degree to which students have learned the material taught in the lesson
Appropriate Level
Leveled to where the content was taught when considering depth and difficulty.
Clarity of Language
A key factor of fair assessments. Does not contain ambiguous pronouns, words at too high a vocabulary level, or slang terms.
Feedback
information provided to individuals about their performance or behavior, often highlighting strengths, areas for improvement, and suggestions for further development, with the aim of promoting learning, growth, and improvement
Diagnostic Assessment / Pre-Assessment
assessment administered before instruction to determine students’ strengths and weaknesses
Norm-Referenced Tests
tests that compare an individual’s performance/achievement to a group called the “norm group”
Example.
IQ test
Reliability of Assessments
A key factor of fair assessments. The consistency and stability of assessment results over time, indicating that the evaluation produces similar outcomes under similar conditions for students.
Congruent Assessment
Assessment congruence is associated with validity, a key factor of fair assessments. It is an assessment that tests the learning outcomes described in the learning objectives.
Example.
A congruent assessment should include questions that determine whether students have achieved the learning objectives set at the start of the unit.
