MichaelAnthony C DobsonLewis Embracing Alternative Modes of Assessment

Michael-Anthony C. Dobson-Lewis “Embracing Alternative Modes of Assessment: Projects and Portfolios”

Presentation Outline. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Assessment Terminologies: Assessment (Classroom/Educational/Achievement) Alternative Assessment Traditional Assessment Performance Assessment Authentic Assessment

Presentation Outline Cont’d. 1. 2. 3. 4. Projects and Portfolios: Projects and Portfolios Assessment Strengths and Limitations of Projects and Portfolios Examples of Projects and Portfolios Grading Projects and Portfolios

Presentation Outline Cont’d. The Teacher Portfolio: 1. What is a Teacher Portfolio? 2. Entries in a Typical Teacher Portfolio 3. Use of the Teacher Portfolio

Presentation Outline Cont’d. Conclusion: 1. Concluding Remarks 2. Suggestions for Alternative Modes of Assessment

Assessment. 1. Assessment is the process for obtaining information that is used for making decisions about students, curricula and programs, and educational policy (Nitko & Brookhart, 2007). 2. Assessment is the broad category that includes all the various methods for determining the extent to which students are achieving the intended learning outcomes of instruction (Gronlund & Waugh, 2009).

Alternative Assessment is performance assessment that emphasizes that these assessment methods provide an alternative to traditional paper-and-pencil testing (Gronlund & Waugh, 2009). Examples: projects, portfolios, journals, research.

Traditional Assessment refers to paper-and – pencil testing which include: (a)Selection Type Items (True-False, Multiple. Choice, Matching, Interpretive Exercise, and (b)Construction Type Items (Completion/Short Answer, Restricted Essays and Extended Essays).

Performance Assessment is any assessment requiring students to demonstrate their achievement of understandings and skills by actually performing a task or set of tasks (Gronlund & Waugh, 2009). Examples: oral presentation, play a musical piece, writing a story or poem, report on an experiment, operate a machine, create a painting.

Authentic Assessment is performance assessments that stresses the importance of focusing on the application of understandings and skills to real problems in “real-world” contextual settings (Gronlund & Waugh, 2009). Examples: Simulations, Microteaching, Teaching Practice (educational tasks resemble real-life tasks).

Projects. A Project is long term activity that results in a student product: a model, a functional object, a substantial report, or a collection (Nitko & Brookhart, 2007). Projects are long-term tasks in which students have the opportunity to carry out in-depth study of a particular topic (Plessis, 2010). e. g. , research project, art and craft portfolio.

Projects Cont’d. Projects may be composed of a variety of activities and tasks focused on finding out answers to one broad question or set of questions. Projects foster knowledge creation and learning the organizing concepts and skills of a particular field. Projects are time consuming/intensive.

Projects Cont’d. Teachers must be willing and skilled in giving students guidance. Students will need help formulating and narrowing a question or topic, accessing information, synthesizing information, integrating book knowledge with personal experience, opinion or relating the book to a particular context (e. g. , Jamaican).

Projects Cont’d. Parts of the project may be assessed separately and an overall grade given to the whole. Displays and exhibits of projects provide opportunities for students to vocalize their understandings (e. g. , mathematics kit with teaching aids, chemistry project showing models of elements, compounds and mixtures).

Portfolios. A Portfolio is an extended performance assessment that includes multiple samples of student product or performances (Airasian & Russell, 2008). It is a collection of student work, gathered over time, for a purpose (Gallagher, 1998; Plessis, 2010).

Portfolios. According to Nitko & Brookhart (2009) and Gronlund & Waugh (2009), a portfolio is a collection of student work that has been selected and organized to show student learning progress (developmental portfolio) or to show samples of student’s best work (showcase portfolio).

Portfolio Assessment is the process of selecting collections of student work that both students (self-assessment) and teachers evaluate using preset criteria (Kauchak & Eggen, 2011).

Purposes of the Portfolio. 1. The main purpose of the classroom portfolio (learning portfolio), as with any other method of assessment, is to improve student learning. 2. Another purpose is to help students become responsible for their own learning.

Entries in a Student Portfolio. 1. Media: videos, audiotapes, pictures, artwork, computer programs 2. Reflections: plans, statements of goals, selfreflections, journal entries 3. Individual work: tests, journals, logs, lab reports, homework, essays 4. Group work: cooperative learning sessions, group performances, peer reviews

Entries in a Student Portfolio Cont’d. 5. Work in progress: rough and final drafts, show-your-work process, science fair projects

Strengths/Advantages of Student Portfolios. 1. Learning progress over time can be clearly shown (e. g. , changes in writing, thinking, or research). 2. Focus on students’ best work provides a positive influence on learning (e. g. , best writing samples, best examples of reasoning and problem solving).

Strengths/Advantages of Student Portfolio. 3. Comparing work to past work provides greater motivation than comparison to the work of others (e. g. , growth in knowledge and skills). 4. Self-assessment skills are increased due to the student selection of best samples of work (e. g. , focus is on criteria of good performance).

Strengths/Advantages of Student Portfolios. 5. Reflective learning is encouraged as students are asked to comment on each portfolio entry (e. g. , why do you consider this your best work? ). 6. Providing for adjustment to individual differences (e. g. , students work at their own levels but work toward common goals).

Strengths/Advantages of Student Portfolios. 7. Providing for clear communication of learning progress to students, parents, and others (e. g. , work samples obtained at different times can be shown and compared). 8. Increasing teacher-student collaboration in the teaching-learning-assessment process.

Projects, Portfolios and Instruction and Learning Relationship. 1. Showing students’ typical work. 2. Monitoring student progress and improvement over time. 3. Helping students self-evaluate their work. 4. Providing ongoing assessment of student learning. 5. Providing diagnostic information about student performance.

Projects, Portfolios and Instruction and Learning Relationship. 6. Helping teachers judge the appropriateness of the curriculum. 7. Facilitating teacher meetings and conferences with students, parents, and both students and parents. 8. Grading students. 9. Reinforcing the importance of processes and products in learning.

Projects, Portfolios and Instruction and Learning Relationship. 10. Showing students the connections among their processes and products. 11. Providing concrete examples of student work. 12. Encouraging students to think about what is good performance in varied subject areas. 13. Focusing on both the process and final product of learning.

Projects, Portfolios and Instruction and Learning Relationship. 14. Informing subsequent teachers about students prior work.

Limitations/Disadvantages of Projects and Portfolios. 1. Projects and Portfolios take time to create and score. 2. Time consuming to maintain and use (time consuming for both teachers and students). 3. Require considerable student-teacher conference time (feedback). 4. They tend to have relatively low reliability.

Effective Use of Portfolios in the Classroom. 1. Specify the purpose (developmental or showcase). 2. Provide guidelines for selecting portfolio entries. 3. Define students role in selection and selfevaluation. 4. Specify evaluation criteria.

Guidelines for Grading Projects and Portfolios. 1. Set criteria for grading. 2. Criteria can be general (holistic) or specific (analytic). 3. Let students know the criteria (assessment is NOT a surprise). 4. Develop the scoring tool (checklist, rating scales or rubric). 5. Keep it simple! (NOT endurance).

General Criteria for Evaluating the Portfolio’s Structure. Does the: 1. Purpose of the portfolio been clearly stated? 2. Portfolio provides evidence of various types of student learning? 3. Portfolio include evidence of complex learning in realistic setting? 4. Portfolio includes enough entries in each area to make valid judgments?

General Criteria for Evaluating the Portfolio’s Structure. Does the: 5. Portfolio includes students’ self-evaluations and their reflections on what was learned? 6. Portfolio enable one to determine learning progress and current level of learning? 7. Portfolio provide clear evidence of learning to users of the portfolio?

General Criteria for Evaluating the Portfolio’s Structure. Does the: 8. Portfolio provide for student participation and responsibility? 9. Portfolio provide guidelines for the student participation? 10. Portfolio present the entries in a wellorganized and useful manner?

General Criteria for Evaluating the Portfolio’s Structure. Does the: 11. Portfolio include assessment based on clearly stated criteria of successful performance? 12. Portfolio provide for greater interaction between instruction and assessment? (Gronlund &Waugh, 2009; Gallagher, 1998; Linn & Miller, 2005).

Examples of Projects and Portfolios. 1. 2. 3. 4. Water Cycle Solar System Mathematics Kit Models of elements, compounds and mixtures 5. Art and Craft portfolio 6. Research project 7. Science fair projects

The Teacher Portfolio/Professional Portfolio. A professional portfolio is a collection of materials representative of one’s work, that provides an effective way to document your competence and qualifications (Devlin. Scherer, Burroughs, Daly & Mc. Carten, 2007).

The Teacher Portfolio. 1. The Teacher Portfolio is a compilation of things the teacher has done, both in the classroom and elsewhere. 2. It is designed to display the teacher’s talents and proficiencies. 3. It demonstrates a teacher’s knowledge and skills. (What am I trying to tell the reader about myself? ).

Entries in a Teacher Portfolio. 1. A brief yet interesting biographical sketch(a short essay). 2. A description of the kinds of classes you have taught recently (grade level, content, teaching style). 3. Copies of documents, licenses, tests (demonstrate your continuing education). 4. A short essay about your teaching philosophy.

Entries in a Teacher Portfolio. 5. Copies of recent lesson or unit plans. Photos of the class engaged in these activities. 6. Creative handouts you have designed, student papers you have graded. 7. Photographs of your classroom or a videotape of you in action. 8. Peer observations and evaluations, letters of commendations, recognitions, honours.

Use of the Teacher Portfolio. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Supervisor assessment License assessment Employment interviews Promotion assessment Grant application information Pre-service teacher education program (Zubizarreta, 2009).

Conclusion/Concluding Remarks. 1. The field of Classroom Assessment/Educational Assessment is large and complex. 2. My presentation has only skims that surface by presenting ways for teachers/educators to expand on their classroom assessment practices by using more projects and portfolios.

Conclusion Cont’d. 3. The area of Classroom Assessment (Assessment for Learning and not just Assessment of Learning) is often neglected because of the constraints of time, workloads and large classes. 4. Creativity plays an important role in developing and implementing good classroom assessment.

Conclusion Cont’d. 5. You are encouraged to experiment with new assessment techniques/modes and develop some on your own (start developing your portfolio).

Conclusion/Suggestions. For trying new and alternative modes of assessment: 1. Use professional judgment and intuition 2. Don’t let it be a burden 3. Try the technique/mode out on yourself 4. Allow ample time for assessment and feedback

Conclusion/Suggestions. 5. Provide feedback to students about it 6. Discuss it with your colleagues. (Dobson-Lewis, 2012).

References. Airasian, P. W. & Russell, M. K (2008). Classroom assessment: concepts and applications. Mc. Graw Hill. Devlin-Scherer, R. , Burroughs, G. , Daly, J. , & Mc. Carten, W. (2007). The value of the teacher work sample for improving instruction and program. Action in Teacher Education, 29(1), 51 -60.

References. Dobson-Lewis, M-A. C. (2012). Alternative assessment: expanding classroom assessment in technical and vocational education. UWI/UNESCO Conference. Gallagher, J. D. (1998). Classroom assessment for teachers. Merrill, Prentice Hall. Gronlund, N. E. & Waugh, C. K. (2009). Assessment of student achievement. Pearson.

References. Kauchak, D. & Eggen, P. (2011). Introduction to teaching: becoming a professional. Pearson. Linn, R. L. & Miller, M. D. (2005). Measurement and Assessment in teaching. Pearson. Nitko, A. J. & Brookhart, S. M. (2007). Educational assessment of students. Pearson.

References. Plessis, J. (2010). Improving educational quality project. American Institutes for Research, Alexandria, Virginia. Zubizarreta, J. (2009). The learning and academic portfolio: reflective practice for improving student learning. San Francisco: Josey-Bass.

Reflections. 1. Power of Reflections: To help you reflect on what you have learned! 2. Questions/Answers. 3. Comments.

Thank You!