Classroom Assessment Techniques

Brenda C. Litchfield, Ph.D.

251.443.9929

bcl6163@gmail.com

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Classroom Assessment Techniques Classroom assessment can give you a precise idea of what your students like, what they are learning, and what their attitudes are. By paying close attention to the climate in your classroom, you will be a more effective instructor. Areas you can assess are the following (from Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers, Angelo and Cross, 1993, $14 from Amazon)

Course-related Knowledge and Skills – 27 assessments Prior knowledge, recall, understanding Analysis and critical thinking Synthesis and creative thinking Problem-solving. Application and performance

Learner Attitudes, Values, and Self-Awareness – 12 assessments Awareness of attitudes and values. Self-awareness as learners Course-related learning Study skills, strategies, behaviors Learner Reactions to Instruction – 9 assessments Reactions to teachers and teaching Reactions to class activities, assignments, and materials Some quotes from the book – pp. 3-4 College instructors who have assumed that their students were learning what they were trying to teach them are regularly faced with disappointing evidence to the contrary when they grade tests and term papers. Too often, students have not learned as much or as well, as expected. There are gaps, sometimes considerable ones, between what was taught and what has been learned. By the time faculty notice these gaps in knowledge or understanding, it is frequently too late to remedy the problems. To avoid such unhappy surprises, faculty and students need better ways to monitor learning throughout the semester. Specifically, instructors need a continuous flow of accurate information on student learning. Through practice and classroom assessment, faculty become better able to understand and promote learning, and increase their ability to help the learners. Simply put, the central purpose of classroom assessment is to empower both instructors and their students to improve the quality of learning in the classroom.

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Entry Tasks Purpose Entry tasks focus students’ attention on the content to be presented and act as a way to get everyone thinking at the beginning of class. These are motivating activities and students really enjoy them. Time Allow no more than 3-4 minutes. Prize A small prize should be given for entry tasks. It can be a new pencil, post its, poster, or any of the many things you can pick up at conferences. I have bags full in my office – mugs, pads of paper, key chains, pens, canvas bags, T-shirts, rulers, and many others. You will be amazed at how motivating a small, inexpensive prize can be! Ideas Here are some things I have just made up while driving around. (I don’t listen to the radio so I can do things like this. I know, it’s weird.)

• Name all the song titles with colors. (This is a great car game. There are hundreds!) • List all the names of people that mean something – Rose, Jean, Art, Hope, Carol…… • List all the famous bridges you can think of. • List as many coastal cities you can. • Ask students what you wore the previous week, the first class meeting….. • List as many mountain ranges as you can. • Name as many world capitols as you can. • Name as many different kinds of cows/birds/fish/reptiles as you can. • Name car names and what they mean – Bronco - horse, Cherokee – Indian, Odyssey-voyage,

Blazer – jacket, Wrangler – jean

List general or subject related entry tasks you could use in your classes

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KWL Chart Purpose To find out

• Current KNOWLDEGE about a topic or subject – what they already know • What students WANT to know about the topic • What students LEARNED about the topic

When to do

• At the beginning of the semester or the beginning of a new topic Advantages You will

• Learn what students already know about the topic • Design instruction to best meet their needs • Identify prior knowledge to use when presenting new information • Identify misconceptions about a topic • Lets students know you value their opinions and needs

Disadvantage

• Be ready to change or adapt your teaching based on information received Materials

• One chart for each student (See next page.) • One chart for each group

Procedure

• Have students fill out chart individually for 5–10 minutes. Ask them to keep it for later. • Meet in groups of 4-5 and share responses • Complete a new chart based on group responses • At end of topic, Ss fill in LEARNED section

Notes

• It is important that when you do this, you include some of the information from what students WANT to know in your course. This lets students know you are using the information they provided in their charts.

• Use information from the WANT and LEARNED sections to revise your course next time.

KWL Chart What I KNOW about the topic What I WANT to learn about the topic What I LEARNED about the topic

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One-Minute Response Purpose

• To find out what students learned about a topic presented the same day or for homework • Compare answers with each other • Synthesize information and concepts • Improve listening skills

When to do • At the beginning of class to go over homework • At the end of a lecture or discussion or when students have received a lot of new information

Advantages • Very good for large classes • Identify what students have learned about the topic. • Can be done quickly • Shows interest for student learning • Provides immediate feedback for the instructor

Disadvantage

• Good questions take time to develop • Can take extra time to answer additional questions

Materials

• Good questions that can be answered in 1-2 minutes Procedure

• Show students good and bad examples of this assignment ahead of time so they know what you expect.

• Decide on the concept/principle/information you want to focus on. • Write Qs on an PPT or board • Specify the amount of time they have to answer – 1-2 minutes • Collect and read a few answers • Variation – students answer individually then as a group

Note

• Do not overuse as students can become bored

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Muddiest Point Purpose

• To determine what students find least clear or most confusing about a lesson or topic • Give faculty feedback about areas to revise and emphasize

When to do • At the end of a lecture, close of a discussion/presentation, after a reading assignment

Advantages

• Very good for large classes • Identify what questions students have about the topic. • Can be done quickly • Students who will not speak out in class will write questions

Disadvantage

• Can take extra time to answer questions but well worth it • May be disconcerting to realize you are not as clear as you think

Materials

• None Procedure

• Specify the amount of time they have to answer – 1-2 minutes • Collect or have students place in box at back of room as they leave • Respond during next class or in current class if there is time

Notes

• Variations – use with homework, writing assns, lab reports, etc. • Revisit muddiest points later to see if they are cleared up • Tell students some of the muddy points you responded to in class will be exam questions • Answer quickly but thoroughly • Make sure students know that everything cannot be cleared up right away, some things take

time and the acquisition of more knowledge • Don’t overuse

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Concept Maps

Purpose

• To show students’ depth of understanding and connections relating to a topic

When to use • In class, as homework, individually or in a group, or use on exams

Advantages

• Requires students to look at many sides of a topic • Several different formats are available – Google - concept maps for examples • Can be multi-level • Can be easily done with Inspiration (30-day free trial) on the computer

Disadvantages

• Students may need training Materials

• Depends on strategy – flip chart paper, markers, transparency, or just paper and pencil Procedure

• Show good and bad examples so students know what you expect • Specify the number of levels • Share good student examples in class or post online

Notes

• Use on exams • A group project at end of a unit • Group work after a lecture by providing flip chart paper • Groups post online in Document Sharing

List of concept maps for your courses

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One of many formats

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Peripheral vascular resistance

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Course-Related Self Confidence Surveys Purpose

• To find out students’ levels of confidence in their ability to learn skills and material • Create more effective assignments that will build confidence, enhance motivation and learning

When to do

• At the beginning of a new topic or when new skills in question are introduced • At the end of a topic when students have made progress toward mastering the skills

Advantages • Very good for large classes • Identify what students have learned about the topic. • Can be done quickly or online • Shows interest for student learning and provides immediate feedback for the instructor

Disadvantages

• Some students may be over confident, while others may be under confident • Finding that a sizable number of students have low self-confidence could be discouraging

Materials

• Questions related to specific skills Procedure

• Focus on skills or abilities that are important to the success in the course • Create a simple survey form for gathering the data. • Allow students a few minutes in class to respond to the survey ort his can be done online. • Be sure to tell them that survey responses are anonymous.

Note • Help students understand that increasing self-confidence is based on hard work and effort. • Make it clear that you are there to help them.

Specific skill or ability questions, you can ask about your subject

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Electronic Mail Feedback Purpose

• To find out what students think about class procedures and how they can improve

When to do • On a regular basis, and if the instructor feels there may be a problem or before or after high-

stress periods such as exams or holidays

Advantages • Very good for large classes • Identify problems students are having in class related to your teaching • Can be done quickly or online • Shows interest for student learning and provides immediate feedback for the instructor

Disadvantages

• Some students can be downright mean

Materials • Questions related to classroom procedures

Procedure

• Create questions related to what is going on in class • Allow students a few minutes in class to respond to the survey or this can be done online.

Be sure to tell them that survey responses are anonymous. Note

• You have to be willing to take a hard look at your teaching and change what you can Specific teaching/classroom procedure questions, you can ask

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Assignment Assessment Purpose

• To find out what students think about assignments and their value

When to do • Best for advanced (jr/sr/grad) courses where students have some prior experience and

perspective about assignments. • If done with introductory courses it should be applied later in the semester

Advantages • If students know they will get to evaluate the assignments they may actually do them. • This kind of feedback, over time, can help faculty significantly improve assignments and

courses. Disadvantages

• Some students may try to convince you to lower the workload. • You may receive feedback too late, but can use it next semester

Materials

• Questions related to assignments. Procedure

• Allow students a few minutes in class to respond to the survey or this can be done online. • Be sure to tell them that survey responses are anonymous.

Note

• Don't ask students to assess assignments you're unwilling to change. • Get students to focus on how much they learned from the assignment not how much they liked

it, or how difficult it was. Specific assignment questions you can ask

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BINGO Game

Real game should have a 5 x 5 matrix with about 60-70 words. The more words the longer it takes to get five in a row.

Write one word from the list below in each square. You can put any word in any square. When the definition of the word is read and you have the word, cross it out. Three in a row wins. Entry task Collaborative Learning Social skills KWL chart Observation Role Muddiest point Problem solving Bloom One-minute response Interview Brainstorm Action learning Questionnaire Debate Concept map Inspiration Models Motivation Academic Contract Simulation Simulation Criteria Role-play Case study Johnson and Johnson Gagne’ Jigsaw Concept map Redesign Blog Wiki 9 events of instruction Dr. Johnson Jaguars Assessment Optional activities TracDat Current events