6.1 Designing Student Assessments around Criteria and Standards
EDU 6160 (Teaching Assessment Methods) provided a plethora of tools for creating and executing assessments that are effectively aligned with the Common Core State Standards. The most important takeaway for me was to always be sure that your assessments are accurately testing the standards that have been addressed in the given lesson or unit. In our “Traditional Assessment” assignment (assessment included below), this concept was put to the test. Using various question types and including student self-assessment, allows me to see the level of understanding that my students are achieving.
My first draft of the assessment aimed to cover math standard “CCSS-Math A-REI Reasoning with equations and inequalities”, namely solving systems of equations through various methods including algebraically (substitution and equation addition/subtraction) and graphically. When I first wrote the assessment, I was proud of the product and felt that it addressed the chosen standards. I gave my quiz to a friend and in watching them solve various problems, I noticed that certain sections did not get at the solving method I had intended students to use. From this feedback, I was able to revise the assessment questions in order to address the solving method more clearly.
This experience showed me that in order to be sure my assessments test what they should be testing, I should take the assessment myself and if possible, have peers take the assessment as well. Having to change and revise an assessment is not a sign of weakness but rather; it makes sure that we provide the most effective and useful assessments possible. The more effective our assessments are, the better feedback regarding student learning we can gather. Data about student learning and growth is the best way to tailor and change lessons to better accommodate students to be sure they are given the opportunity to reach their highest learning potential.
Online Teaching Portfolio 