Case #1: Embedded Formative Assessment - Case of Teacher Maddison
Q: What is the overarching problem with the main character's use of summative-based formative assessment?
A: Seems like Teacher Madison was already conducting assessment of learning using differentiated strategies in her activities when she should have been conducting assessment for learning. She skipped a major step in assessment to make learning gradual but meaningful that is the formative assessment. Her summative-based formative assessment could bring feeling of frustration to the learners who could not perform correctly because she was somehow evaluating the learners’ overall competencies on the use of the protractor during the instruction process. Though she was giving timely feedback, her style of using summative-based formative assessment cannot be and should not be a part of the instructional process because it is already a way to gauge what the students know and do not know, in this specific case, the proper use of a protractor. I could imagine the teacher and students running in circles or going in all directions, without spiral progression in this style.
Q: How would you advise the main character to improve her summative-based formative assessment practices?
A: I would advise the teacher to consider providing uniform teacher-led or controlled activities to determine how the learners would fare in specific point in time during the instruction process and use the result as basis in modifying instructions, if needed, before giving activities where learners could work on independently. I would advise her to provide the same formative assessment activity to all learners, model the use of protractor to everyone, then start giving differentiated assessment in the application part of the session. The use of summative assessment can be applied to learners after all parts of the teaching learning process are done to measure their performance vis-a-vis the objectives of the lesson.
Case #2: Selected Response - Case of Teacher Miriam
Q: What benefits in using a multiple-choice and matching items assessment should Miriam share with the parent?
A: Teacher Miriam may patiently explain and emphasize to the parent that multiple-choice and matching type items assessment can assess a variety of learning targets because each of the items may be assigned to assess specific targets. Scoring is free from bias as it is objective. They provide wide content coverage. Moreover, multiple choice type of assessment even provides students practice for standardized tests like national achievement tests by developing critical thinking and evaluative skills in studying and choosing answers from alternatives. They immediately provide diagnostic information about students’ weaknesses or misunderstanding so teachers can design appropriate interventions.
Q: What can Miriam tell and show the parent to assure her that the assessments evaluate students’ ability to apply and show deeper reasoning?
A: Teacher Miriam can tell the parent that multiple choice type that are properly designed yield high quality test items. She can also show the parent some sample test items that she used in her previous assessment so the parent could try answering them. Teacher Miriam can point out items that make students apply their knowledge, exhibit deep understanding of the lesson, apply reasoning, compare, analyze, and hypothesize. Then the parent will realize that multiple choice test items are not used just for easy grading and that they can stimulate higher order thinking skills among learners.
Case #3: Constructed Response - Case of Teacher Barry
Q: What are the three guiding principles that should be considered deciding what type of constructed-response questions to use?
A: The three guiding principles that should be considered in deciding the type of constructed response questions are: 1. They should be objectively graded; 2. They should reveal students' mastery/learning; and, 3. They can be used in remediation and enrichment efforts.
Q: What should Barry include on his continuum to demonstrate the benefits and trade-offs of using each type of item?
A: Barry should include the following:
1. Pros and Cons of constructed response assessments
2. Things to consider in choosing what type of constructed response assessment to use
3. Constructing questions for constructed response assessment
4. How to grade constructed response assessment.
Q. When teachers ask Barry what are a few of the nuts-and-bolts that they should remember when writing constructed response questions, what should he advise?
A: He should give the following pieces of advise:
1. Assessment must be a planned activity; therefore, questions must be thought of carefully.
2. The level, vocabulary, and prior knowledge of learners must be taken into consideration.
3. Questions, prompts, etc. must be clearly stated.
4. Rubrics for scoring must be utilized.