Designing A Comprehensive Assessment Plan

Continuing with slope, follow along below pretending you are a student. Your authentic assessment is to find a real-world object and calculate its slope. The assessment addresses all requirements, formative, summative assessment and

1. Detailed Unit Overview (Our “Tilted” World)

a. Objectives

Student will use their definitions of positive, negative, undefined, zero, rise, run, rise/run, slope triangle, "the change in y", the "change in x", and the variable "m" to calculate the slope of a line.

Student will calculate the slope of a real-world object using their definitions of Cartesian coordinates, axis, axes, and the origin (0, 0). Using a student-chosen photograph, and graph paper and/or ruler, students will calculate the slope of a their real-world object.

b. California Content Standards - Algebra

7.0: Students verify that a point lies on a line, given an equation of the line. Students are able to derive linear equations using the point-slope formula.c. Activities

c. Student will use the following online Web 2.0 tools to demonstrate competency in slope calculations and complete their real-world slope project:

2. Formative Assessment Tools

If necessary, student will review the steps required for slope calculations. Using the two classroom videos (short and long) and the class corroboration tool, WizIQ.com, students shall meet in the online classroom at their assigned teacher office hour time for question/answer session.

1. Measuring Progress: Students will self-evaluate and with the teacher their slope calculation accuracies (positive and negative signs are important). Problems requiring rework will be done correctly.

Using the ThatQuiz.com link, student will complete the online review. Upon completion, student will complete the TEST and submit their results.

1. Measuring Progress: Student will self-evaluate, re-check and recalculate if required, and submit the test for scoring and teacher recording.

Using the Quia.com link, student will complete the “Find the slope activity” twice.

1. Measuring Progress: Student will be able to determine the “correctness” of their activity before submitting it for teacher scoring/recording. Again, positive and negative slope and correct arithmetic computations will be redone until correct.

3. Student Feedback

a. WizIQ.com and Peer Evaluation – Presented in another vein, student-student feedback will provide “another set of eyes” to evaluate correct computational strategies. WizIQ brainstorms peer-to-peer will provide clarity in slope calculations. Frequent confusion of which coordinates go where will be resolved.

b. WizIQ.com Teacher Discussion – Teacher one-to-one time will provide tips and tricks to quickly correct misconceptions or miscalculations. Errors in sign (+ and -) will be eliminated.

c. ThatQuiz.com and Quia.com – Through self evaluation and self check, students will refine their mastery as required. Correctness, including errors for sign (+ and -) must be mastered.

4. Summative Assessment Project (Our “Tilted” World) and Rubric, 16 maximum points

The student will select an object in the real-world that draws their attention to the concept of slope. In class, we have seen and discussed many, many examples. The object CANNOT have zero or undefined slope as its MAIN component, however.

The student will photograph their object and will calculate its slope. Using their Google Drive account, the student will describe why they chose that object and calculate its slope in a clear and easy-to-follow step-by-step process.

A “computational” check signed off by three of their peers will be required prior to final submission to the teacher.

An extra credit bonus will be rewarded if the student extends the calculations by adding new or additional information to their solution.

(The rubric is borrowed and modified from Ms. Cross, an Algebra teacher somewhere on the Internet. I chose and modified this one so that the students will have a consistent rubric throughout the school year. Rubrics varying by unit in math can lead to student confusion and mis-interpretation. Many thanks to Ms. Cross!)

A student work example/sample is included here to download in pdf format.

Reflection 6.3: Technology and Assessment

Formative and summative factors in the online or blended environment fall into four categories for me to consider:

1. The Time Component factor in transferring from a F2F to an online/blended learning environment will take significant time and commitment. Just in putting this small unit together on slope, took thought and time to develop and organize. To make this online/blended classroom successful in our middle school, it will take a math department willing to make a RADICAL change to the way we educate our children. I can become overwhelmed very easily when I think of the scope and sequence required for an Algebra 1 class being taught to 7^th and 8^th graders. Committed teachers parsing the workload can make this process work!

2. Contrasting the increased workload, the online tools available now for summative and formative assessment will provide quick and accurate feedback to the teacher and the student. Additionally, the teacher workload factor (grading, bookkeeping student progress) will be reduced with these online, automated tools. Commitment from administration and the IT department can help integrate these tools into the existing school record-keeping software, Aeries.

3. Still, I am troubled with the equal access-for-all factor. I read all the articles and am convinced that this new paradigm of blended learning is a step in our evolution of the educational system. But, I know that in our district, the accessibility for our EL (primarily Hispanic) remains a formidable hurdle. Yes, I know information can be burned to CD, yes I know the school and library computer labs are available, BUT accessibility when a student wants or needs it, will remain a challenge in RIMUSD. Putting our heads together and again, with commitment, we as a team of family, teachers, administrators and the community, can develop students in charge of their own learning.

4. As this class has progressed, one of my initial fears of student online cheating and plagiarism also still remains as a lingering factor. Perhaps I am jaded from my time at middle school, perhaps their student “instant gratification” and their “what’s in it for me” attitudes are still foremost in my memory. Middle school students are still grasping with their “if it’s on the Internet, it must be true” mindset. We continue to educate our students in morality and how to act honestly. These parenting roles should not be our responsibility but there are days that we must. If we can convince students to be in charge of their own learning and if they see the worth in their education, then I think my concern of cheating and instant gratification will be reduced.

For me, this module has really laid out concretely, the magnitude of this change in education. The blended/online learning educational model, taken in bite-size pieces can be consumed and digested. In our middle school, it will take a team of parents, educators and administrators with that shared vision. I hope to able to contribute in some small way.