Multiple Choice Pre-Test
Before a unit
In order for the teacher to get a better idea of what different students know about a given topic, a simple multiple choice test can be given before starting a unit. Though this will not capture the depth and breadth of student knowledge you want to capture in a final assessment, multiple choice data can be quickly analyzed and provide insight into the prior knowledge of a class. To track growth, the same test could be given at the end of the unit, but is unlikely to capture all of the growth you are looking for.
Contracts: http://www.eed.state.ak.us/tls/frameworks/mathsci/ms5_2as2.htm#contracts
Beginning of a unit
Contracts are agreements between the student and teacher (or between students on a team) on what work will be completed, by what date, in a project. Instead of simply telling the students what they must do, a contract allows the student to have a say in their topic, requirements, assessment, and deadlines while being held to the same level of accountability. A contract can be set at the beginning of a project and re-negotiated between the student and teacher (or teammates) as the project progresses and new information becomes available.
KWL Chart: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KWL_table
Beginning of a unit
KWL stands for Know, Want to know, and Learned. It is best used near the beginning of a unit to draw on prior knowledge and discover what kids want to learn in the upcoming unit. It can be a useful tool for the teacher to set the direction or plan areas of differentiation.
Venn Diagram: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venn_diagram
During a unit
A Venn diagram is used to compare and contrast two or more topics. Overlapping circles are drawn with similarities written in the overlapping areas. Can be specifically used in math to show relationships between sets, or more generally, can show when to use or not use a given property or method.
Concept Map: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept_map
During a unit
Concept maps show the relationships between topics of interest. This can be a useful way to gauge how well students understand the big picture in a given unit. After checking students’ progress, a concept map can be a good full-class exercise to explain relationships that the teacher and different students discovered in the content.
Flow Chart: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowchart
During a unit
Flow charts demonstrate an understanding of progressions and the logic used at each step. Students can visually document what comes first, what needs to be decided, and based on that decision what should come next (and repeat for all steps). This applies well to checking student understanding of a new skill or learning strategy.
Future Problem Solving (FPS) Process: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_Problem_Solving_Program_International#Future_Problem_Solving_Process
Anytime
The FPS process is a method for creatively addressing real-world problems. Students are asked to review a future scenario on a topic they are familiar with (such as a one page story about a water crisis in California in 2045). They review the story as a team of 4, searching for problems that they could address. After identifying 16 unique problems that fall into different categories, they select one and expand it into an underlying problem. They proceed by writing 16 unique solutions to this problem in different categories. To narrow down the solutions, they write 5 criteria and score their solutions. The top solution is expanded into a detailed action plan. At the beginning of a unit, this could help students to start thinking creatively about the topic. At the end of the unit, this could demonstrate good synthesis and application of knowledge towards a realistic problem.
Structured Interview: http://www.eed.state.ak.us/tls/frameworks/mathsci/ms5_2as1.htm#interviews
During a unit
This type of interview involves very targeted questions read orally by the teacher to a student. The questions are designed specific enough so that student responses will show what concepts/skills are understood and where problems lie in their understanding. The teacher should record the results of each specific interview question for later follow-up and re-teaching as necessary. An excellent way to spot misconceptions.
Checklist
During a unit
This is a very simple form of evaluation that looks for the presence of specific things. For a math problem, this could be a list of steps. For a diagram, it could be a set of items that need to be inside. The focus is not on quality or elaboration, just completion and correctness. It would be useful to provide a checklist for self-assessment of work or for a teacher to see which things a student did not correctly use.
Self/Peer Evaluation of Understanding: http://www.eed.state.ak.us/tls/frameworks/mathsci/ms5_2as1.htm#selfandpeerevaluations
During a unit
Using a Likert scale (1-5 continuum), students can answer questions about how well they believe that they understand a given topic. A short questionnaire with specific questions can reveal where students lack understanding and/or self-confidence. These evaluations can also be completed by peers for a less-biased viewpoint.
Learning Log: http://www.eed.state.ak.us/tls/frameworks/mathsci/ms5_2as2.htm#journalslearninglogs
During a unit
A journal/learning log is a student-kept record of responses to prompts from the teacher. A journal entry could include short descriptions of vocabulary words or specific processes. At a deeper level, it could be reflection on mistakes made on math problems, things that went well on a project team, or suggestions for the teacher to change the way the topic is taught. Periodically checking journals gives the teacher a quick glance at how well students are internalizing material and reflecting on their learning.
Rubric: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubric_(academic)
Example: http://www.ncsu.edu/midlink/rub.mmproj.htm
End of a unit
A rubric provides students with a clear picture of what they will be evaluated on. It usually contains ~5 categories that are being rated on numerical scale. Each number of the scale corresponds to specific observations (a mini checklist combined with an assessment of quality). Rubrics are best used for larger projects. Students can self-evaluate, peers can evaluate, and the teacher can grade student work in a clear, relatively objective manner using a rubric.
Portfolio: http://northcentralcollege.edu/Documents/student_life/Education%20Portfolio.pdf
End of a course
Portfolios are collections of student work. When used effectively, they tell a story about a student’s learning in a course. The work the student selected shows their interests and strengths. It may also demonstrate progress and growth during the course. The portfolio can be saved as permanent evidence of learning in a course. It is a good artifact for student’s self-efficacy because it shows concrete progress and skill.