The competent teacher understands and uses appropriate formative and summative assessments for determining student needs, monitoring student progress, measuring student 6 growth, and evaluating student outcomes. The teacher makes decisions driven by data about curricular and instructional effectiveness and adjusts practices to meet the needs of each student.
This artifact, my constructed test and test analysis report, demonstrates my ability to use appropriate formative and summative assessments in order to understand where my students are at in their comprehension of material, and what may need to be done in the future to ensure their needs are met. The constructed test I created is an eight multiple-choice question test, along with two short essay questions based upon one chapter of our Woolfolk textbook. All questions were created to be at or above the application level of Bloom's Taxonomy. This ensures that students are able to apply the information and knowledge taught in class into real-life scenarios. The students are not simply memorizing information to pass a test, but are applying it into their lives so that they may better retain this knowledge. The test analysis report is an analysis I did of the results of my students. Within this document I provide an overview of how the class did and where each individual student stands in relation to their understanding and comprehension of the material. I also analyze two focus students--the highest scoring student and the lowest scoring student, providing a possible explanation as to why they achieved the grade they did, how they learn as students, and what steps may be taken for them individually to increase their mastery over the material.
The constructed test and test analysis report connects to Illinois Standard 7 Professional Indicator 7J which says that the competent teacher "uses assessment results to determine student performance levels, identify learning targets, select appropriate research-based instructional strategies, and implement instruction to enhance learning outcomes." This professional indicator is demonstrated through my test analysis report which records each student's results, along with two focus students and what steps they can take in the future to best help them. My work also demonstrates professional indicator 7M which says the competent teacher "maintains useful and accurate records of student work and performance," which is again shown through my test analysis report. My constructed test created on Google Forms complies with indicator 7O which says that the competent teacher "effectively uses appropriate technologies to conduct assessments, monitor performance, and assess student progress." Google Forms allows me to see class results as a whole, but also for each individual student to monitor and assess each student's needs.
In terms of my proficiency with this professional standard, I believe that I am capable of properly creating assessments for students that will provide an accurate indication of where they are at. I believe that I am also able to assess what the class as a whole may need based upon assessment results, as well as determining what each individual student will need as we continue in our learning. A way in which I feel I may need to improve is within my ability to come up with questions that allow for students to truly apply the information they have learned. I think much of this will be improved with practice, but it is one piece I would like to continue working on.