Assessment 

Rationale for Artifact #1: 

Description: This artifact was an assessment tool I was able to use during my time student teaching at Jackson Elementary. This card was used at the beginning of the basketball unit to lead student paced assessments. After two days of students attempting to complete these challenges, we moved onto the second section of the unit and based instruction on the results of the cards. 

Connection: This artifact aligns with ITPS knowledge indicator 7G which states: "The competent teacher understands how to make data-driven decisions using assessment results to adjust practices to meet the needs of each student". These cards that were implemented assisted me in making determination of differentiated instruction and overall class instruction. 

Importance: These cards were essential for putting into the curriculum because they assisted me in implementing effective individualized instruction. I would take the opportunity after two days to look over these cards and assess where each student was individually in their skills. I would then determine what instructional activities and strategies needed to be implemented for students to be properly challenged to grow. 

Rationale for Artifact #2:

Description: The purpose for this assignment was to construct an assessment based on a chapter out of the textbook of Anita Woolfolk covering Educational Psychology. The assignment was to create a test that was 8 multiple choice and 2 essay questions that are all at Bloom’s Taxonomy upper levels. These artifacts display the test that was constructed and distributed as well as the analysis that I conducted after I collected and graded the results. This was my first experience in creating a summative assessment of certain material and implementing a comprehensive analysis of the results pertaining to the test. I was able to gain experience in proper test construction and evaluate appropriate assessment strategies. 

Connection: This artifact aligns with ITPS performance indicator 7K which states: "appropriately uses a variety of formal and informal assessments to evaluate the understanding, progress, and performance of an individual student and the class as a whole" This project challenged me to develop and implement authentic assessment material and analyze the data to determine future instruction. 

Importance: One of the most impactful things I learned through this project was how to truly assess a student's knowledge of material and how to apply it to real life scenarios. Students could not simply memorize terms and definitions taking this test but rather they had to have a comprehensive understanding of the material. I was able to experience how to apply material and get true assessment on a student's understanding of the material. I learned valuable strategies on how to construct proper questions and hold them up to the upper levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. Overall participating in this project gave me valuable information in constructing tests and assessments that I can implement moving forward in my future career.