Assessment Methods Series

Series Overview

In this series, we'll explore the four different assessment methods:

• Selected Response

• Extended Response

• Personal Communication

• Performance Assessment

These can't be categorized as good or bad methods, but rather different tools for different jobs. We'll explore each in this series so that you know how to leverage these four assessment methods in your classroom. 

We continue our analysis of assessment methods by learning about extended written response. Often considered just a tool for language arts, we explore how every teacher can leverage extended response assessments to reveal and provide feedback on student learning. Yet doing so isn’t always easy, so tune into this episode to learn how to maximize this assessment method. 

References

• Stiggins, R.J. Arter, J.A., Chappuis, J. & Chappuis, S. (2006). Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing It Right-Using it Well. Portland, OR: ETS

• Wiggins, G. (2012, September). Seven Keys to Effective Feedback. Educational Leadership. Volume 70 (1)

• Goodwin, B., & Miller, K. (2012). Research Says / Good Feedback Is Targeted, Specific, Timely. ASCD, 70(1), 82-83. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept12/vol70/num01/Good-Feedback-Is-Targeted,-Specific,-Timely.aspx  

Resources for Wake County Staff

• WCPSS PreK-12 Cross-Curricular Writing Continuum

• Digital Resources for Extended Response

• To request professional learning from DRA, check out this form.

In this episode, we conclude our conversation on assessment methods by digging into Performance Assessments. We provide a definition of the term performance assessment, identify the types of performance assessments, and give examples of each, as used in the classroom. In examining the suitableness of the different assessment methods, we stress that no one method would reveal all information we need to know about our students’ learning; rather, the use of each will depend on the learning standard (s) being addressed.

We've also included a potential performance assessment for your students: Create our theme music! We would love to incorporate music created by our students in our show and hope that they would benefit from having their work referenced on a podcast. If you have students interested in submitting their music, they can do so here. 

References

• Goodwin, B., & Miller, K. (2012). Research says / good feedback is targeted, specific, timely. Educational Leadership, 70(1), 82–83. Retrieved from ASCD

• McTighe, J. (2015). What is a performance task? (Part 1). Defined Learning. Retrieved from https://blog.performancetask.com/what-is-a-performance-task-part-1-9fa0d99ead3b

• Stiggins, R.J. Arter, J.A., CHappuis, J. & Chappuis, S. (2006). Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing It Right-Using it Well. Portland, OR: ETS

• Wiggins, G. (2012). Seven keys to effective feedback. Educational Leadership, 70(1), 10-16. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept12/vol70/num01/Seven-Keys-to-Effective-Feedback.aspx

• Wren, D. G., & Garies, C. R. (2019). Assessing deeper learning: Developing, implementing, and scoring performance tasks (1st ed.). Lanham, MD :Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. 

Resources for Wake County Staff

• Performance Assessment Micro-Credentials for WCPSS staff

• Performance Assessment Module in Assessment Literacy Learning Central Course for WCPSS Staff

• DRA's Performance Assessment YouTube Playlist

• DRA FOURcast - Four Attributes of Performance Assessments

• To request professional learning from DRA, check out this form.