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Using Authentic Using Authentic Assessment to Nurturing Assessment to Nurturing

Critically Thoughtful Critically Thoughtful StudentsStudents

Presented byPresented byGarfield Gini-Newman Garfield Gini-Newman

ggininewman@oise.utoronto.caggininewman@oise.utoronto.ca

Superheroes

To what degree do we create

and with our children?

Side-Kicks

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Evening’s Objectives review key principles of effective assessment consider key learning targets examine the role of curriculum design in

achieving implementing effective classroom assessment

explore the role of authentic assessment in gathering evidence of student learning

introduce a framework for embedding critical thinking across graes and subjects

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Task 1: Answer a trivia question about the nature of intelligence

Task 2: Spell a word backwards alternating with a partner without writing it down.

Task 4: Get your partner to identify a concept or thing or activty by drawing clues with your eyes closed.

Task 3: Get your partner to identify a concept or thing or activity by acting out silent clues.(Charades)

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Task 1:Who coined the term “imagineering?”a) Howard Gardnerb) Sigmund Freudc) Kieran Eagand) Walt Disney

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Task 2: Spell the following word backwards alternating with a partner without writing it down. See how you do on your first try.

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Task 3: Get your partner to identify the concept in the envelope by acting out silent clues as in charades. No talking.

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Task 4: Get your partner to identify the activity in the envelope by drawing clues with your eyes closed. No words or letters.

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Why Change Classroom Why Change Classroom Assessment?Assessment?

• For classrooms to remain relevant to the For classrooms to remain relevant to the 2121stst century century

• To adequately prepare To adequately prepare allall students for an students for an active role in an uncertain futureactive role in an uncertain future

• To respond to changing societal demands To respond to changing societal demands of educationof education

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Education – Past and PresentEducation – Past and Present

• PastPast• Schooling beyond basic Schooling beyond basic

skills and knowledge seen skills and knowledge seen as required only by a fewas required only by a few

• Learning believed to be Learning believed to be the accumulation of the accumulation of atomized bits of atomized bits of information best learned information best learned through repetitionthrough repetition

PresentPresent• High school graduation seen to be a High school graduation seen to be a

necessity for allnecessity for all• Graduates need to be proficient in Graduates need to be proficient in

critical thinking, problem solving and critical thinking, problem solving and effective communicationeffective communication

• Learning viewed as a process of Learning viewed as a process of constructing understanding by fusing constructing understanding by fusing prior knowledge with new learningprior knowledge with new learning

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Assessment – Past and PresentAssessment – Past and Present

• PastPast• Used as a mechanism for Used as a mechanism for

creating an index of creating an index of learninglearning

• Teachers taught, tested and Teachers taught, tested and made judgments about made judgments about student achievementstudent achievement

• Norm referencedNorm referenced

PresentPresent• Assessment is a powerful Assessment is a powerful

process for enhancing process for enhancing learning (Black and Wiliam, learning (Black and Wiliam, 1998)1998)

• Assessment can either Assessment can either motivate or de-motivatemotivate or de-motivate

• Informs teaching allowing for Informs teaching allowing for adjustments to meet individual adjustments to meet individual needsneeds

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Does a Does a child's belief about child's belief about intelligence have anything to intelligence have anything to do with academic success?do with academic success?

•100 seventh graders, all doing poorly 100 seventh graders, all doing poorly in math, randomly assigned to in math, randomly assigned to workshopsworkshops• One workshop gave lessons on how One workshop gave lessons on how to study well. to study well. • The other taught about the nature of The other taught about the nature of intelligence and the brain.intelligence and the brain.

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•Students in the latter group "learned Students in the latter group "learned that the brain actually forms new that the brain actually forms new connections every time you learn connections every time you learn something new, and that over time, this something new, and that over time, this makes you smarter.”makes you smarter.”• By the end of the semester, the group By the end of the semester, the group who had been taught that the brain can who had been taught that the brain can grow smarter, had significantly better grow smarter, had significantly better math grades than the other group.math grades than the other group.

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Recognizing MindsetsRecognizing Mindsets• Fixed MindsetFixed Mindset• See intelligence as fixed - See intelligence as fixed -

something you are born withsomething you are born with• Success/failure is what is Success/failure is what is

expectedexpected• School is about School is about

demonstrating your worthdemonstrating your worth• Avoid challenges which my Avoid challenges which my

not immediately yield successnot immediately yield success

Growth MindsetGrowth Mindsetsee setbacks as a see setbacks as a challenge that motivatechallenge that motivate success is about success is about stretching oneselfstretching oneself intelligence comes intelligence comes from hard workfrom hard workSchool is an School is an opportunity to expand opportunity to expand intelligenceintelligence

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Nurturing a Growth MindsetNurturing a Growth Mindset celebrate a child’s hard work not celebrate a child’s hard work not their marktheir mark allow children to “fail forward”allow children to “fail forward” provide focused, feasible guidanceprovide focused, feasible guidance provide timely feedbackprovide timely feedbackWhen possible differentiate When possible differentiate assessments by establishing clear assessments by establishing clear targetstargets

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Principles of Effective Assessment: The Primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning.

Students receive feedback and

guidance on how to improve work

and have the opportunity to implement the suggestions.

The directions provided to students are clear, complete, and appropriate for the ability, age and grade level of the students.

Assessment methods are suited to the backgrounds and prior experiences of students.

Students and parents are given clear definitions

of excellence and clear directions for improving student work.

Student grades are determined by

their most consistent level of achievement with consideration for more recent work.

Assessment methods should be appropriate for and compatible with the purpose andcontext of the assessment.

Assessment clearly reflects the degree of student success in meeting curriculum outcomes. Care is taken to ensure that results are not influenced by factors that are not relevant to the purpose of the assessment.

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Clarifying the Language Clarifying the Language of Assessmentof Assessment

Summative:Summative: activities carried out at the end activities carried out at the end of a unit of study to measure the degree of of a unit of study to measure the degree of student success at meeting the curriculumstudent success at meeting the curriculumAssessment Targets:Assessment Targets: the key concepts, the key concepts, processes and skills of which students are processes and skills of which students are to demonstrate achievementto demonstrate achievementAssessment Methods:Assessment Methods: the general means the general means by which student learning may be assessed by which student learning may be assessed -say, write, do (performance)-say, write, do (performance)

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Clarifying the Language of Clarifying the Language of AssessmentAssessment

Diagnostic:Diagnostic: activities used establish student activities used establish student understanding, abilities and attitudes prior to understanding, abilities and attitudes prior to beginning a unit of studybeginning a unit of studyFormative:Formative: activities used to monitor student activities used to monitor student progress and inform teaching practice progress and inform teaching practice allowing for adjustments to meet student allowing for adjustments to meet student needsneeds

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Clarifying the Language of Clarifying the Language of AssessmentAssessment

Assessment Strategies:Assessment Strategies: the specific means the specific means by which teachers gather evidence of by which teachers gather evidence of learning (tests, writing samples, portfolios, learning (tests, writing samples, portfolios, presentations)presentations)Assessment Tools:Assessment Tools: a tool used to track, a tool used to track, monitor or record assessment data or a tool monitor or record assessment data or a tool used to initiate and guide student learning used to initiate and guide student learning (marking schemes, rating scales, rubrics)(marking schemes, rating scales, rubrics)

PLACEMAT Activity: Four Most Significant Learning Targets not related to content

prepare students for future success in school

prepare students for an uncertain future

prepare students to be active and responsible citizens

Three routes to a differeniated classroom

ProcessProduct

Groupings

Multiple Intelligences

Authentic assessment

Six Prompts

Criteria

Thinking Strategies

Critical Thinking Vocabulary

Habits of MindMixed vs common ability

teacher-modeled vs independent

interestsindividual, paired or

small group

Clear Learning Targets

Advice to Put You in Control Advice to Put You in Control of the Web of Assessmentof the Web of Assessment

Five Key Questions to Unit DesignFive Key Questions to Unit Design

• What Evidence of What Evidence of Student Achievement Student Achievement will I gather?will I gather?

• How will I provide How will I provide students with students with feedback, guidance feedback, guidance and an opportunity to and an opportunity to improve their work?improve their work?

3. How will I use the evidence I 3. How will I use the evidence I gather to determine the gather to determine the student’s final grade?student’s final grade?

4. How will I determine the 4. How will I determine the student’s grade if they do not student’s grade if they do not provide a complete body of provide a complete body of evidence?evidence?

5. How will I clearly 5. How will I clearly communicate grading communicate grading practices to parents and practices to parents and students?students?

What Evidence of Student What Evidence of Student Achievement will I gather?Achievement will I gather?

Consider Grade level – build on prior Consider Grade level – build on prior learning and prepare for future learninglearning and prepare for future learning

Consider Subject Area – each subject Consider Subject Area – each subject area is unique – honour the area is unique – honour the distinctiveness of the subjectdistinctiveness of the subject

Menu of Summative Menu of Summative AssessmentsAssessments

TestsTests QuestsQuests SeminarsSeminars DebatesDebates Essays/ReportsEssays/Reports ProcessfoliosProcessfolios Learning PortfoliosLearning Portfolios Writing PortfoliosWriting Portfolios

MI JournalMI Journal Authentic Authentic

Performance TasksPerformance Tasks LabsLabs

How will I provide students with How will I provide students with feedback, guidance and an feedback, guidance and an

opportunity to improve their work?opportunity to improve their work?

Quizzes as Quizzes as practicepractice

RubricsRubrics Conference with Conference with

studentsstudents Written Anecdotal Written Anecdotal

responsesresponses

Peer AssessmentPeer Assessment Self AssessmentSelf Assessment ChecklistsChecklists

How will I use the evidence I gather to How will I use the evidence I gather to determine the student’s final grade?determine the student’s final grade?

How will you ensure a How will you ensure a balance between the balance between the Achievement Chart Achievement Chart categories?categories?

Are each of the summative Are each of the summative assessments of relative assessments of relative equal weight?equal weight?

Will you record marks as Will you record marks as percentage grades, levels percentage grades, levels of achievement or other?of achievement or other?

How will you use the How will you use the evidence gathered to evidence gathered to determine the student’s determine the student’s most consistent level of most consistent level of achievement?achievement?

Create A Summative Create A Summative Assessment PlanAssessment Plan

Consider what evidence will provide reliable Consider what evidence will provide reliable information about student achievement - information about student achievement - design down - plan summative assessments design down - plan summative assessments firstfirst

Decide how much evidence is enough Decide how much evidence is enough evidenceevidence

Make sure all areas of the Achievement Chart Make sure all areas of the Achievement Chart are adequately addressedare adequately addressed

Do not become obsessed with matching Do not become obsessed with matching everythingeverything students do to all areas of the students do to all areas of the Achievement ChartAchievement Chart

Base Your Assessment of Student Base Your Assessment of Student Achievement on Fewer, but Richer Achievement on Fewer, but Richer

Pieces of EvidencePieces of Evidence Use Authentic Assessment (performances which Use Authentic Assessment (performances which

provide practical applications of learning often to provide practical applications of learning often to an audience beyond the classroom) an audience beyond the classroom)

Use portfolios as appropriateUse portfolios as appropriate Provide students with clear criteria for each Provide students with clear criteria for each

required demonstration of learningrequired demonstration of learning Teach to the task and provide formative Teach to the task and provide formative

feedback, opportunities to practice and a chance feedback, opportunities to practice and a chance to revise workto revise work

Base Assessment on Pieces of Base Assessment on Pieces of Evidence Which are of Relative Evidence Which are of Relative

Equal ImportanceEqual ImportanceDetermining most consistent is Determining most consistent is

complicated by a body of evidence which complicated by a body of evidence which contains minor assignments, unit tests, contains minor assignments, unit tests, and major projectsand major projects

Remember, quizzes are formative and pop Remember, quizzes are formative and pop quizzes have no sound pedagogical basisquizzes have no sound pedagogical basis

Mark Student Performances, Mark Student Performances, Not their LearningNot their Learning

Teachers need to separate learning from Teachers need to separate learning from demonstrations of achievementdemonstrations of achievement

Students need to have an opportunity to Students need to have an opportunity to “muck” around with what they are learning “muck” around with what they are learning before being asked to performbefore being asked to perform

Worksheets, homework, cooperative Worksheets, homework, cooperative learning exercises are all part of the learning exercises are all part of the learning processlearning process

Consider the Best Formative Consider the Best Formative Assessment Tools to Support Assessment Tools to Support

Students in Their LearningStudents in Their Learning Well written rubrics can be an invaluable tool Well written rubrics can be an invaluable tool

to assist students and reduce teacher to assist students and reduce teacher workloadsworkloads

Quizzes, conferring with students, checklists Quizzes, conferring with students, checklists are other useful tools for formative are other useful tools for formative assessmentassessment

Remember Level One is the bare minimum Remember Level One is the bare minimum you would accept for a passyou would accept for a pass

Note: Level Four is excellence - not Note: Level Four is excellence - not exceeding or going beyond expectationsexceeding or going beyond expectations

A Clear, well thought-out A Clear, well thought-out Summative Assessment Plan Summative Assessment Plan

Makes Getting to the Grade Much Makes Getting to the Grade Much EasierEasier

Calculating grades is manageable when Calculating grades is manageable when teachers:teachers:

Work with fewer, but richer pieces of evidenceWork with fewer, but richer pieces of evidenceGather evidence which is of similar importanceGather evidence which is of similar importanceEnsure all four areas of the Achievement Chart Ensure all four areas of the Achievement Chart are addressedare addressed

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All students have the ability to learn but some may not have the desire to learn. Often our greatest challenge is establishing relevance and inspiring students to want to learn!

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Gardner’s Definition of Intelligence

An intelligence entails the ability to solve problems or fashion products that are of consequence in a particular cultural setting or community.

Howard Gardner, Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice

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Distributed Intelligence

To what extent does learning (or intelligence) lay in the resources to which people have access? These include others as well as resources like libraries and internet access and the use of tools like pencils and pens. In this view, as Gardner (1999: 24) puts it, 'intelligence is better thought of as "distributed" in the world rather than "in the head"'.

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So, how can we design assessments that reflect the diverse talents of our students in an increasingly complex world?

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Key skill of the 21st Century - Synthesis

In an age where information is rapidly expanding, people will drown if they cannot see connections.

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Teaching for Understanding…

Is the application of knowledge and concepts in new situations for which that knowledge is appropriate. If material learned cannot be use flexibly it is if no use.

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A Student Who Understands Can…

Explain itUse itCompare/Contrast

itRelate itTransfer itDiscover it

Combine itCreate it differentlyQuestion itGeneralize itAssess itTeach it

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Creating Authentic Performance Tasks (APT’s)

Authentic Performance Task

Simulating life outside of school and having an audience beyond

the teacher and classmates

A task which requires students demonstrate their

learning through a performance or the creation of a

product

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Authentic Assessment…

Asks students to perform. Create, or produce

Taps into higher-level thinking and problem solving skills

Places emphasis on process and there assess process as well as final product

Changes the meaning of knowing and being skilled from the accumulation of isolated facts to an emphasis on the application and use of knowledge

Contextualizes learning Recognizes the various

abilities and talents of students

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How could the critical challenge comparing medieval communities to our own changed to become an authentic task?

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Some Possible Authentic Tasks for History

Create a sandcastle/snow sculpture

Create a War of 1812 commemorative project of your choice

Create a Life Box from New France

Re-create cranium using the grade curriculum

Create a visual alternative time line of Canadian history

Design a castle to specs Put a historical character

on trial (re-try Louis Riel, William Lyon Mackenzie – hero or traitorous rebel?)

Host an ancient Greek symposion

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Authentic Assessment Task/Critical Challenge Planning Template Course:____________Grade Level:______ Audience: Local Media Links to other Curriculum Areas:

Essential Question: Is Architecture a Reflection of the Society That Built It?

Enduring Understandings (Based on Curriculum Expectations) or Overall Expectations:

Knowledge Targets Thinking Targets Communication Targets

Application TargetsAchievement Chart Targets:

Authentic Assessment Task/

Critical Challenge Build an Accurate Model of an Ancient Site in Sand/Snow

Subtasks Generate powerful questions

Create a relevant bibliography

Produce effective research notes

Create comprehensive sketch

Create Materials and Tasks Plan that is fair and effective

Identify tasks and match to peoples talents What is a fair and effective division of tasks?

Considering most effective means to gather materials

Supportinginstruction (including literacy and learning skills)

KWL ChartWhat will archeologists of the future conclude about our society?

Consider degree of relevance using criteria

Review format

Most important/ least important ideas

Review noting taking

Considering Important Details

Effective labeling

Authentic Assessment Task/Critical Challenge Planning Template

Course:____________Grade Level:______ Audience:________ Links to other Curriculum Areas:

Essential Question:________________________________________________________________

Enduring Understandings (Based on Curriculum Expectations) or Overall Expectations:

Knowledge Targets Thinking Targets Communication Targets Application Targets

Achievement Chart Targets:

Authentic Assessment Task/Critical Challenge

Subtasks

Supportinginstruction (including literacy and learning skills)

Burnaby 1942

“If the mind of the child when learning, remains merely passive, merely receiving knowledge as a vessel receives water which is poured into it, little good can be expected to accrue. It is as if food were introduced into the stomach which there is no room to digest or assimilate, and which will therefore be rejected from the system, or [sit] like a useless and oppressive load upon its energies.”

Edgerton Ryerson, 1847

A reason to marry critical thinking and teaching of content

So…What is Critical Thinking?

A complex activity, not a set of generic skills, Concerned with judging or assessing what is

reasonable or sensible in a situation, Focuses on quality of reasoning, not on

performing a specific set of mental operations Depends on the possession of relevant knowledge Can be done in endless contexts and is required

whenever the situation is problematic Is effortful but not necessarily negative

When is someone thinking critically?

A person is thinking critically only if she is attempting to assess or judge the merits of possible options in light of relevant factors or criteria.

Critical thinking is criterial thinking— thinking in the face of criteria.

A Definition of Critical Thinking

TC2 defines critical thinking as the thinking through of a problematic situation about what to believe or how to act where the thinker makes a reasoned judgment that reflects competent use of the intellectual tools for quality thinking.

Three Types of QuestionsType 1 Type 2 Type 3

How many flavours are there of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans?

What is your favourite flavour of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans?

Should Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans be sold in school cafeterias?

What are three activities in Peace River?

Would you like to move to Peace River?

Would your family’s needs be better met in Calgary or Peace River?

How many moons does Pluto have?

Which planet would you most like to visit?

Which of the student suggested names for Mars would make the most fitting choice?

How many times did Jack climb the beanstalk

How did you feel when Jack got away from the giant?

Was Jack greedy?

What did the Inuit use to make tools?

What Arctic animal would you prefer as a pet?

Which animal – the seal or the caribou – contributed more to traditional Inuit life?

Come up with your own examples!

Type 1 Type 2 Type 3

Why do people go shopping?

Do you like shopping?

What is your favourite genre of movie?

Where does truth lie? Sandy Danny

TC2 Model of Critical Thinking

Community of Thinkers

Critical Challenges

Teach and Assess the

Intellectual Tools

Background Knowledge Criteria for JudgmentCritical Thinking

VocabularyThinking Strategies Habits of Mind

Criteria for Effective Critical Questions/Challenges

Does the question or task require reasoned judgment? (i.e., involve assessment among plausible options/possibilities based on criteria)Is the challenge likely to be perceived as meaningful by students?Will significant curricular understanding be uncovered as students work through the challenge?Is the challenge focused so as to limit the required background knowledge?

Framing Critical Challenges Using the Six

Prompts

Designing Critical Challenges Critical challenges may take

one of the following six forms: Critique the piece Judge the better or best Rework the piece Decode the puzzle Design to specs Perform to specs

What makes a Hero?

Selfless Courageous

HonestPrincipled

-2 -1 +1 +2

-2 -1 +1 +2

-2 -1 +1 +2

-2 -1 +1 +2

-2 -1 +1 +2

-2 -1 +1 +2

Jack Sparrow: Hero or Rogue?

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Overall Assessment

-8 -6 -4 -2 - 2 4 6 8

Rogue

Hero

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Can you frame anthentic assessment task that would

invite students to think critically using either the Ma and Pa Kettle clip or the Billy Bragg

song?

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Can you help out Ma and Pa?• Uncover the conceptual error in Ma and Pa’s

mathematical thinking

• Design a learning activity that would help Ma and Pa in understanding this conceptual error by providing an alternative solution to the math problem being discussed.

What kinds of prompts are these two critical challenges?