Assessment Assessment FOR Learning:FOR Learning: Creating a Culture Creating a Culture

of Confidenceof Confidence

Our Evolving Legacy of

Assessment Beliefs

Our Evolving Legacy of

Assessment Beliefs

Our schools were designed to leave lots of children behind:

There were winners & losersThere were winners & losers

CONTINUOUS WINNING (SUCCESS) YIELDS:

• CONFIDENCECONFIDENCE• OPTIMISM: AN EXPECTATION OF OPTIMISM: AN EXPECTATION OF

A POSITIVE RESULTA POSITIVE RESULT• STRONG DESIRE TO SUCCEEDSTRONG DESIRE TO SUCCEED• SELF-ANALYSIS IN FAILURESELF-ANALYSIS IN FAILURE• HIGH LEVEL OF EFFORTHIGH LEVEL OF EFFORT• RISK TAKING--STRETCHINGRISK TAKING--STRETCHING

CONTINUOUS LOSING YIELDS:• PESSIMISM: EXPECTATION OF A PESSIMISM: EXPECTATION OF A

NEGATIVE RESULTNEGATIVE RESULT• A SENSE OF FUTILITY, HOPELESSNESS, A SENSE OF FUTILITY, HOPELESSNESS,

FATALISMFATALISM• WANING EFFORTWANING EFFORT• SELF-CRITICISM IN FAILURE SELF-CRITICISM IN FAILURE • DENIAL; COVER UPDENIAL; COVER UP• FEAR OF RISK TAKING--DEFENSIVENESSFEAR OF RISK TAKING--DEFENSIVENESS

SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS (ON WINNING STREAKS):• CONFIDENCECONFIDENCE• OPTIMISM: AN EXPECTATION OF OPTIMISM: AN EXPECTATION OF

A POSITIVE RESULTA POSITIVE RESULT• STRONG DESIRE TO SUCCEEDSTRONG DESIRE TO SUCCEED• SELF-ANALYSIS IN FAILURESELF-ANALYSIS IN FAILURE• HIGH LEVEL OF EFFORTHIGH LEVEL OF EFFORT• RISK TAKING--STRETCHINGRISK TAKING--STRETCHING

FAILING STUDENTS (ON LOSING STREAKS):

• PESSIMISM: EXPECT FAILUREPESSIMISM: EXPECT FAILURE• A SENSE OF FUTILITY, HOPELESSNESS, A SENSE OF FUTILITY, HOPELESSNESS,

FATALISMFATALISM• WANING EFFORTWANING EFFORT• SELF-CRITICISM IN FAILURE SELF-CRITICISM IN FAILURE • DENIAL; COVER UPDENIAL; COVER UP• FEAR OF RISK TAKINGFEAR OF RISK TAKING• FRUSTRATION AND ANGERFRUSTRATION AND ANGER

Previously, if a student gave up in hopelessness and stopped trying, it was the student’s problem—not the teacher’s or the school’s…

Accountability: provide an Accountability: provide an opportunity to learnopportunity to learn

SO SOCIETY SAYS TO ITS SO SOCIETY SAYS TO ITS SCHOOLS:SCHOOLS:

LEAVE NO CHILD BEHINDLEAVE NO CHILD BEHIND

Accountability: Assure the learning

Guiding Principle:Our work is not only about how we assess (but results must be accurate), or how we manage and share results (but we must do so effectively). In addition, we must manage the learner’s emotional reaction to the assessment results.

THE STUDENT’S THE STUDENT’S EMOTIONAL EMOTIONAL

REACTION WILL REACTION WILL DETERMINE WHAT DETERMINE WHAT

THAT STUDENT DOES THAT STUDENT DOES IN RESPONSE.IN RESPONSE.

How will each individual student respond to a score or grade?

•PRODUCTIVE: KEEP TRYING

•UNPRODUCTIVE: DON’T

Accurate assessmentsEffective use to get a productive reaction

STUDENT SUCCESS

Inaccurate assessmentsCounterproductive

reaction

HOPELESSNESS & FAILURE

Crucial Distinction

Assessment OF Learning:

How much have students learned as of a particular point in time?

Assessment FOR Learning:

How can we use assessment to help students learn more?

The Essential Question:

How can we use How can we use assessment to help our assessment to help our students believe they students believe they can learn so they’ll try?can learn so they’ll try?

1.0 Standard Deviation Score Gain Equals:

• 35 Percentile Points

• 2-4 Grade Equivalents

• 100 SAT Score Points

• 5 ACT Composite Score Points

TONS OF WINNING STREAKS!

Assessment FOR learning classrooms

must be “humiliation-free zones”

Physician’s Creed

Above all, do no harmAbove all, do no harm

Educator’s CreedEducator’s Creed

Above all, do nothing to Above all, do nothing to diminish hope;diminish hope;

Promote winning streaksPromote winning streaks

Above all, do nothing to Above all, do nothing to diminish hope;diminish hope;

Promote winning streaksPromote winning streaks

Assessment Training Institute

800-480-3060www.assessmentinst.com