Using Assessment to Nurture Critically Thoughtful Learners

Garfield Gini-NewmanGarfield Gini-NewmanLecturer, OISE/UTLecturer, OISE/UT

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

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Brain Walk ActivityBrain Walk Activity

Gathering our thoughts on Gathering our thoughts on assessmentassessment

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Brain Walk Statement 1Brain Walk Statement 1

Assessments can be a source of Assessments can be a source of motivation and engagement for motivation and engagement for

students.students.

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Brain Walk Statement 2Brain Walk Statement 2

Assessment for learning is one of Assessment for learning is one of the most powerful tools in a the most powerful tools in a

teacher’s repertoire.teacher’s repertoire.

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Brain Walk Statement 3Brain Walk Statement 3

Use of formative assessment is Use of formative assessment is essential to nurturing critical essential to nurturing critical

thoughtful students who become thoughtful students who become active, engaged, and critical active, engaged, and critical

assessors of their own learning.assessors of their own learning.

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Brain Walk Statement 4Brain Walk Statement 4

There are many right ways to There are many right ways to support student learning through support student learning through

classroom assessment. There are classroom assessment. There are no hard and fast rules, only ideas no hard and fast rules, only ideas to be thoughtfully explored and to be thoughtfully explored and

decisions to be made.decisions to be made.66

Brain Walk Statement 5Brain Walk Statement 5

Becoming is more important Becoming is more important than being.than being.

  We live in a culture characterized by expectations of We live in a culture characterized by expectations of

entitlement. In this culture, students learn to value what entitlement. In this culture, students learn to value what they have more than who they are, and success is they have more than who they are, and success is

measured by how much they have, not by how much measured by how much they have, not by how much personal effort and growth it takes to achieve personal effort and growth it takes to achieve

something.something. 77

Brain Walk Statement 6Brain Walk Statement 6

Curriculum and assessment planning are Curriculum and assessment planning are analogous to travel planning. Travel analogous to travel planning. Travel

planning should provide a set of itineraries planning should provide a set of itineraries deliberately designed to meet cultural deliberately designed to meet cultural

goals rather than a purposeless tour of all goals rather than a purposeless tour of all the major sites in a foreign country. The the major sites in a foreign country. The

best curriculum and assessment designs best curriculum and assessment designs are derived backward from the learning are derived backward from the learning

sought.sought. 88

Identify Learning Targets Determine

appropriate evidence

Plan scaffolding

Interpret results to determine next steps

Consider evidence to determine

level of achievement

Five Step Assessment Planning

Process

Assessments measure

what matters

Assessments are a source of

motivation and engagement

Assessments nurture growth

Three Keys to an Assessment Rich Three Keys to an Assessment Rich ClassroomClassroom

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 to be

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.

Navigating the Paradigm Shift Navigating the Paradigm Shift in Assessment Requires a in Assessment Requires a Parallel Shift in Curriculum Parallel Shift in Curriculum

DesignDesignThe most important shift in The most important shift in

assessment is not how but why assessment is not how but why we assess – primarily to nurture we assess – primarily to nurture

student learningstudent learning

Putting the Paradigm Shift in Putting the Paradigm Shift in PerspectivePerspective

The heart of the paradigm shift in assessment The heart of the paradigm shift in assessment is:is:

To gather rich, complex pieces of evidenceTo gather rich, complex pieces of evidence To provide the necessary scaffolding, practice, To provide the necessary scaffolding, practice,

feedback and guidance to students to help feedback and guidance to students to help them to reach their fullest potentialthem to reach their fullest potential

To consider most consistent to garner an To consider most consistent to garner an accurate picture of the studentaccurate picture of the student

To acknowledge that students have various To acknowledge that students have various learning styles and other factors may impact learning styles and other factors may impact on their performanceon their performance

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Rather than seeing Rather than seeing assessments as formative or assessments as formative or

summative, we should consider summative, we should consider whether the uses of whether the uses of

assessments are formative or assessments are formative or summative.summative.

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““Everything students say, write Everything students say, write or do is evidence of learning”or do is evidence of learning”

Anne Davies, Grande Prairie airport, Anne Davies, Grande Prairie airport, February 22, 2008February 22, 2008

Targets vs MethodsTargets vs Methods

Assessment Targets

Assessment Methods

Six Key Questions to Assessment Six Key Questions to Assessment PlanningPlanning

1.1. What are my key What are my key learning targets for learning targets for the course?the course?

2.2. What evidence of What evidence of student achievement student achievement will I gather?will I gather?

3.3. 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?

4. How will I use the evidence I 4. How will I use the evidence I gather to determine the gather to determine the student’s final grade?student’s final grade?

5. How will I determine the 5. 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?

6. How will I clearly 6. How will I clearly communicate grading communicate grading practices to parents and practices to parents and students?students?

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What resides at the core of my What resides at the core of my program?program?

How will I know if students have been How will I know if students have been successful in my course?successful in my course?

What will success look/sound like?What will success look/sound like?

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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 various assessment various assessment targets?targets?

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 curriculum are Make sure all areas of the curriculum are adequately addressedadequately addressed

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

Separate learning from demonstrations of Separate learning from demonstrations of achievementachievement

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

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 evidence• Gather evidence which is of similar importanceGather evidence which is of similar importance• Ensure all areas of the curriculum are Ensure all areas of the curriculum are

addressedaddressed

So, what is critical thinking?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, 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

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, 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?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 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 ThinkingA Definition of Critical Thinking

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

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

Three Types of Questions

Type 1 Type 2 Type 3

What are the ingredients in 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 Smiths Falls?

Would you like to move to Smiths Falls?

Would your family’s needs be better met in Ottawa or Smiths Falls?

Identify several natural disasters that impact on the environment?

Which natural disaster creates the most fear for you?

Which natural disaster poses the great threat to the Ontario economy?

List three types of exercise. What is your favourite type of exercise?

Which sport would best meet the needs of someone with asthma – diving, soccer or tennis?

What did the Inuit use to make tools?

What geographic feature of Nunavut do you like the most?

Which natural resource – diamonds or fish – are most important to northern society?

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?

Criteria definedCriteria definedCriteria are the factors or attributes

that help us recognize whether something is what we say it is. We

use criteria to make reasoned judgments about issues in social

studies and to make judgments about the quality of student work.

Criteria Data Set: AssessmentCriteria Data Set: AssessmentList AList A List BList B

Research notes are 4-5 pages in Research notes are 4-5 pages in length and draw upon 3-4 length and draw upon 3-4 sourcessources

Research notes are Research notes are comprehensive and reflect a comprehensive and reflect a variety of perspectivesvariety of perspectives

Bibliography contains 8-10 Bibliography contains 8-10 sourcessources

Bibliography is comprised of a Bibliography is comprised of a variety of relevant and reliable variety of relevant and reliable sources providing multiple sources providing multiple perspectives perspectives

Essay contains three arguments Essay contains three arguments with supporting evidencewith supporting evidence

Essay thesis is supported by the Essay thesis is supported by the use of sufficient arguments that use of sufficient arguments that are convincing, relevant and are convincing, relevant and insightful insightful

Title page includes a title, name, Title page includes a title, name, course and datecourse and date

Title page is informative and Title page is informative and visually appealingvisually appealing

Poster includes 3 visuals, titles Poster includes 3 visuals, titles and a 30-word captionand a 30-word caption

Poster is visually appealling, Poster is visually appealling, informative and convincing or informative and convincing or provocative.provocative.

Defining our Assessment Defining our Assessment TargetsTargets

In a critically thoughtful classroom our In a critically thoughtful classroom our targets are the intellectual tools for quality targets are the intellectual tools for quality

thinking.thinking.

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Consider this framework for Consider this framework for assessment targetsassessment targets

Background Knowledge:Background Knowledge: do students know and understand the important concepts, do students know and understand the important concepts,

facts and ideas?facts and ideas? are students able to select relevant and important are students able to select relevant and important

information to meet the challenge? information to meet the challenge?

Criteria for Judgment:Criteria for Judgment: are students able to identify important and relevant criteria?are students able to identify important and relevant criteria? do students use criteria to guide their thinking?do students use criteria to guide their thinking? are student judgments consistent with the are student judgments consistent with the criteria and the criteria and the

available evidence?available evidence?

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Assessing critical thoughtful Assessing critical thoughtful responsesresponses

Critical Thinking VocabularyCritical Thinking Vocabulary do students demonstrate an understanding of do students demonstrate an understanding of

key vocabulary?key vocabulary? are student responses consistent with the are student responses consistent with the

demands of the critical challenge? demands of the critical challenge?

Thinking StrategiesThinking Strategies are students able to effectively organize are students able to effectively organize

information to guide their thinking?information to guide their thinking? are students able to select relevant information are students able to select relevant information

and connect the information to the criteria for and connect the information to the criteria for judgment?judgment?

Habits of MindHabits of Mind do students demonstrate the habits of an effective do students demonstrate the habits of an effective

thinker through the process of gathering and thinker through the process of gathering and weighing evidence?weighing evidence?

do students demonstrate the habits of an effective do students demonstrate the habits of an effective thinker in the process of their deliberations?thinker in the process of their deliberations?

do students demonstrate the habits of a an do students demonstrate the habits of a an effective thinker through the manner in which they effective thinker through the manner in which they attack a challenge?attack a challenge?

Differentiation in a Critically Thoughtful Classroom

ProcessProduct

Groupings

Clear Learning TargetsCritical

Challenges

Community of Thinkers

Background Knowledge

Teach and Assess the

Intellectual Tools

Background Knowledge

Criteria for Judgment

Critical Thinking Vocabulary

Thinking Strategies

Habits of Mind