Assessment in Schools

Developing Learning Objectives

Question (choose the best answer)

Content StandardsA. Ensure that what is being taught is

testedB. Specify how well student are expected

to performC. Identify what should be taught and

testedD. Determine the quality of an

assessment

Test Maker Troubles

What to Measure How to Measure it

The quality of an achievement test depends on how well both these problems are solved

Revised Blooms TaxonomyCognitive Domain Outcomes

Remembering – recognize & recall Understanding – interpret, classify,

infer, explain, compare, summarize Applying – execute, implement Analyzing – differentiate, organize Evaluating – critique, judge Creating – plan, generate, produce

Test Planning

There should be a direct relationship/alignment between Instructional Goals/Objectives of the course and the planned assessment of students’ learning.

Instructional/Learning Objectives

When should they be written? What might happen if you don’t?

[2-3]

Selecting Objectives

Complete and Comprehensive: Are all important objectives covered? Is each

important? Appropriate:

Are they in harmony with school goals and societal values?

Pedagogically Sound: Considering Age, interests, needs of students.

Feasible: (Practical Utility)Are they realistic (ability, time, facilities)? [pg. 58-59; 2-25]

Behavioral Objectives

Focus is on observable action (Mager)

Behavior – what the student will do Conditions – of the performance Criteria – the standard of performance

What difficulties do you see with these?

Instructional Objectives

Gronlund’s instructional objectives defined in terms of intended learning outcomes

GIO – General Instructional Objective Specific Learner Outcomes (SLO) -

examples of what the student might do to provide evidence that GIO has been accomplished satisfactorily

[pg. 62-63; 2-4]

GIOs and SLOs

GIOs – Describe intended learning outcome

SLOs describe the intended outcomes in terms of explicitly stated, observable performances or behavioral patterns which provide evidence that the instructional goal has been accomplished.

GIOs and SLOs

GIOs – Provide context (significance & relevance) for the accompanying SLOs

Separately, none of the SLOs are ends in and of themselves. They are only a sample of the behaviors, skills, ability, or dispositions that a students is likely to demonstrate.

GIOs and SLOs

GIOs – Need not be stated in terms of observable behaviors (e.g., understands). They can be somewhat vague (general).

SLOs clarify the meaning of the GIO. They provide the operational definition of the GIO and make it measurable.

GIOs and SLOs

GIOs – Used to communicate main intent

SLOs define what we are willing to accept as evidence that the main goal has been achieved. They provide a sample of specific indicators of the main goal. There may be others.

General Guidelines for Objectives

Objectives should Begin with an action verb Be stated in terms of observable

changes in behavior or actions Stated in unambiguous terms Context free Relate to only one process

Objectives & Verbs (see Appendix G2)

Objectives should begin with a verb

Cognitive Domain: Knows, understands, applies, recognizes, formulates,

judges

Affective Domain: Listens, enjoys, appreciates, accepts, displays

Psychomotor Domain:Relates, demonstrates, performs, operates, creates, develops

Question (choose the best answer)

Learning Outcomes should be stated in terms of

A. what and how the teacher should teach

B. the learning process students will employ

C. the specific content students will learnD. None of the above [pg. 60; 2-5]

Guidelines for Writing GIOs

Describe what the student should be able to do rather than what the teacher is expected to do

Poor: demonstrate how to interpret weather maps, or

Increase students ability to interpret weather maps

Better: Interprets weather maps correctly

Guidelines for Writing GIOs

Describe the intended product or result not the process

Poor: gains skills in problem solving, or

studies various methods for solving algebraic equations

Better: Solves basic algebraic equations correctly

Guidelines for Writing GIOs Focus the task on what the learner is

expected to do or know in general terms rather than specific topics or subject-matter content.

Poor: understands photosynthesis

Better: Understands basic science principles

Guidelines for Writing GIOs Define only one intended goal in each

objective.

Poor: Knows and understands basic science principles

Better: Understands basic science principles

Guidelines for Writing GIOs Select an appropriate level of Generality.

Too General: Communicates effectively

About Right: Writes clear effective English

Too Specific: Punctuates sentences properly

Guidelines for Writing SLOs

Start each SLO with an action verb. The SLOs should provide a representative

sample of outcomes students might be expected to demonstrate.

Each SLO must be relevant to the GLO. Keep the SLOs context free. Add a third level of specificity to the list if

needed.

Practice

Exercise 1 [handout 18-11]

Instructional Objective Example

GIO – Students will

Prepare written plans for constructing instruments & procedures for assessing instructional outcomes

SLO – Students will Create and submit written specifications for

constructing an achievement test Provide a well written description of the specific

purposes for an assessment Identify appropriate instructional objectives Outline content to be covered in an assessment Create a table of specifications for a test

Practice

Write 2 or 3 GIOs with appropriate SLOs.

Work with those at your table to refine and improve your work.