Planning with the End in Mind: Approaches to Summative Assessment

Presented by: Jonathan Vervaet

Port Moody Secondary School

November 22, 2013

“If students have not been told where they are going, it is

unlikely that they will arrive.” – Shirley Clark

Learning Intentions“I can find evidence of current

assessment and curriculum design research in my current

practice.”

Learning Intentions“I can become curious about

something in the research I want to inquire further into.”

In schools today, diversity is the norm….

Carol Dweck (2006)

Csikzentmihalyi (1990)

Flow Theory – The exhilarating moments when

we feel in control, full of purpose, and in the zone.

Csikzentmihalyi (1990)

Skill Level

Challenge Level

Formative

Assessment for Learning

Ongoing

To determine learning needs

Ungraded and Descriptive Feedback (uses

words)

Provides feedback to students and teacher to promote learning

Summative

Assessment of Learning

Occurs at the end of a learning progression

Graded to determine achievement level

and for reporting

Evaluative

Levels or Marks

Formative Assessment:

5 Key Strategies…

sometimes 6!

Dylan Wiliam “Embedded Formative Assessment” (2011)

Formative Assessment:1.Learning Intentions and Success

Criteria2.Activities Designed to Elicit Evidence

of Learning3.Feedback that Moves Learning

Forward4.Peer Assessment5.Student Ownership of Learning

Learning Intentions: What are we

learning? Vs.

Learning Activities:

What are we doing?

Success Criteria and the Use ofPerformance Standards

Formative Assessment:1.Learning Intentions and Success

Criteria2.Activities Designed to Elicit Evidence

of Learning3.Feedback that Moves Learning

Forward4.Peer Assessment5.Student Ownership of Learning

Determine Acceptable Evidence

Performance Tasks

Formative Assessment:1.Learning Intentions and Success

Criteria2.Activities Designed to Elicit Evidence

of Learning3.Feedback that Moves Learning

Forward4.Peer Assessment5.Student Ownership of Learning

The Benefits of Formative Assessment

Constantly weighing the pig won’t make it fatter...

Striking a New Balance: How can teachers increase their use of formative assessment and decrease their use of summative assessment?

The Latin root word for assessment is "assidere" which means to sit beside.

Formative Assessment:1.Learning Intentions and Success

Criteria2.Activities Designed to Elicit Evidence

of Learning3.Feedback that Moves Learning

Forward4.Peer Assessment5.Student Ownership of Learning

“Covering” Curriculum

The Prescribed Learning Outcomes are the goals, not content coverage.

Use the textbook as a resource, not the syllabus.

Summative Assessment

Summative Assessment Activities- Students demonstrate knowledge /

skills on which they have had opportunity to practice

- Are based on known criteria- Focus primarily on individual student

performance- Usually broader – integrate important

skills and knowledge- Inform report cards

Ken O’Connor, How to Grade for Learning

Triangulation of DataDamien Cooper, Talk About Assessment

Performance Task, Oral Conference, Written Test Data

Authentic Tasks = What Big People DoGrant Wiggins

Formative (for)

Examples:

-Oral questioning

-Draft work

-Reflections

-Portfolio reviews-Peer /self assessments

Summative (of)

Examples:

- Inquiry projects

-Presentations

-Grade conferences

-Portfolio reviews

-Tests and quizzes

Communicating Student Learning

(Reporting)

• Shift from “reporting” to “communicating student learning”

• Report on core competencies and key areas of learning

• Focus on learning standards (curricular competencies and content/concepts) in areas of learning (subjects)

• Use clear performance standards-based language

• Move toward meaningful descriptions/collections/demonstrations of student learning

"We must constantly remind ourselves that the ultimate purpose of evaluation is to have students become self evaluating. If students graduate from our schools still dependent upon others to tell them when they are adequate, good, or excellent, then we’ve missed the whole point of what education is about.”

- Costa and Kallick (1992)

“We know that sustained, collaborative, inquiry based professional development

can help teachers develop new understandings and approaches.”

Grade wide, interdisciplinary teaching teams working on shared goals can

make a significant difference in student learning.

Grading Practices That Support Learning…

Teachers and departments have a

shared understanding or definition of each

grade or performance level.

Contact Information

Jonathan VervaetEmail:

jonathanvervaet@gmail.comor

Twitter: @jonathanvervaet