new TeacherScience Breakout

Mtg 5 2009-10

Targets for Today

• I can distinguish between formative and summative assessment.

• I can build a tool box of strategies using Science Formative Assessment 75 Practical Strategies.

• I can use formative assessment information in order to teach for understanding.

Teaching for Understanding

• A study completed last year by Phillip Sadler and his team at Harvard found that:– If a teacher does not know the science content or the

common misconceptions related to that content, then they will have little student gain in achievement.

– If teachers knew the science content but did not know the common misconceptions, then these teachers were only as effective as the teachers who did not know the content.

– If teachers knew the science content and had knowledge of common misconceptions, then these teachers showed the greatest gains in student achievement.

• Knowledge of misconceptions is as important as knowledge of science content!

Why do students still struggle?

• What should be the focus of teaching and learning?

• How can assessment promote thinking and learning?

• How might assessments be used poorly or ineffectively?

Is it Matter?

• Data collected 2006-07

• Given to hundreds of students primary through high school, even a few adults

• Results are listed in percentages

Making Sense of Formative Assessment Data

• Think like a qualitative researcher: What does this all mean?

• Sort the data in 1 to 4 groups, based on a common, powerful difference.

• Identify the learning difference: content, prior knowledge, lack of experience, etc.

• Decide how to address the difference through differentiated teaching/learning activities.

Formative Assessmentis the Key

3 Types of Assessment

Assessment FOR Learning Assessment OF Learning

Diagnostic Formative SummativeAssessment that precedes instruction to check students’ prior knowledge and experience, misconceptions, interests, and/or learning style preferences

Diagnostic assessments provide information to assist teacher planning and guide differentiated instruction

Examples: Pre-test, survey, skills check, KWL

Ongoing assessments that provide information to guide teaching and learning for improving learning and performance.

Formative assessments include both formal and informal methods.

Examples: quiz, questioning, observation, draft work, “think aloud”, dress rehearsal, portfolio

Culminating assessments conducted at the end of a unit, course, or grade level to determine the degree of mastery or proficiency according to identified achievement targets.

Summative assessments are evaluative in nature, generally resulting in a score or grade.

Examples: test, performance task, test, work portfolio, project

Assessment Continuum

Pre-assessmentPre-assessment FormativeFormative SummativeSummative(Finding Out) (Keeping Track &

Checking Up)(Making Sure)

•Pre-test•Graphing for Greatness•Inventory•KWL•Checklist•Observation•Self-Evaluation•Questioning•Concept Map

•Conference•Peer Evaluation•Observation•Questioning•Exit Card•Portfolio check•Quiz•Journal Entry•Self Evaluation•Concept Cartoons•Probes

•Unit test•Performance Task•Product/Exhibit•Demonstration•Portfolio Review

Feedback and Goal Setting

What are Formative Assessments?

“Assessments for learning happen while learning is underway…They diagnose student needs, plan for our next steps in instruction, provide students with feedback they can use to improve their work, and help students see and feel in control of their journey to success. Grading is laid aside.” p.31

Classroom Assessment for Student Learning

Types of FORMATIVE Assessment

• On-the-fly assessment —Occurs spontaneously during the course of a lesson.

• Planned-for interaction —Teacher decides beforehand how they will elicit students’ thinking during the course of instruction.

• Curriculum-embedded assessments -2 kinds: – Those that teachers & curriculum developers embed

in the ongoing curriculum to solicit feedback at key points in a learning sequence

– Those that are part of ongoing classroom activities

• …“prior knowledge” can enable deeper conceptual understanding of science phenomena if it is activated, recognized, and not ignored or dismissed as naïve or quaint. Recognition of these ideas is a necessary precondition to developing a deeper understanding of science.– Powerful Learning, by Darling-Hammond,

et.al., pg.157

• Research on conceptual change in science education has demonstrated that a simple “confront-and-replace” model of science learning does not allow deep understanding of science content…The current perspective on conceptual change is that it is a process of addition and restructuring, not of replacement. (pg. 168)

• In other words, simply presenting a learner with the correct concept does not promote conceptual change…Researchers are beginning to document processes through which learners restructure knowledge: adding, replacing, changing hierarchies, strengthening or weakening relationships, and shifting categories of ideas. (pg. 169)– Powerful Learning, by Darling-Hammond, et.al.

Let’s Go On AScavenger Hunt!

Discussion Points

• Pgs. 1-3 What do all of these classroom snapshots have in common?

• Pgs. 10-14 Quote in the box on pg. 10• Pgs. 15-18 Why is ‘metacognition’ so

important to teaching and learning?• Pgs. 18-26 Learning Cycles• Pgs. 26-34 How do you select the right

FA?• Pgs. 40-44 Keys points

A good idea – poorly implemented – is a bad idea.

Ainsworth and Viegut, 2006

UncoveringStudent

Misconceptions:Is It really necessary?

Misconceptions are not bad! They can be a good thing when teachers PURPOSEFULLY use them to bridge students’ ideas with conceptual understanding of science.

Students’

Ideas

Conceptual

Understanding

Use what students know and think to help them get to the other side

Food for Thought

“Formative assessment isn’t just about strategies to ascertain current knowledge—formative happens after finding out has taken place. It’s about furthering student learning during the learning process.”

Shirley Clarke

Strategies Used Thus Far

• Probes• Commit and Toss• Four Corners• Agreement Circles• Science Expert

Explanations

• Always-Sometimes-Never

• Sticky Bar Graph• Frayer Model• Talk A Mile A Minute• What’s My Word?

Let’s Learn Some New Ones!

• A & D Statements– Used to analyze a set of “fact or fiction” statements.– Students choose to agree or disagree or identify

whether they need more information.– They then describe their thinking.– Next, the describe what they can do to investigate the

statement.

• Used to promote metacognition• Used to stimulate inquiry and scientific

discussion

Data Match

• Provides students with a data set from a familiar investigation and several statements about the data.

• Students use evidence from the data to determine which statements are accurate.

• Helps teachers determine if students rely on data for evidence and not their preconceived ideas.

• Be careful! Don’t use contrived data because it may lead to inaccuracies and contribute to misconceptions.

I would see more of my face when I

back up

I would see less of my face when I

back up

I would see the same amount of my face when I

back up

Low confidence High confidence

Human Scatterplot

Earth’s Mass

In autumn, dead leaves fall off trees. Every day, animals eliminate waste. All plants and animals eventually die. As a result, what happens to the mass of the Earth?

A. The mass of the Earth steadily decreases.

B. The mass of the Earth steadily increases.

C. The mass of the Earth stays about the same.

Answer Like a Student

Odd One Out

• Combines seemingly similar items and challenges students to choose which one does not belong.

• Used to:– Access scientific knowledge by analyzing

members of group for relationships– Deepen understanding of key terms

Synectics

• Use of analogies and metaphors to connect a student’s ideas with a concept

• Allows for abstract examination of what students know and promotes new connections.

• Also shows depth of thinking students may have

Things at a fast food restaurant

• Create a 4-box table

• Using the topic above, fill in each box of the table with an item from the above category

• Now complete this statement for each box– “FACTS___________are like ____________

because_______________”

Concept Card Mapping

• Allows students to make connections and show relationships between concepts.

• Used to– Activate prior knowledge, think about relationships,

create a visual representation of knowledge, promote discussion

• Students create their own linkages that describe the relationship between concepts.

• Concept today: STATES OF MATTER

“Formative assessment can be used formally or informally,

but it is alwayspurposeful.”

Page KeeleyScience Formative Assessment

pg. 11

Effective and Ineffective uses of Probes and FA Strategies

• Working in groups of 3, make a T-chart to record effective uses and ineffective uses of probes and FA strategies.

• Complete this summary statement once you have brainstormed as many effective/ineffective uses as you can:– Effective use of probes and FA strategies

requires that _____, while ineffective use of them would be _____.

Now it’s Your Turn….

• Please read the following questions.

• At the signal, using the ALL RESPONSE SYSTEM (your fingers!), please hold up your choice for the item.

Assessment FOR learning…

1. Involves teachers providing descriptive rather than evaluative feedback to students.

2. Involves teachers assessing frequently and using the results to plan next steps in instruction.

3. Involves reporting to others about students’ achievement status at a certain point in time.

4. Both 1 and 2

Which of the following is NOT considered a key strategy for improving student learning?

1. Sharing learning targets/intentions with students.

2. Providing evaluative/quantitative feedback.

3. Engaging students in self assessment.

4. Facilitating focused discussions, questions, learning activities.

5. Utilizing peer assessment strategies.

Based on evidence/research, “It’s not the difference in curricula, it’s

the difference in teaching that really impacts student achievement”.

1. True

2. False

Descriptive and specific feedback should be provided to students…

1. By the teacher

2. By other students

3. By both the teacher and other students

According to research, which of the following contributes most to

student improvement?

1. Providing assessment scores to students.

2. Providing comments/feedback to students about their work.

3. Providing both scores and comments/feedback to students about their work.

Working in groups of 3

• Brainstorm instructional, curricular, and assessment implications based on the practice of uncovering student misconceptions in science.

“Ordinary instructional approaches are not effective in altering science

content misconceptions”

Pfundt & Duit, 1987, 1991

Take Home Messages

• Assessment for learning can have significant impact on student achievement

• Most teachers and administrators have not had an assessment course but they are asked to administer assessments regularly to students

• Misconceptions are tenacious• Teacher must intentionally plan for uncovering

students ideas about key science concepts and then plan experiences to assist students with rethinking their ideas