Pre-Conference Workshop – June 2007

BUILDING A NATIONAL TEAM: Theatre Education Assessment Models

Robert A. Southworth, Jr., Ed.D.

TCG Assessment Models Website: www.TCG.ORG/tools/education/teams/TEAMindex.cfm

National ConversationNational Conversation

NEED: How do theatres know they are being effective in NEED: How do theatres know they are being effective in

their educational programming?their educational programming?

GOAL: Think creatively about the use of assessmentGOAL: Think creatively about the use of assessment

SOLUTION: National models are conversation vehiclesSOLUTION: National models are conversation vehicles

New Forms of AssessmentNew Forms of Assessment

AssessmentAssessment is the process of judging the is the process of judging the educational value of student workeducational value of student work

Authentic assessmentAuthentic assessment is the process of setting is the process of setting up tests that are more like "real-life”up tests that are more like "real-life”

Performance assessmentsPerformance assessments are forms of testing are forms of testing designed to get students to demonstrate their designed to get students to demonstrate their learning through extended tasks and projectslearning through extended tasks and projects

Assessment Drives LearningAssessment Drives Learning

Clarify the learning you valueClarify the learning you value

Create assessments that reveal that learningCreate assessments that reveal that learning

Use the results to improve learningUse the results to improve learning

Change assessment to drive the process Change assessment to drive the process

Example of “Test” ProcessExample of “Test” Process

AssignmentAssignment: Read : Read King LearKing Lear

AssessmentAssessment: Answer a multiple-choice test: Answer a multiple-choice test

ResultResult: :

1.1. Good learning = student recall Good learning = student recall

2.2. Knowing = memorizingKnowing = memorizing

2.2. Teaching = coverage of materialTeaching = coverage of material

3.3. Memorizing = smartMemorizing = smart

4.4. Value = “We love it when students know the Value = “We love it when students know the play backwards and forwards”play backwards and forwards”

Example of a “Performance Example of a “Performance Assessment Task” ProcessAssessment Task” Process

AssignmentAssignment: Read : Read King LearKing Lear

AssessmentAssessment: Rewrite the ending : Rewrite the ending

ResultResult: :

1.1. Good Learning = rewritingGood Learning = rewriting

2.2. Knowing = understandingKnowing = understanding

3.3. Teaching = helping students show their learningTeaching = helping students show their learning

4.4. Smart = Insight Smart = Insight

5.5. Value = “We love it when students understand Value = “We love it when students understand and can take a personal viewpoint”and can take a personal viewpoint”

T.E.A.M.T.E.A.M.

Theatre Education Assessment ModelsTheatre Education Assessment Models

Models are complex prototypesModels are complex prototypes

Physical models aid discussion Physical models aid discussion

Models are transportable to theatres Models are transportable to theatres

Education Directors improve learningEducation Directors improve learning

Aligning AssessmentsAligning Assessments

Review theatre mission statementReview theatre mission statement

Align education department program with mission Align education department program with mission

Derive your learning goals Derive your learning goals

Construct objectivesConstruct objectives

Assess what you valueAssess what you value

Education ProgramsEducation Programs

Align program goals with school standardsAlign program goals with school standards

Set criteria for success of what you valueSet criteria for success of what you value

Create benchmark examples of student successCreate benchmark examples of student success

Handout examples at beginning for clarityHandout examples at beginning for clarity

Four Models Four Models for Performance for Performance

AssessmentsAssessments

I. OBSERVATION ModelI. OBSERVATION Model

1.1. What is an OBSERVATION?What is an OBSERVATION?An observation is an informal visual assessment of An observation is an informal visual assessment of student learning.student learning.

2.2. What is an OBSERVATION's objective?What is an OBSERVATION's objective?To help the teacher see student learning in order to To help the teacher see student learning in order to check on the effectiveness of instruction, to change check on the effectiveness of instruction, to change instruction, and/or to assess student learning.instruction, and/or to assess student learning.

3.3. What does a good OBSERVATION accomplish?What does a good OBSERVATION accomplish?Provides immediate feedback to a teacher about Provides immediate feedback to a teacher about student learning.student learning.

Choose the “Observation” Choose the “Observation” assessment when you want to…assessment when you want to…

See some but not all individual workSee some but not all individual work

Check on the general progress of a group Check on the general progress of a group

on a taskon a task

Look in depth at one student's workLook in depth at one student's work

Document one student's progress over timeDocument one student's progress over time

““Observation”Observation” Demographic Information Demographic Information

Assessment type: e.g., "Observation"Assessment type: e.g., "Observation" Name of Observer Name of Observer Student name or aliasStudent name or alias Theatre name and addressTheatre name and address Name of education programName of education program School / Teacher / Teaching ArtistSchool / Teacher / Teaching Artist Grade and section of student(s)Grade and section of student(s) Date of assessment use and versionDate of assessment use and version

Standardized Standardized “Observation” Protocol“Observation” Protocol

Use precise language on what to observe Use precise language on what to observe

Either count the number of times the item is Either count the number of times the item is

observed, OR,observed, OR,

Within a given 5-10 minute time frame, how Within a given 5-10 minute time frame, how

often does it occur?often does it occur?

Open-ended Open-ended “Observation” Questions“Observation” Questions

At top of paper write open-ended question,At top of paper write open-ended question,

e.g., “How does the student rehearse?” e.g., “How does the student rehearse?”

Draw a line down the middle of your paperDraw a line down the middle of your paper

In the left column put the time, or the activityIn the left column put the time, or the activity

In the right column, write observationsIn the right column, write observations

Increasing “Observation” ValidityIncreasing “Observation” Validity

Match your observations to what really happensMatch your observations to what really happens

Write using language that describes what Write using language that describes what

you seeyou see

Reflect on the accuracy of what you see Reflect on the accuracy of what you see

Pilot the instrument and Improve itPilot the instrument and Improve it

Increasing “Observation” ReliabilityIncreasing “Observation” Reliability

Ask others to read your observationsAsk others to read your observations

Can they see what you see?Can they see what you see?

Ask others to observe with youAsk others to observe with you

Change and improve your instrumentChange and improve your instrument

Pilot the instrument in other classroomsPilot the instrument in other classrooms

Increasing “Observation” RigorIncreasing “Observation” Rigor

Observe things you can seeObserve things you can see

Lower the number of inferencesLower the number of inferences

Use another observerUse another observer

Observe over timeObserve over time

II. SURVEY ModelII. SURVEY Model

1.1. What is a SURVEY?What is a SURVEY?"A survey is a system for collecting information from or "A survey is a system for collecting information from or about other people to describe, compare, or explain their about other people to describe, compare, or explain their knowledge, attitudes, and behavior" (Fink, 2003).knowledge, attitudes, and behavior" (Fink, 2003).

2.2. What is a SURVEY's objective?What is a SURVEY's objective?A survey's objective is to answer essential questions by A survey's objective is to answer essential questions by asking for the opinion of a group of students or a group of asking for the opinion of a group of students or a group of audience members.audience members.

3.3. What is a good SURVEY question?What is a good SURVEY question?A good survey question uses specific questions framed A good survey question uses specific questions framed as complete sentences that are logically connected to the as complete sentences that are logically connected to the survey's objectives.survey's objectives.

Open-ended “Survey” QuestionsOpen-ended “Survey” Questions

Place them at the end of the surveyPlace them at the end of the survey

Use them to get at non-standardized thinkingUse them to get at non-standardized thinking

Put lines in to make writing more clearPut lines in to make writing more clear

Limit answer space to five linesLimit answer space to five lines

Consider placing them on back of surveyConsider placing them on back of survey

Increasing “Survey” ValidityIncreasing “Survey” Validity

Pilot the surveyPilot the survey After piloting, ask for feedback from respondentsAfter piloting, ask for feedback from respondents Change the survey if they are unclear or Change the survey if they are unclear or

confusedconfused Analyze the answers and where they clusterAnalyze the answers and where they cluster Change or rework the Likert Scale for clarity in Change or rework the Likert Scale for clarity in

answersanswers Change and improve your instrument over timeChange and improve your instrument over time

III. PERFORMANCE TASK III. PERFORMANCE TASK ModelModel

1.1. What is a PERFORMANCE TASK?What is a PERFORMANCE TASK?A performance task requires a student to create, A performance task requires a student to create, manipulate or rework intellectual academic content in a manipulate or rework intellectual academic content in a practical and authentic performance that demonstrates practical and authentic performance that demonstrates student learning. student learning.

2.2. What is a PERFORMANCE TASK's objective?What is a PERFORMANCE TASK's objective?To help the teacher see tangible evidence of student To help the teacher see tangible evidence of student learning progress toward the level of standards for what learning progress toward the level of standards for what students should know and be able to do.students should know and be able to do.

3.3. What does a PERFORMANCE TASK accomplish?What does a PERFORMANCE TASK accomplish?Provides immediate, tangible, and practical Provides immediate, tangible, and practical demonstration of student learning.demonstration of student learning.

Choose the “Performance Task” Choose the “Performance Task” assessment when you want to…assessment when you want to…

Create a common performance assessmentCreate a common performance assessment Extend the learning into an authentic Extend the learning into an authentic

real-life taskreal-life task Give students practice demonstrating their Give students practice demonstrating their

learninglearning See tangible evidence of student learningSee tangible evidence of student learning Judge student learning through a rubric of Judge student learning through a rubric of

what they know and can dowhat they know and can do

IV. PORTFOLIO ModelIV. PORTFOLIO Model

1.1. What is a PORTFOLIO?What is a PORTFOLIO?

Portfolios are collections of student work representing a Portfolios are collections of student work representing a

selection of performance. selection of performance.

2.2. What is a PORTFOLIO's objective?What is a PORTFOLIO's objective?

Portfolios are useful as a support to the new instructional Portfolios are useful as a support to the new instructional

objectives that emphasize the student's role in objectives that emphasize the student's role in

constructing understanding and the teacher's role in constructing understanding and the teacher's role in

promoting understanding.promoting understanding.

3.3. What does a good PORTFOLIO accomplish?What does a good PORTFOLIO accomplish?

A portfolio accomplishes the documentation of student A portfolio accomplishes the documentation of student

achievement by containing a student's best pieces and the achievement by containing a student's best pieces and the

student's evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of student's evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of

the pieces.the pieces.

Choose the “Portfolio” Choose the “Portfolio” assessment when you want to…assessment when you want to…

Create a common or standardized assessmentCreate a common or standardized assessment

Check on progress of a student and their workCheck on progress of a student and their work

See progress over time, e.g., pre, mid and postSee progress over time, e.g., pre, mid and post

See progress from drafts to final productSee progress from drafts to final product

Document student learningDocument student learning

RUBRICSRUBRICS

Use Rubrics to Establish Common Use Rubrics to Establish Common Language of StandardsLanguage of Standards

Final Draft ProcessFinal Draft Process 11 22 33 44

AttemptsAttempts ProducesProduces CraftsCrafts PolishesPolishes

CharacterCharacter

——Complex and well definedComplex and well defined The new ending of King Lear features a new role for the King

The new ending for King Lear makes sense and the new King’s role is imaginative

The new role for King Lear is imaginatively crafted and makes for good theatre viewing

The new role for King Lear is complex and well defined and wonderfully supports the new dramatic ending

Data: Continuous FeedbackData: Continuous Feedback

Discuss rubrics at the beginning of Discuss rubrics at the beginning of performance taskperformance task

Refer back to rubrics for non-judgmental clarityRefer back to rubrics for non-judgmental clarity If needed, increase rubric use; decrease If needed, increase rubric use; decrease

assignment lengthassignment length Multiple short tasks reveal more about Multiple short tasks reveal more about

student learningstudent learning Multiple short tasks promote more time for Multiple short tasks promote more time for

feedbackfeedback

Use Your Data To:Use Your Data To:

Advance student accountability for achieving Advance student accountability for achieving standardsstandards

Improve teacher instructionImprove teacher instruction Enhance conversation about effectiveness of Enhance conversation about effectiveness of

theatre education programmingtheatre education programming Ground outcomes in tangible numbers: e.g., Ground outcomes in tangible numbers: e.g.,

86% of students meet standards86% of students meet standards Strengthen theatre education community valuesStrengthen theatre education community values

Transportable Transportable Assessment IdeasAssessment Ideas

Design assessment to assess what you valueDesign assessment to assess what you value Choose models that show evidence of Choose models that show evidence of

student learningstudent learning Require every student to achieve goals and Require every student to achieve goals and

standards standards Embed assessment so that it is practical Embed assessment so that it is practical

and clarifyingand clarifying Use rubrics of what students will know and be Use rubrics of what students will know and be

able to doable to do Give frequent non-judgmental feedback and Give frequent non-judgmental feedback and

increase rigorincrease rigor Use assessment data to learn how to improveUse assessment data to learn how to improve

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