Assessment and the New BC Curriculum: An Exploration Webinar #1 - - PDF document

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Assessment and the New BC Curriculum: An Exploration

Webinar #1 January 17, 2019

Tom Schimmer

www.allthingsassessment.info @TomSchimmer

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Ó Tom Schimmer (2019) – Assessment & the New BC Curriculum @TomSchimmer tschimmer@live.ca 1

Assessment in the Age of Accelerations

“When fast gets really fast, being slower to adapt makes you really slow – and disoriented.”

• Thomas Friedman

“If the technology platform for society can now turn over in five to seven years, but it takes ten to fifteen years to adapt to it, we will all feel out of control, because we can’t adapt to the world as fast as it’s changing.”

• Eric Teller

CEO of Google's X Research

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Performing Under Pressure (Weisinger & Pawliw-Fry, 2015)

• STRESS: Situation of too many demands and not enough resources.
• PRESSURE: Situation where something at stake is dependent on the outcome of your

performance.

The Age of Accelerations

Market Mother Nature Moore’s Law

Globalization Climate Change Acceleration

TIME RATE OF CHANGE

Human Adaptability T echnology W e a r e h e r e

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Ó Tom Schimmer (2019) – Assessment & the New BC Curriculum @TomSchimmer tschimmer@live.ca 2

“When we confuse daily stressful situations for pressure moments, we react physically, mentally, and behaviorally in ways that are out of proportion to the circumstances. The danger lies in the fact that continually confusing stress for pressure habituates, and we lose the ability to think clearly. Misdiagnosing stress as pressure reduces our abilities needlessly.”

• Weisinger & Pawliw-Fry, 2015

The COTE of Armor (Weisinger & Pawliw-Fry, 2015)

• Confidence
• Optimism
• Tenacity
• Enthusiasm

Six Tenets & Critical Competencies (Erkens, Schimmer, & Vagle, 2019)

• Assessment purpose:

Still necessary to unpack/repack; still necessary to balance FA with SA.

• Assessment architecture:

Ensure that tasks are well designed to elicit authentic, sophisticated evidence of thinking.

• Accurate interpretation:

Accurate inferences and interpretations by the teacher will be necessary since performance assessment is likely to be prominent.

• Instructional agility:

Make ‘real-time’ maneuvers based on emerging results, evidence, or revelations; students as critical thinkers.

• Communication of results:

Feedback (and verification) of strengths and areas in need of strengthening as students develop the skill/will of the competencies.

• Student investment:

Student-driven, metacognitive experiences make it essential that students learn how to own & invest in their development. “The accuracy of summative judgments depends on the quality of the assessments and the competence of the assessor.”

• Connie Moss (2013)

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Ó Tom Schimmer (2019) – Assessment & the New BC Curriculum @TomSchimmer tschimmer@live.ca 3

Pause & Ponder What are 3 aspects of sound assessment that your district/school can immediately capitalize on? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ What are 2 aspects of sound assessment that your district/school needs to be more consistent with. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ What is 1 aspect of sound assessment that your district/school needs to give more attention to? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________

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Ó Tom Schimmer (2019) – Assessment & the New BC Curriculum @TomSchimmer tschimmer@live.ca 4

Repurposing the Means and Ends

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Balanced Approach to Critical Thinking (Abrami, et al, 2015)

• Generalist view of critical thinking would have discrete skills being easily transferable so that
• nce learners know how to think critically they can and will apply it across multiple settings and

disciplines.

• Specifist view would have critical thinking skills tied to a specific subject, which would make

critical thinking skills context dependent instead of easily transferrable; that thinking always involves thinking about something. Implication for Schools

• Balance is most favourable.
• Generalist approach when identifying the skills of a critical thinker.
• Specifist approach in having those generic skills taught throughout specific-subject domains.
• Emphasizes the application of critical thinking skills.
• Defining critical thinking is meant to bring some necessary clarity to a somewhat abstract

concept. “The formative and summative purposes of assessment can be so intertwined that they are mutually supportive rather than conflicting. Unless this is done, formative assessment cannot achieve its full potential to improve learning,

• Paul Black (2013)

Core Competencies

• Critical Thinking
• Creative Thinking
• Communication (Collaboration)
• Positive Personal & Cultural

Identity

• Personal Awareness &

Responsibility

• Social Responsibility

Curricular Content

• English
• Social Studies
• Math
• Science
• Languages
• P.E.
• Fine & Applied Arts

21st Century Learning

(MEANS & ENDS Switching Places)

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Ó Tom Schimmer (2019) – Assessment & the New BC Curriculum @TomSchimmer tschimmer@live.ca 5

Pause and Ponder

• What steps have you already taken to repurpose content knowledge as a means to the competencies?
• What steps could you take to further repurpose content knowledge as a means to the competencies?

Performance Assessment

“Performance assessments are demonstrations of mastery that emulate the context or conditions in which the intended knowledge or skills are actually applied.”

• AERA, APA, & NCME, 1999

Why Performance Assessment (Linn, 1993) 1. Allow for demonstrations of important and meaningful learning targets that cannot be easily assessed with other formats. 2. They serve as exemplars of tasks that stimulate and enrich learning rather than just serve as indicators of learning. 3. They help shape sound instructional practices by modeling to teachers what is important to teach and to students what is important to learn. Intent (Lane, 2010) Clarity (Mislevy, Steinberg, & Almond, 2003)

• Generalization? Then adequate sampling

across the domain or discipline is required.

• Finite performance? Then more specific tasks

& criteria are more appropriate.

• Formative? Then a much narrower scope is

more fitting.

• We must be clear on both the content and the

cognitive processes that are being assessed.

• What performances will reveal a level of

proficiency with that content and/or cognitive processes.

• What tasks will most likely lead to those

performances. The biggest mistake teachers make when they use rubrics with performance assessment is that they focus on the task, the product, and not the learning outcome or proficiency the task is supposed to get students to demonstrate.”

• Susan Brookhart, (2013)

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Ó Tom Schimmer (2019) – Assessment & the New BC Curriculum @TomSchimmer tschimmer@live.ca 6

Analyzing and Interpreting Data Analytic Rubric

Initiating Developing Achieving Advancing Gathering data Rarely gathers an appropriate amount of evidence. Sometimes gathers an appropriate amount of evidence. Usually gathers an appropriate amount of evidence. Consistently gathers an appropriate amount of evidence. Organizing & Presenting data There are significant

• missions or

inaccuracies that interfere with the

• verall understanding of

what is presented. There are often

• missions or

inaccuracies that interfere with the

• verall understanding of

what is presented. There may, at times, be some minor omissions

• r inaccuracies, but

nothing that interferes with overall understanding. Data is consistently well

• rganized and

presented in a logical way that makes it easy to understand. Making sense

• f data

Recognizes only the most straightforward patterns and big ideas. Recognizes some patterns and a few big ideas. Recognizes important patterns and the crucial big ideas. Recognizes insightful patterns and the inconspicuous big ideas. Evaluating the quality

• f the data

Knows that critiquing the quality of evidence gathered is important, but rarely does it with any kind of precision; challenged to recognize why evidence lacks credibility. Understands the importance of critiquing the quality of evidence gathered, but only does it under the most

• bvious circumstances;

is able to explain why evidence lacks credibility when it’s glaring. Critiques the quality of evidence gathered to ensure accuracy, relevance, and validity; is often able to explain why evidence lacks credibility Critiques the quality of evidence gathered to ensure accuracy, relevance, and validity; is able to thoroughly and consistently explain why evidence lacks credibility. Deriving meaning from the data Draws only the most

• bvious conclusions that

are overly simplistic; some conclusions are inaccurate Inferences and conclusions are somewhat accurate, but

• ften vague.

Inferences and conclusions drawn from data are accurate, but sometimes narrow in focus. Inferences and conclusions are accurate and comprehensive. Making data-based decisions Rarely justifies decisions

• r solutions with

accurate and relevant information; few new insights are identified and the limits of most

• ther possible decisions
• r outcomes are

ignored. Sometimes justifies decisions or solutions with accurate and relevant information; insights are narrow, and the limits of most other possible outcomes are superficially acknowledged. Often justifies decisions

• r solutions with

accurate and relevant information; explains new insights and recognizes the limits of most other possible decisions or outcomes. Consistently justifies decisions or solutions with accurate and relevant information; thoroughly explains new insights and recognizes the limits of all other possible decisions

• utcomes.

Source: Erkens, Schimmer, & Vagle (2019)

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Ó Tom Schimmer (2019) – Assessment & the New BC Curriculum @TomSchimmer tschimmer@live.ca 7

Analyzing and Interpreting Single-Point Rubric Specific aspects in need strengthening Advancing Specific aspects

• f strength

Gathering data: Consistently gathers an appropriate amount of evidence. Organizing & Presenting data: Data is consistently well organized and presented in a logical way that makes it easy to understand. Making sense of data: Recognizes insightful patterns and the inconspicuous big ideas. Evaluating the quality of the data: Critiques the quality of evidence gathered to ensure accuracy, relevance, and validity; is able to thoroughly and consistently explain why evidence lacks credibility. Deriving meaning from the data: Inferences and conclusions are accurate and comprehensive. Making data-based decisions: Consistently justifies decisions or solutions with accurate and relevant information; thoroughly explains new insights and recognizes the limits of all

• ther possible decisions outcomes.

Source: Erkens, Schimmer, & Vagle (2019)

Pause and Ponder What are some of the successes you’ve had with eliciting authentic, sophisticated evidence through performance assessments (i.e. PBL?) What are some of the challenges you’ve faced with trying to elicit authentic, sophisticated evidence through performance assessments (i.e. PBL?)

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Ó Tom Schimmer (2019) – Assessment & the New BC Curriculum @TomSchimmer tschimmer@live.ca 8

Assessment Tenets Survey

Expertise Essential Assessment:

Six Tenets for Bringing Hope, Efficacy, and Achievement to the Classroom

Implementation E P D N C U S R

Assessment Purpose: Understanding

• ur

assessment purpose means we have clear picture of how we intend to use the emerging assessment results before the

• assessment. The formative purpose of assessment is

about continual learning; the summative purpose is about the verification of learning. Though they serve a different purpose, formative and summative assessment can develop a seamless, mutually supportive relationship. Assessment Architecture: Assessment is most effective when it is planned, purposeful, and intentionally sequenced in advance of instruction by all of those responsible for the delivery. Assessment Architecture is a blueprint that tightly sequences essential standards; teases out learning targets; identifies the assessments that reflect learning targets; and determines the use of assessments. Accurate Interpretation: The interpretation of assessment results must be accurate, accessible, and reliable. This means the items and tasks in our assessments must accurately reflect the standards we are gathering information on. Essential to the accurate interpretation is clear criteria, aligned inferences of what the criteria represents, and the continual calibration to avoid inconsistencies or tangential influences. Instructional Agility: Being instructionally agile means teachers have the capacity to use emerging evidence to make real-time modifications within the context of the expected learning. Whether at the classroom or school level, the true power of assessment comes when emerging results are used to determine what comes next in the learning. Communication: The communication of assessment results must generate productive responses from learners and all stakeholders who support them. Whether through feedback or grades, the communication of proficiency must serve as a catalyst for continual learning. Student Investment: There is a symbiotic relationship between assessment and self-regulation. When learners understand this, they are able to track their progress, reflect on what they are learning and where they need to go next.

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Ó Tom Schimmer (2019) – Assessment & the New BC Curriculum @TomSchimmer tschimmer@live.ca 9

Rubric Types

Type Description Advantage Disadvantage Analytic Breaks down the criteria into specific aspects of quality Specificity as to what is strong and what needs strengthening; excellent for formative assessment. Challenging to create. Can be cumbersome for summative assessment, especially when an overall level of quality is being determined/recorded. Holistic Provides a much broader,

• verall description of quality

along several levels (i.e.3-5) Reliability with scoring inferences is much more readily attained; excellent for summative assessment. The lack of detail makes them a challenge to use for instruction and feedback purposes. Single- Point Breaks down the criteria into specific aspects of quality, but

• nly describes the highest

level of proficiency. The space beside each specific aspect is used for personalized comments on what is strong and what needs strengthening. Significantly more time consuming to complete, which could increase the turnaround time for feedback.

Adapted from: Balch, Blanck, & Balch, 2016

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References

Abrami, P.C., Bernard, R.M., Borokhovski, E., Waddington, D.I., Wade, C.A., Persson, T. (2015). Strategies for Teaching Students to Think Critically: A Meta-Analysis. Review of Educational Research, 85(2). pp. 275-314. Balch, D., Blanck, R. Balch, Balch, D.H. (2016). Rubrics--Sharing the Rules of the Game. Journal of Instructional Research, v5,

• pp. 19-49.

Black, P. (2013). Formative and summative aspects of assessment: Theoretical and research foundations in the context of

• pedagogy. In J. H. McMillan (Ed.), SAGE handbook of research on classroom assessment (pp. 167–178). Thousand

Oaks, CA: SAGE. Brookhart, S. M. (2013). How to create and use rubrics for formative assessment and grading. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Erkens, C., Schimmer, T., & Vagle, N. (2017). Essential assessment: Six tenets for bringing hope, efficacy, and achievement to the classroom. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press. Erkens, C., Schimmer, T. & Vagle, N. (2017). Instructional agility: Responding to assessment with real-time decisions. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press. Erkens, C., Schimmer, T., & Vagle, N. (2019) Growing tomorrow’s citizens in today’s classrooms: Assessing seven critical

• competencies. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.

Friedman, T. (2017). Thank you for being late : An optimist's guide to thriving in the age of accelerations. New York: Picador. Lane, S. (2010). Performance assessment: The state of the art . Stanford, CA: Stanford University, Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education. Linn, R.L. (1993). Educational assessment: expended expectations and challenges. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 15 1-16. Mislevy, R.J., Steinberg, L.S., & Almond, R.G. (2003). On the structure of educational assessments. Measurement: Interdisciplinary Research and Perspectives, 1(1), 3-62. Moss, C.. (2013). Research on Classroom Summative Assessment. In J. H. McMillan (Ed.), Sage handbook of research on classroom assessment (pp. 235-255). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Schimmer, T. (2016). Grading from the inside out: Brining accuracy to student assessment through a standards-based

• mindset. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.

Weisinger, H. & Pawliw-Fry, J.P. (2015). Performing Under Pressure: The Science of Doing Your Best When It Matters Most. New York, NY: Crown Business Publishing.