Heather Levi

TE 407
Fall 2016
Adapting Instruction to Individual Learner: Assessment
Defining Assessment
Assessment is the collecting, analyzing and review data to improve our
teaching approaches and the learning of our students. Assessment comes in
two main forms; summative and formative assessment. Formative
assessment is the type of assessment that you do throughout the learning
process; whereas summative assessment is done and the conclusion of the
learning process.
According to Dylan William (2011) formative assessment was originally
defined by Benjamin Bloom in 1969. Bloom is quoted saying that formative
assessment is the brief tests used by teachers and students as aids in the
learning process. While such tests may be graded, and used as part of the
judging and classificatory function of evaluation, we see much more effective
use of formative evaluation if it is separated from the grading process and
used primarily as an aid to teaching.
The purpose of formative assessment is to assess the students
throughout the learning process to improve teaching and learning by
diagnosing students challenging areas (Dante, 2016, p 154). This is done by
gathering data through things such as observations and homework and
analyzing and review what they say about the students learning and our
teaching practices.
As stated earlier, summative assessment is assessment done at the
end of the learning process, such as chapter tests, final exams, final projects,
ACT, SAT. These tests are looking to evaluate the students on learning
outcomes (Dante, 2016, p 154). This type of assessment is a high-risk
assessment for the student and the teacher, as many school districts use this
as a gauge of teacher ability to teach well.
Objective Assessment
The chapter 8 quiz on the Constitution Era has multiple components to
it; short answer, true and false, and matching. The knowledge assessed
seems to focus more on the civics portion the era. The content covers the
formation of the bill of rights, the separation of powers, etc. but fails to test
students on the events that were essential to these changes in our
government.
When thinking about the skills of a historian the overall quiz doesnt
assess many of them. It does test the student knowledge and understanding
of our government and how it is set up. It is lacking in other areas such as
critical thinking and writing skills. While it might be lacking in skills of a
historian it does assess the skills and understanding to the work of a citizen

in a democracy. It asks questions that assess the students understanding of

what is a responsibility of a citizen compared to a duty of a citizen.
Looking at the short answer questions more closely I noticed a
disconnect between the directions and the questions asked. The directions
ask the student to answer the questions with an answer that uses detail,
while the question says to identify one way. The design of the question
doesnt specify how the student should answer the question. Although the
directions do indicate they should answer in detail the student might gloss
over or completely skip of it and jump right into the questions.
This critique assumes that Ben does want the students to provide
detail. Its hard to know if this is his intention with these questions. While he
does call this section short answer, when I look at his key and the grading
of the provided student work, it seems that his intention is not for the
students to provide details.
First looking at the range of scores we see that all hours except first
hour had a smaller range of scores (24-60). This tells us that a majority of
students had an understanding of the content. Looking back at first hour, the
range was larger than the other hours (18-60) could be an outlier, one
student who did much more poorly than the rest of the class. This seems to
be the most likely situation when you consider the mean of the class period.
Although Bens minimum 36 policy adjusts the mean slightly, the mean of
first hour is actually the second highest class mean.
To help the classes boost their scores for the next test, I would
recommend them looking more closely at the last test. They should look to
see what types of questions or areas did they struggle with the most. Once
they have identified their most troublesome areas to orient their notes and
studies towards those areas. This would hopefully begin preparing them with
better study skills and personal formative assessment.
I think I would stick to the traditional 90% = A, 80%, = B, 70% = C,
because it begins to prepare them for the high school grading scale and
eventually college grading scales. But I would adjust the weight of other
assignments. For example, tests = 40%, homework = 20%, participation =
20%, projects = 20%. By providing this type of weighed grading students
who are not great test takers have a better chance to make up the lost
points in the other categories.
Project Assessment
Draw a political cartoon that teaches the class something about history
that is outside of the textbook and in-class notes. Political cartoons are a
persuasive image that uses symbols, parodys, drawings, labels, and
exaggerations to point out themes and problems of that era of history. It
provides different perspectives of the time and plays an important role in
telling the history of an era. A good political cartoon makes the reader think
about the current event, has perspective about a theme or problem of an
era, and tries to sway the readers opinion
2

Understanding:
Cartoon
demonstrates a
clear understating
of a historical event
or topic of the era.

Exceeds
Expectati
on
30

Perspective:
Cartoon provides an
historical
perspective of the
event or topic.
(X 2)
Illustration:
Cartoon effectively
uses an illustration
that has symbols,
labels, parodys, or
exaggerations

20

Accuracy: Cartoon
is historically
accurate.
Ground Rules are
Met: 1. If
presenting; 2 min
max
2. Not presenting
written explanation
2-page max
3.Typed
bibliography

15

Grammar,
Spelling, etc

Meets
Expectations

Approaching
Expectations

Needs
Improvement

20

10

Student Work Samples

Student Z shows strengths in the short answer and matching questions
sections. Student Z had no incorrect answers in the short answer and 4 of
the 12 incorrect in the matching sections. Looking more specifically at the
content of the questions Student Z had the most success and thus showing

strength was with the three branches of the government. They struggled
most with the types of powers in the government. This was evident because
the matching portion had Student Z match the powers description with the
type of power and they got all the answers incorrect.
Looking at their unit project I was able to see how they placed the
three branches of the governments power in relation to each other. Student
Z drew a picture of a tree with three branches. Each of the branches were
labeled either executive, judicial, or legislative and each had equal numbers
of leaves and birds on that branch. I could see more of Student Zs thinking
and understanding of the Branches of government.
Although I could see what Student Z had a good understanding of the
content from the project more than the test, the opposite is true for seeing
what Student Zs areas of struggle are. I cant tell what areas the student
needs improvement in because they could choose what content to cover on
the project. When the content is an option, students will likely choose
content they are comfortable with. The nature of a test covers all content of
the chapter, thus allowing me to see what aspects that Student Z needs to
improve in.
If possible I would like to extend the learning of the test after it is over.
I think it would be beneficial for the students to have an in-depth look at
what they got wrong. The content on the test is important for understanding
the next chapter, history builds upon itself. To accomplish this, I would have
students write out, for every wrong answer, what the correct answer is and
include why it is the right answer.
If I were the one grading and providing feedback to Student Z on their
project I would give them this feedback:
Very creative work. I like the visual representation of the equal powers.
Tell me more about your drawing, why is the tree singing?. Dont forget
about the ground rules requirement of a typed explanation.
I would change the amount of time I spent on the different powers
Student Z didnt provide any correct answers for this section of questions,
but seems to have done well outside of that content area. This might be a
more difficult area to learn from this chapter.

Works Cited
Dante D. Dixson & Frank C. Worrell (2016) Formative and Summative
Assessment in the Classroom, Theory Into Practice, 55:2, 153-159,
doi:10.1080/00405841.2016.1148989
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2016.1148989
Wiliam, D. (2006). Formative Assessment: Getting the Focus Right. Educational
Assessment, 11(3-4), 283289.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10627197.2006.9652993