Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Improving
Assessment
(And Motivation)
Important Ideas
Concerning
Grading for
Learning
Based on the research,
presentation, and book by Ken
O’Connor
Who is Ken
O’Connor?
#1 – Target the learning
from the get go
#2 -- Relate grading to
the intended learning.
learning
#3 – Limit the attributes
included in grades to
individual achievement
Examples of Assessment
Assessment OF Assessment FOR
Learning
Learning
• Present Targets before
• Test learning begins
• Quiz • Exit Ticket
• Directive Feedback
• Homework • Reassessment
• Essay • Examples of Good/Bad
work
• Project
Example Video:
Andy Assessments in Science (10 min)
Assessment of Learning Assessment for Learning
Brookhart, S., Grading, Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall, Columbus, OH, 2004, 34
Purpose of Grades
“the primary purpose of…
grades… (is) to
communicate student
achievement to students,
parents, school
administrators, post-
secondary institutions and
employers.”
Bailey, J. and McTighe, J., “Reporting Achievement at the Secondary School Level: What and
How?”
P – Am I sending…
POSITIVE messages?
C – Am I offering…
CHOICES?
R – Am I
encouraging…
REFLECTION?
#1 – Target the
learning from
the get go.
Learning
“Targets”
or Power
Standards
How can we help them hit the
target? 1961 – Norman Rockwell
Unit Plans ~ My “Target Sheets”
How can you create learning
targets in primary grades?
• I Can Statements
• Handouts for 1st and 3rd grade - examples
#2 – Relate
grading to
the intended
learning.
Case Study #1 –
“Rick’s Mysterious Falling Grade”
The report card mathematics grade that Rick received in
December in grade 9 was about 25% lower than the
grade he received in June at the end of grade 8. His
parents were very concerned because Rick had
always enjoyed mathematics and achieved at a high
level. They went to the parent-teacher conference
wondering whether he needed a math tutor. When
they put this question to the teacher, she said that this
was not necessary. She went on to say that his
mathematics results were excellent; all his test scores
were more than 90%, but that he had received low
marks for participation, effort, group work, notebook,
homework, and so forth. Rick’s parents felt the grade
was very misleading because it did not indicate clearly
Rick’s level of mathematics achievement.
O’Connor – Grades are Broken
When They:
• Include ingredients that distort
achievement
• Arise from low quality or poorly
organized evidence
• Are derived from inappropriate
number crunching, and when they
• Do not support the learning process
O’Connor – How Can We Relate
Grading to the Intended
Learning?
Don’t assign grades using
inappropriate or unclear
performance standards; provide
clear descriptions of achievement
expectations.
#2 – Limit the
attributes included
in grades to
individual
achievement
A Tale of Two
Students
Attitude Participatin
Eddy 85 0 80 50 98 99 98 0 0 69 F
(late)
Attitude Participation
Eddy 85 0 80 50 (late)98 99 98 0 0 69 F
Attitude Participation
Eddy 85 0 80 50 (late)98 99 98 0 0 69 F
Attitude Participation
Eddy 85 0 80 50 (late)98 99 98 0 0 69 F
Attitude Participation
Eddy 85 0 80 50 (late)98 99 98 0 0 69 F