Effective Assessment Training Materials Handout

Lacey Steen Amick, Eva Burg, and Stephanie Cosentino

Effective Assessment Training Materials

Effective Assessment Strategies

Strategies
Give learners at least one weeks notice
before a test or assessment.
Provide feedback within three days of
assessment.
Ensure that learners understand why
their answers are incorrect.
Provide opportunities for learners to
construct portfolios for continued self-
assessment.
Examples of Effective Assessment Strategies
Strategies
Informal
Open-ended questions
Journal reflections, summaries, and exit
tickets
Quizzes
Think-Pair-Share and Four Corners
Socratic seminars and peer assessments
Formal
Why These Strategies Are Effective
They allow learners plenty of time and opportunities to perform to
their best ability on the assessments.
Feedback provides rationale for why the learners received a
particular grade.
The ultimate goal of teaching is understanding, so these strategies
allow learners to achieve the goal of understanding.
They allow the learner to view the instructor as a guide and
partner in the learning process.
Why These Strategies Are Effective
They increase learner participation by getting the learners actively
involved and collaborating with their peers.
They require students to think critically, thereby improving their
critical thinking skills.
They are easy to grade (or to quickly visualize learners
understanding of the content).
They provide variety.
They allow instructors to get a better sense of learners
understanding before administering a large test or assessment.

Objective and subjective tests

Essays and performance-based
assessments

Traditional vs. Authentic Assessment

Description When, Where, and Why to Use These

Traditional Traditional
Summative Use this when you need to:

Educator-centered assess many students and/or

Easy to use you dont have time for lengthy assessment scoring

Cost-efficient you need the assessment tool to be objective and consistent

Consistent Example: High school competency exams

Objective
Authentic
 Effective Assessment Training Materials Handout
Lacey Steen Amick, Eva Burg, and Stephanie Cosentino

Authentic Use this when:

Formative students need experience

Student-centered you want to assess learning in progress

Subjective You want learners to have more active involvement

Experience Example: Vocational training

Deeper level
learning

Analysis Example

Analysis is the process of studying something closely, such as the process of Jorge Rodriguez is an adult ESL
student learning, while assessment is the evaluation of the quality of work of student. He is scheduled for
the learner. Use of Assessment to Improve Instruction & Learning assessments to determine his
skill level. The exams consist of
It is used to collect data of the students to help the teacher to know the level, writing, speaking, reading, and
goals, and objectives. comprehension. He will be
It has to be useful to provide corrective instructions to students. given an initial assessment, a
formative assessment, and a
It uses evidence of learning and can be qualitative or quantitative in nature. summative assessment. The
teacher and administrator will
Assessments can be used to improve the students' performance in class.
analyze his case for better
Assessments help students to learn better and teachers to look for effective placement.
instructional techniques and to modify their teaching.

Example of an Effective Authentic Assessment Rubric Why It Is Effective

(Ayoub, 2015) This is an example of an
effective rubric. The columns
Example of Authentic Assessment Rubric are clearly labeled and
organized. The criteria are
described completely with
specific examples of learner
behaviors that are exhibited at
each level. Each description
clearly corresponds to one
point value, which is critical for
maintaining reliability and
validity when using a rubric for
grading. It would be easy for
anyone to use this rubric for
grading because everything is
clearly spelled out and very
specific. (Based on rubric from
Ayoub, 2015)
 Effective Assessment Training Materials Handout
Lacey Steen Amick, Eva Burg, and Stephanie Cosentino

References
Ayoub, O. (2015). Understanding authenticity in language teaching & assessment. SlideShare website.
Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/OmaimaAyoub/understanding-authenticity-in-language-
teaching-assessment
Briggs, S. (2014). 20 simple assessment strategies you can use every day. TeachThought website. Retrieved
from http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/assessment/20-simple-assessment-strategies-can-use-
every-day/
Guskey, T. R. (2003). How classroom assessments improve learning. Educational Leadership. Volume 60:
Number 5, pages 6-11. ASCD website. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-
leadership/feb03/vol60/num05/How-Classroom-Assessments-Improve-Learning.aspx
Litchfield, B. C., & Dempsey, J. V. (2015). Authentic Assessment of Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes. New
Directions For Teaching & Learning, 2015(142), 65-80. doi:10.1002/tl.20130
Rieg, S. A. (2007). Classroom assessment strategies: What do students at-risk and teachers perceive as effective
and useful? Journal of Instructional Psychology, 34(4), 214-225. Retrieved from
https://search.proquest.com/docview/213901287?accountid=458
Stix, A. (1997). Creating rubrics through negotiable contracting and assessment. Stix Picks for the Interactive
Classroom website. Retrieved from http://www.andistix.com /creating_rubrics
through_negotiable_contracting_and_ assessment
Yu, K., & Frempong, G. (2012). Standardise and individualise an unsolvable tension in assessment?.
Education As Change, 16(1), 143-157. doi:10.1080/16823206.2012.692210