BC Education - Appendix D: Assesment and Evaluation

Managing Assessment Information

This document contains the following sections:
Student Journals
Log Sheets
Portfolios
Interviews
Observations Sheets
Self-Assessment
Checklists
Performance Tasks

Teachers keep track of change in students' learning in a variety of ways. The techniques they use to monitor development enable them to make informed decisions about teaching and learning. The information in this section of the IRP is a collection of ideas to illustrate some of the ways that teachers keep track of change and use this information to monitor student development in mathematics.

Evidence of growth in mathematics can be collected in three ways:

by observing what students do
by listening to what they say
by reviewing their products

Valid judgments about individual students require repeated opportunities to observe, listen to, and review their work.

Student Journals

Student writing and journals can take many forms. They can, for example, be fairly structured, as in the note-taking, note-making example on the right, or simply be a general review of the events of the day, as in the example below. Some writing might centre on a particular topic or on one unit of instruction.

An important aspect of assessment is communication between the student and the teacher. The student can ask questions or indicate success or a need for help. The teachers can detect misconceptions or areas that need further instruction.

Teachers can respond with separate notes (e.g., on Post-it Notes) leaving the student's work unmarked, with short comments, or with longer comments.

The student who writes about multiplication (see above) appears to understand how multiplication is related to addition. She is able to give a context example of multiplication and seems to have a positive attitude about her work.

Log Sheets

Log sheets allow students to record their progress over a period of time, informing the teacher about successes, questions, and problems. Various formats can be used depending on the nature of the task. Teachers can gain insight into students questioning techniques, mathematical attitudes, and learning styles.

A Problem-solver's Record

Name(s)_______________________ _______________________

_______________________ _______________________

Problem:
(Tell the problem in your own words.)

Plan:
(List how you might solve it.)

Solve:
(Draw a picture or make a model.)

Check:
(Write a sentence.)

To load a modified version of this table suitable for printing click here.

Log Sheet Group Members: Ellie, Henry, Lin, Ross Investigation Title: Consecutive number sums
Date	Work Done	Questions	Teacher Notes
9/19 9/20	Make a plan to list all numbers to 100, begin by dividing up numbers. Decided it was better to work with numbers than sums (1+2+3...).	How far do we have to go? Do we need to make a written report?	Your Decision. You'll need something to show when you make your oral report to the class.

Log Sheet

Group Members: Ellie, Henry, Lin, Ross

Investigation Title: Consecutive number sums

Date

Work Done

Questions

Teacher Notes

9/19

9/20

Make a plan to list all numbers to 100, begin by dividing up numbers.

Decided it was better to work with numbers than sums (1+2+3...).

How far do we have to go?

Do we need to make a written report?

Your Decision.

You'll need something to show when you make your oral report to the class.

To load a modified version of this table suitable for printing click here.
Reproduced with permission from Mathematics Assessment: Myths, Models, Good Questions and Practical Suggestions, Copyright 1991 by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Math Log
Date	Task or Activity	Success Experienced	Difficulties Experienced

To load a modified version of this table suitable for printing click here.

Portfolios

Portfolios are purposeful collections of a student's work that show the students effort, progress, and achievement over time. The items to be included in a portfolio can be suggested by the teacher or selected by the student. Portfolios provide information to use for a comprehensive assessment of a student's development. Criteria for evaluation can be established for each reporting period. Student entries should be dated to allow the teacher to track each student's development over time.

Interviews

Interviews can provide valuable information about students' understanding, thoughts, and feelings about mathematics. A formal interview often includes a planned sequence of questions which lead to open-ended discussions. Formal, focused interviews can help the teacher diagnose student needs. Informal interviewing and questioning takes place regularly throughout instruction. The following record sheet can be used to record the comments made during a formal interview about attitudes, process, and product.

Questions	Teacher Notes
Attitudes How did you feel about doing __________? What do you think about __________? How do you feel about your answer? Did you have any new thoughts when __________?
Process How did you go about __________? Tell me another way of doing __________. How did you know when you were finished? What would happen if __________? Why did you __________? What did not work?
Product Tell me about __________? Tell me what you learned from __________? What else would you like to know? Is there anything you would like to change? How well do you think you've done? Tell me how or where or when you might use __________? Is there another possible answer? What mathematical ideas were in this?

Questions

Teacher Notes

Attitudes

How did you feel about doing __________?
What do you think about __________?
How do you feel about your answer?
Did you have any new thoughts when __________?

Process

How did you go about __________?
Tell me another way of doing __________.
How did you know when you were finished?
What would happen if __________?
Why did you __________?
What did not work?

Product

Tell me about __________?
Tell me what you learned from __________?
What else would you like to know?
Is there anything you would like to change?
How well do you think you've done?
Tell me how or where or when you might use __________?
Is there another possible answer?
What mathematical ideas were in this?

Observation Sheets

Observation: We can assess students through the observation of individual tasks or group activities. At any given time, a wide variety of information is available through observation. It is important to focus the assessment by selecting only a few attributes for each observation.

Daily Observation Sheet

Name(s) ____________________________________

Date

Activity

Observed behaviour

Program suggestions

To load a modified version of this table suitable for printing click here.

Student ______________________ Week __________

Observation and Interview Notes:

_________________________________________________________

To load a modified version of this table suitable for printing click here.

Math Observation Sheet
September - November

Name ______________________

Date Activity Observation Instructional Implications _____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

To load a modified version of this table suitable for printing click here.

Self-Assessment

Self-assessment promotes the development of responsibility for one's own learning. The following are some sample self-assessment recording forms.

Sample Self-Assessment Checklist

Name _____________________________ Date _________________

Directions: For each statement below, answer Yes, No, or Not Sure, whichever is closest to your ideas about your own work. There is no right answer. Please answer as honestly as possible. Add comments if you wish.

1. Sometimes I don't know what to do when I start a problem.

2. I like mathematics because I can figure things out.

3. The harder the problem, the better I like to work on them.

4. I usually give up when a problem is really hard.

5. I like the memorizing part of mathematics best.

6. There is more to mathematics than just getting the right answer.

7. I think mathematics is not really useful in everyday living.

8. I would rather work alone than with a group.

9. I like to do a lot of problems of the same kind rather than have different kinds all mixed up.

10. I enjoy mathematics.

11. There's always a best way to solve a problem.

12. I liked mathematics when I was younger, but now it's too hard.

Put an X on this scale where you think you would belong:

I am not good at
mathematics.

I am good at
mathematics.

To load a modified version of this table suitable for printing click here.

Student Self-evaluation on Problem-solving

Name:____________________ Date: __________________

Problem:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Why was it a problem:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

How I solved the problem:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Did it work?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

How I would solve a similar problem next time:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Other strategies I could have used:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

What I learned?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

To load a modified version of this table suitable for printing click here.

Name ______________________ Date ____________________

About Me and my Math

What I did today
How I did it
Who I worked with
What I did well
What I want to do better

To load a modified version of this table suitable for printing click here.

Checklists

Checklists make it easier to collect and organize information. As a teacher scans the room, he/she can easily observe who is capable of a task and who is not. Collections of checklists, along with other information, can be useful in developing a learning profile of a child that indicates growth over time. The following are two examples of checklists developed to collect information about students' growth over time.

Math Problem-solving Class Checklist

	Date		Date		Date
Names	Strategy	Comments	Strategy	Comments	Strategy	Comments

Strategies:
1 Act it out
2 Draw a diagram
3 Make a model
4 Look for a pattern
5 Guess and Check
6 Number sentences
7 Classify information
8 Make a list, table, graph
9 Break problem into parts

10 Work backwards
11 Use logic
12 Simpler problem
Others to suit situation:
13 _________________
14 _________________
15 _________________

Directions:

Record the number of
the strategy used.
Add comments as
appropriate.

To load a modified version of this table suitable for printing click here.

Basic Facts Checklist
(appropriate for late primary)

Student ___________________________________________
Date _____________________________________________

Addition facts strategies
One more than
Counting on
Doubles
Related Doubles
Sums of 10
Tables
Properties
Subtraction
One less than
Inverse of +
Count backward
Tables
Multiplication
Skip counting (1,2,3,4,5)
Table
Using 0
Using 1
Commutative

To load a modified version of this table suitable for printing click here.

Performance Tasks

Performance assessment is the gathering of information about student learning based on students' demonstrating what they can do. It values process as well as product and incorporates a variety of strategies, from observation to self-assessment.

Performance assessment is a powerful classroom tool because it:

integrates assessment and instruction
may occur at any point during an activity
involves student and teacher collaboration
includes students in assessment and evaluation
values both process and product

"Considerations for Designing Performance Assessment Tasks" (see below) and the two planning guides outlined on the right are all designed to help teachers plan for the effective incorporation of performance assessment.

Considerations for Designing Performance Assessment Tasks

What knowledge, skills, and attitudes will the students demonstrate?

How will this activity enhance the class curriculum?

Will the assessment of performance be formal or informal, structured or unstructured?

Who will design a structured activity?

teacher
teacher and students together through collaboration
students deciding on the format and presentation as part of their project

How can the activity be developed?

Consider individual or group involvement.
Consider individual learning styles.
Decide on materials, equipment, people.

What time factors may be involved?

Who will assess and evaluate the process and product(s)?

How will the process and product(s) be evaluated?

How can the information from the process and the product(s) be used for further evaluation, reporting, and planning instruction?

self-assessments for conferences and portfolios
reflecting on goals, revising action plans, setting new goals
putting the task, with the evaluation criteria and pruducts, in a portfolio

Planning Guide 1

Activity

states clearly what is to be done

Preparation

The knowledge and skills necessary to complete the activity are developed.
A time line and evaluation criteria are esablished.

Guidelines for students

developed with students to provide specific directions for successfully completeng an activity (perhaps using a checklist)
connected to the evaluation criteria

Evaluation Criteria

basis for evaluation of process and/or product
may incorporate opportunities for reflection, self-assessment, and peer-assessment

Variations and extensions

Provide alternatives to include all students (special needs, ESL).

Planning Guide 2

Reason(s) for assessment

Identify purpose and decision-makers.

Performance to be evaluated

Specify the content and process focus of the assessment.

Select exercises and events

Plan how students will demonstrate what they can do.
Decide how the information about student learning will be gathered.

Performance rating plan

Determine who is to evaluate.
Decide on recording method.

Previous Page Prev

Revised: October 20, 1997

BC Ministry of Education