PERSONAL BELIEFS ON ASSESSMENT PAPER

Personal Beliefs on Assessment Paper

Personal Beliefs on Assessment

Curriculum Based Assessment

Curriculum based assessment (CBA) is assessment based on the curriculum that a child is mastering. It may be the curriculum materials for the grade level the child is in, or it may be adapted to the student's ability or IEP goals. For example, fourth grade children are mastering long division, but children with disabilities in the same classroom may be mastering single digit divisors into two or three digit dividends.

Most curriculum based assessment comes directly from the text book, in the form of tests provided by text books, often in the form of chapter tests. Some publishers offer adapted assessments for special education students, or the special educator can adapt the assessment him or herself. Some text based assessments can be read and scribed, especially if those accommodations are part of the students Specially Designed Instruction. Social studies tests are a good example: these are tests of a student's social studies knowledge, not reading ability.

Three Methods of Assessment

A. Performance Assessment

Performance assessment is a way to document and evaluate the work that students have accomplished during some fixed period of time. It tends to take the form of lengthy, multidisciplinary problem-solving activities. Panels of experts frequently judge the results, which are often used for promotion, distinctions, and graduation.

The Coalition of Essential Schools (which has more than 1000 member schools) offers this view of performance assessment:

Teaching and learning should be documented and assessed with tools based on student performance of real tasks. Multiple forms of evidence, ranging from ongoing observation of the learner to completion of specific projects, should be used to better understand the learner's strengths and needs and to plan for further assistance. Students should have opportunities to exhibit their expertise before family and community. The final diploma should be awarded upon a successful final demonstration of mastery for graduation -- an "exhibition." As the diploma is awarded when earned, the school's program proceeds with no strict age grading and with no system of credits "earned" by "time spent" in class. The emphasis is on the students' demonstration that they can do important things.

Performance assessments may be short-answer or extended responses. Examples include oral questions, traditional quizzes, tests, and open-ended prompts.

What are the beginning and ending dates of the American Revolution?

232 + 50 + 4031 + 22 = ______

Who wrote ROMEO AND JULIET?

Estimate the number of candies you will collect on Halloween.

What is the optimum ratio of salt to ice needed to make ice cream? (Students are provided with experimental equipment and materials in a lab situation.)

Develop and write a story for children based on the theme of immigration.

B. Projects

Projects are designed to draw upon a range of skills from the student, who may work individually or in groups to accomplish the goals that have been set. Projects can be as creative and varied as the teachers who assign them. Here are a few examples:

Create a computer game that teaches math ...