Assessing Whether Students Achieved the Outcomes/Objectives Addressed in Teaching
In order to determine what students knew and/or could do following the teaching of the unit, students were given the same format for their post assessment as with their pre assessment. For each of these assessments, students were given thirty minutes to display (in written text and with a detailed illustration) what they knew (pre assessment) and what they learned (post assessment) about sea creatures. Each student was permitted to select one specific animal or a combination of animals to write about. *Please note, students did not receive assistance during these assessments, nor were they given alphabet charts. The criteria/indicators for assessing students’ work was the scoring guide shown below. Following the scoring guide and assessment example, you will find two representations of student work.
In order to determine what students knew and/or could do following the teaching of the unit, students were given the same format for their post assessment as with their pre assessment. For each of these assessments, students were given thirty minutes to display (in written text and with a detailed illustration) what they knew (pre assessment) and what they learned (post assessment) about sea creatures. Each student was permitted to select one specific animal or a combination of animals to write about. *Please note, students did not receive assistance during these assessments, nor were they given alphabet charts. The criteria/indicators for assessing students’ work was the scoring guide shown below. Following the scoring guide and assessment example, you will find two representations of student work.
Sea Creature Unit Scoring Guide
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Sea Creatures Assessment
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Analysis of Student Learning
The two photographs (pictured below) represent the pre assessments of two of my students. The students met the objectives (from the scoring guide) in every area, except they did not have three or more complete sentences.
The two photographs (pictured below) represent the pre assessments of two of my students. The students met the objectives (from the scoring guide) in every area, except they did not have three or more complete sentences.
Solomon-
The first student, Solomon, received a score of 6 on his pre assessment. He received this score because he followed the criteria for the scoring guide, with the exception of the three written sentences. I have chosen to include Solomon's assessment in this portfolio because he showed substantial improvement by the end of the unit. For instance, during the pre assessment, Solomon did not know or write any information about sea creatures, and while he did not receive a perfect score on the post assessment (he received a score of eight), he did write two complete sentences about sea creatures. This was a noteworthy accomplishment for Solomon, as he typically struggles to sit still and complete his work. |
Cecelia -
The second student, Cecelia, also received a score of 6 on her pre assessment because she did not complete the written portion of the assessment. After completing the post assessment, Cecelia received a score of eight, as she only chose to write two sentences. Based on Cecelia's quality of work throughout the year, I know she could have written more had she taken the time to do so. |
I have selected these students to represent the class in pre/post assessment gains because they illustrate the importance of setting goals to meet students' individual needs. For example, while Solomon and Cecelia both received the same pre and post scores, they did not demonstrate the same level of growth overall. I know this because Solomon spent thirty minutes diligently working on completing his post assessment, while Cecelia spent fewer than ten minutes completing hers, so she could move to pocket chart activities. I also know (from previous time spent with these two students) that two sentences for Solomon is more than he would typically write, while an expectation of two sentences for Cecelia would not typically challenge her enough. These findings show me that student assessment data is helpful but not entirely representative of the student's improvement overall. If I were to give a similar assessment in the future, I would ask students to look over their work and ensure that it was their best work before turning it in. Had I asked this question of Cecelia before allowing her to submit it, I am certain she would have produced more written work, and she would have been able to visually see all that she had learned. As a future teacher, I will strive to assist students in creating and working towards meeting achievable goals.