Assessment in Science and Mathematics

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Assessment in Science and Mathematics

• Maria S. Rivera
• Fostering Achievement Seminar
• Spring 2007

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Common Assessment Problems

• Lack of alignment between course objectives and
  assessments
• Too much or too little assessment
• Good assessments take too long to grade
• Superficial feedback
• Less rigorous grading
• Turn around takes too long
• Different disciplines/courses have different
  traditions

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Types of Assessments

• Formative
• Summative
• Evaluative
• Traditional
• Performance-Based
• Authentic
• High-Stakes

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Question 1a

• What are some different approaches for
  testingdifferent from traditional
  exams/reports?

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Question 1b

• Are there types of assessments that are not
  multiple choice, but are appropriate for use with
  large groups of students (things that wont
  require me to spend my whole life grading?)

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Question 1c

• How can I assess students in a large class (80
  students) in a way that is fair to them and
  doesnt overwhelm me with work?

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Other forms of assessment

• Presentations
• Posters
• Concept maps
• Venn diagrams
• T-Charts
• Attribute Charts
• Quick Writes

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Detailed Instructions

• The more detailed your instructions and the more
  explicit the assessment criteria, the better
  students will perform, and the easier it will be
  to grade final projects.

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In-Class Assessment

• Self-assessments For class participation, etc.
• Checklists
• Open-ended prompts
• Peer-assessments For problem-sets, paper drafts,
  lab reports
• Rubrics
• Grading Sheets
• Instructor assessments For presentations, and
  class participation
• Rubrics

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Group Assessment

• In a class of 80, groups of 4 brings you down to
  20 papers to grade.
• Problems with equity
• Group process reflection mid-way and with final
  project
• Problem students receive warning, chance to
  improve, and/or consequences
• Individual contracts
• Final exam questions on projects

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Un-graded Assignments

• Assignments designed to help students study,
  review, prepare, or practice for an exam.
• Set requirements for students to sit for exam
• On-line formats
• Assignments designed to assess how students feel
  about the course, readings, or specific topics.
• Mid-course evaluations
• Reflections

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Question 2

• What are some assessments that examine both
  knowledge of and attitudes about certain topics?

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The Six Facets of Understanding

• When we truly understand, we

Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe. (2005).
Understanding by Design. Alexandria, VA
Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development
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Six facets of understanding
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Fennema-Sherman

• Agree Disagree
• 1. I am sure that I can learn science. A B C D
  E
• 2. My teachers have been interested in my
• progress in science. A B C D E
• 3. Knowing science will help me earn a living.
  A B C D E
• 4. I don't think I could do advanced science.
  A B C D E
• 5. Science will not be important to me in my
  life's work. A B C D E
• 6. Males are not naturally better than females in
  science. A B C D E

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Other Scales

• http//www.flaguide.org/tools/tools_technique.php

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Question 3

• What are some ways of assessing group work (e.g.
  lab projects executed by a team).

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Question 4

• How does one define control groups?

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Self-control design

• Zacharia (2003)
• Subtopics
• Introductory experience (different)
• Textbook readings
• Problem sets
• Additional problems for control group
• Simulation for experimental group
• Experiment (same)
• Random assignment between control and simulation
  across 12 topics.
• Conceptual tests and semi-structured interviews