Alternative Assessment in Mathematics

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Alternative Assessment in Mathematics

• J. Lin Tamminga

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Objectives of Presentation

• Define alternative assessment
• Give reasons for usage
• Provide implementation ideas

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Definition

• Hancock defines alternative assessment as
• An ongoing process involving the student and
  teacher in making judgments about the students
  progress using non conventional strategies.
  (1994, 1)

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Forms of Alternative Assessment

• Portfolios
• Rubrics Checklists
• Anecdotal Records
• Oral performances
• Projects
• Performance tasks

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Reasons for usage of Alternative Assessment

• Typical paper and pencil tests and
  standardized measures that usually employ
  multiple choice, true/false, and short answer
  questions cannot measure progress or outcomes of
  such a complex and many faceted endeavor of this
  task. Such tests focus on inert, discrete bits
  and pieces of knowledge, often memorized but
  neither contextualized nor applied. In our view,
  there needs to be a marriage of curriculum,
  teaching and assessment in order to address
  accurately critical learnings that occur during
  meaningful classroom endeavors and to address
  student outcomes in a more authentic way
  (Puckett, Black, 1994).

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Reasons for usage of Alternative Assessment

• Students are able to display knowledge in many
  different ways.
• Students who are not skilled test takers will be
  able to succeed in showing their abilities and
  therefore build self esteem.
• Alternative Assessment methods do not interrupt
  class time as do traditional tests, but instead
  are measurements of day to day
  growth.

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Reasons for usage of Alternative Assessment

• Gives ongoing information on strengths and
  weaknesses of each student providing the teacher
  opportunity to work within those.
• Is not tied to a specific culture or language,
  but rather, is free from prejudice and unfair
  assumptions.
• Is directly connected with the curriculum and
  therefore provides a direct reflection of what is
  being taught (Huerta Macias 1999).

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Implementation Ideas and Examples Portfolios

• Types of Portfolios
• Showcase
• Teacher-Student Portfolio
• Teacher Alternative Assessment Portfolio

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Implementation Ideas and Examples Portfolios

• Suggested Items for Mathematics Portfolio
• Open ended questions
• A report or group project
• Video tapes of student work
• Problems posed by student
• Mathematical research
• Mathematical autobiography
• Draft, revised, and final versions of student
  work on
• a complex mathematical problem
• Papers that show student correction of errors or
  misconceptions (Koca, 1998)

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Implementation Ideas and Examples Portfolios

• Display Ideas for a Mathematics Portfolio
• File folder
• Binder
• File box
• Container
• C D rom
• Pizza box
• Poster board folder
• Photos of work that does not fit in display

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Implementation Ideas and Examples Portfolios

• Portfolios Plus A critical Guide to Alternative
  Assessment
• by Linda Mabry
• Provides a portfolio planner for teachers who
  would like to begin to use portfolios in their
  classroom.

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Implementation Ideas and Examples Rubrics
Checklists

• Problem Solving Rubric Example
• Scale I Understanding the Problem
• 2 Complete understanding of the problem
• 1 Part of the problem misunderstood or
  misinterpreted
• 0 Complete misunderstanding of the problem
• Scale II Planning a Solution
• 2 Plan could have led to a correct solution if
  implemented properly
• 1 Partially correct plan based on part of the
  problem being interpreted correctly
• 0 No attempt, or totally inappropriate plan
• Scale III Getting an Answer
• 2 Correct answer and correct label for the answer
• 1 Copying error computational error partial
  answer for a problem with multiple answers
• 0 No answer, or wrong answer based on an
  inappropriate plan
• (Randall, Lester, Frank and O'Daffer, 1991.)

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Implementation Ideas and Examples Rubric

• Mathematics Holistic Scale
• 6 Exemplary response.
• 5 Competent response.
• 4 Minor Flaws But Satisfactory.
• 3 Serious Flaws But Nearly Satisfactory.
• 2 Begins, But Fails to Complete Problem.
• 1 Unable to Begin Effectively. (

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Implementation Ideas and Examples Sample
Checklist

• Name__________
• Date __________
• yes no
• Shows problem solving strategy
• Uses picture in solution
• Uses correct process
• Has correct solution
• Checks work

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Implementation Ideas and Examples Rubrics
Checklists

• Each student is judged on the same criteria
• Teacher develops before instruction begins, so
  that lessons target specific knowledge and skills
  needed
• Directs students attention to important concepts
• Can be used for self and peer evaluation
• In math points are given for procedure, not just
  a correct answer (Kuhs, Johnson, Agruso,
  Monrad, 2001)

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Implementation Ideas and Examples Rubrics
Checklists

• Guides and Tools
• to Creating Your Rubrics Checklists
• The Rubric Bank
• http//intranet.cps.k12.il.us/Assessments/Ideas_an
  d_Rubrics/Rubric_Bank/rubric_bank.html
• Rubric Resources
• http//www.aea5.k12.ia.us/pd/assessment/rubrics.ht
  m

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Implementation Ideas and Examples Anecdotal
Records

• The teacher, or person who is observing, writes
  down their observations of the student providing
  a record of student growth, strengths and needs.

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Implementation Ideas and Examples Anecdotal
Records
(Del Vecchio, Gustke, Wilde, 2000)
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Resources

• Agruso, Susan A., Johnson, Robert L., Kuhs,
  Therese M., Monrad, Diane M. (2001) Put to the
  test Tools and Techniques for Classroom
  Assessment. Portsmouth, NH Heinemann.
• Black, Janet, Puckett, Margaret. (1994).
  Authentic Assessment of the young child
  Celebrating development of learning. New York
  Merrill.
• Del Vicchio, A., Gustke, C. Wilde, J. (2000)
  Alternative assessment for Latino students. In
  J. V. R. A. DeVillar (Eds.) The Power of two
  languages (pp.365-382). New York Mc Graw-Hill
• Hankcock, Charles. (1994). Alternative
  assessment and second language study What and
  Why? Electronic Version. Retrieved March 09,
  2002 from http//www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests
  /ed376695.html
• Huerta Macias, A. (1999). Alternative
  assessment Responses to commonly asked
  questions. In Avalos Heath, I. and Serrano, C.
  J. Teaching English as a second language (pp.
  125-128). Sluice Dock, Fuilford, CT
  Dushkin/McGraw Hill.
• Koca, S. Asli, Lee, Hea-Jin. (1998) Portfolio
  Assessment in Mathematics Education.
  Electronic Version. Retrieved March 09, 2002
  from http//www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/
• ed434802.html.
• Mabry, Linda. (1999) Portfolio Plus A
  Critical Guide to Alternative Assessment.
  Thousand Oaks, CA Corwin Press, Inc.