CTL 1019
Authentic Assessment
Dr. Carol Rolheiser
Overview
In this course candidates will formulate a personal policy on student assessment, develop authentic assessment tools appropriate to teaching assignments, and assess the quality of authentic assessment strategies. Particular attention will be given to performance assessments, portfolios, self-evaluation, cooperative assessment, student beliefs and attitudes toward assessment, measurement of affective outcomes and professional standards for evaluating student assessment practices.
This course will:
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focus on practical problems, and have application components• combine theory and research with practice, and
• enable candidates to pursue personal learning goals.
Course Goals/Expectations
1. To formulate and be able to defend a personal philosophy on student evaluation.
2. To be able to utilize and develop authentic assessment tools appropriate for one’s professional role.
3. To be able to assess the quality of authentic assessment strategies.
4. To develop individual and collective assessment literacy.
Topics
Topics include:
1. Overview of assessment
2. Assessment reform considerations/assessment literacy
3. Creating a professional portfolio
4. Designing classroom observation
5. Designing performance assessments
6. Creating student portfolios
7. Designing student self-evaluation
8. Peer feedback
9. Critiques of authentic assessment
10. Developing and articulating a personal philosophy on student assessment
Evaluation
The purposes of the assignments are (a) to give candidates an opportunity to experiment with student assessment techniques in their classroom, and (b) to assess the extent to which they have mastered the theoretical/applied objectives of the course.
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Portfolio 50%• Action Research 25%
• Curriculum Project 10%
• Professionalism 15%
Details of each assignment will be provided early in the course.
In marking the assignments, instructors will be looking for evidence that candidates have a sound grasp of the theoretical issues addressed in the course and that they are able to use course content to improve their student assessment practices. Letter grades will be assigned using the criteria described in the 2000-2001 OISE/UT Bulletin.
Readings
For some sessions, candidates will be asked to read articles in advance of the class; for other sessions they will be asked to read materials following the sessions. All required readings will be provided at the sessions. At each session additional readings and resources will be recommended. Candidates will be encouraged to seek additional materials through ERIC and other sources.
Andrejko, L. (1998). The case for the teacher portfolio. Journal of Staff Development, 19(4), 45-48.
Benson, B. & Barnett, S. (1999). Student-Led Conferencing Using Showcase Portfolios. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Briscoe, C. (1993). Using cognitive referents in making sense of teaching: A chemistry teacher’s struggle to change assessment practices. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 30(8), 971-987.
Burke, K. (1993). How to Assess Thoughtful Outcomes. Palatine, IL: IRI/Skylight.
Burke, K. (Ed.) (1996). Professional Portfolios: A Collection of Articles. Arlington Heights, IL: IRI/Skylight.
Earl, L. (1995). Assessment and accountability in education in Ontario. Canadian Journal of Education, 20(1), 45-55.
Farr, R. & Tone, B. (1998). Portfolio and Performance Assessment (2nd ed.) Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace.
Fogarty, R. (1996). Student Portfolios: A Collection of Articles. Arlington Heights, IL: IRI/Skylight.
Gaskins, I. Et al. (1994). Integrating instruction of science, reading, and writing: Goals, teacher development, and assessment. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 31(9), 1039-1056.
Hunsburger, W. (1998). Professional portfolios: Creating the habit of reflection. Orbit, 29(2), 41-43.
Johnson, B. (1996). Performance Assessment Handbook. Princeton, NJ: Eye on Education.
Lyons, N. (1999). How portfolios can shape emerging practice. Educational Leadership, 56(4), 18-21.
Madaus, G. & Kellaghan, T. (1993). The British experience with "authentic" testing. Phi Delta Kappan, 74(6), 458-469.
McLaughlin, M. & Vogt, M. (1996). Portfolios in Teacher Education. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Newsletter of the Regional Laboratory for Education Improvement of the Northeast and Islands. (January 1992). Authentic assessment: The ‘trojan horse’ of school reform.
Popham, W.J. (1999). Classroom Assessment: What Teachers Need to Know. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Popham, W.J. (1997). What’s wrong—and what’s right—about rubrics? Educational Leadership, 55(2), 72-75.
Rolheiser, C. (Ed.) (1996). Self-Evaluation … Helping Students Get Better At It! Ajax, ON: VisuTronx.
Rolheiser, C., Bower, B. & Stevahn, L. (2000). The Portfolio Organizer: Succeeding with portfolios in your classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Rolheiser, C. & Ross, J.A. (In press, 1999). Student self-evaluation: What research says and what practice shows. Chapter to appear in Center for Development and Learning proceedings. "Plain Talk About Kids">
Ross, J.A., Rolheiser, C. & Hogaboam-Gray. Effect of self-evaluation training on narrative writing. Assessing Writing. Manuscript submitted for review.
Ross, J.A., Rolheiser, C. & Hogaboam-Gray. (1998). Student evaluation in cooperative learning: Teacher cognitions. Teachers and teaching: Theory and practice, 1(2), 299-316.
Ross, J.A., Rolheiser, C. & Hogaboam-Gray. (1998). Effects of collaborative action research on the knowledge of five Canadian teacher researchers. Elementary School Journal, 99(3), 255-274.
Stiggins, R. (1999). Teams. Journal of Staff Development, 20(3), 17-21.
Tombari, M. & Borich. G. (1999). Authentic Assessment in the Classroom: Applications and Practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Wilson, R.J. (1996). The principles for fair student assessment practice in Canada. Assessing students in classrooms and schools, pp. 158-170. Scarborough, ON: Allyn & Bacon.