Topic 2

• Assessment of learning


  Find out what & how well people are learning what we teach, without any intent to give a grade
• Evaluation of learning


  Process of measuring extent of learning & assigning a grade
• Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs)

  In-class, anonymous, short, non-graded exercises that provide feedback for both teacher & learner about teaching/learning process
• Purpose of CATs


  Provide teacher w/ quick & timely feedback about effectiveness of teaching & state of student learning
• Advantages of CATs


  • Gaining insight into student learning while there is still time to make changes
  • Demonstrating to learners that teacher really cares if they are succeeding
  • Building rapport with learners
  • Spending only short amounts of time to gain valuable information
  • Using flexibility to adapt to needs of individual classes
  • Helping learners to monitor their own learning
  • Gaining insight into own teaching
• Disadvantages of CATs


  • Take some class time away from other activities
  • Overused to point of frustration of learners
  • Do provide negative feedback for educator
• One-Minute Paper


  Used in the last 2 or 3 minutes of class period to ask learners what was the most important thing they learned and what important points remain unclear
• Muddiest Point


  Teacher discovers w/c areas learners struggle w/ the most & finds better ways to deal w/ content in the future
• Directed Paraphrasing


  Requires learners to put into their own words what they have learned
• Application Cards


  Ask learners to write on index card at least one possible application of content after teaching concept and before talking how it can be applied to real world
• Background Knowledge Probe


  Used before teaching new content to discover what learners already know
• Misconception/Preconception Check


  Helps expose mistaken ideas that may hinder learning
• Self-Confidence Surveys


  Allows learners to express possible lack of confidence in learning certain content/skills
• Other CAT techniques


  • Empty Outlines
  • One-Sentence Summary
  • Student-Generated Test Questions
  • Group Work Evaluation
  • Assignment Assessments
  • How Am I Doing?
• If it doesn't fit your style, don't use it
• Don't make the use of it as burden. Use only to enhance learning process
• Don't use it until it was tried on self
• Allow little more time than expected to administer
• Be sure to give feedbacks on CAT results
• Test Blueprint


  Chart that spells out the content (behaviour, objectives) & level of knowledge to be tested
• Components of a Test Blueprint

  • Content/objectives to be measured
  • Taxonomy of levels of learning to be assigned to content
  • Number of questions or relative weight to be given to each area
• Multiple-Choice Question


  Stem - question, Options - possible answers or solutions, Answer - correct option, Distracters - incorrect options
• Rules Governing Options for Multiple-Choice Questions

  • Grammatically consistent with stem
  • Options should be fairly short & of the same length
  • Options be placed in logical order
  • Avoid use of qualifying terms such as always, sometimes, usually and never
  • Alter positions of correct answers
• True-False Questions


  Test lowest levels of knowing, knowledge & comprehension
• True-False Question Examples


  • Diabetics who test their blood sugar 4x a day have fewer complications than those who don't.
  • Insulin-dependent diabetics who test their blood sugar 4x a day and take appropriate insulin have fewer complications than those who don't.
• Matching Questions


  Test knowledge, the lowest level of learning
• Essay-Type Questions


  Test highest levels of knowing
• Essay-Type Question Examples


  • Short-answer: Explain in few sentences why mothers with hypertension are susceptible to preeclampsia.

  Full essay: Compare a normal pregnancy to an abnormal pregnancy in terms of labor.
• Test Item Analysis


  Provides data about worth of items, including level of difficulty and ability to discriminate between the takers who know the material & those who don't
• Item Difficulty


  Difficulty index = # correct / # total test-takers
• Item Discrimination


  Discrimination index = (RH - RL) / (1/2 n)

  RH - # of people in lowest group who got item right

  RL - # of people in highest group who got it right

  1/2 n - half of sample size

  Index ranges from -1.00 to +1.00, higher the value the better the discrimination