What is Assessment?
ASSESSMENT is a general term used to describe the process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting information (data) for an intended purpose.
As a teacher, you make decisions every day about how to present the information you want your students to learn and how to find out if they are learning. The process you use to make these decisions consists of three
components—what content you teach (the curriculum), how the content is taught (the instruction), and how you measure what the students actually learn (the assessment). Each of these components plays a critical role, and the process is weakened when one of them is missing or inadequately addressed. This book focuses on the assessments you design to gather data about how well your students are learning. Because the
three components are so entwined, frequent references to both curriculum and instruction are an integral part of the discussion.
Many people think that assessment is limited to the paper and pencil tests given in class to see if students have learned the content. Assessment is far more than pencil and paper tests. You are using a form of assessment each time you observe your students in the classroom; look at products and performances; or talk with teachers, parents, or students about the progress the students are making. Assessment involves anything you do to gather information to make decisions about your students’ learning and your teaching.
The primary purpose of assessment is to gather information, or data. Data is simply information you use as a basis for decision making. There are many forms of data, including test scores, anecdotal notes, responses
to questionnaires, and ratings. The data from paper and pencil tests can give you information such as how many spelling words a student has learned, whether a student can solve certain kinds of mathematics problems, or if the student knows facts about a specific period in history. Performance assessments can provide you with data about a student’s ability to synthesize information, present information, and make inferences.
Observations can also give you data about a student’s preferred learning style, how well the student works in groups, and how much time a student needs to be given to complete an assignment. The purpose of assessment is to let you and the student know about the quality and depth of learning that is taking place.
ASSESSMENT is a general term used to describe the process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting information (data) for an intended purpose.
As a teacher, you make decisions every day about how to present the information you want your students to learn and how to find out if they are learning. The process you use to make these decisions consists of three
components—what content you teach (the curriculum), how the content is taught (the instruction), and how you measure what the students actually learn (the assessment). Each of these components plays a critical role, and the process is weakened when one of them is missing or inadequately addressed. This book focuses on the assessments you design to gather data about how well your students are learning. Because the
three components are so entwined, frequent references to both curriculum and instruction are an integral part of the discussion.
Many people think that assessment is limited to the paper and pencil tests given in class to see if students have learned the content. Assessment is far more than pencil and paper tests. You are using a form of assessment each time you observe your students in the classroom; look at products and performances; or talk with teachers, parents, or students about the progress the students are making. Assessment involves anything you do to gather information to make decisions about your students’ learning and your teaching.
The primary purpose of assessment is to gather information, or data. Data is simply information you use as a basis for decision making. There are many forms of data, including test scores, anecdotal notes, responses
to questionnaires, and ratings. The data from paper and pencil tests can give you information such as how many spelling words a student has learned, whether a student can solve certain kinds of mathematics problems, or if the student knows facts about a specific period in history. Performance assessments can provide you with data about a student’s ability to synthesize information, present information, and make inferences.
Observations can also give you data about a student’s preferred learning style, how well the student works in groups, and how much time a student needs to be given to complete an assignment. The purpose of assessment is to let you and the student know about the quality and depth of learning that is taking place.
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