Unlocking the Power of the Teacher-Made Test
Unlocking the Power of the Teacher-Made Test
Log On. Let’s Talk. www.ets.org/letstalk Listening. Learning. Leading.
Introduction
Classroom assessment ranks among a teacher’s most essential educational tools. Well-constructed teacher-made tests can:
• provide teachers with the means to gather evidence about what their students know and can do • help instructors identify students’ strengths and weaknesses • keep tabs on student learning and progress • help teachers plan and conduct future instruction • motivate and shape learning and instruction • guide students toward improving their own performances • gauge whether students are mastering district, state, and national education standards • determine if students are prepared for the high-stakes state or district tests By unlocking the power of effective classroom assessment, teachers can accomplish all of the above and more. In the era of accountability and highstakes decision making, teacher-made tests can no longer be viewed as simply a means to gather grades for the end of the marking period report cards.
process, providing the evidence teachers need to determine whether or not their students have achieved the educational goals set out for them.
Capturing the Evidence
Classroom assessments can be thought of as evidence capturing devices or tools. The evidence the teacher seeks to gather is used to show or prove the students’ knowledge and ability. Just like a good detective, the classroom teacher must consider several things in selecting the tools used to gather the evidence: • What do I think my students should know? What are my expectations for their knowledge base? This could be based on lesson goals and objectives, curriculum or course content goals, district or state standards, etc. • How would I describe my students after they experience these teaching episodes; how would I capture this description? • Of all the things I’ve taught, what are the most important concepts and what should be
Log On. Let’s Talk. www.ets.org/letstalk Listening. Learning. Leading.
Introduction
Classroom assessment ranks among a teacher’s most essential educational tools. Well-constructed teacher-made tests can:
• provide teachers with the means to gather evidence about what their students know and can do • help instructors identify students’ strengths and weaknesses • keep tabs on student learning and progress • help teachers plan and conduct future instruction • motivate and shape learning and instruction • guide students toward improving their own performances • gauge whether students are mastering district, state, and national education standards • determine if students are prepared for the high-stakes state or district tests By unlocking the power of effective classroom assessment, teachers can accomplish all of the above and more. In the era of accountability and highstakes decision making, teacher-made tests can no longer be viewed as simply a means to gather grades for the end of the marking period report cards.
process, providing the evidence teachers need to determine whether or not their students have achieved the educational goals set out for them.
Capturing the Evidence
Classroom assessments can be thought of as evidence capturing devices or tools. The evidence the teacher seeks to gather is used to show or prove the students’ knowledge and ability. Just like a good detective, the classroom teacher must consider several things in selecting the tools used to gather the evidence: • What do I think my students should know? What are my expectations for their knowledge base? This could be based on lesson goals and objectives, curriculum or course content goals, district or state standards, etc. • How would I describe my students after they experience these teaching episodes; how would I capture this description? • Of all the things I’ve taught, what are the most important concepts and what should be