Externally vs. Formative assessments

Externally based Test vs. formative Assessment

                Externally based test focuses on  formative assessment giving outside the classroom such as the EOG test.  Content standard focuses on what the student will do according to standards set by the state.  I think the use of formative assessments are overrated.  I think students need to be assessed on the standards however I feel that unless the teachers and others who are teaching students what they need to learn should provide an assessment for what students have learned.  As an administrator, I understand the assessments, measurement and evaluations that should be done when evaluating students needs.  However the assessments in the classroom based test should be the focus in determining the need of the students It is valuable to the educational experience for all stakeholders.  Teachers can take the assignments for diagnosis to guide instruction.  Teachers and administrators using this type of data will bring about improvements for the child, school and the teachers and administrators.

Measurement and Assessment

Predicative Validity

Jong, John. Predicative validity

                 www.youtube.com/watch?y=IF-oeuidRuU

                The predicative validity is how a test is able to predict the behavior of a candidate after taking a test. Professor John de Jong used as an example of students taking a test to be enrolled into a university. There are three things that could be useful for student achievement when using predicative validity. Students who take the state standardized test such as the EOG are placed in student in specific classrooms based on their ability levels.  Students who take the state standardized test are compared to other students according to the standard course of study across state. Students who take the state standardized test/ or classroom-based test that will allow teachers to determine whether or not they have mastered the material.  There are also three things that could be useful for teachers and administrators. The teacher can determine a focus by which to re-teach material if students did not meet the expectation.  Administrators can examine programs to help students obtain skills that are lacking.  Administrators can offer staff development for teachers in order to help students meet expectations. In my research, using the assessment tools in the Corrective Reading is a predictive assessment which determines the placement in which to begin the intervention for reading fluency and comprehension. 

LeBlanc, Pattie. “Key ideas in Validity and Reliability for Teachers”.       www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3Zc8g9BwKg&feature=related

Standard Error of Measurement

                There are two key ideas that Dr. LeBlanc emphasizes in this you tube: validity and reliability.  Validity is when the test measures what it is suppose measure. Reliability is how consistent the assessment to be measured is it is.  Standard error of measurement is the mathematical way to estimate the amount of error in any given measurement of variability.  It is usually +3 or -3 pts from standard error of measurement.  It is the relationship between the Standard Error of Measurement and reliability.  If the reliability is high then the standard error of measurement will be smaller and vice versa.  When looking at the states for reliability there are factors that make an assessment more reliability.  Dr. LeBlanc talks about the subjects by which taking the test should be at a minimum of 30.  The items on the test should also be at least 30 for good reliability. There are three things that could be useful for student achievement.  When noting the reliability of the test makes sure that your sample of test is accurate in measurement of the table of specification.  There are three things that could be useful for student achievement. For students, one of the ways to examine the reliability of the test is to determine whether or not the test is valid.  Teachers can determine by classroom-based assessments if the student has grasped the information by re-taking the test and providing an average.  When making a test, students achievement may be examined by making sure that the questions on follow the guidelines of table specification (Bloom’s Taxonomy).  When viewing the student assessments in is a useful to determine what items are adequate.  Students may need further remedial from the teacher.  There are three things that could be useful for teachers/administrators.  Often when psychologist and teachers are determining the eligibility of students we look at test such as the Woodcock Johnson and the WISC to predict how they relate to other students their age academically and cognitively. When determining the reliability, teachers could check there test with other teachers (collaboration) in our school we are using common assessments to identify what should be taught in the classroom.  In the planning of instruction teachers can examine the standards by which to concentrate and then devise a plan for students to reach the desired outcome.

Leblanc. Pattie.  “Key Ideas in Validity and Reliability for Teachers”

                www.youtube.com/watch?v+NFD^_XZqfso&feature=related

 Validity

                When looking at the validity of the assessment one may examine the most important items and how the assessment is designed to measure.  For example a standardized test and a teacher made test.  When looking at the content of the assessment the standards are what are taught.  When looking at construct, the quality of the test is viewed.  There are three things that could be useful for student achievement.  When focusing on the content be aware that the test focuses on the standards and objectives for what is taught.  Student can identify the objective and can do a self-assessment to determine what they have learned.   For teachers administrators may have test be examined by panel of experts other teacher, making suggestions to improve test as well in common planning. The use of the matrices such as the table of specification can help teachers in common planning to identify the levels of thinking and assessed the levels. The construct validity assessments are commonly used for knowledge skills, aptitude, and efficacy and empathy test. These tests are usually examined by a panel in order to focus on the standard error of measurement.

                “Anything not understood in more than one way is not understood at all”.  Measurement, assessment and evaluation mean very different things.  Measurement is the process of the attributes or dimensions of some physical object are determined.  Collection of data relative to some established rule or standard.  Assessment is information obtained to some known objective or goal.  Evaluation it is the process that is engaged to provide information to make judgment about a situation.  The information from this article was very useful in distinguishing the differences between measure, assessment and evaluation.  Student achievement is assessed through facets of classroom based test.  Teachers are then evaluated from the assessment the academic needs of the student and determining the goals and objectives to teach.  When looking at my research project there are components within the project in which the student’s can be measured by their successes and the assessments are taking by the objectives that they reach for the lesson.  Before, during and after the teacher and the student may have opportunities to evaluate the process of the intervention or determine their needs.  As a teacher and administrator, deciphering the difference between measurement, assessment and evaluation is significant because it allows for more in depth study of useful programs that you may want to include in your school.

Kizlik,  Dr. Bob. Measurement, Assessment and Evaluation in Education, January2, 2011

                www.adprima.com/measurement.htm

Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation copyruight 2000

pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=7&n+8

                In viewing the purposes of assessments, I found it very useful to students teachers and administrators that when you are finding an assessment make sure that you follow the following guidelines : 1)Assessment is inherently a process of professional judgement. 2)Assessment is based on separate but related principles of measurement evidence and evaluation. 3) Assessment decision-making is influenced by a series of tensions=motivate and engage students in ways that are consistent with their philoso[phies of teaching and learning. Different factors influence the nature of the assessment. 4)Asssessment influences student motivation and learning- how do students study or motivated to study when it is multiple choice items.  5)Assessment contains error- teachers and administrators need to not only know that there is error in all classroom and standardized assessments. 6)Good assessment enhances instruction – the use of diagnostic assessments can be a driving tool for instruction. 7)Good assessment is valid. 8)Good assessment is fair and ethical. 9) Good assessment is efficient and feasible. 10) Good assessment appropriately incorporates technology.

Evaluation

Los Angeles to Develop Value-Added Teacher Evaluations

Connie Llannos

 http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2010/11/11/mct_cateachereval.html

                Los Angeles is launching a method to evaluate teachers based on the performance of their students.  The district has hired two consultants who were paid 4.5 million dollars to study and develop ways to evaluate teachers. The other consultant was hired to design guidelines and best practices for the teachers.  The union of Los Angeles is very critical of this plan and states that it is unfair and there are flaws in this plan.  However President Obama supports their effort to design an evaluation system for teachers.  Judith Peres states that the district needs to identify effective teaching practices and share with administrators and teachers throughout the district.  The district has two contracts that are paid by federal funds for professional development.  This money is not to be for programs and to hire back teacher.  The first contract is for New England based Teaching and Learning Solution for 3 million dollars to create teaching best practices and clear expectations and meet guideline to follow.  The other is to create value-added scores for its teachers termed in academic growth overtime.

                All these programs are well and good.  We are spending money for professional development for the wrong people.  What about the people who have an impact on the students on a daily basis?  Why can’t we facilitate that money into developing programs that will meet the needs of the students so that they can grow academically?  Why can’t we have programs where the teachers are trained to facilitate in the classroom?  That’s what I call professional development.  It seems to me that so much money is being spent on outside help to make a change for the teachers and how they are value.  True I think there should be some accountability?  However, if what we are teaching is not working?  How we are teaching is not working?  Then train the teachers who work in the classroom.  As a principal I would want to look at training the teachers to meet the needs of the students.  I think all stakeholders, principals, superintendents, and teachers need to be train on the same information so that they can know what the common goal is and thus produce the final outcome which is to educate our students.

New Technology

November 2010 | Volume 68 | Number 3
Closing Opportunity Gaps    Pages 84-86

E-Readers: Get Ready for the Revolution

William M. Ferriter

http://ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/nov10/vol68/num03/E-Readers@_Get_Ready_for_the_Revolution.aspx

                This article focuses on the era of new technology, the e-reader.  A teacher purchased a Kindle for personal use and in turn found it to be useful in his classroom. He states that it can hold more than 3000 books .  He has been able to influence children to read more through technology.  The e- reader    (The Kindle) cost approximately $139.00. This device enables teachers to down load chapters of a book and it can hold numerous books.  This specific e-reader cost less than the I-pad and it does not hold the other high tech components such as videos and games.

                 Some questions that were asked to determine factors  in which to purchase this technology for schools.  They are:  What academic purposes do you have in mind?  Is school  infra-share ready to handle new Internet traffic demands? Can you partner with local libraries? Will devices help you comply with American with Disabilities Act? 

                This is a wonderful addition to technology in regards to technology.  However it seems to be costly and with the issues that educators are faced with there seems to be no money for the great technology.  I think it is a shame that we are asked to broaden our knowledge in the 21^st century with technology however it is very difficult when the schools do not have the resources that they need to become 21^st compatible. As a Principal, I would be encourage to have this technology?  However I wonder how costly it would be because it takes money to implement a new program?

Principal Interview 2

Decisions with Exceptional Children and/or 504

Exceptional Children

Decision 1:

 In Ms.S. first year as a principal she made a decision to change the makeup of classrooms. They were made up of students with disabilities who needed services and support of an EC teacher as well.  She observed classrooms and found that the students were in a regular standard classroom.  Students were having some difficulties in the classroom with no support from an EC teacher.  The EC teachers were in other classrooms. As a result she decided to make some changes to the master schedule.  Based on the data from the previous year’s EOG scores, she decided to make inclusion classrooms which included a general education teacher and an EC teacher.   She obtained research on this practice from Dr. Friend who is a strong advocate for co-teaching in the school environment.  Also Ms. S was a teacher in California over a course of 15 years.  Through her experience she found this type of classroom to be most effective.

When asked about the impact of this decision on students, parents, and teachers?

Students:   She stated that the students had some difficulties in the beginning adjusting to the change but later found it to be most helpful.  As a result, there was significant growth in their academics and on the EOG standardized test for language arts and math. She also stated that those students who were in resource classes did not show mark improvements.

 Parents:   Initially, they were upset and concerned with the changes.  They felt that their child would not adapt to the change very well because of their previous placement and the change in teachers.  But as the school year progressed and students were moved to their appropriate places, parents viewed this as a positive change for some students.

Teachers:  Initially were upset with this decision because they were placed in a position to adapt to having another teacher in the classroom and sharing teaching responsibilities.  Some invited the help and others were territorial.

Decision 2

This decision was based on the guidelines to have students with a disability to receive instruction from highly qualified teacher in their core subjects of reading, math, social studies, and science.  This current school year the EC teachers serve as co-teachers in classes that have students who have are eligible for EC services.  However they are amongst students who are not receiving services who may be at grade level or slightly below as well.  These students receive the benefit of a co-taught environment as well.  The weakness with this is that there is such a spectrum of students who may not get their needs met because they need more an additional instruction.  To help counteract this, a learning lab was put into place to address some academic needs for those students who need additional help other than the classroom. Along with this, the learning community of our school system  sent some additional support to define useful strategies for the general education and EC teacher,

I

504

In regards to students with a 504 plan, Ms. Stated a student was hit by a car and a decision was made to place the child on a temporary 504 until she was able to perform her duties as a student.  She was on medical leave for a period of time.  Therefore she needed additional accommodations and modifications to help her due to the number of absences due to illness.

Who Ruled?

Supreme Court Case Rules on Special Education

Morning Edition June 23, 2009

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=105797012&m=105796997

                Larry Avis reported that a high school student (TA) began having attention problems.  The student was evaluated to determine eligibility.   It was found that he did not qualify for special education services. One comment was made that if accommodations were made then it was unlikely that the student would have been in a residential facility.  Parent decided when TA was a junior;  it was best to pull the student out of the public school.  They placed him in a private setting (boarding school). The school system stated parents acted on there on that they did not feel that they should have to pay for their decision to place the child in a private setting. TA’s parents decided to sue and have the public school to pay for the tuition of their child in private setting.  They took the case to Supreme Court.  The parent won the right to sue for payment of the student’s education in Portland, Oregon for the cost of sending the student to a private school. They must go back to court to determine reimbursement.  There are concerns that schools need to keep working with parents to come up with the needs of students even if the student does not qualify. There is concern that cases like these may influence parents to want to pull their child out of the public school setting and seek the private setting at the expense of the school district.

                Should the parents have sued for educational services outside of the school system? My concerns with this lawsuit are the criteria by which the school system of Oregon based their decision to determine eligibility.  I feel that if there were no accommodations and modifications made based on the special education services then there should have been some, based on 504.  I feel that the school system should have addressed the areas of concern and come up with strategies that the parents were comfortable with and documented those things.  I can’t determine based on the report whether or not anecdotal records were gathered but there are a series of assessments a student would encounter to make the decision to not be eligible.  However the parent’s have a right to go due process if they are in disagreement with the decision and it sounds as if that may have occurred.  However, lots of time has gone by, TA continues to have issues with attention problems.  I’m not sure he did not have any other problems that may have caused him to enter in a boarding school. There are still some missing elements to the story.  To answer my question of a law suit, I feel that the parents should sue if not all of the interventions were tried for their child and to make sure that the child received the most optimal education within the public setting only if all else has failed.

Additional Reference:

1.    High court: Who pays for special education?

By MATTHEW DALY Associated Press Writer

www.katu.com/news/national/43920887.html

2.    US high court to hear Oregon special ed case by Mary Hudetzwww.katu.com/news/local/37751839.htm

21st Century- CHRIS Video

                                                                  There are many teachers who are adamant about lecturing and nothing else. I think we as educators have to remember the era.  Students are multi- task learners.  However it has to be relevant to their life and important enough to them in order for students to tap into their interest.  In the video,” 21st Century pedagogy”, it was stated that educators need to, “change the DNA”.   I agree that the DNA needs to be examined however there are certain skills necessary to have mastered before a high level of learning can take place.

           As a principal, I would like to see my school focus on the 21st century concepts through the learning experiences and maybe incorporate some type of technology relevant to their personal experiences. One of the other videos, “Education , Today and Tomorrow”, states that students obtain information from so many facets such as teacher and student instruction by which they communicate with each other.  Students can obtain information by entertainment such as through music- use of ipods. Other multimedia technology are  face book, blogs, web page , you tubes and others.  So why not take some of those devices and use it in education environment.  These videos greatly impacted my thought and ideas by which I would like to lead my school.

          When I viewed the videos, I thought about my vision and philosophy for teaching.   I believe students want to learn. However they want to know how relevant it is to their life. One of the videos, Students in the 21st Century, focus on how different the era was from the time of Shakespeare and to present time.  This is one of the things that impacted the direction by which I would want my school to be led.

            I feel that it can’t be a program that is thrown to the teachers.  I would have teachers thoroughly involved in the implementation of the program as well as the parents invested .  Teachers need to observe the program already in use and examine the data that reflects the learning of students.  We would adapt changes or delete changes that would not benefit our school.

           As they have learned the program it is my hope to observe learning with multi-media technology and students engaged. Teachers would have students engaged in the learning environment. They may be using computers in the classroom on a daily basis.  They may be chatting with each other on line about a lesson and posting their response on line. They may be breaking down basic information in math class so that students might understand the relevance of volume.  Teacher may venture to show a recording from you tube on specific concepts.    

           I would venture to have a school in which technology is not a issue of lack of funding to purchase but part of the education of becoming a 21^st Century school. However, this is an ideal school in which every child has a computer to use in each classroom.    

                                         

Additional Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdwEIi22Dv8