Assessment analysis
At the beginning of this unit, I created a unit pre-assessment on the topics and objectives I was planning on teaching during my New Mexico Birds Unit. This pre-assessment helped me measure the students' prior knowledge on the topics I was planning on integrating, as the questions were linked directly to the main objectives of each lesson.
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This pre-assessment confirmed my plans and objectives, as the average score was a 43%. The assessment showed me that all of the topics and objectives I was planning on focusing on were new to the majority of my students." |
This pre-assessment confirmed my plans and objectives, as the average score was a 43%. The assessment showed me that all of the topics and objectives I was planning on focusing on were new to the majority of my students. If I were to change something about my pre-assessment, I would change the page that tested students’ knowledge of bird anatomy. I found that this page did not test my students' specifically on the anatomy I was focusing on during my lesson. Therefore, I have included the link to a new bird anatomy pre-assessment page, which only tests the students on the parts of a bird I included in my lesson.
Formative assessment was done through both observation and questioning throughout the entire unit. Since this unit was taught mainly through small group instruction, I found that this type of formative assessment was extremely effective, because I was able to better listen and look for students' understandings and misunderstandings. Upon finding misconceptions in small groups I was immediately able to redirect students, before their misconception took root. As a result, I feel that my formative assessment was the most effective form of assessment during this unit, since it was immediate and detailed for each individual student. If I were to do this unit again, I would keep individual records for each student so that I could write notes on my formative assessment observations.
As a summative assessment throughout the rest of the unit I created scientist conclusion pages, which had students journal about their conclusions to the main objectives of the lesson. I found that this was an effective system, since it tested students individually on their understanding while also integrating writing and sentence formation. However, I found that some students were not providing the results I anticipated. When reviewing these assessment questions I found that they were not specific enough for the students. Though most students were able to infer what I was asking for based on the lesson, not every student was able to develop the response I was looking for without a more detailed explanation. As a result, I have created new scientist journal pages that have more focused questions. I feel these new scientist conclusion pages will better assess student understanding, since the questions are more specific on what is being asked. I feel that this type of assessment gave me a good understanding of student growth for each lesson, students' understanding of individual objectives, and where misconceptions were taking place.
Formative assessment was done through both observation and questioning throughout the entire unit. Since this unit was taught mainly through small group instruction, I found that this type of formative assessment was extremely effective, because I was able to better listen and look for students' understandings and misunderstandings. Upon finding misconceptions in small groups I was immediately able to redirect students, before their misconception took root. As a result, I feel that my formative assessment was the most effective form of assessment during this unit, since it was immediate and detailed for each individual student. If I were to do this unit again, I would keep individual records for each student so that I could write notes on my formative assessment observations.
As a summative assessment throughout the rest of the unit I created scientist conclusion pages, which had students journal about their conclusions to the main objectives of the lesson. I found that this was an effective system, since it tested students individually on their understanding while also integrating writing and sentence formation. However, I found that some students were not providing the results I anticipated. When reviewing these assessment questions I found that they were not specific enough for the students. Though most students were able to infer what I was asking for based on the lesson, not every student was able to develop the response I was looking for without a more detailed explanation. As a result, I have created new scientist journal pages that have more focused questions. I feel these new scientist conclusion pages will better assess student understanding, since the questions are more specific on what is being asked. I feel that this type of assessment gave me a good understanding of student growth for each lesson, students' understanding of individual objectives, and where misconceptions were taking place.
During the unit when the students were researching, designing their webpages, and presenting their webpages to their peers (lessons six-eight), I used rubrics to score their progress. The use of rubrics allowed me to give students scores from a scale of one to four in their ability to work well in a group, in their ability to write research sentences for their website, and in their ability to clearly present in front of their peers. (See group work, writing, and presentation rubrics.) I felt that rubrics were the best way to score students because they allowed me to have a clear format for giving student scores in these areas, while also allowing me to give students a clear understanding of how they were being assessed. Since this was the students' first time working in a collaborative group setting, researching with sources, and making a webpage, I felt these rubrics allowed the process of researching and creating a webpage be the assessment rather than the product. I did this because I felt that learning to work in a group, learning to write clear sentences for a reader, and learning to present clearly and appropriately were more important than the actual product the student's created.
My pre-assessment helped me better understand my students' varied understandings on birds and the environment. This helped me adapt my journal assessment time for higher and lower level students. I would push and further question my higher-level students during their scientist journal time, often having them write more about how their inquiry led them to their conclusion, rather than having them just write their conclusion. With my lower level students, I would have them write simply their conclusion or what they remembered from the inquiry time. These individual conversations during scientist journal time helped me differentiate my summative assessment, making it more or less challenging depending on the student's prior understanding. I also had some students who did better simply voicing their responses to the questions, rather than writing them. With these students I would offer to scribe their responses into their scientist journals as they told me their response out loud. This helped me differentiate for varied writing and reading levels
After grading the scientist conclusion journal pages I was able to pinpoint a major misconception or individual students who still needed instruction or guidance. I then used this assessment information to guide my future instruction and interactions with students. I did this by either reviewing the confusing concepts the next day as a whole group, or by having an individual conversation or mini-lesson with those students who still had misconceptions. I also used the scientist journal assessments to make sure the majority of the class was ready to move on to the next lesson; if not, I would alter my instruction to accommodate this need, with re-teaching or reviewing a topic before moving on.
Upon completing their scientist conclusions journal I would grade and return the journal to the students, so that they could see their growth and misconceptions. This helped students receive immediate feedback about the answers provided the day before. At the end of the unit, students were also instructed to take their scientist journals home, which gave parents an opportunity to see student growth and understanding related to the unit's objectives.
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After grading the scientist conclusion journal pages I was able to pinpoint a major misconception or individual students who still needed instruction or guidance. I then used this assessment information to guide my future instruction and interactions with students. " |
At the conclusion of this unit, I also gave parents a link to my New Mexico Birds website, and at their request was able to give them their student's assessment number so that they could compare their student's understanding with that of others in the class. This gave parents an inside look at the objectives, lessons, assessment grading tools, and their student's scores if they wished.
If I were to teach this unit again, I would send a note home at the beginning of the unit that explained to parents information about the unit, where student's scores would be posted online, and their student's assessment number. I believe this would help parents better track their student's growth throughout the unit, and would also increase parent interest and involvement. I also think the option of having a paper copy of each webpage sent home to students who do not have internet should be included, since several of my student's families do not have internet access.
I am extremely happy with my New Mexico bird unit, and look forward to teaching it again in order to make my lessons and assessments even more effective!" |
Overall, I feel that my unit's assessments were linked well to my unit's objectives. I believe that my assessments were worthwhile and for the most part effective. I feel that any assessment inefficiencies would be corrected with the new updated questions and assessments I have included. These assessments helped me not only
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track student growth, but also helped me alter my instruction based on student's needs. I also enjoyed tracking student progress on a webpage in order to instantly update interested parents on their student's learning and growth. (Although I found having scores posted on a webpage was not an accessible option for many parents in this area, and that paper options were equally important.) I am extremely happy with my New Mexico bird unit, and look forward to teaching it again in order to make my lessons and assessments even more effective!