Assessment Resources

Connecting Performance Assessment to Instruction: A Comparison of Behavioral Assessment, Mastery Learning, Curriculum-Based Measurement, and Performance Assessment
Fuchs, Lynn S.
Eric Digest E530 June 1995
Abstract:
This digest summarizes principles of performance assessment, which connects classroom assessment to learning. Specific ways that assessment can enhance instruction are outlined, as are criteria that assessments should meet in order to inform instructional decisions. Performance assessment is compared to behavioral assessment, mastery learning, and curriculum-based management. Three key features of performance assessment are distinguished: (1) students construct, rather than select, responses; (2) assessment formats allow teachers to observe student behavior on tasks reflecting real-world requirements; and (3) scoring reveals patterns in students' learning and thinking. An example of a performance assessment task is provided. Performance assessment is evaluated in terms of seven general criteria for assessment, such as the measurement of important learning outcomes; compatibility with a variety of instructional models; and ease of administration, scoring, and interpretation by teachers.
link

Classroom Assessment Techniques
Angelo, Thomas A. & Cross, K. Patricia
From Classroom Assessment Techniques, A Handbook for College Teachers, 2 nd Ed.
link

A Primer: Diagnostic, Formative, & Summative Assessment
Swearingen, Richard
link

Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment
Black, Paul & Wiliam, Dylan
link

Does Your Assessment Support Your Students’ Learning?
Gibbs, Graham & Simpson, Claire
link

E-Listening: Transforming Education Using Collaborative Tools for Assessment and Evaluation
Heltne, Mari M.; Nye, Judith B.
Abstract:
This paper discusses how the authors' department curricula, classroom environments, and ultimately student learning might be improved by "high tech" assessment and evaluation techniques to find out "what people really care about." Collaborative technologies are used to gather and process the opinions of students, faculty, and other stakeholders. �E-Listening is defined as the use of collaborative technologies to gather and process the opinions of students and other stakeholders for departmental improvement, and the attempt to extend the process and its benefits to the broader institution. Coordinated assessment activities using two different collaborative technologies, Group Systems and Facilitate.com were designed for the purposes of assessment and evaluation in college classroom. The advantages to students and faculty of the using the collaborative tools are described.
link

Electronic Portfolios: A New Idea in Assessment. ERIC Digest.
Lankes, Anna Maria D.
Abstract:
Classroom assessment measures, in the past often limited to multiple-choice and standardized tests, now can involve the creation of portfolios, or collections of pieces of work which the student selects as the best representation of his or her efforts, progress, skills, and accomplishments. Portfolios also usually include teacher evaluations and student self-reflections and can come in several varieties: (1) "developmental" portfolios document improvement in a designated subject area; (2) "teacher planning" portfolios allow teachers to gauge the ability levels of an incoming class; (3) "proficiency" portfolios can be used to determine graduation eligibility; (4) "showcase" portfolios can assemble the best work done across an entire educational career; (5) "employment skills" portfolios can collect assignments that demonstrate work readiness; and (6) "college admission" portfolios can be solicited by admissions officers to judge an applicant's potential for success at a certain academic institution. To solve problems of storage space and of collecting assignments in various media into a cohesive whole, many schools have begun to store portfolios in electronic form on floppy disks or CD-ROM. Software aids like Roger Wagner Publishing's "HyperStudio" and Claris'"FilmMaker Pro" are highlighted, and examples are given of a high school in New York that has implemented an electronic portfolio program.
link

Assessment in Higher Education- Online Articles
link

Teaching Concepts: Assessment
A guide to types of assessment and their applications.
link

The Effects of Online Formative and Summative Assessment on Test Anxiety and Performance
Cassady, Jerrell C. & Gridley, Betty E.
Journal of Technology, Learning, and Assessment. Volume 4, Number 1, Oct. 2005
Abstract:
This study analyzed the effects of online formative and summative assessment materials on undergraduates'experiences with attention to learners' testing behaviors (e.g., performance, study habits) and beliefs (e.g., test anxiety, perceived test threat). The results revealed no detriment to students' perceptions of tests or performances on tests when comparing online to paper-pencil summative assessments. In fact, students taking tests online reported lower levels of perceived test threat. Regarding formative assessment, findings indicate a small benefit for using online practice tests prior to graded course exams. This effect appears to be in part due to the reduction of the deleterious effects of negative test perceptions afforded in conditions where practice tests were available. The results support the integration of online practice tests to help students prepare for course exams and also reveal that secure web-based testing can aid undergraduate instruction through improved student confidence and increased instructional time.
link