Support of Student Learning through Performance Assessments / Summary of the Presentation

Performance assessments support learning by measuring different means of how well the students learn and able to show what they learned. Kubiszyn and Borich (2013) discuss how Performance tests also allow teachers to observe achievements, mental habits, ways of working, and behaviors of value in the real world that conventional tests may miss and in ways that an outside observer would be unaware that a “test” is going on.  Educators use this type of assessment to measure how students perform their learning objectives in various subjects.  The five examples listed are techniques educators can use to measure student learning within 9^th grade classes.

1.      Within a 9^th, grade foreign language class, students perform a dialogue where the students carry on discussions in that language about classroom etiquette.

2.      In a 9^th grade English class, students edit a composition by providing the necessary corrections. There are different means of assessing the composition by allowing educators to become creative (e.g., within groups, individually, or peer-to-peer).

3.      Within teams, students work on producing a specified science project of Global warming and present an exhibit.

4.      In a 9^th grade African American literature class, students use the Dr. Martin Luther King “I Have Dream” speech to depict parts of the civil rights movement.

5.      An interview with a community leader, the students then present their finding of the interview to the class using various means of providing the feedback. 

Lastly, the focus of this Blog is to inform educators of various ways to differentiate assessments to meet diverse student needs within Bates High School 9^th grade.  This is a means of providing a balanced and differentiated assessment for student learning. Educators use these assessments to offer knowledge to the Professional Learning Community (PLC) team on the requirements needed in order to accomplish this goal. In accomplishing this goal, the Blog describes what it means to change the outcome or product of a lesson. The description also includes justification on the importance of changes to the outcome or product. In addition, the presentation discusses the changing of entry points and exit points along with strategies used for changing both entry and exit points. There are The Blog also describes possible assessments used with a balanced approach to formative, student portfolios and performance assessments that includes guidance for educators use in assessing students. In support of the students’ learning, there are examples of uses of performance assessments for various subjects for 9^th grade students. These examples provide educators with information that offer them a means of becoming creative with the use of differentiation the appeals to the student’s learning style. Overall, educators have information that offers differentiation and means of assessing how students apply what they learn to real-world applications. 

References

Diverse Learners and Classroom Organization- American College of Education Video retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB87i48pRhk

Fogarty, R.J. & Pete, B.M. (2011) Supporting differentiated instruction: A professional learning communities approach. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

Kubiszyn, T. & Borich, G. (2013). Educational testing & measurement: Classroom application and                 practice (10th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

 Levy, H. M. (2008). Meeting the needs of all students through differentiated instruction: Helping every child reach and exceed standards. Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 81(4), 161-164. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,cpid&custid=s8856897&db=eric&AN=EJ789449&site=ehost-live; http://heldref.metapress.com/openurl.asp?genre=article&id=doi:10.3200/TCHS.81.4.161-164