ABCs of Evaluation

The ABCs of Evaluation book has helped me in incorporating a variety of formats when assessing my students. The reading outlines an activity for each letter of the alphabet that can be used with students in a way that helps me determine what they know and have learned, and helps the student reinforce the content or put the content into practice. I liked the reading because it offers methods in involving students actively in an assessment much more differently than the standard pencil-paper testing approach.
I have included my outline of the ABCs of Evaluation.

• ABC’s of Evaluation Part Two offers a variety of assessment tools that can be used in the Social Studies curriculum or even in other subject areas. The variety of strategies appeals to the varied types of learners: kinesthetic, cognitive and affective.
• A: Agree/Disagree clarification cards: These cards are useful in helping students determine their stance on a certain topic. It helps the students have a better understanding of their preferences, areas of agreement and areas of curiosity.
• B: Bloom Constructed Tests: Teaching students the different levels of bloom help them create questions in each area and can teach the students the value of each type of questioning.
• C: Collaborative test-taking: Working cooperatively is often appreciated by students. By having students work together on a test they are able to share their knowledge and help clarify things for their peers who may be confused. It is a great opportunity for students to also make judgements on others’ arguments.
• D: Discussion: Interactive discussions are critical in a healthy classroom. Having students share their ideas and supporting their thoughts can open up the cognitive and affective domains of students.
• E: Evidence via Symbol/picture representations: Providing students with symbol and picture cards can be incorporated in an exercise where students make metaphors. Offering students an opportunity to look at something and make a relationship given some options can be useful for students to begin looking and thinking outside the box.
• F: Fact finding through fraternizing: In this assessment method students work in teams and each have a portion to learn about given on a card. The students must understand the concept and then share these new learned items with members in their group. Each student is responsible for not only teaching but also learning from their classmates.
• G: Group processing skills: This skill teaches students the importance in group relations. Students may focus on a skill of the day, such as “inviting others to contribute”, in their discussions and talk afterward of their progress.
• H: Hard-core judgments using starter statements: Starter statements are a great way to guide students. These statements can be incorporated in different subject areas and often help students determine their attitudes about concepts. An example of a starter statement is: My favorite shirt to wear is... because...
• I: Inquiry lecture techniques: Breaking up a solid lecture can be beneficial in a classroom setting. One technique is to offer a question which students are to respond to at different intervals throughout a lesson. Additionally, this question may be answered at the beginning and talked about throughout or afterward.
• J: Jeopardy Style Testing: This is a popular style for reviewing because it is uncommon. The students are presented an answer to which they are to create a question. It is an effective technique especially when there may be several questions to which a particular answer can be the response.
• K: Kinesthetic testing tactics: This tactic allows the kinesthetic learners to construct their own understandings through grouping. Nine cards with different terms are faced down and mixed. They are then organized in a 3x3 matrix and the student is to create a phrase that can be used with the three words across into a cohesive sentence.
• L: Learning project poster: Learning project posters are a great visual aid for students and helps them see their contributions to a final project. With a learning poster the students are given a number of pages that would arrange into a larger page. Areas of the poster are to be filled in with information that the students research or learn throughout a lesson.
• M: Measurement through contracting: Contracts are successful because they encourage the students to see their goals and make up their final grades. These are often laid out as outlines or timelines of what the student is to accomplish over a specific amount of time; they become accountable for what they complete and what they do not complete.
• N: Negotiable read/relate options: Reading and relating offers a variety of assignments from which the students can choose. After reading a short passage on a left hand column the relate portion to the right details a short project that the students can link to the reading.
• O: Observations: In determining a students’ success, observations are a convenient way to make decisions. With observations there is often a checklist of behaviors that suggest the student is engaged and learning. They can be observations of a student or observations that students make themselves on their peers or even on the teacher.
• P: Portfolios: Portfolios are one of my favorite methods of assessment. These items can show growth over time and are constructed with the students’ work and choices of items. Often, these booklets contain brief descriptions of the items included and the reason why it is included.
• Q: Quotation reactions: Quotations are a great way for students to think about language and of content. These words and thoughts of famous people act as springboards for reflective thinking and can open up a students’ perspective by supporting or negating the phrase.
• R: Response cards: Response cards are useful for a teacher in determining each students’ progress. These cards can either be a blank whiteboard/slateboard for each students to respond to or cards with multiple choice letters. A teacher then asks students a question and they raise their responses.
• S: Satisfying case studies: By offering students a short but meaningful scenario they have a chance to practice their new skills and knowledge. Usually case studies offer a set of conclusions or solutions of which the students eventually come to. Having a realistic setting is important for students to understand the authentic application of what they learn in the class.
• T: Tic Tac Toe gameboards: I like this method of assessment. The students are given a copied tic tac toe gameboard with different concepts, terms or questions within each cubicle, all relating to a topic. As two students play, they may lay down their X or O if a correct answer is given. One student is the scorekeeper and answer checker and the students switch. This technique is an interactive and “fun” approach to reviewing.
• U: Undertaking project evaluations: As opposed to an end-of-unit exam, students can be offered the opportunity to create a project that clearly illustrates his/her understanding of the delivered content. The students are given specific guidelines of what their project must include but the rest is determined at their own discretion and creativity.
• V: Value related exercises: This strategy is effective in the affective domain. Students are given an activity, such as “Board of Directors” where each student is to talk about a topic like adults and in a formatted discussion. Other activities that are value related help students determine their beliefs on character traits.
• W: Ways to use journals and logs: Learning logs are notebooks where students can write notes on what they’re learning in class or during lectures and from information learned in textbooks. These logs are a good place for students to write something down that they can reference later. Journals are useful especially with literature because it gives the students an outlet where they can discuss their feelings and responses. Additionally, journals are healthy for students to spend some time with their writings and make reflections.
• X: Examples of skillpacks: Little Frog Publications offers a recording sheet and cards for different topics. Students are expected to score their answers and place incorrect answers at the bottom of a pile where they are to learn from their wrong answer. These cards come in varieties of topics and offer students chances to get all answers correct.
• Y: Yes/No or Either/Or choices: Providing students with a forced choice option can help them clarify their values. These phrases are usually creative ones where students know the items in the question but are applying them in an unfamiliar manner. For examples, one choice might ask a student: Are you more like a light bulb or a kerosene lantern?
• Z: Zest for Pair and share testing teasers: This strategy involves groups of four students working together. Each group is given one topic that is divided into sections; then, students are each expected to read the first portion of the card, make a reflection on the second card, trade with a partner the new found information and work as pairs to create a small group project or activity.