Types and procedures of Assessment

The key to effectively assessing your students' mastery of skills is to match the assessment method to the learning objectives. If a learning objective of your class is to have students understand the differences between Eastern Orthodox and Catholic architecture in the 15th century, then a research paper may be more appropriate than a multiple-choice exam.

Some of the more common types of assessments include:

Formal AssessmentMultiple-choice exam Essays Short-answer or problem-solving exam Lab report Research paper Performance-based ("authentic") - interpreting a piece of music, writing a computer program, constructing a three-dimensional model of a scientific concept, etc. Oral Presentations Comprehensive portfolios

Informal Assessment"Minute Essays" - at the end of a class/unit, students take 5 minutes to write about what they have learned, and how it relates to a learning objective "Peer Teaching" - after a short lecture about a new concept, have students work in pairs and explain that concept to each other "Question Time" - students are given an index card and asked to record two questions they have about the material covered in lecture that day/week. Allow time in the next class period to respond to some of the more common questions "5 Minute Quiz" - at the beginning of class, give students one or two questions over material covered in the previous class session. Discuss answers and do a show of hands to see how many understand the concepts.

Bloom's Taxonomy

Bloom's Taxonomy is a way to address the levels of student thinking desired on an assignment. There are six levels, with "Knowledge"-based questions being the most simple, and "Evaluation"-based questions being the most complex. When designing assessment, determine at which levels you wish students to demonstrate their understanding, then design questions that address this level of thinking. The Bloom´s Taxonomy website at the University of Washington provides model questions and key words for each level of thinking.

ASSESSMENT FORMATS
Format	Nature/Purpose	Stage
Baseline Assessments	Oral and written responses based on individual experience Assess prior knowledge	Baseline
Paper and Pencil Tests	Multiple choice, short answer, essay, constructed response, written reports Assess students acquisition of knowledge and concepts	Formative
Embedded Assessments	Assess an aspect of student learning in the context of the learning experience	Formative
Oral Reports	Require communication by the student that demonstrates specific topic understanding	Formative
Interviews	Assess individual and group performance before, during, and after any type of experience (art fair, scientific fair, play, etc)	Formative
Performance Tasks	Require students to create or take an action related to a problem, issue, or concept	Formative and Summative
Checklists	Monitor and record anecdotal information	Formative and Summative
Investigative Projects	Require students to explore a problem or concern stated either by the teacher or the students	Summative
Extended or Unit Projects	Require the application of knowledge and skills in an open-ended setting	Summative
Portfolios	Assist students in the process of developing and reflecting on a purposeful collection of student-generated data	Formative and Summative