Modifications/Improvements to Personal Assessment Essay

Modifications/Improvements on Personal Assessment Essay:

 

Lack of Research:

My personal assessment essay lacks research (whether statistical or facts/information from a reliable journal source). In order to add value to my opinion on the importance of utilizing authentic assessments, I would need to find some research on this. Finding research that addresses the value of authentic assessments, and even cases where it has shown to be of value in certain classrooms. Testimonial cases of teacher/students also discussing the advantageous results of authentic assessments would bode well for me, to include in my personal assessment essay.

 

Discussing the Actual “Assessment” Portion of the Authentic Assessment:

In my personal assessment essay, I have not discussed any information or even topics on rubrics for the authentic assessment. I should think about how an authentic assessment is graded and what components are most imperative to harbor upon when grading an authentic assessment. Grading based on knowledge of the topic, accuracy in performing the task, efficiency in performing the task, etc. Considering which factors are most important in the authentic assessment would also add value to my essay.

 

Adding Additional Assessment Forms in Order to Gain More Results from an Authentic Assessment:

My opinions of strictly using an authentic assessment as a sort of beneficial “cumulative/final exam,” has somewhat altered. I initially had thought that it can culminate all learned tasks and knowledge given throughout the course into having the student perform a final given task to measure what they have learned over the course of a unit. However, I think adding an additional assessment might also give more results. Maybe including an evaluative assessment on how the students felt they had performed or in completing the task, they realized areas they could have focused on more throughout the unit, in order to perform well in those specific areas they had a lack of confidence in, might be worthwhile to consider. Even a written assessment with multiple-choice questions, and written responses, would still be beneficial to use alongside an authentic assessment.

Performance Task Evaluation

Performance Task Evaluation:

I currently am a student teacher at Parkville High School. In my last Biology class, we had students perform an assignment/worksheet related to cellular respiration and photosynthesis in the library using the computers. It was a virtual lab assignment. I utilized one example student in my evaluation.

 

Understanding Score: 3

The student completed the assignment fully and showed her understanding of required scientific knowledge. Her assignment did contain some errors though in creating the Venn diagram comparing and differentiating photosynthesis and cellular respiration and some thoughts were not fully complete or written out. Therefore, the solution addresses almost all of the scientific components presented in the task, with minor errors.

Planning and Execution Score: 3

The student did utilize the computer/virtual lab site in order to complete the assignment. These were the most important elements of the task. She used all of the relevant data to complete the worksheet. Her assignment was appropriate, but did lack some fully thought out responses to some posed questions, making the assignment partially incomplete.

Communication Score: 3

The student proved to use clear explanations in her work. There is appropriate use of accurate scientific representation, though some not fully complete. The student provided a great and effective amount of scientific terminology and notation in the assignment, though not fully precise in the subject matter.

 

Persistence Score: 2

Although the student did complete the assignment, some portions of the assignment could have shown a little more effort towards. She was able to perform simple parts of the task with little help. As she proceeded to work on harder portions of the assignment, she frequently asked the teacher for help and then decided to become talkative with other students when she gave up on a problem. She had to be told multiple times to remain on task and be diligent in completing her assignment.

Evaluative Rubric

Attached is the link to my evaluative rubric (A better formatted version of this is in a word document)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/16raOks_efeuW3VN6PalT0RMhGXW8-O6HDTyg_fgRJgU/edit?usp=sharing

Introduction

Introduction:

      Hi everyone, my name is Robert Jackson and I am currently a graduate student at Stevenson University working on my M.A. in Education with a STEM focus. I have already received my B.S. in Biology and M.S. in Forensic Sciences at Stevenson University. In relation to my degree, I have had the rewarding opportunity of working with the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division and the United States Secret Service - Forensic Services Division. I wish to pursue a career in teaching in order to provide knowledge to students in Biology and Forensic Sciences. I was previously a supplemental instructor at my college in General Biology and Anatomy & Physiology courses. I currently am a student teacher at Parkville High School in Baltimore County and will be teaching Biology and Anatomy & Physiology courses at the community college level for the year of Spring of 2015. I will be using this blog to share my experiences in teaching and about the new knowledge I gain throughout coursework in obtaining my M.A. in Education.

Reflective Essay on Standardized Testing

Reflective Essay – Standardized Testing

Robert A. Jackson

Stevenson University

            According to Libba Bray, “Scoring well on tests is the sort of happy thing that gets the school district the greenbacks they crave. Understanding and appreciating the material are secondary.” In general, the results of making standardized test so preeminent in schools has warped the very foundation or student knowledge and learning in the classroom. As a previous high school student, I can recollect many standardized tests I have taken such as the SATs and various AP (Advanced Placement) tests that would further boost my chances at getting into college. My high school always expressed how performing well on the SATs was imperative in getting into a great college. They would have after school and weekend SAT prep courses, etc. However, the question I had always wondered was, if the SAT is a review of the mathematical, reading, and writing concepts students have acquired over their many years of education, then why are there additional prep classes in helping them learn things they should already know? I had the fortunate grace of not having to take a SAT prep course, and yet still scored in the top 3% of the nation on all sections. My high school also stressed the importance of scoring well on the AP exams. In a majority of my classes, the number one expression was “the importance of getting a 4 or higher on the AP exam.” The notion of scoring well on the exam was hammered into my brain my whole senior year of high school; not necessarily bettering myself as a person and getting closer to my dream career with the knowledge and newly learned material I had gained in those courses. Therefore, it is difficult to establish that these standardized tests helped me demonstrate evidence of learning. Since the score were so highly important, as stressed by my school and teachers, I memorized terms and concepts for the exam, studied them, aced the exams, and then just completely forgot about the material over time, until I relearned the subjects in college. The terrifying thing about this is that I can say that I am in the top percentile on every standardized test and I was considered a model student with a very apathetic and nonchalant attitude about learning, which is what many of the “top-percentiles” can consider themselves as well.

            Finding a methodical approach to providing school funding as well as evaluating the effectiveness and quality of teachers is what made testing thrive and motivated its development. In regards to government funding correlated to standardized test scores, the general trend tends to be, the better the scores, the more provided funds from the government to those schools/school districts. Funding first started based on President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act, which requires states to rate schools based on test results in order to receive federal funds. Then, President Obama’s administration then dangled an additional $4.3 billion dollars in front of school administrators in a competition called Race to the Top (Kastenbaum, 2012).

            Despite this unpromising example for the future of standardized testing, there are many aspects as to why standardized tests are required by schools. These tests serve towards assisting in college admissions and accurate course placements for students. They aide in informing decisions about which people should be selected for entrance to an educational institution and help to determine which courses or level of a course a student should take, (ETS, 2014). Standardized tests also provide results as to whether or not an individual is adequately qualified to receive a license, certification, or an employment opportunity. They verify whether someone has the necessary knowledge and skills to be a qualified practitioner or to be given advanced standing in an occupation or profession, (ETS, 2014). Finally, one of the arguable most important factor in having standardized tests is the concept of accountability. This means that the test can hold various levels of the education system responsible for test results that indicate if students learn what they should have learned (ETS, 2014).

            In regards to the specified material included on standardized tests, the Common Core is taken into account. The Common Core plays a huge role in standardized tests. In general, English language arts and math were the subjects chosen for the Common Core State Standards because they are areas upon which students build skill sets that are used in other subjects. Students must learn to read, write, speak, listen, and use language effectively in a variety of content areas, so the standards specify the literacy skills and understandings required for college and career readiness in multiple disciplines. It is the mission of school systems to create assessments suitable for measuring students’ mastery of the common core standards (Popham, 2014). A majority of standardized tests incorporate English reading and writing, and mathematic skills into testing. The major standardized tests like the SATs and ACTs strictly have subjects of reading, writing, and mathematics.

References

ETS. 2014. “Purpose of Standardized Tests.” Educational Testing Service.

            https://www.ets.org/understanding_testing/purpose

Kastenbaum, Steve. 2012. “The High Stakes of Standardized Tests.” CNN.

            http://wtvr.com/2012/05/17/the-high-stakes-of-standardized-tests/

Popham, James. 2014. “Why Do Teachers Need to Know About Assessment.” Classroom

            Assessment: What Teachers Need to Know. Pearson. P. 4..