Classroom Assessment : Concepts and Applications

by AIRASIAN PETER W.

• ISBN13: 9780072322729
• ISBN10: 0072322721
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-08-21
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages

Summary

Airasian presents complex concepts clearly so that pre-service teachers can understand them, and solidly grounds these concepts in best practice through practical, real, well-integrated examples. He talks to, not at users. The text conceives of classroom assessment in a broader way than many other texts. It focuses not only on the assessment needs of testing, grading, interpreting standardized tests, and performance assessments but also on assessment concerns in organizing a classroom at the start of school, planning and implementing instruction, and strategies of teacher self reflection. Classroom Assessment: Concepts and Applications views classroom assessment as an everyday, ongoing, integral part of teaching, not something that is separated from life in classrooms. The text is organized in a manner that follows the natural progression of teacher decision making, from organizing the class as a learning community to planning and conducting instruction to the formal evaluation of learning and, finally, to grading.

Author Biography

Peter W. Airasian is Professor of Education at Boston College, where he is Chair of the Department of Counseling, Developmental Psychology, and Research Methods.

Table of Contents

Preface	xii
The Classroom as an Assessment Environment	1	(26)
Purposes of Assessment	4	(4)
Establishing Classroom Equilibrium	4	(1)
Planning and Conducting Instruction	5	(1)
Placing Pupils	5	(1)
Providing Feedback and Incentives	5	(1)
Diagnosing Pupil Problems	6	(1)
Judging and Grading Academic Learning and Progress	6	(2)
Some Definitions: Assessment, Test, Measurement, and Evaluation	8	(2)
Methods of Collecting Assessment Information	10	(3)
Paper-and-Pencil Methods	10	(1)
Observation Methods	11	(1)
Oral Questioning Methods	12	(1)
Standardized and Nonstandardized Assessments	13	(1)
Standardized Assessments	13	(1)
Nonstandardized Assessments	14	(1)
Individual and Group Assessment	14	(2)
Individually Administered Assessments	14	(1)
Group Administered Assessments	15	(1)
Characteristics of Good Assessment: Validity and Reliability	16	(5)
Validity	18	(1)
Reliability	19	(2)
Ethical Issues and Responsibilities	21	(6)
Chapter Summary	23	(1)
Questions for Discussion	24	(1)
Reflection Exercise	24	(1)
Activity	25	(1)
Review Questions	25	(1)
References	25	(2)
Learning About Pupils: Sizing-Up Assessment	27	(36)
Gathering Sizing-Up Assessment Information	31	(6)
Preclassroom Sizing-Up Information	31	(2)
Classroom Sizing-Up Information	33	(4)
Forming Pupil Descriptions	37	(3)
Characteristics of Sizing-Up Assessments	40	(4)
Stability of Sizing-Up Assessments	41	(1)
Observation in Sizing-Up Assessments	41	(3)
The Validity and Reliability of Sizing-Up Assessments	44	(7)
Problems That Affect Validity	44	(7)
Sizing-Up Effects on Pupils	51	(2)
Improving Sizing-Up Assessments	53	(10)
Chapter Summary	59	(1)
Questions for Discussion	60	(1)
Reflection Exercises	60	(1)
Activities	60	(1)
Review Questions	61	(1)
References	61	(2)
Lesson Planning: Objectives, Standards, and Accommodations	63	(52)
Education, Curriculum, and Instruction	64	(1)
The Instructional Process	65	(9)
Teacher's Views of the Instructional Process	66	(1)
Teacher Planning	67	(2)
Pupil Characteristics	69	(1)
Teacher Characteristics	70	(1)
Instructional Resources	71	(3)
Characteristics of Objectives	74	(2)
Types of Objectives: Global, Educational, and Instructional	74	(2)
Stating Cognitive Objectives: Bloom's Taxonomy	76	(3)
A Second Dimension of Objectives: Three Types of Knowledge	79	(9)
Combining Cognitive Processes and Types of Knowledge	83	(3)
Stating Objectives	86	(1)
Questions About Objectives	86	(2)
Other Sources of Objectives	88	(9)
Textbook Objectives	88	(3)
State and School District Learning Standards	91	(6)
Improving Planning Assessment	97	(5)
Addressing Pupil Accommodations	102	(13)
Legal Issues	102	(4)
Disabilities and Accommodations	106	(3)
Chapter Summary	109	(2)
Questions for Discussion	111	(1)
Reflection Exercise	111	(1)
Activities	112	(1)
Review Questions	112	(1)
References	112	(3)
Assessing During Instruction	115	(28)
Teachers' Tasks During Instruction: Two Metaphors	117	(1)
Aligning Objectives and Instruction	118	(6)
Remembering Factual Knowledge	120	(1)
Understanding Conceptual Knowledge	120	(1)
Applying Procedural Knowledge	121	(1)
Instructional Approaches from State Standards	122	(2)
Teacher Thinking During Instruction	124	(2)
Instructional Assessment	126	(4)
Assessing Abnormal and Normal Behavior	127	(1)
The Need for Practical Knowledge	128	(2)
The Quality of Instructional Assessments: Validity and Reliability	130	(3)
Problems That Affect Validity	130	(2)
Problems That Affect Reliability	132	(1)
Improving Assessment During Instruction	133	(2)
Questioning: Purposes and Strategies	135	(8)
Purposes of Questioning	135	(3)
Questioning Strategies	138	(2)
Chapter Summary	140	(1)
Questions for Discussion	141	(1)
Reflection Exercises	141	(1)
Activities	141	(1)
Review Questions	141	(1)
References	142	(1)
Official Assessment: Developing Tests and Assessments	143	(24)
Formative and Summative Assessment	144	(3)
Developing Formal Assessments	147	(1)
Preparing Official Assessments: Four Concerns	148	(8)
Mr. Wysocki's Class	148	(2)
What Should Be Tested?	150	(1)
What Types of Assessments Should Be Used?	151	(1)
How Long Should the Assessment Take?	152	(3)
Should a Teacher-Made Assessment or a Textbook Assessment Be Used?	155	(1)
Preparing Pupils for Official Assessments	156	(11)
Issues of Test Preparation	157	(2)
Provide Good Instruction	159	(1)
Review Before Testing	159	(1)
Ensure Familiarity with Question Formats	160	(1)
Scheduling the Test	161	(1)
Giving Pupils Information About the Test	162	(1)
Chapter Summary	162	(2)
Questions for Discussion	164	(1)
Reflection Exercise	164	(1)
Activity	164	(1)
Review Questions	164	(1)
References	165	(2)
Paper-and-Pencil Test Questions	167	(36)
Types of Test Items: Selection and Supply	168	(5)
Selection Items	169	(2)
Supply Items	171	(2)
Higher-Level Test Questions	173	(5)
Interpretive Exercises	174	(4)
General Guidelines for Writing and Critiquing Test Items	178	(15)
Cover Important Content and Behaviors	178	(4)
Writing Paper-and-Pencil Items: Six Rules	182	(11)
Review Items Before Testing	193	(1)
Aligning Instruction with Paper-and-Pencil Assessments	193	(10)
Alignment of Instruction and Assessment: Remembering Factual Knowledge	193	(1)
Alignment of Instruction and Assessment: Understanding Conceptual Knowledge	194	(2)
Alignment of Instruction and Assessment: Applying Procedural Knowledge	196	(2)
Chapter Summary	198	(1)
Questions for Discussion	199	(1)
Reflection Exercise	199	(1)
Activities	200	(1)
Review Questions	201	(1)
References	201	(2)
Administering, Scoring, and Improving Paper-and-Pencil Tests	203	(24)
Assembling the Test	204	(2)
Administering the Test	206	(2)
Physical Setting	206	(1)
Keeping Track of Time	207	(1)
Psychological Setting	207	(1)
Issues of Cheating	208	(4)
Types of Cheating	210	(1)
Deterring Cheating	210	(2)
Scoring Paper-and-Pencil Tests	212	(6)
Scoring Selection Items	213	(1)
Scoring Short-Answer and Completion Items	214	(1)
Scoring Essay Items	215	(3)
Posttest Item Analysis: Implications for Validity	218	(3)
Discuss Test Results with Pupils	221	(1)
Testing Pupils with Disabilities	221	(6)
Chapter Summary	223	(1)
Questions for Discussion	224	(1)
Reflection Exercises	225	(1)
Activities	225	(1)
Review Questions	225	(1)
References	226	(1)
Performance Assessment	227	(34)
Performance Assessment in Schools and Classrooms	231	(3)
Performance-Oriented Subjects	232	(1)
Early Childhood and Special Needs Pupils	233	(1)
Developing Performance Assessments	234	(16)
Define the Purpose of Assessment	235	(1)
Identify Performance Criteria	235	(7)
Provide a Setting to Elicit and Observe the Performance	242	(1)
Develop a Score to Describe the Performance	243	(7)
Validity and Reliability of Performance Assessments	250	(11)
Validity	252	(1)
Reliability	253	(2)
Chapter Summary	255	(1)
Questions for Discussion	256	(1)
Reflection Exercises	257	(1)
Activities	257	(1)
Review Questions	258	(1)
References	258	(3)
Applications of Performance Assessment	261	(28)
Rubrics: Construction and Applications	262	(5)
Factors in Using Rubrics	266	(1)
Types and Examples of Rubrics	267	(5)
Portfolios: Construction and Applications	272	(3)
Developing and Scoring Portfolios	275	(14)
Purpose of Portfolios	276	(1)
Performance Criteria	277	(1)
Setting	278	(1)
Scoring Criteria	278	(7)
Chapter Summary	285	(1)
Questions for Discussion	286	(1)
Reflection Exercise	286	(1)
Activities	286	(1)
Review Questions	286	(1)
References	287	(2)
Grading Pupil Performance	289	(48)
Grading: Its Rationale and Difficulties	291	(7)
Why Grade?	291	(5)
The Difficulty of Grading	296	(2)
Grading as Judgment	298	(1)
Grading: Four Standards of Comparison	299	(9)
Comparisons with Other Pupils	300	(1)
Comparison to Predefined Standards	301	(4)
Comparison to a Pupil's Ability	305	(2)
Comparison to Pupil Improvement	307	(1)
Grading for Cooperative Learning and Pupils with Disabilities	308	(4)
Grading in Cooperative Learning	308	(1)
Grading Pupils with Disabilities	309	(3)
Selecting Pupil Performances for Grading	312	(3)
Academic Achievement	313	(1)
Affective Performances	314	(1)
Summarizing Varied Types of Assessment	315	(10)
What Should Be Included in a Grade?	319	(1)
Selecting Weights for Assessment Information	320	(1)
Combining Different Assessment Information	320	(3)
Computing Pupils' Overall Scores	323	(2)
Assigning Grades to Pupils: Two Approaches	325	(2)
A Criterion-Referenced Example	325	(1)
A Norm-Referenced Example	326	(1)
Other Methods of Reporting Pupil Progress	327	(10)
Parent-Teacher Conferences	328	(3)
Other Reporting Methods	331	(1)
Chapter Summary	332	(1)
Questions for Discussion	333	(1)
Reflection Exercises	333	(1)
Activity	334	(1)
Review Questions	335	(1)
References	335	(2)
Standardized Achievement Tests	337	(44)
Teacher's Perceptions of Standardized Tests	339	(3)
Commerical Achievement Tests	342	(5)
Test Construction	342	(5)
Administering Commercial Achievement Tests	347	(1)
Interpreting Commercial Achievement Test Scores	348	(4)
Percentile Rank Scores	349	(1)
Stanine Scores	350	(1)
Grade Equivalent Scores	350	(2)
Three Examples of Test Interpretation	352	(9)
Example 1: Pupil Performance Report	353	(4)
Example 2: Class Performance Report	357	(2)
Example 3: Summary Report for Parents	359	(2)
The Validity of Commercial Achievement Tests	361	(3)
Coverage of Objectives Taught	361	(1)
Test Norms	362	(1)
Test Administration	362	(1)
Interpreting Commercial Test Results	363	(1)
Reporting Standardized Test Results to Parents	364	(2)
Statewide Assessments	366	(15)
Construction of Statewide Assessments	368	(1)
Scoring Statewide Assessments	369	(1)
An Example of Statewide Assessment	369	(5)
Chapter Summary	374	(1)
Questions for Discussion	375	(1)
Reflection Exercises	376	(1)
Activities	376	(2)
Review Questions	378	(1)
References	378	(3)
Teacher Self-Assessment	381	(17)
Need for Teacher Self-Assessment	382	(1)
Informal and Formal Approaches	383	(3)
Informal Approaches	383	(1)
Formal Approaches	384	(2)
Self-Assessment Examples	386	(2)
Pupil Feedback Example	386	(1)
Self-Reflection Example	387	(1)
Video Recording or External Observer Example	388	(1)
Classroom Assessment: Summing Up	388	(5)
Collecting Assessment Information	389	(1)
Interpreting Assessment Information: Five Guidelines	390	(3)
Final Thoughts	393	(5)
Chapter Summary	395	(1)
Questions for Discussion	395	(1)
Reflection Exercise	396	(1)
Activity	396	(1)
Review Questions	396	(1)
References	396	(2)
Appendix A: Standards for Teacher Competence in Educational Assessment of Students	398	(7)
Appendix B: Statistical Applications for Classroom Assessment	405	(9)
Appendix C: Websites	414	(6)
Glossary	420	(5)
Name Index	425	(2)
Subject Index	427