Types and Purposes of Grade 6 Science Assessments

1. High Stakes Assessment

1.1. Definition & Purposes

1.1.1. A standardized test is nay test that’s administered, scored, and interpreted in a standard, predetermined manner – often to give an idea of the school’s effectiveness, and as a selection criteria to an institute of further learning

1.2. Advantages & Disadvantages

1.2.1. Advantages: Motivated students tend to become more focused with reviewing, and the goal of passing the exam, becoming gradually equipped with enough knowledge for test taking

1.2.2. Disadvantages: Extremely stressful for the student as their future may depend on the result; not seen as true teaching as teachers to teach to the test; It doesn’t teach thinking as ultimately students pick one of four choices, may be linked to school’s success

1.3. Rationale

1.3.1. It is a form of exams, aiming to assess readiness and qualifications, whose outcomes are determined of major life events

1.4. Example

1.4.1. The high-stakes, standardized testing used at schools are MAP, SAT, AP – MAP in core subjects (reading, writing, and math) are used

2. Diagnostic Assessment

2.1. Definition & Purposes

2.1.1. Diagnostic assessment is a type of assessment which examines what a student knows and can do prior to a learning program being implemented (Dept of Education)

2.2. Advantages & Disadvantages

2.2.1. Advantages: can help the teacher identify the student’s current knowledge, any misconceptions, students at risk, strength and weakness

2.2.2. Disadvantages: they are not true assessments, they may cause in some students leading to underperformance, some formats e.g. interviews are time consuming

2.3. Rationale

2.3.1. Assessment of student’s skills and knowledge upon entry to the program provides a baseline against which to assess progress. It is particularly important in re-engagement programs due to complex learning needs and barriers of students in these programs, which must be taken account of in design and delivery of the individual learning program

2.4. Example

2.4.1. Science Fair: Request students to identify an experiment that they remember doing, and to write/draw all the things they did as part of the experiment

3. Portfolio Assessment

3.1. Definition & Purposes

3.1.1. Portfolio assessments is the systematic, longitudinal collection of student work created in response to specific, known instructional objectives and evaluated in relation to the same criteria (Portfolio Assessment)

3.2. Advantages & Disadvantages

3.2.1. Disadvantages: Concerns are often focused on reliability, validity, process, evaluation and time (Portfolio Assessment) Advantages: measures student ability over time; done by student and teacher; involves student in own assessment; captures ongoing language learning (Portfolio Assessment)

3.3. Rationale

3.3.1. For: Portfolio creation is the responsibility of the learner, with teacher guidance and support, and often with the involvement of peers and parents (Portfolio Assessment)

3.4. Example

3.4.1. Science: A portfolio of science lab reports with reflections (one is completed at the end of each unit). A possible extension is the inclusion of the unit oral presentation as a recording – although this would be time consuming to set-up

4. Summative Assessment

4.1. Definition & Purposes

4.1.1. Tests, projects, assignments used to evaluate student learning and skill acquisition at the end of an instructional period, then recorded as graded on student’s academic record (Glossary of Education Reform)

4.2. Advantages & Disadvantages

4.2.1. Advantages: A teacher could change the summative assessment into a formative assessment if the student does not do well

4.2.2. Disadvantage: As it is a final stage there is no chance to do it all again and be accredited anew

4.3. Rationale

4.3.1. Assessments monitor the academic progress of students by measuring whether they have mastered the materials for that teaching period

4.4. Example

4.4.1. Sound and light: A gradable webquest that requires students to use interactive and apply that knowledge to the properties and behavior of waves

5. Performance Based Assessment

5.1. Definition & Purposes

5.1.1. Assessment of deep knowledge by external, independent assessor who discusses the standard-based project with the student for a significant time interval (Edutopia)

5.2. Advantages & Disadvantages

5.2.1. Advantages: using a criteria-based student-choice project to teach students how to work with multiple perspectives, analyze evidence, to critique, understand and compare different texts, read whole books, of significance to school objectives

5.2.2. Disadvantages: Critics suggest student-choice projects may avoid the learning of standard-based content, time involved to develop rubrics, may not suit students requiring high structure/discipline environment

5.3. Rationale

5.3.1. Rejection of standardlized testing that do not allow students to develop critical thinking skills, and have high standards and a dedication to in depth learning in a high-quality, local assessment of high-interest projects

5.4. Example

5.4.1. Introduction to chemistry: adapted cooking with chemistry project on focusing on building an element model, a film on research of element’s application and a evidence-based debate on which element is most important in the baking process

6. Authentic Assessment

6.1. Definition & Purposes

6.1.1. Performanced-based project assessments looking at real-world examples, with students requiring create a product or performance (Edutopia)

6.2. Advantages & Disadvantages

6.2.1. Advantages: Measuring students progress is a better gage of student potential in real world success, and a memorable, holistic experience for students

6.3. Rationale

6.3.1. Skills such as student drive, grit, problem solving, determination, communication, leadership better visible than in standardized testing situations

6.4. Example

6.4.1. Forces and Energy unit: Build a roller-coaster as part of the motions aspects

7. Self Assessment

7.1. Definition & Purposes

7.1.1. Self-assessment requires students to reflect on their own work and judge how well they have performed in relation to the assessment criteria (Reading University)

7.2. Advantages & Disadvantages

7.2.1. Advantages: provides students with the ability to identify their strengths, weakness and areas that require improvement

7.2.2. Disadvantages: Students may complete the task superficially or not understand the significance of reflection

7.3. Rationale

7.3.1. For: the focus is not on having students generate their own grades, but providing opportunities for them to be able to identify what constitutes a good piece of work, and involving students in the development and comprehension of assessment criteria is an important component of self-assessment

7.4. Example

7.4.1. Introduction to Chemistry: A KWL chart was used to evaluate leaning on a film project, where students described what chemical-v-physical properties were

8. Peer Assessment

8.1. Definition & Purposes

8.1.1. Students take responsibility for assessing the work of their peers against set assessment criteria, usually by providing feedback to their peers called peer review (Reading University)

8.2. Advantages & Disadvantages

8.2.1. Advantages: students might be encouraged to learn more deeply, building up their understanding, rather than just their knowledge of the facts, developing judgment skills, critiquing abilities and self-awareness

8.2.2. Disadvantages: time to train students in how it should be conducted, could be used to target lower performing members of a group, may not want to mark down friends

8.3. Rationale

8.3.1. Can transfer some of the ownership of assessments to students, leading hopefully to higher motivation

8.4. Example

8.4.1. Science Fair: Students present a mock presentation in groups of 3 prior to their formal presentation; the other students ask questions and critique the students in order for them to think about the areas to be further developed before going “live”

9. Formative Assessment

9.1. Definition & Purposes

9.1.1. Involves checkpoints along the process of learning but involves descriptive feedback (Wormelli)

9.2. Advantages & Disadvantages

9.2.1. Advantages: has greatest impact on student achievement, feedback to the teacher on how the student is understand the content

9.2.2. Disadvantages: if the FA has shows little feedback, there is little instructional value in doing it

9.3. Rationale

9.3.1. For: this is where the real learning happens, as students may revise efforts, get assessed, accredited anew and helps teacher make instructional decisions for differentiation

9.4. Example

9.4.1. Student watch a content film on “Waves” and take notes in Cornell Method Format: the FA s a crossword which pinpoints the main idea in the content as clues