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What other viewpoints or information can you share on assessments (e.g., standardized testing, behavior assessment, parent-teacher conferences, assessment to improve instruction, etc.)?

  While standardized testing has driven positive educational reform, results can also be used as gatekeeper which excludes some students from taking advantage learning opportunities (Boykin, 2014). The SAT was initially developed as a way to identify more students who might have the ability to be successful in college. Test scores are tightly linked to socio-economic status. This means that students who attend high quality schools or have extensive family resources are more likely to meet requirements for admission to highly selective schools. Graduates from these highly selective schools go on to be financially successful and so the cycle continues. Students with fewer resources have less access to schools which use standardized test scores as a requirement for admissions. References Boykin, A. W. (2014). Human Diversity, Assessment in Education and the Achievement of Excellence and Equity. The Journal of Negro Education, 83(4), 499. https://doi.org/10.7709/jnegroeducation.83.4.04...
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How do figures (tables, graphs, etc.) aid in the assessment process? Provide one figure in this blog section.

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  (Florida Department of Education, 2012) As a Biology teacher in Florida, I have had the opportunity to serve as part of the state end of course item specification review committee. This group gathers together each year to review test questions before they are added to the Biology End of Course exam. It is common for test questions to include figures or images. These images are able to efficiently portray information in a condensed format without requiring the students to read complex descriptions. The image above shows how DNA can be cut with a restriction enzyme and then inserted into a plasmid which can be picked up by a bacteria which then expresses the gene and produces the protein coded for my the inserted DNA. This would be a lot of words, but careful images can explain the concept pretty efficiently. Reading graphs and tables is also an important skill in science. Inclusion of items that require students to use these skills helps to provide more realistic examples. Additio...
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What are student growth portfolios? What are the benefits and shortcomings of using them?

 The use of portfolios can encourage student self reflection and help them prepare for future careers (Sowers & Meyers, 2021). Portfolios encourage students to collect and reflect on their work. Students at my school are all required to develop a digital portfolio as part of their ELA class. They set the portfolio up on 7th grade and then add work each year until they graduate. While primarily focused on written assignments produced in their English classes, we have worked as a school to expand the scope of these portfolios to include other classes and types of work. The AP Spanish teacher now asks her students to add work for her class to their portfolios. As the College and Career Specialist, I work with students to use the portfolios as a starting point for college applications. The addition of resumes and college application essays to the portfolios allows students to think about how their portfolio can serve as a reservoir of relevant information for college applications....
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What is student self-assessment? How should it be accomplished? What is your stance on student participation in developing assessments?

  A consistent system of supportive feedback and time for self reflection and individual discussion can help students to continue to grow and develop. Asking students to routinely reflect on their own learning helps to encourage their active participation in the learning process. Self reflection can be accomplished through surveys or journaling. By encouraging students to participate in an ongoing discussion about their own academic journey, teachers can support students in becoming active participants in their own education (Taylor & Manning‐Ouellette, 2022). Because I teach students in grades 7-12, they are able to adequately communicate. Even with younger students though, simplified self assessments can ask them to self-assess with a simple numeric or smiley face scale. Making self-assessment accessible and routine can encourage students to think about how they can modify and improve work on an ongoing basis. References Taylor, J. K., & Manning‐Ouellette, A. (2022). Fin...
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What are effort grades? What is your stance on this topic?

Effort grades can be given based upon completion of work or class participation. They can encourage students to try, even when the material seems difficult.  In my class, I try to make sure that the majority of grades are assigned based on mastery of the standards rather than participation or effort.  While rewarding students for effort can be beneficial in terms of student motivation, it can also lead to grade inflation and result in grades that do not reflect student’s knowledge (Arsyad Arrafii, 2020). Because I teach courses that are assessed by end of course or AP exams, I try to do as much as possible to make sure that the grade a student earns in my class is a reasonable indication of the grade they can expect to receive on the standardized test that will come at the end of the course. References Arsyad Arrafii, M. (2020). Grades and grade inflation: Exploring teachers’ grading practices in Indonesian EFL secondary school classrooms. Pedagogy, Culture & Society , 28 ...
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What type of assessment is best in your view: open-ended, selected-response, or performance?

  Assessment is a critical part of a system of monitoring student performance. When used appropriately, it can have a positive influence on student learning (Pellegrino, 2014). A complete system of assessment contain a variety. Selected response questions are efficient and can be easy to compare. They have the benefit of helping to prepare students for standardized tests. However, they can be limited and lack nuanced insight as a form of formative assessment. Open-ended responses have the ability to elicit unanticipated results and are a great way to get ongoing feedback from students during the course of a lesson.       Authentic assessment can help teachers build positive relationships and trust with their students (American College of Education, 2025). Performance based assessment allows students to spend extended periods of time on a more meaningful expression of learning. They are a more realistic model of the types of activities that students are likely ...
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What is your definition of assessment? How do you determine lesson objectives on which an assessment is based?

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          (Strobel Education, 2023)   Assessment is a broad term that can include a number of activities and data collection tools. These tools can include observations, exams, and observation of student’s responses or discussions (Watson, 2019). Most teachers in my district use lesson objectives based upon state developed benchmarks and objectives which spell out the requirements for specific tests and are tied to standardized assessments. For my Honors Biology course, I use an end-of-course assessment test item specification guide which is also used to develop the end of course exam (Florida Department of Education, 2012).  I turn these into more student friendly “I can” statements, but make sure that the lessons I teach will prepare them to be successful on this exam. For my Advanced Placement (AP) Biology course, I use objectives provided by the College Board. Again, I translate the objectives into student centered language and provide th...
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