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Are you confused by terms that educators use? The ASCD Lexicon of Learning might be what you need.

 

 

 

Math Methodology

Part 2: Assessment (Page 2 of 2)--Resources

Teaching and Math Methodology

Assessment Resources

 

 

Authentic Assessment Toolbox, by Jon Mueller of North Central College in Illinois, is a how-to hypertext on creating authentic tasks, rubrics, portfolios and standards for measuring and improving student learning.  The Toolbox also contains a glossary of terms associated with authentic assessment and examples.

Assessment in Math and Science: What's the Point? is a video workshop for K-12 teachers with eight 90-minute video programs, workshop guide, and Web site.  Examine current assessment issues and strategies in real K-12 math and science classrooms through videos interspersed with lively discussions of practicing teachers and content experts.  Graduate credit is available.  There is no fee to view the videos, which are brought to you by Learner.org.

Balanced Assessment in Mathematics was originally developed at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.  The library, now available at the Concord Consortium, contains over 300 assessment tasks for grades K-12, which you can use in your classroom for free.  Tasks are categorized as primary (K-2), elementary (3-5), transition (5-7), middle school (6-8), high school basic, high school, high school advanced, and technology based (7-12).  You will also find reports on how to assess mathematical understanding and skills effectively, scoring assessment tasks, and a spreadsheet to assist you with the scoring system for the tasks.

Clickers is a resource provided by Ohio State University.  It contains the how-to's for using those hand-held devices in instruction and assessment.  "Clickers allow instructors to ask questions and gather students' responses during a lecture. Clicker systems are also commonly called Classroom Response Systems, Student Response Systems, or Audience Response Systems.  In clicker systems, each student uses a device (a "clicker") that looks like a TV remote to answer questions posed by the instructor in a specially-designed PowerPoint presentation. Summaries of student responses can be shown in real time to both instructors and students. Answers are also stored electronically for later viewing" (Clickers section).  OSU uses clickers from Turning Technologies.

Fair Isn't Always Equal: Assessing and Grading in the Differentiated Classroom (2006) by Rick Wormeli has portions available online from Stenhouse Publishing.

Formative and Summative Classroom Assessments from Park University includes advantages and disadvantages of both types of assessments.  Classroom techniques for formative assessments, including journal writing are provided. There are guidelines for enhancing summative assessments and writing test items with expanded tips for several forms: true/false, matching, multiple choice, portfolios, alternative and authentic assessments, essays, and short answer.  Grading strategies, including development and use of rubrics, add to the value of this resource.

Forms of Assessment by Dr. James Atherton (UK) contains current forms of assessment, including the description, indications (when to use), contra-indications (when not to use), and special precautions.  Methods include case studies, collaborative/group projects, direct observation, essays, exams (unseen and seen/open-book), multiple-choice tests, oral questioning after observation, performance projects, portfolios, practical projects, presentations, problem sheets, self-assessment, simulations (forms of games), viva voce (oral) exams.

Instructional Tools Related to Quality Test Construction from Dr. Bruce Frey at Special Connections, University of Kansas. Tools relate to Bloom's Taxonomy, writing a table of specifications, item analysis, multiple choice, matching, and testwiseness and guessing.

HOT for CCSS Implementation: Mathematics Assessment Program (MAP) is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  A collaborative team from the University of California at Berkeley and University of Nottingham in the UK is developing assessments that will help educators to implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).  At MAP you will find both summative tests or tasks and formative assessment lessons.  Initial work is geared toward grades 9 and 10 with middle school to follow.  Tasks are grouped into novice, apprentice, and expert levels and "variously ask students to use their mathematics in routine or non-routine situations to design, plan, estimate, evaluate and recommend, review and critique, investigate, re-present information, explain, define concepts, and show their skills in routine technical exercises."  Further, "MAP thus provides a source of tasks for assembly into tests that teachers can use for periodic summative assessment during the school year and, where appropriate, in substantial end-of-year examinations. They also provide a model for designers of high-stakes tests who aim to develop valid assessments of the mathematics described in CCSS." (Summative assessment section)

Multiple Choice Construction Checklist by Dr. Robert Runté (2001) contains tips for better multiple choice questions, true/false questions, matching and completion tests.  Reporting test results and item analysis are also included in this set of checklists.

National Center on Student Progress Monitoring has a library of "downloadable articles, PowerPoint presentations, FAQs, and additional resources about student progress monitoring, Curriculum-Based Measurement, applying decision making to IEPs and other researched based topics," which will help educators to implement student progress monitoring at the classroom, building, local or state level.

Rubrics for Assessment is a collection of rubrics posted at the University of Wisconsin for assessing virtual learning in simulations/games, portfolios, cooperative learning, the research process, PowerPoint projects, podcasts, oral presentations, web pages, blogs, wikis, math/art/science/writing, and other Web 2.0 projects.  There are also rubrics for primary grades and resources for creating your own rubrics.

Rubrics for Web Lessons from San Diego State University.

Test Accessibility and Modification Inventory (2008) is an evaluation tool designed to facilitate a comprehensive analysis of tests and test items, including analysis of computer-based tests.  It was written by Peter Beddow, Ryan Kettler, and Stephen Elliott of Vanderbilt University.  Analysis considers the passage/item stimulus, the item stem, visuals, answer choices, page/item layout, fairness, depth of knowledge level.  Computer-based test analysis also considers the test delivery system, test layout, test-taker training, and audio.

Performance Assessments and Tasks

Developing Performance Assessment Tasks from Prince George's County Public Schools includes the definition of performance assessments, characteristics of effective performance tasks, research on the value of those, the design process, and evaluation process for performance tasks.

Introduction to Performance Tasks from Area Education Agency 267 in Iowa contains a step by step guide on how to write performance tasks/performance assessment tasks, when to use them and why they should be used.  From this link, you can also access a number of general teaching strategies.

Mathematics Performance Task Bank provides "the classroom teacher with resources to assist in learning about and implementing performance-based math assessments in the K - 8 classroom" (Introduction section).  You'll find resources organized by grade level and math strand.  This site is from Albuquerque Public Schools: Research, Development, and Accountability.

PALM (Performance Assessment Links in Math) from SRI International is an "on-line, standards-based, resource bank of mathematics performance assessment tasks indexed via the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics."  Tasks are grouped by grade band, and include "student directions and response forms, administration procedures, scoring rubrics, examples of student work, and technical quality data calculated from field testing." (What is PALM? and About tasks sections)

 

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Free and Low Cost Assessment Tools

ClassMarker is online quiz making and grading software with several formats for developing questions.  Choose from two testing options: class-based or external testing. The standard account for class-based testing includes full functionality for creating and administering online quizzes and is free.  External testing allows you to "embed tests within your website or link directly to them (optionally password protect your tests)" and there is also a free version.  Nominal fees are connected to the professional version for each option.

Engrade is a totally free online gradebook suite, which includes the gradebook, an online calendar for homework and events, attendance book, student reports, and online messaging for parents and students.

EasyTestMaker.com is a free test generator for multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching, short answer and true and false questions.  Insert instructions, create multiple sections and alternative versions, and generate the answer keys.

LearnBoost is a free online gradebook and classroom management system, which also has support for use with the Apple iPad.  Some features include "managing and creating lesson plans, tracking attendance, maintaining schedules, integrating calendars including Google calendars, [and] seamless tagging of Common Core State Standards" (About section).

HOT for CCSS: Math Reasoning Inventory (MRI) is "is an online formative assessment tool designed to make teachers’ classroom instruction more effective. The MRI questions focus on number and operations and are based on content from the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics prior to sixth grade."  There are three assessments in the MRI: whole numbers, decimals, and fractions.  Each has two levels, an interview section done face-to-face with about 10-12 questions for assessing understanding and core reasoning strategies and then a written section completed by each learner individually. (About the Assessment section).  MRI can be completed in a short time: about 10 minutes for the interview and 5-10 minutes for the written section, and would be appropriate for learners in upper elementary grades through middle school, about grades 4-8. MRI is free for teachers.  Sample videos are at the web site that demonstrate how learners think and reason appropriately and also with lack of understanding.  The MRI author team is led by Marilyn Burns, founder of Math Solutions.  The project receives financial support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

ProProfs.com has a free online quiz service--Quiz-School. Create and customize your quiz.  You can share it with others.  You can post the quiz on any webpage, including at your classroom website, or link to it from any webpage.  You can create printable versions, too, add discussion on the quiz, set criteria for passing, and provide feedback on what the correct answer should have been. Assign keywords to your quiz for easy retrieval. The site also has a section for creating flashcards for free.

Quia for the Web is a low-cost annual subscription service with a range of options for creating 16 types of games and learning activities, quizzes with any of 10 types of questions, and sharing your activities with others.  There are over 1400 shared activities for math alone.  You can create classes and track quiz results, create class pages for communicating with students, and maintain an online schedule and calendar.  You can upload images and audio clips, and copy/modify any of Quia's activities to suit your own needs. Quia also has a new product, IXL, with unlimited questions on thousands of math topics for grades preK-3 with more grades to follow.

Quizlet allows you to make digital flashcards for free.  You can import existing questions and answers on your computer or from a web site or type them in directly. There are several modes for students to interact with content: familiarize mode, learn mode, test mode, and then games (e.g., the matching game called Scatter and video game simulation called Space Race).  In test mode questions can be matching, true-false, multiple choice, short answer and any combination of those with a scoring capability. Students can keep track of their progress.  You can view quizlets created by others; there are multiple quizlets available in K-12 math.

rCampus.com has Rubric Studio, a free comprehensive rubric design and assessment tool to build simple or complex rubrics with multiple sections and a flexible number of rows and columns. There is also a Rubric Gallery with a collection of rubrics made my members, organized by subject and type of rubric.

SchoolCircuit is a free online gradebook solution enabling students and parents to view assignments, check grades, and more.  Teacher features include a teacher desk (announcements, reminders, upcoming events, and so on), tests and assignments, class announcements, attendance, lesson plans, individual class rosters, class calendar, online file cabinet, message center, and reporting features.  Teachers can provide students with their own access code.  Parents can communicate with teachers.

yourhomework.com allows registered teachers to post assignments online for their K-12 students.  No more excuses for "I didn't know what the assignment was."  The basic service is free.

 

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Companies and Organizations Offering Assessment Resources

 

 

All of the following include math.  Some feature other content areas beyond which is described below.

American Education Corporation provides research-based core curriculum instructional software for K-12 and up.  Among those are RTI and math.

Carnegie Learning, Inc. publishes research-based math solutions for middle school, high school, and post-secondary students.

Compass Learning for K-12, including RTI and math.  Odyssey is the flagship product.

Core K12 Education produces formative assessment, academic intervention, and professional development products.

CTB/McGraw-Hill features assessment for preK-12 and adult learners.  Acuity is a featured product.

Curriculum Associates has K-12 solutions for math, RTI, test prep, and more.  You can select your location to see products geared to your state. Note: Ohio educators might be interested in the Ohio Strategy-Specific Mathematics Kit for grades 2-8, which includes a built-in pacing chart and lesson plans for teachers, diagnosis followed by targeted and scaffolded instruction, assessment that tracks progress and skill mastery, and test simulation experience.  Of particular interest to all states that adopt the Commom Core State Standards is the i-Ready Common Core State Standards Screener for grades 3-8, which is a one-hour online diagnostic per subject to help prepare for the CCSS testing.  Per the web site, the program will help districts:

• identify standards with which your school or district is most likely to struggle
• Inform curriculum and professional development planning based on gaps
• Receive instructional recommendations to help plan instruction for the standards tested directly in the screener

Discovery Education Assessment provides K-12 assessment solutions that measure and improve student achievement and predict performance on your state’s high-stakes exam, which were built from Vanderbilt University assessment research.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt -- see the section, At School, for curriculum and assessment solutions.

Kaplan K12 Learning Services.  Select your state for how Kaplan meets your needs.  Math intervention is principally addressed for learners who are below grade-level in skills or who need extra reinforcement of grade-level skills.  Ohio educators will appreciate Kaplan's Test-Taking Strategies for the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT), which devotes up to 12 hours in reading and math for each subject.

McMillan/McGraw-Hill publishes for grades preK-6.

Measured Progress features Progress Toward Standards Online Assessment for grades
3–8 and high school among its assessment products.

Northwest Evaluation Association Computer Adaptive Assessments includes their Measures of Academic Progress.

Pearson Assessment Note: Pearson's Next Generation Assessments initiative includes white papers that will help states design and deliver new online assessments.

Peoples Education includes diagnostic and practice tests geared to state and national standards and Common Core State Standards.  There are online assessments in Measuring Up Live, for example.

Plato Learning self-paced interventions for K-adult learners.

Renaissance Learning -- see Star Assessments, including for Math, for example.

SRA Online, a McGrall-Hill company, has math, RTI, test prep, and more for grades preK-8.

Turning Technologies is a source for clickers for the classroom and related software.

Voyager has math intervention products for grades K-9 and an algebra intervention.  VmathLive is web-based for grades 2-8.

 

 

Back to top Math Methodology: Assessment Page 1  |  2  | 

See other Math Methodology pages:

Instruction--Essay, Instruction--Resources, and Curriculum: Content and Mapping