Outcome based assessment first, high stakes second.

Today I asking for any opinion of what I am trying to implement as my new assessment and teaching strategy.  First, I will talk about how I am assessing currently and problems I see, then I will introduce my policy.  I will be bringing this forward to my administration, but I would like some input before I do that.  The course I will be implementing this in is “Math 30 Applied”, where there is a standardized exam at the end the course worth 50%.

Currently, my marks have been based on the picture to the right.  Students are also given the chance to write a replacement exam, once at the midterm and once at the end of course.  If students achieve better than their lowest mark they can replace this mark with the mark they achieved on the replacement exam.  As you can see 95% of their mark is based on how they achieve on exams. 

3 large problems:

I am assessing student achievement and not student learning. 

I am promoting the idea of memorization for an exam, regurgitate then forget the learning.

I am forcing students to learn outcomes on my strict schedule.

I am tired of grades being sticks and carrots for students.  Students are scared of writing high stakes exams where they have to demonstrate their learning in this one “snapshot”, and if they don’t demonstrate learning this bad mark will haunt them for the remainder of the course [a stick].  I am also tired of students completing assignments only for marks.  [a carrot]

The new strategy: based on here

Students, at the beginning of the term, will receive a list of the 25 learner outcomes required by the course.  The list will also have one illustrated example of what a student should be able to do to demonstrate an acceptable standard of understanding.  I have supplied a picture of the first couple of outcomes.  This list is based on the mandated outcomes from my provincial government.  I will be teaching at the same pace and will still be teaching through discovery learning.  The assessment, however, will not be the same.

On Thursdays, students will be given a set of questions based on 4 outcomes.  3 of these outcomes will be chosen by the students, where the 4^th outcome will be one chosen by me.  This 4^th outcome will be one that has already been demonstrated by the student.  Each student will receive their own personalized assessment.

I am giving one mandatory demonstration a week; however I am allowing my students unlimited demonstrations of any concept. They can demonstrate their learning at lunch, before or after school, or during their prep.  Also keep in mind, when they want to demonstrate an outcome of their choosing, there will also be an outcome of my choosing.

The questions will not be marked in the traditional sense.  Using a holistic approach, on each question, I will assess the student on the outcome out of 4. 

Mark 4 - Student has shown full understanding of the concept with support of reasoning.

Mark 3 – firm grasp of the concept.  Demonstration of some of the concept, with your reasoning not shown to its full extent. 

Mark 2 – Some grasp of the concept.  Did not completely answer the question, and used some inconsistent notation or reasoning.

Mark 1 – Weak of very little understanding of the concept. Confusing reasoning, with very little support algebraically.

Mark 0 – Not at an acceptable level of understanding.

If I was to compare my marks with how our traditional percentages are, mark 1 would be a 50%. 

The mark that goes on student’s rubric will always be the LAST demonstration of the outcome a student completed.

For example, in the second week Sally chooses outcomes 5, 6 and 7.  After assessing, Sally receives a mark of 4 for outcomes 5 and 6, and a 2 for outcome 7.  Three weeks go by and Sally wants another chance for outcome 7.  She chooses outcomes 7, 12 and 13.  As my outcome, I also put outcome 5 on the assignment.  If Sally can’t demonstrate outcome 5 again at a level of full understanding, her rubric will be go from a 4 on outcome 5, to the level of understanding she is currently at.

I am trying to promote the idea of truly understanding a concept, not just memorize, spit it out and forget about it.

Also, at any time during the course a student can create their own project, question, assignment on any outcome.  They can bring the completed item to me, and after a discussion with the student, I will assess their understanding based on the discussion with the student according to the rubric above.  Students can be responsible for their own learning.

This is truly at a beginning level of planning as I have not executed any of this, so please post any comments or problems you may see arise.