Teachers’ assessment practices in mathematics: classrooms in the context of reform

This article responds to calls that have been made for research into how teachers incorporate new assessment ideas into their practice. We draw on a large‐scale study that examined the implementation of reform in mathematics in grades 7–10 in Ontario, Canada. We present teacher questionnaire data, and focus on data gathered from case studies for details of what new assessment practices look like in classrooms. We show teachers using a variety of forms of assessment and using assessment to improve student learning. Observed assessment practices went beyond tests to include the use of journals, observation, questioning, self‐assessment and unique forms of ‘quizzes’. These practices allowed teachers to examine students’ mathematical thinking and provided feedback to students and teachers to improve student learning. We also observed the important role of collaboration, coherence, and the teachers’ beliefs in supporting new assessment practices.     

Capacity building to bridge data use and instructional improvement through evidence on student thinking

While schools and systems across the globe promote data-driven decision making, teachers often struggle to use data, especially from external assessments, to inform daily instruction. In this paper, we examine teacher capacity building for a less typical form of data use - evidence on student thinking. We draw on data from a longitudinal, in-depth qualitative study involving middle school math teachers who were engaged in an instructional improvement project. Findings show that data use occurred when evidence from student thinking was introduced as part of the instructional planning process. This shift was facilitated by an instructional coach whose capacity building efforts with teachers focused on coherence, specifically planning high quality instruction and using data effectively, while also meeting district pacing and unit planning goals. When teachers put new strategies into practice, feedback from formative assessment data allowed teachers to identify and address misconceptions in student thinking. Learning how to use data as part of instruction helped teachers build capacity to reflect on their own practice. Implications for theory, practice, and research are discussed.     

A review of research on teachers’ use of student data: from the perspective of school leadership

Despite the increased worldwide acknowledgment of the importance of teachers’ use of formative and/or summative assessment data to improve teaching and learning, empirical research on its impacts on student learning is sparse. Even more so is the lack of studies on the best ways for school leaders to develop teachers’ capacity. Teachers generally have low efficacy in using student data to inform their day-to-day instructions. Teachers lack the basic skills to understand, interpret, and analyze data, develop instructional strategies based on data, and implement research-based instructional strategies in classrooms to address the weaknesses reflected from data analysis results. Any gap in this chain of instructional actions would lead to ineffective teaching and learning in classrooms. This study synthesizes research located from on-line databases on teachers’ data use conducted in the last 14 years and examines the nature, impacts, and shapers of teachers’ use of student formative and/or summative assessment data to improve teaching and learning. This review provides a much-needed guide to school leaders and policy makers in the USA, as well to other jurisdictions that want to make evidence-based decisions in the hopes of improving student learning and teachers’ capacity in data use.     

Using online peer assessment in an Instructional Technology and Material Design course through social media

This study was designed to investigate the student teachers perceptions about and benefits and challenges of using Facebook as an online peer assessment tool for the student teachers’ works. The study group included 24 student teachers in science education department of a state university located in the southeast region of Turkey. A case study approach of the qualitative method was employed in the research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect the data. The interviews were audio recorded, and records of all the interviews were transcribed into full text in Turkish. Collected data were analyzed using an emergent coding approach. Codes, then, were categorized to constitute themes and subthemes. The findings indicated that the student teachers were able to give objective feedback on their peers’ work and engaged more actively in class after participating in online peer assessment. Additionally, the students found it exciting and productive to use Facebook as a peer assessment tool in their learning.     

Exploring the challenge of developing student teacher data literacy

Abstract

A number of trends are converging to drive the need for more informed teacher data use. These include advocacy for formative assessment and the need for teachers to account for student learning. In this context, assessment literacy and data literacy have emerged as a focus in research and professional development. Problematically, research signals that developing assessment/data literacy is challenging with evidence that teachers may not have mastered relevant aspects of mathematics and statistics. This paper reports lecturer, student teacher and school leader views of the role and requirements of data literacy using data from a larger study into how to foster student teacher mathematical thinking for the breadth of teacher professional work. Data were generated via interviews, surveys and document analysis. Findings suggest a concern and opportunity to develop assessment/data literacy as this calls on mathematical and statistical understanding.     

School assessment policy and practice in Belgian secondary education with specific reference to vocational education and training

Based on a survey among 1274 secondary school teachers in Flanders (Belgium), this paper describes the relationship between the assessment practices and forms of assessment policy (testing culture or assessment culture) and between forms of general school policy (student‐oriented or achievement‐oriented) and forms of assessment policy that teachers experience. Reviewing teachers’ attitudes towards assessment policy, it is clear that teachers are not convinced that most schools have a clear concept of an assessment policy. This is the case even though about 82% of the teachers claim to know what the vision of the school on assessment is. The main characteristics of the assessment process lead us to conclude that teachers still live in the testing culture. Although the testing culture exerts a very strong influence over schools, the school policy shows an opening towards an assessment culture. Indeed, a student‐oriented policy is more present than an achievement‐oriented policy. This distinction is important because a student‐oriented policy might bring teachers closer to an assessment culture. Our data show that teachers have a different opinion about this depending on the education sector in which they work and the subject they teach.     

What do we know and where do we go? Formative assessment in developing student teachers’ professional learning of teaching science

In the context of teacher education, it could well be suggested that assessment activities that build on formative interactions between student teachers and teacher educators might offer new windows into better understanding teaching and learning. This paper presents findings from a study into a primary science teacher education initiative that seeks to build the foundations on which 24 primary science student teachers, through the use of formative assessment of their science teaching and learning, can begin developing their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). In the project, formative assessment consists of activities used by teacher educators to stimulate interactions, self- and peer-assessment in order to provide insights into how student teachers develop their PCK during a semester. Content Representations (CoRes), were used as a tool to unpack the student teachers’ approach to teaching a science topic and the reasons for that approach. The results indicate that the use of CoRes, together with subsequent self-assessment and formative interactions with teacher educators and peers, do have the potential for PCK development for student teachers. The results further highlight the need for developing reliable and valid tools for capturing and assessing student teachers’ PCK in pre-service teacher education.     

Learning to Learn From Benchmark Assessment Data: How Teachers Analyze Results

Although interim assessments are currently promoted as a mechanism for improving teaching and student learning, we know little about how teachers use this data to modify instruction. This article presents findings from a larger study on teachers’ use of interim assessment information in elementary mathematics. We address the following questions: (a) How do the Philadelphia teachers in our sample analyze benchmark assessment results, (b) how do they plan instruction based on these results, and (c) what are their reported instructional responses to such results? To answer these questions, we interviewed all 3rd- and 5th-grade teachers in five average- and above-average-performing elementary schools three times during the 2006–07 school year. We found that although the teachers in our study used interim assessment results to gain information about students’ learning in mathematics, teachers did not use interim assessments to make sense of students’ conceptual understanding. Furthermore, teachers’ tendency to interpret student errors as procedural missteps was paralleled by a trend toward procedural instructional responses.     

Teachers' Instructional Use of Summative Student Assessment Data

This study examines the extent to which classroom teachers self-report using summative assessment data in formative ways to shape instruction. A Web-based survey was administered to elementary, middle, and high school teachers in a large, suburban school district in central Virginia. Teachers reported administering a variety of summative assessments with varying frequency, and analyzing data at the aggregate level, most often using central tendency statistics. Useful methods for disaggregating data by content standards or student subgroups were not as frequently reported. Regardless of the methods of data analysis, a majority of teachers reported using assessment results to evaluate their instructional practice and make adjustments to support student learning. The results suggest, however, that teachers engaged in a cursory analysis of student performance fairly regularly but conduct more in-depth analyses less often. The study raises questions about how teachers can effectively use summative data for instructional purposes.     

美国“真实性学生评价“兴起的背景分析

20世纪80年代,美国对高标准的要求使考试成为促进教育质量提高的工具。随着标准化考试的大规模使用,基层教师对以考试为中心的评价手段日益不满。在反思标准化考试的同时,教师们开始实验并开发新的评价方式,真实性学生评价就是在这一背景下发展起来的。本文从美国社会的政治、经济、科学文化发展与学校教育现实之间的矛盾入手,分析了真实性学生评价兴起的原因,论述了真实性学生评价产生的必然性和重要性。     

The Impact of High School Science Teachers’ Beliefs,Curricular Enactments and Experience on Student Learning During an Inquiry-based Urban Ecology Curriculum

Inquiry-based curricula are an essential tool for reforming science education yet the role of the teacher is often overlooked in terms of the impact of the curriculum on student achievement. Our research focuses on 22 teachers’ use of a year-long high school urban ecology curriculum and how teachers’ self-efficacy, instructional practices, curricular enactments and previous experience impacted student learning. Data sources included teacher belief surveys, teacher enactment surveys, a student multiple-choice assessment focused on defining and identifying science concepts and a student open-ended assessment focused on scientific inquiry. Results from the two hierarchical linear models indicate that there was significant variation between teachers in terms of student achievement. For the multiple-choice assessment, teachers who spent a larger percentage of time on group work and a smaller percentage of time lecturing had greater student learning. For the open-ended assessment, teachers who reported a higher frequency of students engaging in argument and sharing ideas had greater student learning while teachers who adapted the curriculum more had lower student learning. These results suggest the importance of supporting the active role of students in instruction, emphasising argumentation, and considering the types of adaptations teachers make to curriculum.     

Experienced Middle School Science Teachers’ Assessment Literacy: Investigating Knowledge of Students’ Conceptions in Genetics and Ways to Shape Instruction

Using a framework of assessment literacy that included teachers?? view of learning, knowledge of assessment tools, and knowledge of assessment interpretation and action taking, this study explored the assessment literacy of five experienced middle school teachers. Multiple sources of data were: teachers?? predictions about students?? ideas, students?? written and verbal responses to assessment tasks, teacher background questionnaire, and a videotaped teacher focus group. We investigated middle school teachers?? predictions, interpretations, and recommended actions for formative assessment in genetics. Results documented a variety of ways that teachers would elicit students?? ideas in genetics, focusing on discussion strategies. Findings showed how well teachers predicted student conceptions compared to actual student conceptions. We also found that teachers mostly described general topics they would use to address students?? alternative conceptions. Less often, they explained specific content they would use to challenge ideas or pedagogical strategies for conceptual change. Teachers also discussed barriers to addressing ideas. Teacher professional development should provide more support in helping teachers close the formative assessment cycle by addressing conceptions that are elicited with assessments.     

Building Pre-service Teacher Capacity to Use External Assessment Data: An Intervention Study

In recent years, the use of data to inform instructional decision making has become a particularly prominent facet of K–12 educators' professional practice. However, research estimates limited opportunities for preservice teachers to learn how to use data, including standardized test data, for such purposes. In response, this article describes the results of a pretest–posttest study of a 6-hour standardized assessment data use intervention for preservice teachers. The facilitated, collaborative, and highly structured assessment course-embedded intervention engaged preservice teachers in asking and answering four different kinds of questions (e.g., achievement strengths and weaknesses, instructional implications) at five different student levels (e.g., individual, subgroup, school) with external assessment data presented in tables, charts, and score reports. Findings—which include highly favorable preservice teacher perceptions of the intervention's impact on their data-driven decision making skills, and changes in their self-efficacy and data interpretation skills—indicate that the intervention holds promise as a preservice teacher learning mechanism.     

Assessment of the practicum in teacher education: advocating for the student teacher and questioning the gatekeepers

This paper reports on research that suggests a new view of assessment of the practicum in teacher education. By transcending the stereotypes of “failing” student teachers who do not achieve traditional benchmarks, this new lens highlights the complexity, diversity and inequality of experiences through listening to the voices of the student teachers and their mentors. By valuing context and focusing on progress and development rather than absolute attainment, teacher educators are challenged to reflect on their own role as mentors and educators through guiding principles of practicum learning. These guiding principles of practicum learning are the result of significant observation in the practicum classroom followed by critical analysis of data provided as narrative. A more humane, trusting and respectful attitude towards assessment is suggested.     

Formative assessment of writing in English as a foreign language

Recognizing the importance of formative assessment, this mixed-methods study investigates how four teachers and 100 students respond to the new emphasis on formative assessment in English as a foreign language (EFL) writing classes in Norway. While previous studies have examined formative assessment in oral classroom interactions and focused on either studying students or teachers, little research has been conducted on formative assessment of writing where both students and teachers are studied. As such, this study provides new insight. The findings mostly indicate that contradictions are prevalent amongst teachers’ and students’ perceptions of formative assessment of writing. The contradictions revolve around feedback, grades, text revision, self-assessment, and student involvement. The identified contradictions suggest the need for developing a mutual understanding of formative assessment in order to make it useful and meaningful.     

Prospective teachers’ teaching experience: teacher learning through the use of video

Background: Future teachers need to observe, interpret and analyse teaching during the initial teacher education period. The use of videoed teaching and learning in teacher education promotes reflection, and analysing videos of teaching is helpful in learning effective classroom practices that prospective teachers mostly do not have the chance to observe during fieldwork experiences. The analysis of videos of teaching can be seen as a way to enhance the development of prospective teachers’ professional vision, which, in turn, improves instruction. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine prospective teachers’ reflections on video examples depicting their own teaching experiences. It aimed to create a professional development environment to facilitate the prospective teachers’ reflection on their own videos and those of their peers to improve their professional vision. Sample: This study was conducted with over 200 (in 31 groups) third-year prospective mathematics teachers in a university in Western Turkey. The student teachers, receiving training to teach first- to fourth-grade elementary school pupils, were taking a teaching methods course. Design and methods: In the first week of the semester, the student teachers, working in groups, were assigned mathematics topics to teach the elementary school pupils. During the semester, each group prepared by trying out their activities in front of other student teachers in other groups. At the end of the semester, one student teacher from each group presented a short lesson related to their mathematical topic to the elementary school pupils. This lesson was videotaped, then later it was watched and discussed by the student teachers. Of the student teachers who undertook the teaching in the videos, 22 volunteers agreed to be interviewed. All groups of student teachers provided written reflections on their experience. Selected videos of the class discussions about the videos of teaching were also used for triangulation. The data were analysed to identify the issues the prospective teachers reflected upon. A content analysis technique was employed. Results: The data indicated that the prospective teachers were able to reflect on several issues related to effective teaching, connect their theoretical knowledge to their practice and consider issues related to pupil learning and difficulties. Conclusion: The findings suggested that the use of video, together with discussions between the student teachers, had the potential to create promising learning opportunities for prospective teachers.     

Examining how teachers judge student writing: an Australian case study

This paper reports a 3‐year (1999–2001) Australian study of teacher judgement of student writing. It analyses teachers' talk to discover how they arrive at such judgements. It focuses on the processes teachers use as they read and appraise student writing, as distinct from judgements recorded as numerical or letter grades. It identifies and discusses a set of data‐based indexes the teachers rely on to constitute their judgement. In so doing, the ‘global’ standard‐setting of external assessment (judging the quality of student work against stated standards), and the ‘local’ of teacher judgement (based on the richness of what teachers bring to the task) are reconsidered. This study notes how teacher judgement of student coursework may be intertwined with and shaped both by officially authorized curriculum materials, syllabus documents, and assessment practices, and by other essentially private, local ways of knowing.