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The Problems of Test and Items Bias in Context of Sociopolitical and Educational Values in Russian National Public Examinations
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| Presenter(s):
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| Victor Zvonnikov, State University of Management, zvonnikov@mail.ru
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| Marina Chelyshkova, State University of Management, mchelyshkova@mail.ru
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| Abstract:
Our national examinations by tests have been begun in 2001, but debates concerning justice and validity their results do not die away till this time. The purpose of our research is connected with problem of justice in a context of sociopolitical and educational values for such examinations. Our approach is based on the analysis of bias in selection and items bias. We spent first type of analysis on the left end of a scale, where the results of weakest graduates are located. We tried to reduce risk of wrong decision and to develop the selection model for assignment the school certificate. Second type of analysis we spent on the right end of a scale. We analyzed items bias because there are many national schools in Russia, where teachers do not use Russian language in training till 10th grade. So we tried to exclude items which discriminate the national school graduates.
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Raising the Bar for Career and Technical Education Standards and Assessment: The Case of Tennessee's Technical Skills Attainment Rubric
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| Presenter(s):
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| Shira Solomon, CNA Education, solomons@cna.org
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| Gay Burden, Tennessee Department of Education, gay.burden@tn.gov
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| Abstract:
The face of secondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) is changing. Once considered to be the path for students not going to college, today's CTE programs are charged with preparing students for the high-wage, high-skill careers that generally require post-secondary education and training. Tennessee has taken a unique approach to meeting the federal accountability requirements for technical skills attainment by creating proficiency definitions for CTE competencies that mirror NCLB proficiency categories. Unlike many states that purchased third-party exams or developed their own assessments for CTE program areas, Tennessee developed a Competency Attainment Rubric to be used by all CTE teachers in the state. Will this Rubric help CTE teachers lead the state's effort to be First to the Top? In this presentation, we share lessons learned from Tennessee in the context of challenges all states face to increase the rigor of CTE teaching and improve the assessment of CTE learning.
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Everything Matters: Understanding the Impact of Context on Formative Assessment
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| Presenter(s):
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| Leigh Tolley, Syracuse University, lmtolley@syr.edu
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| Abstract:
In the evaluation of educational programs, the context in which an intervention is being implemented greatly impacts its outcomes. Changes within an educational context that are relatively common, such as teacher turnover, a transient student population, or varying attitudes toward novel teaching strategies, have the potential to influence the determination of whether or not a program should continue. How does context, whether it is static or emerging, affect formative assessment, which involves teachers using evaluative skills and strategies to improve student learning? This paper will explore studies of the implementation of formative assessment in PreK-12 schools, and how the context in each study affected its perceived efficacy. Factors will be examined such as student demographics and ability levels, teachers' instructional strategies, and administrative support of formative assessment and its use in the classroom. Implications for the application of this research to formative evaluation and program evaluation will also be considered.
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The Formative-Assessment Process for Teachers at Schools Under Review
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| Presenter(s):
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| S Marshall Perry, Dowling College, perrysm@dowling.edu
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| Abstract:
This paper concerns the use of a formative-assessment process for teachers at low-performing schools, as indicated by student mastery levels on standardized assessments. Two researchers worked with teachers at one high- and one middle-school over the course of a school year. Teachers in the Mathematics, English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science departments were asked to create assessments using several elements suggested by W. James Popham and others. These assessments were intended to be only five questions long, but consistent within departments, so that cross-case analysis was possible. Teachers received professional development in formative versus summative assessments, higher-order thinking strategies, item analysis, and instructional strategies for students not at mastery. While the findings are tentative, the results support the promise of formative assessment as a tool but demonstrate the difficulty in moving towards a formative-assessment process within the context of high-stakes accountability.
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