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Image of students and teacher, top half The KEYS 2.0 Online Action Guide
Image of students and teacher, bottom half Welcome | Introduction | About the KEYS Action Guide
KEY 1 | KEY 2 | KEY 3 | KEY 4 | KEY 5 | KEY 6 | NEXT STEPS | APPENDIX
key 3 INTRODUCTION | SUCCESS STORIES
Indicators 1 |  2 |  3 |  4 |  5
KEY 3 - INDICATOR 1
STUDENT ASSESSMENT IS USED FOR DECISION MAKING TO IMPROVE LEARNING.

The primary purpose of assessment should be to improve learning. That’s why it is important for students to be partners in the assessment process.

Students should know how and be given opportunities to assess their own learning. They should also understand the purposes, formats, and criteria for acceptable performance. Feedback to students on assessment should be motivational as well as informative.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
  1. In what ways do teachers use student work and classroom assessment data to plan instruction?

  2. What classroom assessments, if any, do teachers use only for grading purposes? How can they be used for instructional planning?

  3. How can teachers use students’ work and assessment for teacher-led inquiry groups? What issues would the inquiry groups address?

  4. Consider whether or not teachers need additional professional development, support, or resources to design and use classroom assessment for instructional decision making.

ACTIVITY
  • Have teachers bring samples of students’ work to a group meeting. Consider what the work reveals about student learning, what additional information teachers need, and how to get that information.

  • Suggest that teachers try variations on classroom assessments that provide more opportunities for students to demonstrate the range of what they know and to gain more data for making instructional decisions.
 

Welcome | Introduction | About the KEYS Action Guide
KEY 1 | KEY 2 | KEY 3 | KEY 4 | KEY 5 | KEY 6 | NEXT STEPS | APPENDIX

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