The responses provided below originated with the following question:

“Do you use unique or interesting assessment techniques in your classes which help you get to know your students on a more personal level as well as evaluate their progress in the course?” 

I am interested primarily in student centered type classes, which include a wide variety of teaching/learning paradigms such as cooperative and collaborative learning, problem or project based learning, inquiry based learning, etc.I would also like to hear from people who use other approaches such as lecture or lecture discussion.

Many if not all of us are familiar with Cross and Angelo’s work on using alternative assessment techniques before during and at the end of classes in order to obtain information from and about our students. Some questions they address, in the One Minute Paper for example, are what the students think they have learned during a class and what questions students may have after a class is completed. I see these as being more content driven. What I am looking for here are approaches that are more personal and/or give you a better understanding of the nature of your, their approach to learning, learning style, level of motivation etc.

The following material has been abstracted from an article on alternate assessments using CL which can be found at: 

http://www.capecod.net/~tpanitz/tedspage/tedsarticles/Assessment.htm

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Here are some of my experiences and observations about using alternative assessment techniques in cooperative learning classes. 

Cooperative learning activities which I use in my classes afford me with unique opportunities to observe students interacting, explaining their theories, arguing for a particular point of view, helping their peers and being helped. Only a few minutes of observation during a class period can provide significant insights into my student's ability and performance level.

In using observations I look for a hierarchy of abilities similar to Bloom's taxonomy.

1. Do they know the basics- definitions, formulas, vocabulary, rules, and procedures needed to analyze and solve problems?

2. Can they apply their knowledge to similar problems or questions?

3. Are they able to extend their reasoning and analysis to new situations or problems?

4. Can they create their own problem statements or questions based upon the underlying concepts being studied?

5. Can they explain their reasoning in writing or verbally to their peers?

By asking each of these questions I can identify the stage of development the student has reached and make recommendations as to what material and procedures the student might apply to help him/her understand the concepts better. 

There are many benefits to observing students at work in groups with their peers.

1. You can observe a student working through a complete problem or assignment versus seeing only the final product (exam or paper).

2. You can observe their reasoning techniques, level of basic knowledge, and concept attainment.

3. You can identify their dominant learning style by observing whether their presentation in pairs or groups is oral, visual or kinesthetic. This information can be invaluable if you help tutor the student in or out of class. (As an aside, cooperative learning lends itself to using multiple learning style presentations throughout each class).

4. Brief, specific interventions are possible by the teacher or other students to provide help and/or guidance for students having difficulties. I try to make these in the form of guiding questions versus statements of fact or direction. This is very effective but can lead to frustration on the students' part until they get used to a questioning response from the teacher instead of a mini-lecture.

5. Informal conversations take place between individuals, groups and the teacher, which help highlight problem areas the entire class may be having. These discussions also help create class environment, which is more personal, as students get to know the teacher and the teacher learns about the students.

6. Shy students will participate more with their peers in small groups than in a large class and they too can be observed. It is very helpful to identify students who are shy in order to encourage their participation in non-threatening ways.

By the time a test is given I know exactly which students will perform well and which will not. I often suggest that students postpone taking an exam if I have observed that they are not ready. I use a mastery testing method, which allows for this approach. This requires an extra effort on my part to have multiple tests available. I find that the positive effect of encouraging students to take tests when they are truly ready far outweighs potential problems. The one caveat here is that the students must keep up with the course if they want to finish in one semester. Their options are to repeat the course or take an incomplete and finish during the next semester if they do not finish on time. On occasion I have passed students on exams who have such high test anxiety that they cannot function under exam conditions but work perfectly well outside of the pressure of the exam. By relying on observations I can have the student demonstrate in their groups how to answer test questions or I can invite them to my office to have them show me their solutions one on one instead of in a public setting. I can have them make oral presentations in class or out of class, in their groups or on the board before the whole class at their discretion. This has the effect of relaxing students when they see they are not going to fail since they have several alternative ways of being assessed. Invariably their self-esteem builds to the point where they can overcome their test anxiety. They have demonstrated to themselves as much as to the teacher that they can understand the concepts and demonstrate their competence.

The benefits of using observations as an assessment tool to help students understand when they have mastered course material are numerous. This approach reduces anxiety markedly, raises students' self esteem, puts them in control of their own destiny and emphasizes that they are responsible for their own learning The results they obtain are based upon their efforts, not the teacher's.

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Jerome Epstein jerepst@WORLDNET.ATT.NETK12 assess

In college math classes, I grade homework by having students put

solutions to problems on the blackboard and then defend their solution.

I do most of the teaching through this.

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CHIP@maf.org (chip)POD

Having students keep a reflective journal is something that I find always

accomplishes both of the goals you are attempting to reach. There is a

great deal of student resistance though here in Africa to doing so. The

educational paradigm here is almost entirely based on rote learning and

"banking" styles of teaching. Therefore students do not want to do them

(the journals). Once they get used to them though, I find that most

students will do them. At first they see them as essays.

Like most people who have students keep journals, I do not grade them. I

write comments on their journals that (hopefully) stimulate further

critical reflective thinking about their own assumptions and

presuppositions. Nonetheless, it does help me to "get to know your students

on a more personal level as well as evaluate their progress in the course?"

Another tool I find very helpful is the Model of Basic Values Questionnaire

developed by Lingenfelter and Meyers. It is sort of a "worldview

inventory." It helps makes people's worldview (which is normally implicit)

explicit by graphing students on twelve issues which concern basic vales in

life. Not only do I find that this helps me understand my students better,

it really helps them understand themselves better. It will not necessarily

help you evaluate "their progress in the course." If anyone is interested

in the details let me know and I'll get you the info.

Concerning the other discussion that is going on concerning teaching for

critical thinking, I wonder if we are all talking about the same thing. I

do faculty development workshops all over Africa and occasionally in the US

and Europe. One workshop I do in entitled "Helping Learners to Think:

Facilitating Critical Reflective Thought in Students" The type of thinking

we are talking about here is along the lines of Jack Mezirow, Jane Vella,

Stephen Brookfield, and Paulo Freire. Others use the "critical thinking"

(equally correct) to refer to thinking that is on the upper levels of

Blooms' taxonomy (i.e., analysis synthesis and evaluation.) This, of

course, is extremely important as well, but is really a different use of

the term.

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MaryLiz Pierce <MATH4FOBIX@AOL.COM>

One tool that I have found especially effective is going over the

basics of a subject fairly quickly so that the students have a good overview

and then putting the students to work on applications in groups. This way

they really see how the process works and how they can put it to use fairly

quickly. When I have them in groups I do go around and work with each group,

asking questions that will get them to think "out of the box."

Another tool that my students really like is being able to correct any

mistakes on a test for partial credit. They really start to understand things

better when they correct those mistakes.Often it takes the testing

situation to solidify where the problems are. Having gone through a situation

in High School Chemistry where I didn't understand until the instructor went

over the test, I have learned to use it to my advantage.

I also give at least one, and possibly more than one, take home test each

semester. These tests are not easy.In fact, they are extremely detailed and

encompass a wide variety of problems. I also encourage them to work together

on this and give them some class time to work on it -- maybe 15 minutes at

the end of a couple of classes.

I have my students write about the content -- and how they will use it.

They produce an essay for me each semester.They also develop some of their

own word problems, and explain how to do certain procedures.In addition, I

have adapted the portfolio idea to the math classroom and require them to

keep a notebook. The structure of the notebook is up to them but I must be

able to find the information about a particular subject easily.I tell them

this is done so that they will have a good reference for the next class --

where they can go back and see how they learned it and relate it to what they

are then studying.It doesn't have to be a math class where they will use

it. I frequently have potential nursing students who must use measurement in

a lot of their other classes and must get 100% on a drug calculation test to

stay in their program. I point out that if I can find it, they can do it a

year down the road.

I find that a lot of my assessment of a student's style goes on before

and after class as well as during breaks with the longer ones. I try to get

to class early and chat about almost any subject other than math.By making

myself more human in their eyes, they open up a great deal more.I develop

situations with my grandchildren into applications that we have fun with.

"Will Nana be able to clean up the house Damian is messing up?" is a great

work problem as are Chip and Dale storing acorns in a tree while some

squirrels are stealing them.My linear equation problems may be buying gifts

for the kids on sale.How many can I get?

I also work with my students who have either math or text anxiety. I

start teaching them some relaxing techniques and make sure they have a glass

of ice water with them for a test. Research has recently shown that stress

can make us produce a chemical that will make us "go blank" and these

techniques help to ease the situation.I frequently ask these students

questions to get them thinking on the right track. If I don't have to give

them any answers, they get full credit.If they have to be led by the hand

and taught, I take points off for help -- points they can partially recoup by

doing the problem over again when correcting mistakes.I have also been

known to give neck rubs to a particularly tense student though I let them

know I will abide by their wishes if they don't want it.

I also take the time during the first few weeks of class to explore some

study skills and have the students take a Myers-Briggs inventory off the

Internet and explore what the results mean with my teaching of the class and

their learning style.I find that the time I spend then is well worth it

when I see the grade spread in the class.I include computer based learning

in all my classes and give grades for lesson completion or computer quizzes.

(I take the 10 highest grades of many 10 point assignments.)

I also use MY MISTAKES as a starting point for learning.It is often the

student who is struggling to follow something that catches me in a

calculation error. In addition to getting extra credit for it, the student

may see me modeling the type of behavior they need to use when trying to find

a problem.I give practice tests before in-class tests -- with solutions. In

the solutions the method is always correct but the answers may not be. I use

copying and calculation errors to keep them on their toes.The first person

to find one gets the credit.They get credit for finding errors in the text

and tests -- including typos.

All of these techniques help me assess the learning of my students. I do

not believe in using just one measure of assessment.Throughout the entire

class, I try to model a good problem-solving strategy since students, like

children "do what we do rather than what we say."

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Charles Kruger AGayTeachr@AOL.COM

I like your approach and I am trying to implement something similar in

my 7th grade English classes.

I feel constrained by the district requirement that I record two letter

grades each week in the roll book for every student -- for the SAME

assignment.

Trying to accommodate this requirement and at the same time teach in a

cooperative manner with alternative assessment and a "test when ready"

approach is driving me nuts with the logistics problems.

Any suggestions on how to solve this?

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Question on assessment

Charles Kruger AGayTeachr@AOL.COMmiddle-l

Ted -- I like your approach and I am trying to implement something similar in

my 7th grade English classes.

I feel constrained by the district requirement that I record two letter

grades each week in the roll book for every student -- for the SAME

assignment.

Trying to accommodate this requirement and at the same time teach in a

cooperative manner with alternative assessment and a "test when ready"

approach is driving me nuts with the logistics problems.

Any suggestions on how to solve this?

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Re: Question on assessment

JoAnn Medwid Baird jmedwid@YAHOO.COMK12assess-l

I suggest you just make it happen.Just ballpark two

rubrics.Give Ceasar his due and stop worrying about

it.Teachers worry too much about what the

"administration" wants and thinks.YOU'RE the expert.

There are two things good administrators worry about:

looking good and being good.If they're on the

"looking good" side of the continuum, just holistic

score and let it go; they'll accept it.If they're

into substance, do the same; they'll "get it."

Just a tip from a 25 year teacher and administrator

(including superintendent of several school

districts).

Trust YOURSELF.Go with your best sense of knowing.

Stop going nuts and just throw them a fish once in a

while.All they want from you is grist for their

audiences, their boards and community-at-large.Stop

worrying that they're thinking about the kids.Most

of the time, the kids are the farthest thing from

their minds.Sad but true.

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RE: Question on assessment

Bill Ivey <bivey@K12S.PHAST.UMASS.EDU>

I actually record ten grades a week, which averages out to two per

assignment. I record daily class participation grades, plus daily homework

or quiz grades. Between grading class participation and giving various

checkpoint grades in any given longer-term assignment, I bet you could

continue to teach the way you want to and still satisfy your district's

requirements. Maybe? I got to this system because I hate grading,

ironically - I reasoned, if you have to grade, at least grade them on

everything they do, so that students with different skills and strengths

can have a shot at doing as well as the kids who happen to test well.

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Denise M McDonald dmcdonal@BAYOU.UH.EDUarea-c

yes Ted, this is essential for getting to know your students and

understanding how they think in developing instruction to best meet their

learning needs.I gather data from them in many ways (from art to how

they interactive with cooperative assignments and use these activities as

actual examples of instructional strategies), but will share one with you

- I ask for written responses to prompts such as, "Would you rather be a

big fish in an little pond or a little fish in a big pond and why?"From

this question I get a quick response to their assumptive view of the world

and how they perceive their placement in it.This valuable and insightful

information for understanding many aspects of students and how they

approach learning, assignments and interactions with others.I would love

to share more maybe some time in the future.But one final note, I do

rationalize to the pre-service teachers how all these assignments,

activities, etc. are both instructional strategies for students AND

informal/personal assessment instruments for the teacher to use...the

students LOVE hearing about this (they want to know more about themselves

AND be able to learn more about others).

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"Aleene B. Nielson" ablanca@BIGPLANET.COMaera-c

In a graduate class I taught for several years, I used "interactive"

journal writing.Students could write any reflections,

questions, observations, etc. about gifted students (or their own

teaching) in their journals.Every other week, the journals came in to

me -- I read all of them, responded to their writing and shared some of

my thinking on the questions raised.On alternate weeks, students

traded journals with each other & the same response/comment practice was

followed.Although I encouraged students to trade with different

students during the semester, they could choose to exchange with one or

two.During the semester, each student was able to share

insights/ideas/concerns with several others.

The content of journals was never graded, but I did record whether a

student turned in a journal each week and wrote responses to others'

journals.

Not only did I get to know the students much better (and able to discern

which strategies and activities were most effective) but the students

also got to know each other better and were able to see a topic/idea

from different perspectives.

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William L Sherman cptwill2@JUNO.COMwac-l

I have been observing a local high school English teacher who uses a very

effective group discussion method for evaluating his students. The

process goes something like this:

1) students develop their own rules for discussing a piece of literature

(in this case -- _The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin_ )

2) Then, while prompted by questions from the teacher, the students

engage in discussions on the text.

3) The teacher stays completely out of the discussion, unless it gets too

energized for the students to handle appropriately

4) The students are graded off of a matrix that the teacher has developed

over the last several years.

5) There is an emphasis on allowing the students to express their

identification (sounds like Burke -- ), or non-identification, with the

text. The catch is that they have to try to back up this identification

with an example from the text. Hence, you get some somewhat personal

discussions along with detailed content discussions about the text.

I have watched about six of these discussions, and I was disappointed on

one occasion, but on a couple of occasions the discussions were

fantastic. The teacher actually uses these discussions in replacement of

tests, and it works well. It is a small high school (450 students), yet

they have some of the best ACT/SAT scores in English in this part of the

state.

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mary murray mmm11@ROCKETMAIL.COMwac-l

Ted,

here's an alternative assessment--it's a test for

insight in writing and it's on a calculating web site

now.It's from my book _Artwork of the Mind_ where I

describe insight from a variety of disciplines and put

together a test to see whether writing a particular

assignment yielded the experience of richer

understanding (culminating in insight).The web site

below gives some explanation to students and teachers.

I also put in a mailbox for me because I love to hear

about students' experiences.Let me know if it's at

all what you're interested in.

www.csuohio.edu/writingcenter/questionnaire/QTitle.htm

I would hope this test brings about nice dialogue

between teacher and student.

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Linda Suskie <Linda.Suskie@millersv.edu>

Ted, I teach a graduate course on educational research methods for teachers

--What have you learned in this course that will help you continue to

--What does it show me about you as a teacher?

--What did you learn by creating this item?

--Do you have any questions about this item?

The answers, especially to the 2nd and 3rd questions, have been a great help