64ON FRASER UNIVERSITY

EDUC 325 - 3

Assessment for Classroom Teaching

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Dr. C. Amundsen

Office: TBA

E1.00 ?

Tel: 291-3395

PREREQUISITE

Educ 220

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Effective classroom assessment should provide accurate and meaningful information about learning for the teacher, the

student, parents and administrators. This aspect of teaching may well be one of the most challenging for you, as a

classroom teacher. This course will lead you through the assessment process which begins by articulating the desired

student learning and leads to developing appropriate strategies to assess learning and effectively communicating the

results. The specific topics will include: teaching and learning outcomes, strategies for assessing classroom processes and

environments, strategies for assessing student learning (formal, informal, published tests and teacher-constructed),

interpreting the information gathered, providing learner feedback and marking, communicating results to parents and

administrators.

OBJECTIVES

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

1.

Demonstrate your ability to develop an appropriate assessment strategy for various student learning outcomes by

selecting and/or designing the necessary tools and/or environments.

2.

Demonstrate your understanding of the issues involved in effectively communicating assessment results to students,

parents and administrators.

3.

Describe how to use assessment results as a basis for instructional revisions.

4.

Demonstrate an increased self-confidence in assessing student learning by being able to explain the rationale behind

your thinking and behaviour in this area of teaching.

5.

Identify and explain at least two current issues being discussed by professionals in the area of classroom assessment

REQUIREMENTS

1.

Assessment Package (55%).

This assignment accumulates in four installments over the course. In the package, you will demonstrate your

understanding of how to develop an overall assessment strategy for a unit of instruction and appraise the effectiveness.

2. Mini-case study (15%).

In this assignment, you will identify an actual classroom assessment issue from your perspective as a teacher, parent or

friend. The critique of this case situation will evolve over the course and result in your written analysis of it

(short paper not to exceed 1000 words).

3. 'Asking effective questions" critique (2) (15% each for a total of 30%).

These are application exercises where you will be asked to apply the concepts presented in your textbook or in class in

the analysis of various assessment tools, techniques and situations.

REQUIRED READINGS

• Linn, R.L., & Gronlund N.E. (1995). Measurement and Assessment in Teaching. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Merrill.

Additional journal articles (not to exceed 4).