Formative Assessment Design 3.0

Back in September I began this process with a much more limited idea of how I can use formative assessment in my classroom. Formative Assessment Design 1.0 didn't even have a chance to go unchanged. My beginnings with this project were humble, naive, and lacking in a focused outcome. If you click on that link and view the beginning, it truly is just an idea and unfortunately a failed attempt at humor. But what has come of this process is, if nothing else, focus. I teach this to my young writers frequently. Your writing needs to be focused, lest we wander off and confuse, if not lose our audience altogether.

But these adjustments, revisions, and new insights didn't arrive out of thin air. Excellent feedback from both professor and peer guided the process. And truly, the same method of feedback used in the digital assessment course from which this blog has arisen, is the same method used in my design. The comment feature in Google slides and docs really has proven in my practice to be one of the most efficient ways in which I can communicate with students about their work. I can quickly check in on students during independent work, quietly without interrupting class. I just give a quick heads up to students and let them know I am joining them as they write, or let them know I will check their progress when they are ready, or have reached the appropriate stage for feedback.

Below you can see the process of design and in it the gradual focus of definition, purpose, implementation, and next steps.

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FAD 3.0

The progression of design is indicated through text color.

Version 1.0 BLACK

Version 2.0 BLUE

Version 3.0 ORANGE

1. Consider an assessment you could use in your professional context. Tell us about it:

I am in the early stages of trying to implement a digital journal with my 6-8 ELA students. The most significant need I have is to align my face to face students with my online learners. Having a digital document that is established in case we move fully online, which area superintendents seem to be anticipating, will be crucial to continue assessing student generated writing. My goal is to make these journals as engaging and exciting as publishing a blog or website. My hope is to be able to design some more comprehensive structure, form, and purpose beyond just using a google doc. I will be using a digital Google slide format which mimics and has the appearance of a five tab spiral notebook. The assessment will be a running portfolio of student writing. In Middle School ELA, we will have a variety of units and writing assignments. Each tab or color coded section will be designated to a particular unit. For instance, one section will be used for Personal Narratives, one for Literary Analysis, and so on.

I have found that the current unpredictable nature of remote vs. in person learning is irrelevant to this assessment method. This design works outside of, and independently of those considerations.

1. Identify the purpose of your assessment.

I currently have nine CCSS which I can apply to this specific assessment. I will need to have a method of formative assessment for writing, vocabulary understanding, mechanics, style, and use of digital media. I am sure there will be many other aspects of student learning I can apply to this formative assessment, but student synthesis of original work will be included as well. This assessment design currently covers nine CCSS goals. The purpose of the assessment will be to monitor and continually evaluate student writing. The format will allow for teacher to student feedback as well as student to teacher communication for both in class and online students.

Although there are nine possible CCSS’s to which this assessment could be applied, The primary focus of assessment will be the following:

Production and Distribution of Writing:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.4

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.5

With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards).

1. Name and describe the assessment you have in mind. How is this a formative assessment?

This assessment will be renamed Writing Journal instead of the former name, Student Journal. The formative nature of the assessment will remain the same. What it will involve is consistent participation by students. The medium is no more significant than a paper and pencil as far as the (how). The (what) however, will be the focus of design. This should be a place where students can submit multiple assignments. It will be akin to a portfolio at the end of the year. The hope is to generate reflective students who can see growth, self-assess, and develop new skills and styles of writing.

The general description and design of the assessment will remain the same. But with a more well defined student learning target, in the two aforementioned CCSS’s students will be assessed on how they use teacher and peer feedback, as well as the clarity, development, etc of their overall writing. The assessment will now be referred to simply as “Journal”.

1. What comes before this assessment? What will you teach in the days and weeks leading up to this assessment?

Because this is a writing portfolio covering multiple topics and separate unit end goals, individual pre-assessments will be determined per unit. However, pre-assessment will include: Cold free writes for personal narratives, a literary analysis pre-assessment, and argumentative paragraphs and essay pre-assessments.

A more comprehensive list of pre-assessment with end-goal summative writing assessments includes:

• Informational Writing (Base knowledge > Research Paper)

• Personal Narrative (About Me Free Write > Final Draft)

• Argumentative Essay (My Opinion > Final Draft)

• Persuasive Essay (Wish List > Final Draft)

1. Write instructions for this assessment.

During our time in ELA this year, you will maintain a student Writing Journal in which most of your written work will be completed. This is your writing portfolio. A portfolio is a selection of a student's work compiled over a period of time to use for assessing performance and progress. As a student in ELA you will use your Writing Journal portfolio to:

· Respond to assigned writing prompts

· Complete your vocabulary writing assignments

· Draft assigned essays

· Edit and revise your assignments

· Engage in peer review

· Submit final essay drafts

· Create any additional original work of your choosing

The purpose of your Writing Journal is to:

· Develop clear and coherent writings

· Write on a regular basis with time to research, reflect and revise

· Practice spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization skills

· Expand your vocabulary and usage of new words and meanings

· Develop the use of figurative language such as simile and metaphor

· Develop a style in which varied structures of both sentences and paragraphs add to the quality of you writing

· Offer an independent form of self-expression

• Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

• Develop and strengthen your writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.

1. How will you provide feedback?

I will provide feedback digitally by using the comment and Suggestion features in Google slides. Feedback will be given for every assigned entry.

1. What will you teach next and how will you teach it?

The next step will be to move outside the format of the Writing Journal and into a formal essay format, ideally a google doc or other potential medium using word processing software. These will be the unit end summative assessments.

We will take what we have learned from our portfolios and transfer those skills into a more comprehensive writing assignment focusing on formatting and high school and college expectations for writing including MLA and APA Guidelines. Resources such as Easybib and Purdue Owl will be utilized as well to create references and citations for Research, Argumentative, and Informational Essays.

1. How will you incorporate digital technology into your assessment plan?

The role of digital technology is well established throughout the assessment. And while we have moved very quickly from hand written work to digital writing in recent years, it is still important for students to practice handwriting skills. I am curious about how to find a good balance of the two, especially as a teacher who now has to maintain an aligned curriculum and assessment plan that serves both face to face and remote learners with equity.

The assessment is digitally based. Both student writing and teacher feedback will be digitally formatted. Documents will be submitted (shared) through Google platforms.