Possible Exam 2 Questions

1. a) What are three considerations in the design of a traditional assessment that can affect the validity of the inferences drawn from that assessment? Pick one of the considerations you described and explain how it can affect validity.
b) What are three considerations in the design of a traditional assessment that can affect the reliability of the inferences drawn from that assessment? Pick one of the considerations you described and explain how it can affect reliability.

2. a) According to the chapter on Constructing Good Tests, identify three possible problems with the design of the following multiple choice question.

Goals, standards, and objectives are all statements of what students should know and be able to do. More and more, schools, districts, and states are writing extensive sets of these statements. Goals, standards, and objectives differ from each other along the dimensions of breadth and amenability to assessment. For example, a standard is different than a goal in that

a. standards typically cover more subject matter and are less amenable to assessment than goals.

b. standards typically are more content than process focused and are more amenable to assessment than goals.

c. standards typically cover less subject matter and are more amenable to assessment than goals.

d. standards typically are more process than content focused and are more amenable to assessment than goals.

b) Explain how you could correct each of the three problems you identified in the question.

3. Write a good multiple-choice question covering material presented in class on assessment (that wasn't used in class before). The question should be written to address a level above Knowledge/Remember on Bloom's Taxonomy. Identify the correct answer for your question. Explain how the question addresses the highest level in Bloom's Taxonomy that you believe it assesses.

4. A teacher administers a summative assessment of observing pairs of students complete a science experiment to assess the students' collaborative skills.

a) Briefly describe a formative assessment that could be used to build towards the summative task.

b) Describe how your formative assessment includes opportunity for feedback and reflection.

c) Describe what would make the feedback on the formative assessment most effective.

5. A process skill that students can develop is the ability to check their own work.
a) How might a teacher meaningfully measure that skill?
b) How might a student self-assess on that skill?

6. a) In what ways and why is a growth portfolio likely to be constructed differently than a showcase portfolio?

b) Explain how the purpose(s) of a portfolio influences two of the following three elements of the portfolio process: a) content of the portfolio, b) the selection process, c) management of the portfolio process.

7. Explain how rubrics can be used to deliver the three elements of effective feedback for student performance discussed in class.

8. Feedback that targets the task is more effective than feedback that targets the student. Use evidence from the "Praise can be dangerous" article to support this point.

9. a) How can you tell whether an assessment is summative, formative, or both?

b) Why does it make sense that formative assessment be a regular part of a constructivist classroom?

10. EXTRA CREDIT QUESTION (worth 1 point). a) Complete this statement: When the chef refers back to the recipe that is ___________________. Briefly explain why your answer makes sense as an analogy to assessment.

OR

b) Make up your own analogy to assessment using the chef/guests topic that starts "When the ...." Give the answer.