Give me one number!
I gave a test recently on conservation of matter. The test had six parts and all of the parts were based on state standards. Students did not receive and overall score they were just told how they did on each section. I told them that it was like taking six small tests. They didn't like that explanation. After years of being given one number on tests they really wanted to know what their one number was. I tried to convince them that the way I had assessed them told them more about what they knew but they were resistant to that take on the grade.
One reason that students want the single number is because they have been raised in a norm-referenced education system. They have always been compared to one another. From birth when parents are told in which percentile their baby ranks in length and weight they have been compared to how everyone else is doing. In a criterion-referenced system they are being compared only to an expected understanding or standard and this is understandably new for them. The only useful comparison is a self comparison to how they are doing versus the standard. This is a totally new way of thinking for many students and accordingly they are poorly equiped to deal with the new kind of information.
The other reason is that one number has been defining their performance for all of their academic lives. Their evaluations may be based on what they know and are able to do but they are all reduced to one number or one letter at some point during the process. The idea that I would give them five grades for one test is just too much for them to adjust to at one time.
Another adjustment for students is that I have been trying to do something with the test scores. Since each student had 6 scores they could see how they did in each section. There were many students that had very high scores in some sections but very low scores in others. On one of the days after the test I divided the room into 6 locations and had a makeup area for each of the sections. The idea being that students would look at how they did on a section and figure out where they had to go to make it up.
Two issues immediately arose: teacher help and motivation. I created a situation where everyone was going to an area where they needed help. The question then becomes how do I help if everyone needs help? The other question is how do I motivate students to actually want to do something about their grade? The first of those questions might actually be the easier one because I know that I am motivated and I know that I will work to help the students learn. The more difficult part is an individual student's motivation. How do I find ways that will motivate them to do something about their understanding once they know where it is?
Showing posts with label conservation of mass test. Show all posts
Showing posts with label conservation of mass test. Show all posts
19 March 2007
22 February 2007
Tricky Case Studies
What follows is a discussion of a recent test that I gave.
The test was made up of six categories; balancing reactions, understanding reactions, graphing, conservation of mass, bonding and understanding bonding. I have been using standards grading this year and for the most part it has been incredibly useful. These 3 case studies explain some of the ways that it can be tricky.
The Grinder
Karl (all names are changed) grinds out his work. He has had fairly good grades throughout his career in school but those grades have largely been based on effort. Karl does everything a teacher asks. He turns in homework on time, he participates in his group, and he is kind to other students. These are all positive and worthwhile traits to have but they do not show up when he is graded only on what he knows and understands.
On the test he did not meet the standard in 4 of the 6 categories. And he scored at the lowest possible level on the conservation of mass questions. Since the whole unit was on conservation of mass it was especially disappointing to see Karl score so low on those questions. Further it was clear by his written reasoning in those questions that he had no grasp at all of how conservation of mass worked.
The Absentee
This student, Liza, is habitually absent. She has major attendance issues missing more than 20 classes this year and missing a greater amount last year. She is in her second year of taking the same chemistry class. But somehow along the line she has learned a good deal about chemistry. On every assessment this year she has met the standard level in all of the big categories and has done fairly well in what could be called the supporting categories.
The Problem Student
Dave is a great kid. He is respectful of adults and he helps other students in class. He has great questions about science and he seems truly interested in the class. Dave, however, does not ever turn in work. He does not even turn in classwork--classwork that he completes quickly and then goes to help other students in the class with. He somehow loses this work too. When he is assessed, [Tests are the only way because he is captive, he has many times declined my offers to give him oral exams or other kinds of assessment.], he does great, usually scoring at the top level on all standards.
Questions
I can say that the approach of standards grading is really working. It makes it very clear for me and for the students what is understood and what is not. These cases are outside of the expected though and they are the ones that for many reasons I am the most concerned with. I don't want to ruin Karl's spirit with all of this. He is in 10th grade and has found success by doing what his teachers told him to do. I want to be honest with him about what he knows but at the same time I want to be clear with him that his effort is very much valued.
The test was made up of six categories; balancing reactions, understanding reactions, graphing, conservation of mass, bonding and understanding bonding. I have been using standards grading this year and for the most part it has been incredibly useful. These 3 case studies explain some of the ways that it can be tricky.
The Grinder
Karl (all names are changed) grinds out his work. He has had fairly good grades throughout his career in school but those grades have largely been based on effort. Karl does everything a teacher asks. He turns in homework on time, he participates in his group, and he is kind to other students. These are all positive and worthwhile traits to have but they do not show up when he is graded only on what he knows and understands.
On the test he did not meet the standard in 4 of the 6 categories. And he scored at the lowest possible level on the conservation of mass questions. Since the whole unit was on conservation of mass it was especially disappointing to see Karl score so low on those questions. Further it was clear by his written reasoning in those questions that he had no grasp at all of how conservation of mass worked.
The Absentee
This student, Liza, is habitually absent. She has major attendance issues missing more than 20 classes this year and missing a greater amount last year. She is in her second year of taking the same chemistry class. But somehow along the line she has learned a good deal about chemistry. On every assessment this year she has met the standard level in all of the big categories and has done fairly well in what could be called the supporting categories.
The Problem Student
Dave is a great kid. He is respectful of adults and he helps other students in class. He has great questions about science and he seems truly interested in the class. Dave, however, does not ever turn in work. He does not even turn in classwork--classwork that he completes quickly and then goes to help other students in the class with. He somehow loses this work too. When he is assessed, [Tests are the only way because he is captive, he has many times declined my offers to give him oral exams or other kinds of assessment.], he does great, usually scoring at the top level on all standards.
Questions
I can say that the approach of standards grading is really working. It makes it very clear for me and for the students what is understood and what is not. These cases are outside of the expected though and they are the ones that for many reasons I am the most concerned with. I don't want to ruin Karl's spirit with all of this. He is in 10th grade and has found success by doing what his teachers told him to do. I want to be honest with him about what he knows but at the same time I want to be clear with him that his effort is very much valued.
And Liza is a really tough case. Few of my colleagues would say that granting her credit would be the way to go but I wonder if she needs to take chemistry for a third time next year. Are there new creative options that will also meet the test of fairness?
And Dave is the kind of student that drives teachers crazy. He is really a nice young man but he will not play the school game. The question is--do all students have to? Or should we change it so that it is less about the game? How can we tell students that really need to do homework to do it and at the same time allow Dave to score well and not do the homework.
I don't have these answers yet...
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