Assessment Connections

Matrix

Use the following matrix to record notes related to your

assessment philosophy and key assessment concepts from the
course readings and discussions.

I believe students should be given many opportunities to gain feedback before given summative
assessments. With this in mind, I also believe that students should be given second chances if they would
like to improve their marks.
My
Assessm
ent
Philosop
hy

I believe assessment requirements and expectations should be made clear to students as they are
completing assignments.
I believe that assessment should be used only as evidence of student learning. External factors such as
behaviour, and attendance should not be assessed.
I believe that all students are exceptional. They will all have different knowledge and will all be able to
show their learning in different ways. To celebrate this, I believe students should have choice in the ways in
which they would like to show their learning.

Assessment
Concept
Essential Questions

Sources

Summary

Application in my Planning

Wilhelm, J. D. (2012).
Essential questions.
Instructor, 122(3), 24-27.

An essential question is used in a unit to

frame a problem that is to be solved. The
questions should be interesting, compelling,
and invite the students into on-going debates.
The essential questions allow students to
learn the same understandings that would be
used by real experts in that field (Wilhelm
2012). McTighe and Wiggins (2013) agree to
this understanding of essential questions and
adds that the questions are an aim, not
merely a setup for the answers (p. 19). The
use of essential questions will make learning

In my UAP, I have incorporated essential

questions at the beginning of my unit. By
putting the essential questions at the beginning
of my unit, I can ensure that everything planned
in that unit is guided by the essential questions.
Along with listing the questions on my unit
plan, I am also going to post the essential
question in the classroom so students can easily
identify what the guiding questions are for the
class.

McTighe, J. and Wiggins,

G. (2013). Essential
questions: Opening doors
to student understanding.
Alexandria, VA:
Association for
Supervision & Curriculum
Development.

active and more enjoyable for the students,

and encourages metacognition.

Assessment
Concept

Sources

McTighe, J., & OConnor,

K. (2005). Seven practices
for effective learning.
Educational Leadership,
63(3), 10-17.
Effective Feedback

Davies, A. (2011). Making

classroom assessment
work (3rd Ed.). Courtney,
BC: Connections
Publishing.

Grading Academics Winger, T. (2009). Grading

Only
what matters. Educational
Leadership, 67(3), 173-75
Reeves, D. 2011).
Elements of grading: A
guide to effective
practice. Bloomington,
IN: Solution Tree Press.

Summary

Application in my Planning

In my UAP, I have given many opportunities for

formative feedback during the unit. Before
McTighe & OConnor (2005) believes that
beginning to write, students will submit a book
feedback should be given often to ensure
proposal for feedback. The book proposals will
students are able to assess where they are at.
be returned to them in a timely manner with
In order for feedback to be effective it should
specific, understandable feedback attached.
be timely, specific, understandable, and
Students will also have the opportunity for
allow for self-adjustment (n.p). Along with
feedback through peer revision which will allow
the teacher giving effective feedback Davies
them to self-adjust their writing before
(2011) believes that students should selfbeginning their final copies. To ensure feedback
assess and give themselves feedback based
is ongoing and self-reflective, I will also be
on the requirements of an assignment.
meeting with each student for a miniDavies states that when students selfconference. These conferences will allow for
asssess they gain insights that help them
me to assess where the student is at in their
monitor their own learning (p. 8).
writing, and will allow students to seek
understanding and feedback on their work.
Winger (2009) believes that in our
In my UAP, I have one summative assessment
assessment practices we should carefully
(the childrens book). Although it is not written
distinguish academic achievement from
directly in my UAP, I am not grading outside
nonacademic factors. Reeves (2011) agrees factors in the summative assessments such as
with this and adds that to ensure students are the assignment being handed in late. Every
being graded fairly you can evaluate the
student will also be graded fairly based on the
relationship between student performance as work that is handed in. If they need more time,
measured by grades and the performance of
or another hand in that can be discussed and
the same students as measured by external
arranged. I also have mini-conferences with
indicators ( p. 35).
each student to answer any questions they may
have. If their final evaluation doesnt reflect the
work that I have seen during the miniconference I can meet with the student to see if

there may be a reason why. Along with this, I

am also only grading their work based on the
SLOs outlined.

Using Formative
and Summative
Assessment

Involving Students
in Assessment

Burke (2010) states that formative and

Burke, K. (2010). Balanced summative assignments should be used
assessment: From
throughout the year to give feedback to
formative to summative.
students and monitor their learning. He states
Bloomington, IN: Solution that the same assignment can be used for
Tree Press.
both formative and summative assessment,
the only difference being how the grade is
Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R.,
being used (p.143). Chappuis (2011) agrees
Chappuis, S., & Arter, J.
with the use of formative and summative
(2011). Classroom
assessment in the classroom. It is important
assessment for student
to decide which formative assessments are
learning: Doing it right
beneficial for the teacher to keep (to
using it well, (2nd ed.).
document learning) and which assessments
Toronto, ON: Pearson.
are beneficial for the students to keep (to
self-reflect and track learning).
McTighe, J., & OConnor, McTighe & OConnor (2005) state that to be
K. (2005). Seven practices an effective grader you should offer
for effective learning.
appropriate choices because students differ
Educational Leadership,
not only in how they prefer to take in and
63(3), 10-17.
process information but also in how they best
demonstrate their learning (n.p). Along with
Davies, A. (2011). Making allowing students to choose the way in which
classroom assessment
they show their learning, Davies (2011)
rd
work (3 Ed.). Courtney, states that by engaging students in the
BC: Connections
process of linking to prior knowledge,
Publishing.
describing success, setting criteria, selfassessment, giving feedback, setting goals,
and collecting and presenting evidence of
their own learning, educators are teaching
students how to learn as well as teaching
them what they need to know and be able to

In my UAP, formative and summative

assessments are used in a variety of ways. The
assessments that the students are to keep and
use to track their own learning; are the book
proposal (that is going to be formatively marked
by the teacher) and the peer review checklists
that are going to be filled out by other students.
By allowing the students to keep these
formative assessments they will be able to refer
to them when progressing. The formative
assessment that I will be keeping to document
student learning is the mini-conference
handouts that I will be filling in during and after
working with students one-on-one while they
are working on their rough drafts.
In my UAP, I have given students the choice of
how they want to make their childrens book.
Students can make their childrens book either
online or in print. Students can also choose the
theme, characters plot etc. of their childrens
book. Students are also given the chance for self
and peer assessment using a checklist. Students
will also be able to assess themselves during the
mini-conferences where students can describe
their learning and their work to me one-on-one.
This will give students the chance to explain to
me why they are proud of their work and where
they see it going next.

do (p 71).

Using Conferences
and Interviews

Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R.,

Chappuis, S., & Arter, J.
(2011). Classroom
assessment for student
learning: Doing it right
using it well, (2nd ed.).
Toronto, ON: Pearson.
Davies, A. (2011). Making
classroom assessment
work (3rd Ed.). Courtney,
BC: Connections
Publishing.

During conferences and interviews the

teacher will meet with students individually
to talk about what they have learned and
have yet to learn to establish a deeper
understanding of the student as a learner (p.
279). Davies adds to this idea by stating that
having students explain their work helps
them come to know themselves better as
learners (p. 77).

In my UAP, one of the formative assessments

that I have planned is the use of miniconferences with my students. During the
working periods I am going to have miniconferences to assess the students progress and
their learning. I also have mini-conference
leading sheets that will have questions to assess
the students self-reflection and higher level
thinking while writing.