2017 World Educational Leaders Summit - Beyond Assessment for Learning - Prof Thomas Guskey

Beyond Assessments for learning - Assessments that improve learning.
Professor Thomas Guskey - Educational Psychology - University of Kentucky.

Thomas Guskey is a Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Kentucky. A graduate of the University of Chicago, he began his career as a middle school teacher, served as an administrator in Chicago Public Schools, and was the first Director of the Center for the Improvement of Teaching and Learning, a national educational research center. Dr. Guskey served on the Policy Research Team of the National Commission on Teaching & America’s Future, on the Task Force to develop the first National Standards for Professional Learning, and was named a Fellow in the American Educational Research Association – one of the Association’s highest honors.

He is the author/editor of 21 award-winning books and more than 250 book chapters and articles that have appeared in prominent research journals as well as Educational Leadership, Kappan, and School Administrator. He co-edited the Experts in Assessment Series for Corwin Press and was featured on the National Public Radio programs “Talk of the Nation” and “Morning Edition.”

In his work with educators throughout the world, he helps bring clarity and resolution to some of education’s most challenging problems.

This presentation describes what we know about effective grading and reporting policies and practices. Keeping in mind the challenges faced by teachers, we will review the importance of fairness and honesty in grading and outline strategies for reporting student learning progress that ensure meaningful communication between school and home. Procedures for implementing new reporting structures, including standards-based grading, will be highlighted, together with policies and practices that should be avoided due to their negative consequences for students, teachers, and schools.

Guskey, T. R. (2015). On Your Mark: Challenging the Conventions of Grading and Reporting. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.

Guskey, T. R., & Jung, L. A. (2013). Answers to Essential Questions about Standards, Assessments, Grading, and Reporting. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Guskey, T. R., & Bailey, J. M. (2010). Developing Standards-Based Report Cards. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Guskey, T. R. (2009). Practical Solutions to Serious Problems in Standards-Based Grading. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Guskey, T. R. (2002). How’s My Kid Doing? A Parents’ Guide to Grades, Marks, and Report Cards. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Guskey, T. R., & Bailey, J. M. (2001). Developing Grading and Reporting Systems for Student Learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

guskey@uky.edu

According to Guskey 3 simple steps in assessments:

1. Purpose and level - both formative and summative. Ben Bloom initiated formative assessment in 1968. Classroom to Interim to Annual types of assessment. Why, who and what? All still important. What are we doing in NZ? What are the impacts of National Standards?
2. Formative or summative are determined by purpose not format. Assessments must be an integral part of the instruction process. Assessments should be learning tools not evaluation devices.

• Implication #1 assessments must be sources of information for students and teachers. Assessment should not be a secret to our learners - learning becomes a guessing game. He talked about “out guessing” our teachers - one would assume we did this as learners. Often tests do not match what is taught - he gave an example about setting tests of 20 questions. He also mentioned intergenerational teaching - doing what teachers did to us. No child should be surprised on assessments. Assessments or any evaluations should be discussed regularly or at the time of assessments. Teachers must always ask themselves - what have I done wrong if large numbers of children aren’t asking questions.
• Implications # 2 - Assessments must be followed by high quality corrective instruction. Don’t yell or talk slowly. Need to be qualitatively different - i.e. do something different? Differentiate learning - don’t do the same thing!! Feedback is not enough - pair with feedback on how to improve.
• Implication # 3 the hardest and has greatest resistance. Students must be given a chance to improve or to do show improvement. He gave example of the surgeon - getting it right the first time. Started with a dead person and also spoke about pilots starting with simulators. Spectacular achievements are always preceded by unspectacular preparation. - Roger Staubach - NFL Coach.

3. Ensure Early success - start of New Year often brings excitement. First assessment can dictate the attitude of the students for the year. So why do start the year with so much assessment? Show students that they can have success early in year. Tina Turner speech/lecture - “What’s love got to do with it?” Early success - build this into your programmes.

1. Adapt assessments to student learning goals.
2. Feedback first, evaluation second.
3. Feedback must include guidance to success.

Show students that my classes are places where students succeed.

We tend to teach the way we learn. You can’t do the same thing and expect different results.

If a test/assessment you have designed has a question that over half the student get wrong then it is not a student issue it’s a teacher issue - the question didn’t assess learning or the intention of teaching.

What do you learn today? (Eddie - “Growth mindset suggests you should ask  -What did you struggle with today? what did you have to work hard at?”)

In sum Guskey reinforced:

• The unfortunate aspect of assessment is we still focus on annual assessment - i.e. National Standards. Guskey, I would assume, preached to the converted.
• Questions he used weren’t of a Growth Mindset, though talked later in panel about these notions.
• Adapt assessments to student learning goals.
• Feedback first, evaluation second.
• Feedback must include guidance to success.
• Give students a second chance - like sitting licences, and training to be pilots, doctors...
• Ensure early success in schools - students often start in a positive way.
• Challenge long term ideals - be a leader in assessment. Are you a pussy cat or a Lion?