Assessment of Understanding and Inquiry - Chapter 6

Chapter 6 was all about assessments that can be used to gather data on understanding and provide grades/feedback on work. Like I mentioned in an earlier post one of the forms of assessments I am looking forward to utilizing in my own classroom is the us of portfolios. I think portfolios are a great way for a student to demonstrate their abilities, showcase their work, and utilize feedback before they add their submit their finalized pieces of work. I also like the fact that it can include a wide array of assignments from writing assignments to art work, reports, and more formal assessments like tests. With portfolios I would have a portfolio night maybe twice a year where I would invite parents to come look at the progress their student is making. This could be during parent teacher conferences or during a separate event that really celebrates the hard work of the students almost like and art gallery or exhibition. I found this video that outlines the essential components of portfolios in the classroom as well as ways they can be utilized. I think it is a great summary classroom portfolios.

This chapter also talks in depth about rubrics. I don't remember being given a rubric when I was in elementary school but I think it is a great resources that clearly states the expectations for an assignment if it is created with intent. The text describes two different types of rubrics, the first being an analytical rubric and the second being a holistic rubric. The text defines an analytic rubric as having a specific value for the performance being asked of the student. A holistic rubric gives criterion for each value. This is a chart I found that compares the advantages and disadvantages of each rubric from the Berkeley Center for Teaching and Learning. 

I also found a blog post that mentions a third type of rubric called a single-point rubric and a comparison to the other two types.