Data-Driven, Outcome-based Assessment: What Can Outcomes Do for Teaching and Learning?

What Can Outcomes-Based Assessment Do for Students and Teachers?

Assessment becomes visible, explicit, and social
Visible:
Based on evidence (Show what you know!)
Explicit:
Rubrics provide the basis for ratings
Social:
Refocuses the conversation between student and teacher:
"What do I need to show" vs."Can't you just give me the D?"
"What's your evidence" vs. "Where's your homework"

Academic Outcomes/Learning Behaviors
Each course has academic outcomes for each term:

  • Concepts a student should know
  • Skills a student should be able to demonstrate

Outcomes might also include learning behaviors:

  • "Habits of mind"
  • Soft skills such as arriving on time with required materials

Anything assessed is explicitly taught
Outcomes are formally evaluated every term with rubrics and other feedback to ensure that students know where they stand

Criteria for Outcomes

  • Skill, Concept or Product
  • Clear to students and teachers
  • Observable, Measurable
  • Specific
  • Grade-level appropriate
  • Demonstrable through a variety of contexts and methods

Criteria for Assessing Student Knowledge of Outcomes

  • Rubric for determining evaluation: what are characteristics of demonstrated knowledge that constitute Proficient? What constitute High Performance?
  • Multiple opportunities to demonstrate knowledge: not just one high-stakes test
  • Multiple modalities for demonstrating knowledge: class project, presentations, homework, group work, tests, quizzes

Outcomes Shape Instruction
Outcomes and rubrics frame discussions of scope and sequence
Rubrics frame discussions of student work
Analyze outcomes and ratings to evaluate teaching and learning in the classroom
Dynamic process of evaluation helps students learn to be responsible for tracking and raising proficiency

EASE Software Functionality
Teachers rate outcomes on-line, add narratives, see
Students log in for information; parents can see the same thing their students see

Goals: Transparency, accessibility, ease of use