Assessment: Doing it on the run!

I love going to Convention! It is one of the highlights of my year.  I first went in 1987 with Dr. Pearl from Wayne State and then took a few year hiatus and returned in 2002…and I’ve been going ever since.  I’ve been fortunate to present at each national over the last 8 years on topics like technology, mask making, and yes, assessment.

The assessment presentation’s title was “Assessment on the Run!”  If you are like me, you do feel like a world-class athlete trying to stay on top of everything happening in the classroom…I am constantly on the move!  In that presentation, I shared a variety of ways to assess and evaluate children and their artwork from quick formative checks to comprehensive summative tools. Click here to download my PowerPoint, "Assessing on the RUN" 2006 [PPT, 7 MB].  I will reference this PowerPoint in future entries as well.

Much of that presentation and how I assess today is the result of work in my district about 10 years ago.  My district art consultant, Nancy Childs convened a group of elementary art specialists to study and write a variety of assessment tools for teachers to use with students.  Much good work came from this group.

So, let’s start with formative assessment.  These tools help an educator gage where each child is in the learning and provide a possible direction or steps that need to be taken.  You may be able to move to the next concept/step or you may have to reteach based on the evidence collected from the formative assessment.

I call these assessments the 100-meter dash tools.  Some examples I use at the elementary level are:

  Questions are developed to get both individual and group feedback.  Students often use thumbs up or down to agree or disagree.  Students can rank or rate based on a 1-5 finger count.  Or questions can be phrased with 1, 2, or 3 choices with students holding up the # finger accordingly.
  Walk arounds:  All work is laid out, usually 1/2 to 2/3 the way through the unit. Students walk around and observe each piece.  Criteria for what to look for may be written on the overhead.  When done observing (and I do it with them to model), students discuss with the group and me what they saw.  Much information about understanding can be derived from the sharing following.
  Closure: Stole this from a student teacher….At the end of class, in order to line up, the table must discuss and volunteer an answer to the question I pose:  Name a significant style of art Picasso developed.  Tell me a color family.  What purpose might a Native American Hopi create a Kachina doll?

I would like to hear examples of 100-meter dash tools used at middle level, high school, and higher education.  Please share!

-Bob Reeker