NIFL-ASSESSMENT 2004: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:425] Re: Teacher Qualifi

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From: Eileen Eckert (eileeneckert@hotmail.com)
Date: Tue Mar 23 2004 - 22:11:41 EST
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Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 22:11:41 -0500 (EST)
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From: "Eileen Eckert" <eileeneckert@hotmail.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:425] Re: Teacher Qualifications/valid or not?
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Nick,
I'll try. An assessment rubric is a set of criteria for the different levels 
of performance on a task. It's often organized in a table or matrix. For 
example, on a writing assignment, you might look for "grammar and usage" and 
have indicators of what you'd expect to see from a student whose skills were 
at the basic, developing, and proficient levels. You might also look for 
"organization" of the writing, and "main idea and supporting details" and 
for each of those you'd have indicators of what you'd expect to see at the 
different levels. The highest level might correspond to your state's 
standards, and you could use that rubric to assess and evaluate all kinds of 
writing, including real-life writing that the students need to do for 
non-school reasons.

Here's a link to a wealth of info on rubrics--more and better put together 
than I could give you:
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/rubrics.htm#why

There's also a "rubric template" there that you can use.

I like rubrics because creating them makes teachers think about their 
expectations and teach to the different indicators--it can be a 
finer-grained assessment than a test. When rubrics are used beyond a single 
classroom you have to have shared understanding of the expectations and 
scoring among teachers--interrater reliability-- and that means students get 
more consistency than they otherwise might (except it sounds like they get 
consistency in Florida anyway!). Maybe best of all, when they are shared 
with students they make the objectives and standards explicit, students can 
use them to gauge and self-evaluate their progress and level of achievement, 
and they become a learning tool as well as an assessment tool.

As I've been experimenting with them, I've seen students become more 
self-aware about the efforts they make, the evidence of their learning, and 
the areas where they need more work; they're becoming more active 
participants in their own education. This is just the beginning. I'm working 
with students in a private vocational college where students are getting a 
9-month diploma or an associate's degree, but I've spent over 13 years in 
ABE (and hope to go back) and the students are very similar. The list 
doesn't take attachments, but if you want examples of rubrics let me know 
off-list.

Eileen


From: "Nixon S. Griffis" <ngriffis@bellsouth.net>
Reply-To: nifl-assessment@nifl.gov
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:423] Re: Teacher Qualifications/valid or not?
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 19:45:24 -0500 (EST)

Eileen,

	Would you tell what an assessment rubric is and  elaborate on your
use/success with Assessment Rubrics.

Nick Griffis
Adult Education
Inlet Grove H.S.
Riviera Beach,
Florida 33480
561-882-9967



-----Original Message-----
From: nifl-assessment@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-assessment@nifl.gov]On
Behalf Of Eileen Eckert
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2004 6:12 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:422] Re: Teacher Qualifications/valid or not?


Hi Marie,
I just want to post a quick response to part of your message:
"I once heard an expert psychometrician say that in his view, if a test is
properly developed, then teaching to it is no problem - it should cover all
material and treat all students equally.  What do you think about that?"

I think the statement is true as far as it goes, but I also think it misses
the main point of adult literacy and basic education. The point is <not> to
ensure mastery of a universal or common body of material; if it were, then a
test that covered that body of material--that was content-oriented--would be
the answer to the big assessment/accountability question.

<I think> (my opinion, maybe it's shared, maybe not) that the point of adult
basic and literacy education is to help adult students develop the
knowledge, learning strategies, and thinking skills--and to some extent the
"dispositions" or attitudes-- that they want and need in order to set and
achieve worthwhile personal, family, employment, and community goals. I
don't think such learning is assessed, documented, or proven through
standardized tests, no matter how good they are.

I'm experimenting with assessment rubrics and I think they have a lot of
potential, but more on that another time!



From: "Marie Cora" <mariecora@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: nifl-assessment@nifl.gov
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:416] Re: Teacher Qualifications/valid or not?
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 13:26:00 -0500 (EST)

Hi Eileen and everyone,

Great discussion.  I'm interested in these two comments:

It seems to me that:
1. If there is a problem with teachers, it's not in noncompliance but rather
in our usual acceptance of authority and compliance with rules and policies
we know in our hearts are not only wrong, but often destructive to students,
and
2. The problem of validity/reliability cannot be reduced to blaming the
teacher for mis-administering the test and thereby ruining the reliability
of scores whose validity was already compromised by not matching instruction
and learning.

What I've experienced is that teachers/programs try then, to cover it all -
they try hard to comply with accountability requirements by administering
mandated tests, and at the same time, in order to get useful information for
themselves and their students, they also do their own assessments.  Like a
dual (duel?!) system - how can we get assessments that can span both
purposes?  Can we?


marie cora
NIFL Assessment List Moderator


 >From: "Eileen Eckert" <eileeneckert@hotmail.com>
 >Reply-To: nifl-assessment@nifl.gov
 >To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov>
 >Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:402] Re: Teacher Qualifications in Assessment?
 >Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2004 18:18:07 -0500 (EST)
 >
 >Tanya,
 >I agree with you that if a test is not valid another method of assessment
 >should be used--would that it were so! But what if that's not possible?
 >
 >For example, I worked in a state that had adopted CASAS for assessment, 
but
 >not for curriculum. CASAS has--or had--curriculum to teach to the
 >competencies addressed on the assessment, but this state didn't 
standardize
 >curriculum, just assessment. So, where programs had curriculum not in
 >alignment with CASAS, the test was not assessing what students had been
 >taught and may have learned. Not valid, right?
 >
 >Are you saying that in circumstances in which teachers are mandated to use
 >assessments that are not valid, the problem lies with the teacher if s/he
 >does not adhere to testing procedures?
 >
 >It seems to me that:
 >1. If there is a problem with teachers, it's not in noncompliance but
 >rather in our usual acceptance of authority and compliance with rules and
 >policies we know in our hearts are not only wrong, but often destructive 
to
 >students, and
 >2. The problem of validity/reliability cannot be reduced to blaming the
 >teacher for mis-administering the test and thereby ruining the reliability
 >of scores whose validity was already compromised by not matching
 >instruction and learning.
 >
 >And all this doesn't even begin to address the question of transfer of
 >knowledge and skill to "real-life" situations, which standardized testing
 >doesn't touch.
 >
 >Eileen
 >
 >
 >From: ttweeton@comcast.net
 >Reply-To: nifl-assessment@nifl.gov
 >To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov>
 >Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:397] Re: Teacher Qualifications in Assessment?
 >Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2004 12:50:18 -0500 (EST)
 >
 >Is it possible to say someone doesn't do their job well based simply on 
how
 > >they give standardized tests?
 >
 >Eileen, let's say that they don't do certain aspects of their job very
 >well.
 >One can't pick and choose how one wants to administer official tests.
 >Either one follows the recommended procedures or why not choose another
 >test,  or  "make your own" ? That is  just about what you are doing if you
 >don't follow the  test procedures. And who exactly are you kidding when 
you
 >don't?
 >I cannot  honestly see any rationale for NOT administering  official  
tests
 >the way they were  intended to be used.If teachers are trained in
 >assessment procedures they understand that. That they still refuse to do
 >what is expected is a problem.........with them.
 >Tanya Tweeton
 >ESOL and GED
 >Fort Lauderdale,Florida
 >
 >
 > > Hi Eilleen,
 > >
 > > Thanks for your reply.  Yes, this is an interesting quandry:  really,
 > > standardization is supposed to produce a level playing field.  That's
 >what
 > > it's really all about.  But when you are asked to use and report with
 >tests
 > > that don't seem to be exactly appropriate for particular purposes, or
 >whose
 > > results are not really all that useful in the classroom (more useful at
 >the
 > > accountability level), then it becomes pretty hard to understand why
 >timing,
 > > and 'complete battery' issues are relevant.
 > >
 > > That's our lot right now - together we're changing and building our
 >system.
 > > It's a slow process.
 > >
 > > Knowledgeable versus fully trained - GREAT question - I would love to
 >hear
 > > your answers!!!  What do you think?
 > >
 > > marie cora
 > > NIFL Assessment List Moderator
 > >
 > >
 > > >From: "Eileen Eckert" <eileeneckert@hotmail.com>
 > > >Reply-To: nifl-assessment@nifl.gov
 > > >To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov>
 > > >Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:386] Re: Teacher Qualifications in
 >Assessment?
 > > >Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 10:47:50 -0500 (EST)
 > > >
 > > >Hi Tanya and others,
 > > >Actually, I think some of the people who do this are highly
 >knowledgeable
 > > >about assessment. For the record, I'm not one of those who
 >mis-administers
 > > >standardized tests (I don't have to give them at all right now, lucky
 >me).
 > > >However, I think the rationale goes, if I have to give a standardized
 >test
 > > >that by its nature is not going to yield meaningful results because
 >it's
 > > >not really valid for this particular use, then I don't really care if
 >it
 > > >gives results that are also not reliable, so I'm going to do what I
 >think
 > > >is best for my students whether that means complying with or breaking
 >the
 > > >rules.
 > > >
 > > >Is it possible to say someone doesn't do their job well based simply 
on
 >how
 > > >they give standardized tests?
 > > >
 > > >And is "knowledgeable" about assessment the same as "fully trained"?
 > > >
 > > >By the way, I'm new to this list but not NIFL lists in general, and I
 >often
 > > >play the devil's advocate, but I am really trying to add to some
 >important
 > > >discussion. I hope you'll take my points in the spirit of dialogue in
 >which
 > > >they are intended!
 > > >
 > > >Eileen
 > > >
 > > >
 > > >
 > > >
 > > >
 > > >From: ttweeton@comcast.net
 > > >Reply-To: nifl-assessment@nifl.gov
 > > >To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov>
 > > >Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:385] Re: Teacher Qualifications in
 >Assessment?
 > > >Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 08:13:35 -0500 (EST)
 > > >
 > > >(For example, some programs
 > > >and/or teachers disregard time limits or give only a part of a test.)
 > > >
 > > >  There will always be those teachers who don't do their jobs well.
 > > >Training in Assessment procedures  is the key I would think. If these
 > > >teachers were fully trained they wouldn't pull this .
 > > >Tanya Tweeton
 > > >ESOL and GED
 > > >Fort Lauderdale, Florida
 > > > > How does teacher knowledge of assessment affect acceptance of
 >testing
 > > > > mandates and compliance with testing mandates?  (For example, some
 > > >programs
 > > > > and/or teachers disregard time limits or give only a part of a
 >test.)
 > > > >
 > > > >
 > > > > From: "Marie Cora" <mariecora@hotmail.com>
 > > > > Reply-To: nifl-assessment@nifl.gov
 > > > > To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov>
 > > > > Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:380] Re: Teacher Qualifications in
 >Assessment?
 > > > > Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 19:11:13 -0500 (EST)
 > > > >
 > > > > Hi Virginia,
 > > > >
 > > > > I absolutely agree.  That's not always easy with some of the
 >commercial
 > > > > tests we are mandated to use, don't you think?
 > > > >
 > > > > marie cora
 > > > > NIFL Assessment List Moderator
 > > > >
 > > > >
 > > > > >From: "Virginia Tardaewether" <tarv@chemeketa.edu>
 > > > > >Reply-To: nifl-assessment@nifl.gov
 > > > > >To: Multiple recipients of list 
<nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov>
 > > > > >Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:376] Re: Teacher Qualifications in
 > > >Assessment?
 > > > > >Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 16:22:23 -0500 (EST)
 > > > > >
 > > > > >I think it is important that the instuctor has the skills to link
 > > > > >instruction to assessment so that assessment is integral to the
 > > >program.
 > > > > >This does not mean teaching to the test, whatever it might be.
 > > > > >Instructors should use the assessment to inform and design
 >instruction
 > > > > >that integrates needs, skills, goals to the assessment results.
 > > > > >Va
 > > > > >
 > > > > >-----Original Message-----
 > > > > >From: nifl-assessment@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-assessment@nifl.gov] 
On
 > > > > >Behalf Of ttweeton@comcast.net
 > > > > >Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2004 07:50
 > > > > >To: Multiple recipients of list
 > > > > >Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:367] Re: Teacher Qualifications in
 > > >Assessment?
 > > > > >
 > > > > >
 > > > > >Do you feel that a solid background in assessment is an essential
 > > > > > > > qualification for an ABE practitioner? What are the 
assessment
 > > > > >
 > > > > >Maria, we are required to use the TABE 7 and 8 to test progress at
 >the
 > > > > >ABE levels.We use TABE 8 at entry and TABE 7 after six weeks if we
 >feel
 > > > > >that progress has been made and the student can progress to the
 >next
 > > > > >level. Then  we can collect the Literacy Completion point from the
 > > > > >student that pays  for our programs if the students passes the
 >level
 > > > > >test..Therefore there is no lee way to use other tests. A 
knowledge
 >of
 > > > > >assessment procedures in general is of course important but it is
 >not
 > > > > >critical for a teacher in our ABE programs in Broward county.
 > > > > >
 > > > > >Tanya Tweeton
 > > > > >ESOL and GED
 > > > > >Fort Lauderdale, Florida
 > > > > > > Hi everyone,
 > > > > > >
 > > > > > > Wow, Kate, this is great stuff.  Where did you complete your 
MA?
 > > > > > > Those 4
 > > > > > > points you describe are certainly fundamentals of assessment
 > > > > >knowledge.  It
 > > > > > > would be great if all educational programs required
 >practitioners to
 > > > > >have a
 > > > > > > good sense of these.
 > > > > > >
 > > > > > > Kate notes that:
 > > > > > >
 > > > > > > >Over time, I have observed that there is a difference between
 > > > > > > >instructors
 > > > > > > >who
 > > > > > > >have studied assessment and those who have not.  We have
 > > >experienced
 > > > > >our
 > > > > > > >best
 > > > > > > >levels of interrater reliability when all testers on the staff
 >have
 > > > > >equal
 > > > > > > >academic background in assessment.
 > > > > > >
 > > > > > > Do others have this same experience?
 > > > > > >
 > > > > > > Does everyone understand concepts of interrater reliability and
 >why
 > > > > > > this
 > > > > > > might be important?  How about the other concepts that Kate
 > > >outlines:
 > > > > >V &
 > > > > > > R; adhering to tenets of standardization and exactly what
 > > > > >standardizing
 > > > > > > means; using data for program improvement?
 > > > > > >
 > > > > > > Do people feel that they have enough information or have places
 > > >where
 > > > > > > they
 > > > > > > can access this information?
 > > > > > >
 > > > > > > What pieces of assessment do you feel you're missing and would
 >like
 > > > > > > more of?
 > > > > > >
 > > > > > > This area that Kate has responded to is a high priority for
 >myself -
 > > > > > > my
 > > > > > > grand wish is for all ABE practiitoners to have a good
 >foundation in
 > > > > >at
 > > > > > > least the elements that Kate has outlined above.
 > > > > > >
 > > > > > > What do you think?
 > > > > > > marie
 > > > > > > NIFL Assessment List Moderator
 > > > > > >
 > > > > > >
 > > > > > > >From: "kate.diggins" <kate.diggins@slc.k12.ut.us>
 > > > > > > >Reply-To: nifl-assessment@nifl.gov
 > > > > > > >To: Multiple recipients of list
 ><nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov>
 > > > > > > >Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:360] Re: Teacher Qualifications in
 > > > > > > >Assessment?
 > > > > > > >Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2004 13:39:21 -0500 (EST)
 > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > >Hi, Maria.
 > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > >We use the BEST (and now, the BEST Plus) at our school.  As
 >part of
 > > > > > > >my MA,
 > > > > > > >I
 > > > > > > >took a couple of classes in assessment(one in test design and
 > > > > >evaluation,
 > > > > > > >and
 > > > > > > >one in statistics).  I wouldn't say that I am an expert by any
 > > >means,
 > > > > >but
 > > > > > > >these classes provided me with the following fundamantals:
 > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > >1.  An understanding of "validity", "reliability" and some
 >skills
 > > >to
 > > > > > > >ascertain the quality of a test before we use it.
 > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > >2.  An appreciation of "standardization" as a concept, and how
 > > > > > > >standardized testing is a valuable tool both in student
 >assessment
 > > > > > > >and program evaluation.
 > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > >3.  A basic knowledge of statistics and how to translate a
 > > > > > > >spread-sheet of data into usable prose about a program.
 > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > >4.  An understanding of which extraneous variables need to be
 > > > > > > >controlled in order for a test to be administered fairly, and
 >how
 > > >to
 > > > > > > >control these variables.
 > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > >Over time, I have observed that there is a difference between
 > > > > > > >instructors
 > > > > > > >who
 > > > > > > >have studied assessment and those who have not.  We have
 > > >experienced
 > > > > >our
 > > > > > > >best
 > > > > > > >levels of interrater reliability when all testers on the staff
 >have
 > > > > >equal
 > > > > > > >academic background in assessment.
 > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > >---------- Original Message -----------
 > > > > > > >From: "Marie Cora" <mariecora@hotmail.com>
 > > > > > > >To: Multiple recipients of list
 ><nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov>
 > > > > > > >Sent: Thu, 4 Mar 2004 10:18:29 -0500 (EST)
 > > > > > > >Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:358] Teacher Qualifications in
 > > >Assessment?
 > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > > > Hi all,
 > > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > > > I was wondering what you all thought of Lisa Soricone's
 >second
 > > > > > > > > question regarding teacher qualification - but in the area
 >of
 > > > > > > >assessment.
 > > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > > > 2) teacher qualification
 > > > > > > > > We are trying to move beyond simply saying that programs
 >need to
 > > > > > > > > hired "qualified staff." What exactly does it mean to be a
 > > > > > > > > qualified teacher/administrator/counselor in ABE? More
 > > > > > > > > specifically, what do you consider the most essential
 > > > > > > > > qualifications for ABE instructors in general? GED
 >instructors?
 > > > > > > > > ESOL instructors? ABE administrators? ABE counselors?
 > > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > > > As an assessment specialist, I have found that mandates and
 > > > > > > > > changes are demanded much too quickly for the majority of
 > > > > > > > > practitioners to stay with or ahead of the learning curve.
 > > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > > > Do you feel that a solid background in assessment is an
 > > >essential
 > > > > > > > > qualification for an ABE practitioner? What are the
 >assessment
 > > > > > > > > basics that you want teachers (and programs managers) to
 >know in
 > > > > > > > > order to feel prepared in their work?
 > > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > > > Or this question:  If a teacher does not have a good sense
 >of
 > > > > > > > > assessment basics, but administers the TABE or BEST test to
 > > > > > > > > students,  is this an issue?
 > > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > > > What do you think?
 > > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > > > marie cora
 > > > > > > > > NIFL Assessment List Moderator
 > > > > > > > >
 > > > > > > > >
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