Browse our Twitter Chat archives to learn from leading experts and fellow educators.
Twitter Chat Archive
Assessment for Learning and Its Connection to Student Work – May 1, 2018
Moderator: Ken Mattingly (@kenmattingly)
Topic: Assessment Architecture
Q1: What role do models of student work have in assessment for learning?
Q2: How do models assist students in developing a clear vision of the intended learning?
Q3: Why is it important to incorporate both strong AND weak models into classroom instruction and assessment?
Q4: What are some examples of strong/weak models you’ve successfully used with your students?
Q5: How can using strong and weak models affect student self-assessment?
Q6: What are some pitfalls to be avoided when using strong and weak models with students?
Being Vulnerable in the Midst of Change – January 23, 2018
Moderator: Dave Wheeler (@DaveWheeler11), Principal
Topic: Student Investment
This chat centers of the work of the author Dr. Brenḗ Brown. It also features real questions by teachers.
“Am I assessing too often? Is there a right number of scores to put in the gradebook?
Q1: How might administrators ease this sense of uncertainty with staff as this transition becomes a reality within classrooms?
“Am I to be teaching everybody to try and be a ‘4’ or am I supposed to be teaching everybody to be a ‘3’ and then working to be 4’s? I’m not sure I’m good enough to even get everyone to be a ‘3’.”
Q2: If we want standards-based grading and teaching to invite increased levels of authenticity, how might we coach this teacher?
“My grade level partner has assessed 8 learning goals in Math this quarter and I’ve only assessed 6. Did I do something wrong?”
Q3: Focusing on the idea of intuition, how might an administrator coach this teacher?
“I think I’m going to use different forms of assessment for a couple of my students who struggle with reading. Is that okay?”
Q4: How does this question support Dr. Brown’s thoughts on compassion? How does compassion guide student learning?
“My grade level partner has been giving his class multiply chances to be a level 4 but I like that should be a limited opportunity; it’s rare air. Am I wrong?
Q5: How do we answer this question, keeping in mind that this transition is hard for people, and disengagement can be a real fear for a lot of teachers?
“I think I’ve got the proficiency piece down really good—I know a 3 when I see it. I’m not sure I’m ready to assess for a level 4 though. What do I do?”
“We did a reading comprehension assessment last week and one of my students got 7 or the 8 questions correct. Is she still a 3?”
Q6: What would you say to a staff that would allow them to embrace the vulnerability that will exist in their hearts as they start to look at school differently from how they were taught or how they have taught in the past? Change is hard and being vulnerable is scary. Help them.
Frequently Asked Questions – January 9, 2018
Moderator: Paula Maeker (@PaulaMaeker), Consultant
Topic: Student Investment
Q1: There is too much focus on testing kids! Shouldn’t we teach more and test less? How exactly does assessment help learning?
Q2: If students don’t master the learning the first few times, when do we stop assessing them? When is it okay to just move on?
Q3: What if our assessments are already made? We don’t really do anything with our tests as a team except agree on the date we will give them.
Q4: How do we use assessment data to help students improve without making them feel badly about their results?
Q5: What if we realized as a team that the assessment we made as a team wasn’t great? Can we redesign it and give it again? Is that fair to students?
Q6: TAG! You’re it! What is your question about assessment? Or one that you hear frequently asked?
Performance-based Assessment – December 19, 2017
Moderator: Josh Ogilvie (@joshogilvie4), Teacher
Topic: Assessment Architecture
Q1. What are some important characteristics of assessment in a performance-based context?
Q2. How does assessment in a knowledge-based context differ from assessment in a performance-based context?
Q3. What role does knowledge play when it comes to assessing student learning in a performance based context?
Q4. How can performance-based assessments promote student learning and growth rather than academic standing?
Q5. How can we ensure assessment in a performance-based context is fair and appropriate for all students?
Q6. How might performance-based assessments contribute to student learning in all subject areas?
Q7. How can performance-based assessments support transitions between the different levels of schooling (ie. elementary to middle school, middle school to high school, high school to post-secondary)?
Activating Energy and Attention on the Right Things – December 5, 2017
Moderator: Cassandra Erkens (@cerkens), Assessment Center Architect
Topic: Student Investment
“As a result of the appraisal, the student activates energy and attention along one of two pathways: (1) the growth pathway or the (2) well-being pathway.” – Dylan Wiliam
Q1: What is the difference between remembering and learning?
Q2: How can we ensure that our classroom assessments are more focused on measuring learning and not just remembering?
Q3: What are the behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes of intentional non-learners?
Q4: How do we use assessments to build efficacy and hope in learners who are many years behind their peer group?
Q5: How can we re-engage those who have opted to protect themselves from taking risks and possibly failing?
Q6: What can we do to ensure that students who get good grades do not develop the fixed mindset that prohibits them from taking risks?
Q7: Instead of acknowledging some learners as intentional non learners, how could we ensure ALL learners remain intentional while learning all of the time?
Sharing Our Assessment Wisdom – November 21, 2017
Moderator: Eileen Depka (@eileen_depka), Solution Tree Author
Topic: Assessment Architecture
Q1: What do you feel are important aspects of assessment design?
Q2: When developing assessments, what types of variety in format do you suggest being used throughout the year?
Q3: How do you suggest adding choices to assessments?
Q4: What are some ways to differentiate assessments?
Q5: What hints do you have on providing quality feedback to students in ways that are time efficient for the teacher, yet useful to the student?
Q6: How do you encourage/teach students to reflect on their own performance and plan next steps according to their analysis?
Q7: What types of informal formative assessments do you use when wanting to know if the class is understanding during class periods?
Q8: How do you find time to respond when some students are in need of support on assessed standards, yet many are ready to continue learning new concepts?
Formative Assessment: A Cornerstone In The Thinking Classroom – November 7, 2017
Moderator: Dr. Steven Weber (@curriculumblog), Associate Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in Fayetteville Public Schools
Topic: Assessment Architecture
Q1: How do you define formative assessment?
Q2: What is your favorite tool or strategy to assess student understanding?
Q3: How can student goal setting help students own the learning process?
Q4: How can formative assessment impact transfer and how students apply their understanding?
Q5: How can formative assessment impact metacognition?
Q6: How do teachers and administrators intentionally prepare to analyze formative assessment data and respond to student needs?
Re-imagining Assessment – October 24, 2017
Moderator: Kelly Christopherson (@kellywchris), Education Consultant
Topic: Assessment Architecture
Q1: What does assessment look and sound like right now in your current context?
Q2: What do you think the term assessment means to students in your class or in the school? What about parents?
Q3: What would you like the term ‘assessment’ to mean for you, students, and parents?
Q4: How can teachers bridge the gap, if there is one, between what is happening and what they would like to happen?
Q5: What are some practices we could start or stop to shift assessment in our current context?
Q6: What role do school divisions/districts have in the process to reimagine assessment?
The design of formative assessment when used to promote and foster student investment in learning – October 10, 2017
Moderator: Jim Smith (@mrdataguy), Assessment Expert
Topic: Student Investment
Q1: Teachers lack confidence in the quality of their assessment design and use. What impact does this lack of confidence have in the formative assessment process?
Q2: Designing with precision – Assessment design matters. When designing assessments to promote investment, what factors do you consider to make visible the best evidence of learning possible?
Q3: Employing effective action – Assessment requires a response. How do you intentionally prepare responses for the results of formative assessment?
Q4: Fostering student investment – This step requires an active “assessment” partnership between the student and the teacher. What intentional steps do you take to build this relationship?
Q5: What is the role of, and response to, actual student work in promoting investment/ownership of learning?
Q6: How does the PLC support the teacher and student as they create and sustain student investment?
Q7: How do we ensure our formative assessment practice is inclusive of ALL students and works towards the goal of high levels of learning for ALL students?
How do you respond when… – September 26, 2017
Moderator: Mandy Stalets (@MandyStalets), Assessment Expert
Topic: Instructional Agility
Q1: How do you respond when you feel students aren’t using the feedback you provide?
Q2: How do you respond when students are afraid to be wrong out of fear of being penalized?
Q3: How do you respond when a parent is concerned that your assessment procedures aren’t preparing students for the “real world”?
Q4: How do you respond when students choose not to do homework since “it doesn’t count”?
Q5: How do you respond when a co-worker is resistant to change since their assessment and grading policies have “always worked”?
Q6: How do you respond when you are overwhelmed with the number of students who want to be reassessed after a summative event?
Starting strong: Ensuring a trajectory of success using assessment – September 12, 2017
Moderator: Katie White (@KatieWhite426), Assessment Expert
Topic: Assessment Architecture
Q1: Why is it so important that we use assessment to recognize successful learning right away in the school year?
Q2: What makes an assessment experience positive for a learner?
Q3: What makes an assessment experience positive for a teacher?
Q4: How might we recognize when a student feels successful before, during, and after an assessment experience?
Q5: How might we respond when learners don’t respond well to one of our assessment processes?
Q6: How can we make sure a student’s first assessment experience in our class is a positive one?
Designing Assessments for 21st Century Skills – May 16, 2017
Moderator: Nicole Dimich Vagle (@NicoleVagle), Assessment Center Architect
Topic: Assessment Architecture
Tonight’s chat is about assessing in our modern context. If we believe that 21st Century skills are most essential for students to achieve, then assessing and providing feedback is the way to put them front and center. Let’s explore how we design for these 7 skills.
For each of these skills: What is it? What criteria is most important when assessing it? How do we assess accurately, equitably, and in an engaging way? What are the potential sources of error? In other words, how could this go wrong?
Q1: Collaboration
Q2: Creative Problem-Solving
Q3: Communication
Q4: Social Competence
Q5: Critical Thinking
Q6: Self-Regulation
Q7: Digital Literacy
Interpreting Assessment Results – October 15, 2015
Moderator: Angie LaBounty (@angielabounty), Assessment Center Associate
Topic: Assessment Architecture
Instructional Agility – October 8, 2015
Moderator: Katie White (@kw426), Assessment Center Associate
Topic: Instructional Agility
Assessment Architecture – October 1, 2015
Moderator: Nicole Vagle (@NicoleVagle), Assessment Center Architect
Topic: Assessment Architecture
Assessment Purposes – September 24, 2015
Moderator: Mandy Stalets (@mandystalets), Assessment Center Associate
Topic: Assessment Purposes
Communicating Assessment Results – September 17, 2015
Moderator: Garnet Hillman (@garnet_hillman), Assessment Center Associate
Topic: Assessment Purposes
Classroom Assessments That Build Investment – September 10, 2015
Moderator: Jim Smith (@MrDataGuy), Assessment Center Associate
Topic: Student Investment