Survey of Assessment Literacy

Analyzing Assessment Literacy

Assessment literacy is a term that is utilized to refer to knowledge and skills required by educators to identify, choose or create assessments for various purposes relating to the specific learning goals and objectives. This term also refers to measures educators use to examine qualitative and quantitative evidence from assessments for improved decision making on how to enhance student learning. Therefore, assessment literacy is regarded as an important and necessary skill for contemporary educators because of the role in plays in enhancing student learning and achievement (Pipkin, 2017). Assessment-literate educators have the ability to identify suitable and unsuitable assessment practices. This paper documents and analyzes personal survey of assessment literacy and school survey of assessment literacy.

Part 1 – Personal Survey of Assessment Literacy

To examine my assessment literacy, I conducted a survey using an assessment tool that incorporated different sections i.e. General Considerations, Prior to Test Design, Writing the Test, During Test Administration, and After Testing. As shown in Figure 1, I performed in assessment on Writing the Test, General Considerations, and After Testing items at 4.0, 3.9, and 3.8 respectively. However, I had low average scores in items relating to Prior to Test Design and During Test Administration at 3.2 and 2.7 respectively. Generally, these results demonstrate my understanding of the significance of assessments in improving student learning over time and the approach I utilize in providing assessments to students i.e. standards-based. Given the different scores in these categories, there are some strengths and weaknesses in my assessment literacy skills and capabilities. The areas of weaknesses require improvement in order to enhance my assessment literacy skills and help design assessments that help in the achievement of desired learning goals and objectives as well as improving student learning and achievement.

Figure 1: Results of Personal Survey of Assessment Literacy

Based on the results and average score of this personal survey, my greatest area of strength in regard to assessment literacy is Writing the Test. As previously mentioned, I had the highest average scores in this area, which demonstrates that my test items focus on the core of the subject and purpose of the test. According to Goodrich (2014), one of the most important elements in creating high-quality assessments is determining the purpose of the test prior to writing it. Once the purpose is determined, its important to ensure that the test items reflect this purpose and the core of the discipline. Through ensuring that my tests are strongly rooted in the core of the discipline and purpose of the test, I help students and parents to understand progress in learning and identify areas requiring improvements. For example, when writing tests, I first examine what I have taught in the classroom and use it to determine the purpose of the test. After this, I prepare the test depending on the purpose and ensure that the test items reflect what has been learned. When writing, I engage my colleagues to help me review the test and revise them accordingly to reflect the intended target or purpose.

The greatest limitation in regard to my assessment literacy is During Test Administration, which is an area that I had the lowest average scores at 2.7. Based on my average score in this area, I need to learn how to effectively provide directions to students as they carry out the tests. Currently, I experience challenges in providing clear directions to students regarding the test, provide a conducive test environment, and monitor them as they carry out the test. In this regard, one of the goals I will set for overcoming this limitation is to create a good testing environment for all students. I will focus on achieving this goal through ensuring students read the directions of each section in the test and seek for clarification when needed. I will also become more visible and mobile in the classroom as students undertake the test in order to monitor them effectively.

Part 2 – School Survey of Assessment Literacy

Apart from conducting a survey of my personal assessment literacy, I also examined the assessment literacy level of my school. As shown in Figure 2 below, the assessment criteria included General Considerations, Prior to Test Design, Writing Common Assessments, During Administration of Common Assessments, and After Administration of Common Assessments.

Figure 2: Results of School Survey of Assessment Literacy

The school’s greatest area of strength in relation to assessment literacy is Writing Common Assessments since teacher work in collaboration with each other to write tests that align with the core of the discipline and the purpose of the test. The school has created an environment where teachers work in collaboration with one another to write common assessments and revise them accordingly based on input from the team. Such collaboration helps in ensuring that students are the focus of the assessments in relation to their progress in the learning process (Schuhl, 2010). For example, when writing common summative assessments teachers examine what has been taught in the classroom and specific objectives of the lessons to determine what areas to examine.

The school’s greatest limitation in regard to assessment literacy is During Administration of Common Assessments area. Teachers at the school are struggling with providing students clear test directions, providing a conducive testing environment, and monitoring students as they take the tests. One of the goals for dealing with limitation in the school in relation to assessment literacy is ensuring active monitoring during testing, which helps to provide a conducive testing environment for all students. Active monitoring will help address this limitation by ensuring teachers and other test administrators remain mobile and move around the room as students are working on their tests (Mariotti, 2009).