Chapter 3: Principles of Successful Assessment in the Differentiated Classroom

In order to give an effective exam to a differentiated classroom the exam must not only show that students have memorized facts but also whether they can apply the knowledge. The type of assessment talked about in this chapter focuses on essential and enduring knowledge (EEK). This type of assessment makes sure that students Know, Understand, and are Able to Do (KUD). It means that information presented to students should be able to be applied to the real world or it is not as important. In order for teachers to know what they need to spend the most time on giving a pretest is a way to judge what students already know. Also instead of just giving one big exam over the entire unit, giving small quizzes through out help student know what you expect them to learn. In the end a summative assessment should be given in order to make sure that students have learned everything. Not only will these exams show the knowledge they have learned but also if they can apply it. By using EEK and KUD, assessments will no longer test how well the students can memorize facts but what students can do with this knowledge. There is not one type of test that can accurately show what a student has learned, so it is important to give different types of assessments through out the lesson.

Though many of the class found this chapter too long and repetitive, overall they found it very informative. Most of the class found it a good idea to assess students through out the lesson as well as applying the knowledge to real world situations. By giving multiple types assessments we can judge how well students are doing throughout the lesson. One of the items that many of us talked about in this chapter was the section on not giving fluff work. Many agreed that if you can not apply the knowledge or the assignment has no substance and is just given to take up time then it should not be included.

http://www.park.edu/pdi/assessment.pdf