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Assessment in Alberta: Discussion Paper

This discussion paper explores internationally accepted principles and practices of fair assessment within a context of critical thinking and the Alberta Social Studies Program of Studies.

 
Bibliography Critical Thinking Resources (Annotated) Assessment Resources (Annotated)

Assessment Resources (Annotated)

Absolum, M. Clarity in the Classroom: Using Formative Assessment – Building Learning-focused Relationships. Auckland: Hodder Education Book, 2006.
Using practical examples, this resource describes an evidence-based, reflective approach that enables teachers to help students achieve higher levels of performance. Key strategies and easy-to-use techniques provide support for students to become confident and enthusiastic learners.

Alberta Assessment Consortium.
The Web site is a classroom assessment resource centre. Quality classroom assessment materials and professional publications are available for teachers looking for practical ideas and strategies. Links to these materials and other world-class resources are at your fingertips. Performance assessment tasks, based on the new Social Studies Program of Studies, are available to support implementation.
http://www.aac.ab.ca

Alberta Assessment Consortium. How to Develop and Use Performance Assessments in the Classroom. Rev. ed. Edmonton:AAC, 2003.
This is one in a series of five professional resources that provide teachers with practical approaches for assessing, evaluating and communicating student learning. Gain insights into the rationale for and use of performance assessments. Learn to apply five steps in their development complemented by a practical tool box of implementation ideas. 

Arter, Judith A., and Jan Chappius. Creating and Recognizing Quality Rubrics. Portland: Educational Testing Service, 2006.
This book enables teachers to choose and develop sound instructional rubrics, use them effectively with students to maximize learning, convert rubric scores to grades, and communicate to parents about the use of rubrics in the classroom. It provides a description of quality performance tasks with effective rubrics to produce the desired results.

Davies, Anne. Making Classroom Assessment Work. Merville: Connections Publishing, 2000.
This resource provides a thoughtful and thought provoking framework teachers and administrators can use to reconsider how assessment is working in the classroom. Ideas range from building a foundation for student involvement through ways to report student performance. The resource bridges the findings in research with what teachers do in the classroom.

Principles for Fair Student Assessment Practices for Education in Canada.
Edmonton: Joint Advisory Committee, 1993.
Created by a collection of nationally renowned educational organizations and endorsed by the Canadian School Boards Association, the Canadian Teachers Federation, the Canadian Association for School Administrators, and the Canadian Society for the Study of Education, this document puts forward a number of practices and guidelines that can be used to ensure that the assessment of students in Canadian classrooms is authentic, accurate, and fair.
A summary of the document is available at http://www.2learn.ca/Projects/Together/fair.html.

Stiggins, Richard. Student-Involved Assessment FOR Learning. 4th ed. Columbus: Merrill Pearson    Hall, 2004.
This resource shows teachers how to create high-quality classroom assessments and use them to build student confidence thereby maximizing (not just documenting) student performance and achievement. Features include tips on how to manage day-to-day classroom assessment effectively and efficiently; a practical guideline on how to select and use all types of assessments to match learner outcomes to assessment methods; and energy- and time-saving ideas for classroom teachers.

Wiggins, Grant, and Jay McTighe. Understanding by Design. 2nd ed. Alexandria: ASCD, 2005.
This resource demonstrates the importance of learner outcomes. It explains how  understanding differs from knowledge, how to identify the big ideas in the program of studies, how to know when students have attained them, and how to improve student performance. Educators will learn why familiar coverage- and activity-based approaches to instruction fall short of attaining the intents (big ideas, enduring understandings) of the program of studies. Research-based principles are applied through an array of practical tools, strategies, tools and examples from various subject areas.

Last updated: December 15, 2008 | (Revision History)
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