Alternative Assessment Strategies Research Articles

Exploring alternative assessment strategies in science classrooms.

The knowledge children bring to the classroom or construct in the classroom may find expression in a variety of activities and is often not measurable with the traditional assessment instruments used in science classrooms. Different approaches to assessment are required to accommodate the various ways in which learners construct knowledge in social settings. In our research we attempted to determine the types of outcomes achieved in a Grade 6 classroom where alternative strategies such as interactive assessments were implemented. Analyses of these outcomes show that the learners learned much more than the tests indicate, although what they learnt was not necessarily science. The implications for assessment are clear: strategies that assess knowledge of science concepts, as well as assessment of outcomes other than science outcomes, are required if we wish to gain a holistic understanding of the learning that occurs in science classrooms. Keywords: alternative strategies; interactive assessment; interpretive assessment; range of outcomes; social constructivism

Alternative assessment in higher education: An experience in descriptive statistics

Assessment-led reform is now one of the most widely favored strategies to promote higher standards of teaching, more powerful learning and more credible forms of public accountability. Within this context of change, higher education in many countries is increasingly subjected to demands to implement alternative assessment strategies that provide outcome measures of both student and program effectiveness. This article examines a process of integrating real-life data investigation in a course on descriptive statistics at a teachers college. The article describes this process and considers implications of this experience in terms of its potential to improve the quality of learning and assessment of knowledge in descriptive statistics in higher education.

Assessing Children’s Values: An Exploratory Study

Currently, much attention is devoted to children’s values and their development in an educational context. Recent research revealed that children hold a solid concept of their values and may provide accurate and unique information by themselves. Schwartz’s (1994) theory established a comprehensive framework of universal human values, and Schwartz’s Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ, a self-report instrument) provided access to adults’ and adolescents’ values. However, it is unexplored to what extent the two would be suitable for children. In an exploratory study, the PVQ was employed in a sample of 8- to 11-year-old children ( N = 191). Observations during the process of instrument completion indicated that the PVQ imposed high demands on children’s language skills, cognitive capacities, and ability for abstract thinking. Nonetheless, Multidimensional Scaling analyses revealed highly differentiated value structures. The discussion focuses on the validity of Schwartz’s theory in childhood, promising alternative assessment strategies, and implications for practitioners.

An Empirical Analysis of Alternative Assessment Strategies in the High School Economics Class

Three different assessment methods are used to determine the effectiveness of the curriculum package Open and Operating: The Federal Reserve Responds to September 11 in improving the economic knowledge of 1291 California high school students. Student performance is found to vary by race and gender depending on the assessment method used: multiple choice questions, an essay question, or a group creative poster activity. Consistent with prior studies, white male students perform better on the multiple choice questions. However, these gender and racial differences disappear for the essay instrument, and females and Asians outperform others on the group creative activity. Economists who work training high school teachers are encouraged to recommend that teachers use different assessment methods to encourage the success of different types of students.

Predictive Validity of Measures of the Pathfinder Scaling Algorithm on Programming Performance: Alternative Assessment Strategy for Programming Education

Recent years have seen a shift in focus from assessment of learning to assessment for learning and the emergence of alternative assessment methods. However, the reliability and validity of these methods as assessment tools are still questionable. In this article, we investigated the predictive validity of measures of the Pathfinder Scaling Algorithm (PSA), a concept mapping assessment utility, using the referent-free and referent-based approaches on programming performance of a group of secondary school students. Results suggest that the predictive validity of both approaches was more or less the same. Among the three similarity measures applied for the referent-based approach, PRX appeared to be the most predictive one whereas PFC and GTD were similar in terms of predictive power. The correlations between the referent-free measure C and the three previously mentioned referent-based measures with the programming performance measures were not as strong as reported in the literature. In the light of these results, we argue that there is a need to reform assessment in programming education.

Comparison of Perceived and Quantitative Measures of Occupational Noise Exposure

Characterization of highly variable noise exposures over long periods of time presents a major challenge. Common exposure assessment strategies such as assignment of exposure levels based on job title information may not provide adequate exposure contrast or precision for variable exposures. Subjective exposure data may offer an alternative or complementary exposure assessment strategy. This study evaluated the relationship between perceived and quantitatively measured exposure. Twenty subjects were recruited at each of three worksites with different noise environments (continuous, intermittent and highly variable). Full-shift quantitative measurements (n = 206) were made on each subject during four workshifts over 2 weeks. Perceived exposure data were collected via surveys on subjects' first (n = 58) and last (n = 57) monitored shifts, as well as through timeline logs completed by subjects during each monitored shift. The first survey focused on the first shift only, while the second survey covered the whole 2-week period. Timeline log data suggested that subjects could differentiate between different noise levels and degrees of noise variability. Survey items on perceived exposure variability and impulsiveness performed well at the continuous and highly variable sites. Analyses of contrast between exposure grouping strategies showed that job title generally did not produce statistically distinct exposure groups and that several survey items provided greater contrast than job title. The precision of exposures predicted from survey items was comparable to, or slightly better than, that of job title for several survey items, and the addition of survey items to prediction models which included job title improved model fit and precision. Supplemental perceived noise exposure information appears to offer promise for improving exposure estimates, particularly for individuals with highly variable exposures.

Designing Digital Portfolios for Technology Support Students

Introduction Using digital or electronic portfolios has been increasing at a rapid rate and also has been capturing attention of many in academia. Batson (2002) for example, described development of digital portfolios as the biggest thing in technology innovation on campus (p. 1). Love, McKean and Gatherocal (2004) described Webfolios (a type of digital portfolio) as the most significant significant effect on education since introduction of formal schooling (p. 24). Despite all developments regarding digital portfolios in education, only a few majors such English, Art and Journalism are taking lead to introducing them to their curriculum (Batson, 2002). At same time technology programs are not proceeding at same pace in introducing same portfolios for their students (Ritzpaugh & Singh, 2006). This study is intended to conduct an investigation regarding introducing digital portfolios to technology programs. It illustrates experience of Technology Support and Training (TST) department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) and describes preliminary steps that have been taken in this regard by faculty members in this department to implement requirement of digital portfolio for their students. The remainder of paper is divided into four sections. The first section describes portfolios in general and digital portfolios in particular. The second section discusses advantages and uses of developing portfolios for students. The third section elaborates on considerations that may need to be taken into account before introducing digital portfolios as a requirement for students. The fourth section details experience of TST faculty and their students in developing digital portfolios. A summary of paper content and plan for future research is presented at end. About Portfolios Using portfolios for business applications is not something new; to contrary, portfolios have been used in business for some time. Financial investors are known to hold a portfolio of their investments that shows different portions of their stocks and contribution each made. Salespeople have been known for a long time to carry a binder or a folder with them on their trips to show their clients about company they are representing and products they are selling. Similar trends were noted in other fields such as graphic arts (Snadden & Thomas, 1998). The use of portfolios in education is more recent and followed a number of developments that created a need for a comprehensive assessment tool to evaluate students' knowledge over longer period of time than just one course. Worthington (2000) noted that We need methods much closer to narrative that shows where a student stands with respect to long art of (p. 242). Snadden and Thomas (1998) on other hand indicated main purpose of developing portfolios in learning and education is the collection of evidence that learning has taken place (p. 192). In regards to specific time portfolios began to be adopted in academia, Dubinsky (2003) explained that use of portfolios in academia began to gain a foothold in early to mid 1980s by some teachers in English composition and writing. Dubinsky further added about increasing usage of portfolios by composition teachers: Adopted them as an alternative assessment strategy, one that could show students' development (in terms of writing ability) over time and permit students to have a say in ways in which their work organized and presented. Since then according to Vavrus (1990), teachers have continued to use portfolios in systematic ways to monitor growth of students' knowledge, skills and attitudes (quoted in Cole, Ryan, Kick, & Mathies, 1995, p. 9) The use of portfolio in education was limited to assessing student work initially. …

In vitro tests to evaluate immunotoxicity: A preliminary study

The implementation of Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of new and existing Chemicals (REACH) will increase the number of laboratory animals used, if alternative methods will not be available. In the meantime, REACH promotes the use of in vitro tests and, therefore, a set of appropriated alternative testing methods and assessment strategies are needed.The immune system can be a target for many chemicals including environmental contaminants and drugs with potential adverse effects on human health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictivity of a set of in vitro assays to detect immunosuppression. The tests have been performed on human, rat and murine cells. Different endpoints have been assessed: cytotoxicity, cytokine release, myelotoxicity and mitogen responsiveness. For each of these endpoints IC50s values have been calculated.Six chemical substances, representative of the full range of in vivo responses and for which good human and/or animal data are available either from databases or literature, have been selected: two chemicals classified as not immunotoxic (Urethane and Furosemide), and four (tributyltin chloride (TBTC), Verapamil, Cyclosporin A, Benzo(a)pyrene) with different effect on immune system.All the tests confirmed the strong immunotoxic effect of TBTC as well as they confirmed the negative controls. For one chemical (Verapamil) the IC50 is similar through the different tests. The IC50s obtained with the other chemicals depend on the endpoints and on the animal species.The clonogenic test (CFU-GM) and the mitogen responsiveness showed similar IC50s between human and rodent cells except for Cyclosporin A and TBTC.All different tests classified the compounds analyzed in the same way.

Alternative Assessment Strategy and Its Impact on Student Comprehension in an Undergraduate Microbiology Course

Alternative Assessment Strategy and Its Impact on Student Comprehension in an Undergraduate Microbiology Course

Standardized Teacher Testing Fails Excellence and Validity Tests

This paper presents and critically analyzes data from a project that sought teacher candidates' responses to the process and content of the Ontario Teacher Qualifying Test (OTQT), a mandatory, standardized, pencil and paper initial teacher qualification test. The aim of the project, guided by a critical democratic perspective, was to critically assess the success of the OTQT in achieving the government's stated objectives of greater competency and accountability. More specifically, the paper focuses on findings relating to teacher competency, with particular reference to criterion, ecolological and consequential validity, and alternative assessment strategies. The teacher candidates' responses raise serious issues about the content and format of the test since they believe that it neither achieves accountability nor does it secure excellence in teaching. These concerns echo the major concerns found in the literature.

Portfolio Assessment of Information Technology Students at a University of Technology: a case study

The emphasis on quality and better throughput, coupled with the promotion of generic learning outcomes in programmes, necessitated the investigation and piloting of alternative assessment strategies. In developing alternative assessment strategies, students' perceptions on assessment have to be determined, since students are the major role-players and potential beneficiaries of a good assessment strategy. The use of portfolios as an assessment tool was introduced at a University of Technology for Information Technology (IT) students. In this article, both the assessment strategy as well as the students' perception of this approach is discussed. Research findings impact on how portfolio assessment can be conducted to refine the use and implementation of portfolios as an assessment tool.

Alternative Assessment Strategy and Its Impact on Student Comprehension in an Undergraduate Microbiology Course

Alternative Assessment Strategy and Its Impact on Student Comprehension in an Undergraduate Microbiology Course

Alternative Assessment Strategy and Its Impact on Student Comprehension in an Undergraduate Microbiology Course

Medical Microbiology is a content-intensive course that requires a large time commitment from the students. Students are typically biology or prenursing majors, including students headed for professional schools, such as medical school and pharmacy school. This group is somewhat diverse in terms of background science coursework, so it can be difficult to teach in a way that benefits all the students. Numerous changes have been implemented in our microbiology curriculum to address the different abilities of our students by altering assessment and teaching strategies. It was hypothesized that changing the assessment strategy from the traditional scheme of two or three exams and one final to a new model of seven or eight shorter exams would have a positive impact on student comprehension and retention. The quantity of material taught or expected of the students to learn did not change, but there was definitely an impact on them. Although 30.0% of students routinely did not pass microbiology in previous semesters, the new method of assessment resulted in only 9.63% not completing the semester successfully, as determined by earning a grade of C or better. There is some evidence from conversations and interviews with students that indicates a positive impact of this methodology on student attitude. Implementation of these changes in other courses and their current effectiveness will be examined in the future, with an eye towards more broadly applicable successful teaching techniques in the sciences, especially for nonmajors.

Behavior, Discipline, and Students with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders: Promises to Keep … Miles to Go

The amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1997 (IDEA ‘97) established a number of expectations regarding how the behavioral needs of students with disabilities would be met and how they should be disciplined. These expectations included alternative behavioral assessment strategies (e. g., functional behavioral assessments, manifestation determinations), program planning components (e.g., positive behavioral supports, behavioral intervention plans), and specific procedures for the use of interim alternative educational settings. This article briefly addresses (a) the challenges that school personnel face in implementing these requirements, (b) the critical need to ensure that students receive an appropriate education, and (c) a suggested advocacy agenda for the upcoming amendments to the IDEA.

Inter-rater reliability in assigning ICF codes to children with disabilities

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if independent raters would arrive at similar decisions about which codes from the Activities and Participation component of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) to assign to children with disabilities based on the results of standard paediatric functional assessment measures.Method: Children (N = 60), 9 months to 17.75 years old, with a range of disabilities were assessed using either the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (n = 20), the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) (n = 20), or the School Function Assessment (SFA) (n = 20). Two raters independently determined which of 40 codes from the Activities and Participation component of the ICF applied to each child based on items and standard scores from the assessment measure. The Cohen's kappa statistic was used as the measure of inter-rater reliability.Results: The kappa statistic was ⩾ 0.70, the criterion for good agreement in this study, for 23/40 codes using the Vineland, 17/40 codes using the PEDI, and 17/40 codes using the SFA. The mean kappa statistic reached ⩾ 0.70 for the Self care domain, using all three tools. The mean kappa statistic also reached ⩾ 0.70 for Learning and Applying Knowledge and Mobility using the Vineland.Conclusions: Independent raters reached high rates of agreement when assessment test items were structured developmentally and corresponded to a single ICF code. For domains other than Self care, alternative assessment strategies may be necessary to improve assigning ICF codes to children with disabilities.

Teaching Students How to Think Critically: The Confederate Flag Controversy in the High School Social Studies Classroom

The racially tinged Confederate flag debate in South Carolina is viewed as a signifier of more popular struggles over the representation of "southern heritage" and under girds the social studies unit described in this paper. The unit was designed to teach the curriculum from a popular cultural, issues-oriented perspective using critical pedagogical techniques. Using the Confederate battle flag as an organizing theme, the unit's substantive components include critical and reflective exercises such as journaling, debating, writing essays, researching, and role-playing. Both traditional assessment strategies as well as alternative assessment strategies (e.g., portfolio development, free-writes, and performances) were used to determine students' learning and interests. The unit was taught in a conservative, rural, working-class, majority White, upstate South Carolina school setting. This approach enabled the students within the blue-collar population to think critically and reflectively about their own positions, privileges, attitudes, beliefs, and "heritages," as well as see that democracy in action is painful at times, messy, and even embarrassing, but necessary if society is to reach inclusive compromises.

A Comparison of Teachers' Assessment Practices in School Restructuring Models by Year of Implementation

Teachers' assessment practices were investigated in the context of school restructuring in Title I schools. The survey method included questionnaires distributed to teachers in 11 elementary schools in their 1st year of implementation and teachers in 11 elementary schools in their 4th year of implementation. Focus group interviews were conducted with groups of 8-10 teachers at each school. Results indicated that schools in their 4th year of restructuring had significantly higher mean ratings on the alternative assessment items than did schools in their 1st year of restructuring. These differences were significant for portfolios and student self-assessments. There were significant, positive correlations between scores on the alternative assessment scale with scores on the pedagogical change and student outcome scales. The qualitative data also suggested an increase in teachers' use of alternative assessment strategies and the development of rubrics to evaluate these assessments. There were more responses indicating changes in assessment among teachers in their 4th year of restructuring than among teachers in the 1st year. The qualitative data further indicated that teachers were concerned with the incompatibility between the alternative, authentic models advocated in the restructuring models and the district and state accountability systems that relied on standardized objective tests.

Assessment of school mathematics: Teachers’ perceptions and practices

This is the first report of a proposed ten-year interval longitudinal study about teacher assessment practice in Auckland, New Zealand. Interviews with teachers of Year 3, 6, 8, 10, and 13 students are analysed. These interviews indicate that primary teachers are using a variety of assessment strategies in a mastery-based system. Their judgement of mathematical performance is dominated by the belief that all students must feel that they are achieving. The secondary teacher interviews indicate common use of alternative assessment strategies in non-examination classes. Judgement of student performance is benchmarked against national examinations. It is conjectured that an education system effect determines teachers’ assessment practices.

Assessment of the food safety issues related to genetically modified foods

International consensus has been reached on the principles regarding evaluation of the food safety of genetically modified plants. The concept of substantial equivalence has been developed as part of a safety evaluation framework, based on the idea that existing foods can serve as a basis for comparing the properties of genetically modified foods with the appropriate counterpart. Application of the concept is not a safety assessment per se, but helps to identify similarities and differences between the existing food and the new product, which are then subject to further toxicological investigation. Substantial equivalence is a starting point in the safety evaluation, rather than an endpoint of the assessment. Consensus on practical application of the principle should be further elaborated. Experiences with the safety testing of newly inserted proteins and of whole genetically modified foods are reviewed, and limitations of current test methodologies are discussed. The development and validation of new profiling methods such as DNA microarray technology, proteomics, and metabolomics for the identification and characterization of unintended effects, which may occur as a result of the genetic modification, is recommended. The assessment of the allergenicity of newly inserted proteins and of marker genes is discussed. An issue that will gain importance in the near future is that of post-marketing surveillance of the foods derived from genetically modified crops. It is concluded, among others that, that application of the principle of substantial equivalence has proven adequate, and that no alternative adequate safety assessment strategies are available.

Global aphasia: An innovative assessment approach

Objective: To provide an alternative language comprehension assessment strategy for patients unable to be tested with traditional verbally/behaviorally based methods. Design: Event-related brain potentials were recorded from three midline scalp locations to visually and aurally computer-presented sentences, 50% of which were semantically appropriate and 50% semantically incongruous. Setting: A rehabilitation hospital. Patient: A 21-year-old man with a traumatic brain injury. Results: The patient exhibited brain response patterns to aurally presented congruous and incongruous sentences indicative of intact semantic processing capabilities. These findings resulted in reinstatement of individualized rehabilitative intervention, with a successful outcome. Conclusions: This innovative technique provides new opportunities for assessing intellectual function in noncommunicative patients who were patients previously unable to be tested.