Data Collection Pt. 2 - Test Formatting

A major trend in education is standard-based grading, and why not?  Why not grade students on how well they have mastered a standard?  Wouldn't that give grades meaning?  In order to create a test format that would allow me to easily see the proficiency of my students in each standard, I created a template that I use for each test.

The template is very straightforward.  Each standard is in a separate box.  That box is separated into sections.  The first section states the standard. I believe it is important to allow students to see the standard and what they are expected to know.  The second section has the standard summarized to help students understand what they need to be able to do. This also helps me really think about what needs to be addressed in that standard. The last box is where I place the questions that I want my students to answer. 

It is important when you create questions for your test that you do not only have one question for the standard because if a student misses it, then they will receive 0% proficiency which is probably not accurate.  I try to make each standard worth at least 8 points.  Then if they miss one point, I can see that they still understand a majority of what the standard addresses.

When I am grading the tests, each standard receives a score.  I write the percentage off to the left.  I then average the points to give students an overall grade for the unit.  Tomorrow I will discuss how I help students dig deeper into their own understanding and help them to analyze their data. 

Have a great day!