[NIFL-ASSESSMENT:1293] Standards and everything else

From: Marie Cora (marie.cora@hotspurpartners.com)
Date: Fri Oct 14 2005 - 16:59:21 EDT


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From: "Marie Cora" <marie.cora@hotspurpartners.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:1293] Standards and everything else
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Hi Andrea, Howard and all,

I'll take a stab - but you all have to promise to jump in to either
correct or enhance this discussion.

There are several different types of approaches (frameworks) that
assessments or tests are based on; some frameworks encompass (align)
assessment and curriculum (and student goals as well); others do not.  

We can start where you are:  standards-based approach.  

Content standards are broadly stated expectations of what students
should know and be able to do in particular subjects and (grade) levels.
Content standards define for teachers, schools, students, and the
community not only the expected student skills and knowledge, but what
programs should teach.
An example of a standards-based approach would be EFF (Equipped for the
Future) which is based on content standards, and does align curriculum,
assessment and student goals.  

Criterion-referenced or competency-based refers measures an individual's
performance against a predetermined standard of acceptable performance.
Progress is based on actual performance rather than on how well learners
perform in comparison to others. CASAS and BEST are examples of
competency-based or criterion-referenced assessments.  CASAS does align
it's curriculum and assessments (someone else needs to speak to the
goals piece on this); BEST is not aligned with any particular curriculum
but is based on a broader set of ESOL students' goals.

Norm-referenced assessments are assessments in which student performance
is compared to that of a larger group. Usually the larger group or Norm
group is a national sample representing a wide and diverse cross-section
of students. Students, schools, districts, and even states are compared
or rank-ordered in relation to the norm group. The purpose of a
norm-referenced assessment is usually to sort students and not to
measure achievement towards some criterion of performance.  An example
of a norm-referenced test is the TABE.  The TABE is not aligned with any
particular curriculum or set of student goals.

In materials-based assessment, learners are evaluated on the basis of
tests following the completion of a particular set of curriculum
materials. A commercial text and its accompanying workbook is an example
of this type of assessment. These assessments are aligned with the
curriculum, but not necessarily with students' goals.

These definitions can be found in two locations for your convenience:
At the LINCS Special Collection in Assessment at
http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/assessment/ (click on Glossary)
Or
The Adult Literacy Education Wiki (ALEWiki) at
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Main_Page (click on #4 Assessment
Information and click on the glossary)

That's a start I think.  If you have corrections or information to add
to this discussion, we would appreciate hearing from you. Thanks!

marie cora
Moderator, NIFL Assessment Discussion List, and 
Coordinator/Developer 
LINCS Assessment Special Collection at  
http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/assessment/
 
marie.cora@hotspurpartners.com



-----Original Message-----
From: nifl-assessment@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-assessment@nifl.gov] On
Behalf Of AWilder106@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 3:38 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:1284] RE: Seeking Studies of APL, CASAS, EFF

Howard,

Would you please describe the difference between standards and
everything else?

Thanks.

Andrea



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