This professional development workshop series was designed to deepen teachers’ understanding of how to adapt and use formative assessment in K-12 computer science classrooms. In this multi-part series, we present a synthesis of research and many examples, plus interactive activities to practice evaluating, adapting, and responding to assessment items. Examples cover content related to algorithms and programming, with examples across grades 3-12.
These workshops were designed as professional development (PD) in-a-box — i.e., resources that can easily be used and adapted by others to facilitate high quality PD in their own regions and contexts. We recommend implementing as a series of four sessions of approximately 90 minutes each over the course of one month (e.g., weekly) or one semester (e.g., monthly).
Session Design
Each session includes direct instruction synthesizing research on assessment and guided practice with many examples of assessment items. Additionally, there are breakouts for practice of the target skills in small groups. Finally, there is suggested “homework” to apply the learning from each session and preview other resources. Subsequent sessions begin by reviewing this homework to provide some continuity across sessions.
Objectives
- Understand what, why, and how regarding formative assessment.
- Expand types of formative assessment used, and understand the value of different types.
- Evaluate assessment items using a framework or set of design features.
- Identify common misconceptions and select items to diagnose learning.
- Plan how to respond to assessment results.
Session Resources
1: What/Why/How of Formative Assessment
Objectives
- Understand what, why, and how regarding formative assessment.
- Evaluate assessment items using a framework or set of design features.
- Align assessment items to granular learning goals.
Resources
Agenda
|
Kickoff
|
8 min
|
- Welcome & Introductions (4 min)
- Overview of Series and Session (4 min)
|
|
Session 2 Review
|
10 min
|
- Recap Key Points from Session 2: Quick Quizzes (5 min)
- Share Reflections from Homework & Last Session (5 min)
|
|
Presentation /
Direct Instruction
|
15 min
|
- What are Misconceptions and Naive Conceptions? (3 min)
- Strategies for Teaching Strong Conceptual Understanding (5 min)
- Synthesis of Documented Misconceptions and Learning Difficulties (5 min)
- Action Planning based on Quiz Feedback (2 min)
|
|
Guided Practice
|
12 min
|
- Six Examples of Items Targeting Known Misconceptions (12 min)
|
|
Application /
Breakouts
|
35 min
|
- Directions for Activities (3 min)
- Activities in Small Group Breakouts (22 min)
- Whole-group Share-out (10 min)
|
|
Close-out
|
10 min
|
- Reflect on Takeaways (5 min)
- Share Homework Task (2 min)
- Complete Feedback Survey (3 min)
|
2: Quality Quizzes for Quick Feedback
Objectives
- Expand types of formative assessment used (and understand the value of different types).
- Select quiz-based assessment items for quick, quality measurement and feedback.
- Evaluate assessment items using a framework or set of design features.
Resources
Agenda
|
Kickoff
|
8 min
|
- Welcome & Introductions (4 min)
- Overview of Series and Session (4 min)
|
|
Session 1 Review
|
10 min
|
- Recap Key Points from Session 1: What/Why/How (5 min)
- Share Reflections from Homework & Last Session (5 min)
|
|
Presentation /
Direct Instruction
|
24 min
|
- Types of Quick Quiz Assessment Items with Lots of Examples (24 min)
- What is being assessed?
- How is it being assessed?
|
|
Guided Practice
|
6 min
|
- Two Examples of Designing New Items for the Same Learning Goals (6 min)
|
|
Application /
Breakouts
|
32 min
|
- Directions for Activities (2 min)
- Activities in Small Group Breakouts (20 min)
- Whole-group Share-out (10 min)
|
|
Close-out
|
10 min
|
- Reflect on Takeways (5 min)
- Share Homework Task (2 min)
- Complete Feedback Survey (3 min)
|
3: Tackling Misconceptions Through Formative Assessment
Objectives
- Identify common misconceptions and and student difficulties encountered by novice programmers.
- Select items to diagnose learning.
- Plan how and what follow-up pedagogical action to take to address the misconception based on assessment results.
Resources
Agenda
|
Kickoff
|
8 min
|
- Welcome & Introductions (4 min)
- Overview of Series and Session (4 min)
|
|
Session 1 Review
|
10 min
|
- Recap Key Points from Session 1: What/Why/How (5 min)
- Share Reflections from Homework & Last Session (5 min)
|
|
Presentation /
Direct Instruction
|
24 min
|
- Types of Quick Quiz Assessment Items with Lots of Examples (24 min)
- What is being assessed?
- How is it being assessed?
|
|
Guided Practice
|
6 min
|
- Two Examples of Designing New Items for the Same Learning Goals (6 min)
|
|
Application /
Breakouts
|
32 min
|
- Directions for Activities (2 min)
- Activities in Small Group Breakouts (20 min)
- Whole-group Share-out (10 min)
|
|
Close-out
|
10 min
|
- Reflect on Takeways (5 min)
- Share Homework Task (2 min)
- Complete Feedback Survey (3 min)
|
License & Attribution
Suggested citation: Twarek, B. and Grover, A (2022). Formative Classroom Assessment for Teachers in K-12 Computer Science: A Professional Development Workshop Series. Retrieved from https://csassess.org/fcat.
This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1943530. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
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