How to Design and Select Quality Assessments

Teachers as well as building and district leaders who are implementing the Ohio Teacher Evaluation System will benefit from training and support related to selecting, developing and using assessments. The Ohio Department of Education, in conjunction with Battelle for Kids, is offering this support through activities aimed at helping participants enhance their “assessment literacy” skills.

Professional Development Materials

The Assessment Literacy Overview Presentation  was used in the full-day Assessment Literacy sessions held during the 2013-2014 school year. It introduces educators to the foundations of assessment literacy and quality assessment design and focuses on the key skills and knowledge needed to critically design and review assessments, including: validity, reliability, bias, and cognitive complexity. Regional Field Specialists are available to provide free, on-site professional development to support districts with this work.

Educators can now access four sets of online assessment literacy resources within the Battelle for Kids Ohio portal. The materials are appropriate for all educators but are especially helpful for those developing measures of student growth through student learning objectives.

Designed for use in collaborative settings, the materials include PowerPoint presentations, facilitation guides, and suggested activities for 30-minute learning labs. In addition to an overview of assessment literacy, participants can learn more about Webb’s depth of knowledge, as well as key skills needed to critically develop, review and score varied types of assessments.

Assistance from a regional field specialist

Contact the regional field specialist assigned to your region indicated below for assistance. These specialists can offer professional development which includes a variety of tools to facilitate the effective, meaningful design and implementation of assessments in classrooms.  

Resources

• Standards for Ohio Educators
• Student Learning Objective Guidebook
• Ohio’s Learning Standards
• Guidance on Selecting Assessments for Student Learning Objectives
• Frequently Asked Questions about Assessment Literacy
• Depth of Knowledge
  • Depth of Knowledge from the New York Department of Education (YouTube Video)
  • Webb's Depth of Knowledge (YouTube Video)
  • Depth of Knowledge with Karin Hess (Professional Development Video) - Karin Hess is a recognized national leader in developing practical approaches for using cognitive rigor and learning progressions as the foundation for formative and performance assessments. View additional resources below.
  • Cognitive Rigor Matrix
  • Hess’ Cognitive Rigor Matrix - English Language Arts
  • Hess’s Cognitive Rigor Matrix -- Math and Science
  • Depth of Knowledge Compared to Bloom's Taxonomy
  • Depth of Knowledge Question Stems
  • Depth of Knowledge vs. Bloom's
  • Depth of Knowledge Wheel
  • Karin Hess Depth of Knowledge Power Point
  • Webb's Depth of Knowledge Flip Chart

Last Modified: 9/2/2016 2:23:58 PM

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