J. Duong Effective Assessment Practices

In mastery grading, below-level students are allowed to:

• drop their lowest test score.

• use a copy of the answer key to fix their assignments.

• retake the test after additional instruction.

• receive instruction with their grade level peers.

Answer explanation

In mastery grading, the goal is for all students to reach mastery of learning objectives. This is done by reteaching material and allowing students to retake their below-level tests.

(Slavin 2021)

The Taxonomy of Educational Objectives is also commonly known as:

Answer explanation

Benjamin Bloom created his original taxonomy in 1956. (Slavin 2021)

True or False:

Students should figure out what the instructional objective is by paying attention.

Answer explanation

Teachers should share the instructional objective at the beginning of the lesson to help focus students' attention.

(Slavin 2021)

True or False:

Only one verb should be used per instructional goal.

Answer explanation

Using only one verb makes it clear which level of Bloom's Taxonomy is associated with the learning goal.

(Slavin 2021)

Affective Objectives are associated with all of the following EXCEPT:

• attitudes and values

• emotions

• skills and concepts

• beliefs

Answer explanation

Skills and concepts are related to instructional objectives.

(Slavin 2021)

Choose the first step in backward planning:

• lesson planning

• long-range goals

• identifying the desired end results

• setting objectives

Answer explanation

With backward planning, you must start with the end in mind.

(Slavin 2021)

A distraction from the correct answer on a multiple choice test is also called:

• an intrusion

• an obstruction

• a diversion

• a foil

Answer explanation

Distractors are also called foils. When carefully written, they expose student misunderstandings.

(Slavin, 2021)

Choose an appropriate foil for the following question:

Who is the current president of China?

• Donald Trump

• Joe Biden

• Mao Zedong
• Xi Jinping

Answer explanation

Xi Jinping is the current president of China, this option is not a foil. The other two options are the current and past US presidents and do not have Chinese names. Those options do not make good foils. Mao Zedong is the only appropriate foil because some students may actually select that answer if they do not know the current leader of China.

Understanding all the subskills required to complete a task is called:

Answer explanation

Teachers must use task analysis before teaching a new skill. This will help identify which students are missing which subskills so that re-teaching and intensive support may be provided accordingly.

(Slavin, 2021)

Imagine a teacher re-grades a nameless essay after her favorite student claims it was hers. This is an example of:

• the halo effect

• objective grading

• affective score

• unintentional favoritism

Answer explanation

The halo effect is defined by a teacher's relationship with the student influencing their grading of that student, rather than objective and observable skills being graded.

(Slavin, 2021)