+OK 13528 octets Received: from smtp01.nwnexus.com (smtp01.nwnexus.com [198.137.231.16]) by mail1.halcyon.com (8.8.8/8.8.8) with ESMTP id FAA05494 for ; Sat, 27 Feb 1999 05:23:53 -0800 (PST) Received: from ripple.dundee.net (ripple.dundee.net [206.249.104.12]) by smtp01.nwnexus.com (8.8.8/8.8.8) with SMTP id FAA29816 for ; Sat, 27 Feb 1999 05:22:42 -0800 Message-ID: From: "Dan & Judy Konieczko" To: "ClearingHouse" Subject: [education-consumers] The Trouble With Authentic Assessment Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 08:22:03 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0019_01BE622A.41120100" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.3110.3 Reply-To: "Dan & Judy Konieczko" Precedence: bulk Status: ===================================================================== This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0019_01BE622A.41120100 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Maine gives the Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) to 4th, 8th and = 11th graders each year. Prior to this year the MEA had evolved into a = complete 'open response' type of evaluation. Objective, multiple-choice = questions with specific answers had been eliminated and replaced by = problems for which the students were required to construct responses. = The answers were evaluated and assigned to one of four categories, = Novice, Basic, Advanced and Disinguished. Distinguished evaluations = were assigned to the best of the best. This year Maine has revised its = MEA and has returned to much more objectively evaluated (multiple-choice = and short answer) questions based upon specific learning content = knowledge. The following examples of performance based evaluations were = taken from the 1995-96 MEA and have been given to schools as examples = that represent various kinds of skills and knowledges demonstrated by = intermediate level students. The commentary added is not mine, but is = taken directly from material provided by the state DOE to explain the = reasoning behind the scores. =20 The question: Describe several factors that will affect how far a ball = will travel when it is kicked. Explain how the ball is influenced by = each factor. 1. NOVICE: When your foot meets the ball then the force that was given = to your foot then travles to the ball. The ball then moves across the = ground or in the air. (Commentary: This student describes only one = factor, force of kick, that could affect how far a kicked ball will = travel. The explanation of the transfer of force of the kick to the = ball is valid but it does not indicate that the student understands that = the amount of force applied to the ball will affect the distance it will = travel.) =20 2. BASIC: The ball could be influenced by being kicked down a hill. = That would give the ball an advantage to gain more speed and that would = make it so it rolls further. Another way the ball could be influenced is = if it's on a flat, smooth surface or a rough surface. If it is on a = flat, smooth surface it is easier for the ball to roll. If it is a rough = surface the ball can be stopped or the rolling of the ball could be = stunted and stop sooner than it would in a different situation. Also = gravity's force helps the ball roll by pushing in on all sides and = rotating around it. (Commentary: The student describes two factors - a = hill and a surface - that could affect how far a kicked ball will = travel. The explanation of how these factors can influence the distance = lacks detail. The response contains a misconception about the effect of = gravity on the motion of the ball.) 3. ADVANCED: When a ball is kicked, severel factors determine how far it = will go. The first and most obvious is how hard the ball is kicked, if = you kick the ball hard it will go far, if you kick the ball softly it = won't go as far. How far it will go also depends on where the foot hits = the ball, if the foot hit's the top of the ball it won't go as far. If = it hits the middle of the ball it goes straight across and far. If the = foot hits the bottom or under the ball it goes high in the air and quite = far. If the ball is kicked on the ground, the surface area determines = where it will stop, if the ground has a lot of ruts and dents in it the = ball will stop quicker. If there is a hill the ball will roll farther. = [Diagrams added to show all possibilities] (Commentary: This student = describes three factors - force, angle of kick, and the surface - that = could affect how far a ball will travel when it is kicked. The student = provides a good explanation and diagrams of how force and the angle of = the kick can influence the distance that the kicked ball will travel. = The explanation and diagrams of the affect of the relationship between = surface and distance are not detailed.) 4. DISTINGUISHED: One factor that will affect how far a ball will travel = is, the force if the ball is hit easy then gravity will pull it easier = and slow it down fast but if the ball is hit harder with more force the = gravitational pull won't reach it as easy. Another factor is the angle = if the ball is kicked in very narrow angle it may rise high but it will = fall sooner if the ball is kicked in a more outstretched angle it will = hover lower but will travel a longer distance. One more factor is the = material is rubber it will bounce of you foot and a far distance. = (Commentary: This student describes several factors - force, gravity, = angle of kick, material - that could affect how far a ball will travel = when it is kicked. The student explains in detail how each factor can = influence the distance that the kicked ball will travel. The student's = response also includes an understanding of the interrelationships = between the factors of the force of a kick and gravity, and the force of = a kick and the type of material that the ball is made of.) ------=_NextPart_000_0019_01BE622A.41120100 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
    Maine gives the = Maine=20 Educational Assessment (MEA) to 4th, 8th and 11th graders each = year.  Prior=20 to this year the MEA had evolved into a complete 'open response' type of = evaluation.  Objective, multiple-choice questions with specific = answers had=20 been eliminated and replaced by problems for which the students were = required to=20 construct responses.  The answers were evaluated and assigned to = one of=20 four categories, Novice, Basic, Advanced and Disinguished.  = Distinguished=20 evaluations were assigned to the best of the best.  This year Maine = has=20 revised its MEA and has returned to much more objectively evaluated=20 (multiple-choice and short answer) questions based upon specific = learning=20 content knowledge. The following = examples of=20 performance based evaluations were taken from the 1995-96 MEA and have = been=20 given to schools as examples that represent various kinds of skills and=20 knowledges demonstrated by intermediate level students. The commentary = added is=20 not mine, but is taken directly from material provided by the state DOE = to=20 explain the reasoning behind the scores.  
 
The question:  Describe several = factors=20 that will affect how far a ball will travel when it is kicked. Explain = how the=20 ball is influenced by each factor.
 
1. NOVICE:  When your foot = meets the ball=20 then the force that was given to your foot then travles to the ball. The = ball=20 then moves across the ground or in the air.  (Commentary:  = This=20 student describes only one factor, force of kick, that could affect how = far a=20 kicked ball will travel.  The explanation of the transfer of force = of the=20 kick to the ball is valid but it does not indicate that the student = understands=20 that the amount of force applied to the ball will affect the distance it = will=20 travel.) 
2.  BASIC: The ball could be = influenced by=20 being kicked down a hill. That would give the ball an advantage to gain = more=20 speed and that would make it so it rolls further. Another way the ball = could be=20 influenced is if it's on a flat, smooth surface or a rough surface. If = it is on=20 a flat, smooth surface it is easier for the ball to roll. If it is a = rough=20 surface the ball can be stopped or the rolling of the ball could be = stunted and=20 stop sooner than it would in a different situation. Also gravity's force = helps=20 the ball roll by pushing in on all sides and rotating around it. = (Commentary:=20 The student describes two factors - a hill and a surface - that could = affect how=20 far a kicked ball will travel. The explanation of how these factors can=20 influence the distance lacks detail. The response contains a = misconception about=20 the effect of gravity on the motion of the ball.)
3. ADVANCED: = When a ball is=20 kicked, severel factors determine how far it will go. The first and most = obvious=20 is how hard the ball is kicked, if you kick the ball hard it will go = far, if you=20 kick the ball softly it won't go as far. How far it will go also depends = on=20 where the foot hits the ball, if the foot hit's the top of the ball it = won't go=20 as far. If it hits the middle of the ball it goes straight across and = far. If=20 the foot hits the bottom or under the ball it goes high in the air and = quite=20 far. If the ball is kicked on the ground, the surface area determines = where it=20 will stop, if the ground has a lot of ruts and dents in it the ball will = stop=20 quicker. If there is a hill the ball will roll farther. [Diagrams added = to show=20 all possibilities] (Commentary: This student describes three factors - = force,=20 angle of kick, and the surface - that could affect how far a ball will = travel=20 when it is kicked. The student provides a good explanation and diagrams = of how=20 force and the angle of the kick can influence the distance that the = kicked ball=20 will travel. The explanation and diagrams of the affect of the = relationship=20 between surface and distance are not detailed.)
4. DISTINGUISHED: One factor that will affect how = far a ball=20 will travel is, the force if the ball is hit easy then gravity will pull = it=20 easier and slow it down fast but if the ball is hit harder with more = force the=20 gravitational pull won't reach it as easy. Another factor is the angle = if the=20 ball is kicked in  very narrow angle it may rise high but it will = fall=20 sooner if the ball is kicked in a more outstretched angle it will hover = lower=20 but will travel a longer distance. One more factor is the material is = rubber it=20 will bounce of you foot and a far distance. (Commentary: This student = describes=20 several factors - force, gravity, angle of kick, material - that could = affect=20 how far a ball will travel when it is kicked. The student explains in = detail how=20 each factor can influence the distance that the kicked ball will travel. = The=20 student's response also includes an understanding of the = interrelationships=20 between the factors of the force of a kick and gravity, and the force of = a kick=20 and the type of material that the ball is made of.)
 
------=_NextPart_000_0019_01BE622A.41120100-- ===================================================================== EDUCATION CONSUMERS CLEARINGHOUSE networking and information for parents and taxpayers on the internet Subscriptions & Archives: http://education-consumers.com or You are currently subscribed to education-consumers as: arthurhu@halcyon.com TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Send a blank email to leave-education-consumers-989462S@lists.dundee.net ===================================================================== For less mail, click on the following link and choose 1) a daily digest, 2) a daily list of subjects, or 3) no mail (read postings on Web) http://lists.dundee.net/scripts/lyris.pl?enter=education-consumers For more help & info: http://www.lyris.com/help or . From: "Dan & Judy Konieczko" To: "Arthur Hu" Subject: Re: [education-consumers] The Trouble With Authentic Assessment Date sent: Mon, 1 Mar 1999 19:26:07 -0500 Arthur, The MEA is given to 4, 8, 11 graders. This is an example of an intermediate level, or 8th grade. The question was taken prior to the publication and implementation of the Maine Learning Results, a program with a full implementation date of school year 2002-2003. The current learning results requires 8th graders to be conversant and knowledgeable about Newton's 3 laws of motion. In studying the 3 laws and Newton, one invariably covers Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation. In the 'distinguished' response there in no mention whatever of inertia, momentum, the correct application of gravity, bodies acted upon by two forces, mass and acceleration, action and reaction, or even the pressure inside the ball relating to elastic potential energy. In my 8th grade class we cover all of these and I would hope that my 8th graders would be able to relate a couple of these ideas with a lot more convincing arguments than this subjective evaluation by someone totally ignorant of the basic science underlying the actions. This question would be much better served by about 6 good multiple choice questions, or multiple 'fill in the blank' responses, would show a lot more understanding and application of the real science and reward the students who really knew what they were talking about. Other than that, I really don't have any strong opinions one way or the other. Dan - From: "Dan & Judy Konieczko" To: Subject: Re: [education-consumers] The Trouble With Authentic Assessment Date sent: Tue, 2 Mar 1999 21:55:35 -0500 Arthur, There are two kinds of physics programs, mathematical analytical and descriptive. The physical science we do in the 8th grade is of the latter. The math we use is at most rudimentary algebra and only in the sense we are manipulating equations such as v=d/t or f=ma. The Maine requirement for a diploma is only 2 years of science in high school and a great many students will never see the physical sciences and have that appreciation of the real driving forces of nature if they don't get it prior to high school. A better alternative, however, was an article in the Jan 24, 1999 Sunday NY Times, in which Tamar Lewin wrote that there is a push to reorder sciences that puts physics as the first course in high school, followed by chemistry and biology. With the modern emphasis on molecular biology and the increasing mathematical and physical connections to the biological sciences it makes sense to teach the physics first, rather than later. It makes sense to me. I would see the introductory physics course based upon high school freshman algebra and possibly a senior AP physics based upon pre-calculus. In that sense, what I do in the 8th grade is not unlike a watered down high school freshman physics course, but it does rely on descriptives much more than applied math. This does make sense to many students who would never rise to the current high school physics programs. The Maine state legislature is behind the Maine testing, but essentially delegates the grunt work to the DOE. The DOE appears to be fighting a losing battle and does not appear to have a good handle on what the testing really accomplishes or what is going on in the schools. We have moved so far away from objective knowledge based testing that there really is no measure anymore of what the students actually know or can do. I am hoping that the newer tests will at least start pointing us back in the right direction. Sorry to disagree about the physics, but I do believe it is where it belongs. The only real problem I have is with a program that is built upon an 8-9-10 grade vocabulary and the public school system consistently feeds me students who are operating on a 3-4-5 grade vocabulary, literary, mental processing, writing, reading, etc. level. We take the coal and turn them into diamonds. We build a science vocabulary and are amazed when the students, THEN, begin to do the critical thinking. Dan -----Original Message----- From: arthur hu To: Dan & Judy Konieczko Date: Tuesday, March 02, 1999 9:19 PM Subject: Re: [education-consumers] The Trouble With Authentic Assessment 3 laws of motion? In 8th grade? You're kidding me. That's just crazy! That's high school or college physics for pete's sake. Who's behind the Maine testing? Arthur Hu arthurhu@halcyon.com Education Deform Critic Index: http://www.leconsulting.com/arthurhu/index/edreform.htm listserver: http://www.egroups.com/list/wa-ed-deform