Question 1

Formative assessment measures student understanding of performance with the purpose of evaluating students.

Accepted Answer

Formative assessment is aimed at monitoring student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning, not for grading or evaluating students.

Question 2

The kind of assessment implied by constructivism flows from the belief that students
A)hold on to the existing knowledge and absorb it after engaging in planned repetition.
B)develop new knowledge and make it their own, through multiple opportunities of guided practice.
C)develop new knowledge first through transmission and recall followed by "meaning making."
D)develop new knowledge and make it their own, through an active process of "meaning making."

Accepted Answer

Constructivism emphasizes that learning occurs as learners are actively involved in a process of meaning and knowledge construction as opposed to passively receiving information. Learners construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world, through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences. Therefore, the assessment implied by constructivism involves evaluating how students develop new knowledge and make it their own through an active process of "meaning making."

Question 3

Portfolios can serve as a means for collecting, organizing, and showcasing student work.

Accepted Answer

Portfolios allow students to collect and organize their work over time, showcasing their learning progress, achievements, and skills in a structured manner.

Question 4

Potential portfolio content should reflect the diversity of
A)social studies content.
B)reading , writing, questioning, analyzing experiences that are incorporated into the social studies units.
C)students' views.
D)learning skill sets.

Accepted Answer

Portfolio content should reflect a variety of experiences such as reading, writing, questioning, and analyzing, which are integral to social studies units, showcasing a comprehensive approach to learning.

Question 5

The authors of this text believe that standardized testing has a legitimate role within the larger social studies picture and that the full social studies curriculum should be planned around testing.

Accepted Answer

Standardized testing may be seen as having a role in assessing certain knowledge and skills within social studies, but planning the entire curriculum around testing is generally not supported, as it can limit the depth and breadth of learning and critical thinking skills development.

Question 6

Before giving the essay test, write down what you regard as the best answer to each of your essay questions in order to
A)have a standard for evaluating students' responses.
B)e nsure that anyone can grade the students' exams.
C)e nsure that your questions are clear and concise.
D)have a standard for evaluating the items.

Accepted Answer

Having a standard for evaluating students' responses ensures consistency and fairness in grading, allowing the instructor to compare students' answers to the expected response.

Question 7

The multiple-choice format is probably the most
A)difficult for subjective test items.
B)difficult for objective test items.
C)versatile for objective test items.
D)inflexible for subjective test items.

Accepted Answer

Multiple-choice format is highly versatile for objective test items because it allows for a wide range of questions to be asked and answers to be clearly right or wrong, making it easier to assess knowledge objectively.

Question 8

The Council for the Social Studies and leading scholars argue for social studies assessments that are
A)performance based, apply to multiple learning environments and content areas, and are easily scored.
B)standards based, include authentic tasks to be performed out of school, and apply to multiple content areas.
C)offered in multiple formats, apply social studies skills and processes, and integrated across the curriculum
D)well-aligned with social studies goals, more complete in the range of objectives addressed, and include authentic tasks.

Accepted Answer

D is correct because it emphasizes alignment with social studies goals, comprehensiveness in addressing objectives, and the inclusion of authentic tasks, which are key components advocated for in effective social studies assessments.

Question 9

Student-led conferences provide an opportunity to talk abut what has been learned using the contents of the portfolio as a springboard for discussion.

Accepted Answer

Student-led conferences involve students presenting their academic progress and reflections to their parents or guardians, often using their portfolio of work as a basis for discussion. This approach encourages students to take ownership of their learning and achievements.

Question 10

One of the arguments for using performance assessments is that they allow teachers who use multiple materials in teaching to apply these practices to testing.

Accepted Answer

Performance assessments enable teachers to integrate various teaching materials and methods into the evaluation process, allowing for a more comprehensive assessment of student learning and skills.

Question 11

Authentic assessment should always reflect the full range of curricular goals, so multiple- choice, true-false, and essay tests are sometimes appropriate.

Accepted Answer

Authentic assessment aims to evaluate students' abilities in 'real-world' contexts, reflecting the full range of curricular goals. This means using a variety of assessment types, including multiple-choice, true-false, and essay tests, to measure different knowledge and skills accurately.

Question 12

Students should be given the opportunities to analyze their own work assuming the process is
A)carefully scaffolded and used to inform planning.
B)objective and used to evaluate their learning.
C)subjective and helpful in determining academic achievement.
D)carefully monitored to ensure teacher effectiveness.

Accepted Answer

Self-analysis of work, when carefully scaffolded, can help students understand their learning process and inform future planning, making it an effective educational strategy.

Question 13

All formal assessments should have correct answers for the exclusive purpose of assigning grades to students.

Accepted Answer

Formal assessments can serve various purposes beyond grading, such as diagnosing student needs, informing instruction, and evaluating program effectiveness.

Question 14

Summative assessment focuses on evaluating students' understanding and ability to apply the big ideas and skills emphasized within the unit.

Accepted Answer

Summative assessment is designed to evaluate students' learning, knowledge, proficiency, or success at the conclusion of an instructional period, such as a unit, by comparing it against some standard or benchmark. It focuses on understanding and applying the key concepts and skills taught.

Question 15

Essay questions are most useful for assessing
A)higher cognitive processes.
B)students' writing skills.
C)students' creativity in structuring content.
D)students' future success.

Accepted Answer

Essay questions are most useful for assessing higher cognitive processes because they require students to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information, demonstrating their understanding and ability to apply knowledge.

Question 16

The most important consideration in selecting both informal and formal assessment tools is that it
A)matches the goal.
B)aligns with the activity.
C)is easy to grade.
D)students will enjoy it.

Accepted Answer

The most important consideration in selecting assessment tools is that they match the goal of the assessment, ensuring that the tool effectively measures what it is intended to measure.

Question 17

Whatever form of assessment is used, it should focus on goals and the results should be
A)described and recorded in the student's portfolio.
B)recorded and placed in the student's cumulative record folder.
C)used to inform the teacher's planning process.
D)used to evaluate the teacher's effectiveness.

Accepted Answer

Assessment results should be used to inform the teacher's planning process to improve instruction and support student learning.

Question 18

It is extremely challenging and non-value added to spend time assessing attitudes, value, and dispositions in social studies.

Accepted Answer

Assessing attitudes, values, and dispositions in social studies is crucial for understanding human behavior, societal dynamics, and fostering critical thinking and empathy, which adds significant value to education and personal development.

Question 19

Analytic rubrics for evaluating social studies learning describe the degree of
A)quantity, efficiency, and recall along a continuum.
B)quality, efficacy, and clarity along a continuum.
C)quantity, efficiency, and understanding along a continuum.
D)quality, proficiency, or understanding along a continuum.

Accepted Answer

Analytic rubrics evaluate specific components of a student's performance or work, focusing on the quality, proficiency, and understanding of the subject matter. These criteria are assessed along a continuum, allowing for a detailed analysis of each aspect of the student's learning in social studies.

Question 20

Preliminary assessment should focus on the goals and be used primarily for evaluating instruction.

Accepted Answer

Preliminary assessment is used to understand students' existing knowledge, skills, and abilities before instruction begins, not for evaluating instruction.

Quiz 9: How Can I Assess Student Learning

Formative assessment measures student understanding of performance with the purpose of evaluating students.

The kind of assessment implied by constructivism flows from the belief that students

Portfolios can serve as a means for collecting, organizing, and showcasing student work.

Potential portfolio content should reflect the diversity of

The authors of this text believe that standardized testing has a legitimate role within the larger social studies picture and that the full social studies curriculum should be planned around testing.

Before giving the essay test, write down what you regard as the best answer to each of your essay questions in order to

The multiple-choice format is probably the most

The Council for the Social Studies and leading scholars argue for social studies assessments that are

Student-led conferences provide an opportunity to talk abut what has been learned using the contents of the portfolio as a springboard for discussion.

One of the arguments for using performance assessments is that they allow teachers who use multiple materials in teaching to apply these practices to testing.

Authentic assessment should always reflect the full range of curricular goals, so multiple- choice, true-false, and essay tests are sometimes appropriate.

Students should be given the opportunities to analyze their own work assuming the process is

All formal assessments should have correct answers for the exclusive purpose of assigning grades to students.

Summative assessment focuses on evaluating students' understanding and ability to apply the big ideas and skills emphasized within the unit.

Essay questions are most useful for assessing

The most important consideration in selecting both informal and formal assessment tools is that it

Whatever form of assessment is used, it should focus on goals and the results should be

It is extremely challenging and non-value added to spend time assessing attitudes, value, and dispositions in social studies.

Analytic rubrics for evaluating social studies learning describe the degree of

Preliminary assessment should focus on the goals and be used primarily for evaluating instruction.