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Aritz Cardenas
Professor Cam Wong
MIAA 330
Fall 2013

Final Reflection for MIAA 330
Write a reflection summary that synthesizes your knowledge of Common Core
assessment design, error analysis/learning trajectory, and implications of
assessment outcomes for all learners. Refer to the evidence that you showcased in
your presentation.
In this reflection, I will discuss the specific knowledge of common core assessment
design in the mathematic classroom. Also, I will dwell into my newly acquired knowledge
of understanding error analysis and learning trajectories in the mathematics classroom.
Lastly, I will demonstrate my growth in understanding the implications of assessment
outcomes for all learners. All these things have allowed me to enhance my understanding of
mathematic assessments in the classroom.
One of the major understandings that I came out of this course class that improved
my knowledge of understanding common core assessment design for the diverse
mathematics classroom. A new thing I learned about the common core design was the
variety of question responses that students will see in the Smarter Balance assessment.
Students will be asked questions in three major types of responses. The first type of
response is a selected response, which asks students to choose responses from a provided
list; examples of this include multiple-choice, true/false, and matching (6 item types PDF).
The second response type is a constructed response, which requires students to use their
schema to answer a question and/or complete a task; this includes short answer, extensive
response, and performance assessments (6 item types PDF). Lastly, there is the extended
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response type, which requires a written response such as a short phrase or a more in-depth
composition, such as an essay (6 item types PDF). There were many specific examples of
problems and questions which promote mathematic differentiation. Marian Smalls Good
Questions: Great Ways to Differentiate Mathematic Instructions is a great source that
provides strategies for creating open questions and promoting critical thinking. Small
encourages teachers to turn around the question and change questions found in
textbooks to establish more meaning for student learning (Small, 2012). What I personally
learned about these three types of responses is that I need to prepare students for the
diverse type of questions they will be seeing in the Smarter Balance Assessment. In one of
my assignments for this course, I was able to create questions from all three major levels
for all three-grade spans. Currently in my class, I feel like many of my questions are mostly
selected response. By re-creating new lesson designs, I will make sure that my questions on
my assessment are more balanced in including the three major types of assessment.
I was able to learn a significant amount of information about error analysis and
learning trajectories from this course. Regarding error analysis, I learned about having
students analyze their own errors of their assessments and have them determine what they
did wrong. For example, when I tutored a group of students at John R. Williams elementary,
both groups of students erroneously came up with the same solution. Their question was a
multi-step problem, in which students completed the first couple steps correctly but
struggled with that final step. What I had students do was read the problem step by step,
without telling them where there error was (I chunked the word problem for them, so they
could analyze the problem one step at a time). Both groups were able to figure out their
problem and come up with a solution. I also gained an understanding about learning
trajectories when designing lesson plans (and the assessments that go with them). This
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constant theme or concept found over the course of several grade spans allows students
and teachers to refer back to previous grade spans to teach new information for current
and future lessons. This allows for students to tap into their prior knowledge (schema) of a
concept and allow there to relate to what is about to be taught. Also, some of the lessons
have sub themes that are connected across grade spans as well.
Lastly, I have gained an understanding of the implications of assessment outcomes
for all learners from this course. By analyzing the Assessment document recommended by
the Instructional Quality Commission California for adoption by the California State Board
of Education, I was able to learn about the importance and outcomes of assessment. One
thing that is article discusses is the understanding of forms of assessment. There are two
types of assessments: formative and summative. As an educator, I feel like I do a good job in
assessing my students in both forms. I use formative assessments for quick check-ins for
students as well as to clarify concepts. I use summative assessments to fully see how well a
student understood what the student learned from a specific lessor or unit. I was able to
learn about a variety of specific assessments that I already use and what I could use in the
future. One assessment type that I want to incorporate in future lesson design is the
implication and creation of mathematic portfolios. What I like about portfolios is that it
assesses the documents students have done over the course of several lessons. Also, they
are able to evaluate how students have progress over the course of lessons as well.
I feel like I learned a great deal in just the few weeks of instruction that we had.
Although I cannot consider myself a master in mathematical assessment, I can demonstrate
my growth as an emerging educator in a diverse mathematics classroom.