Assessment and Student

Motivation
How can I use
assessment to
improve student
motivation and
success?
 NC Summative Assessments
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/
•NC End-of-Course Tests (High School Courses)
•NC End-of-Grade Tests (Grades 3-8)
•NC Final Exams
•CTE Post Assessments
•Analysis of Student Work (Arts, WL, Healthful
Living): http://ncasw.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/
•ACT/PLAN
 Formative Assessment
Formative assessment is a process used by
teachers and students during instruction
that provides feedback to adjust ongoing
teaching and learning to help students
improve their achievement of intended
instructional outcomes.
(Council of Chief State School Officers, 2008)
 Kahoot! Quiz
What you will use today as a student: kahoot.it

What you will use as a teacher to set up your

own quizzes:
https://getkahoot.com/
Motivating Students
Through Assessment
Where am I going?
Strategies
Provide a clear and
understandable vision of the
Learning Target.

Use examples of strong and

weak work.
Misconception!

Informing students of the

learning target by telling
them what it is or by writing
it on the board is sufficient.
Misconception!

Sharing a rubric with

students will ensure they
understand the criteria for
success.
https://
www.teachingchannel.org/videos/quality-evidence-rubr
ic-student-assessment
Motivation Connection
Self-efficacy: Students’ belief
that they can be successful at a
particular task

“Students who have self-efficacy

are more likely to persist in their
work and especially…in the face of
challenge”
– Susan
Brookhart
Where am I now?
As teachers we must ask:
How will I know if my students
“get it”?

How will my students know if they

“get it”?
https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/
informal-assessment-strategies
Strategies
• Offer regular descriptive
feedback.

• Teach students to self-assess

and set goals.
Misconception!

• An abundance of evaluative
feedback encourages
students to be successful.
Misconception!

• Student self-assessment
means students grade their
own work.
 Is it Effective Feedback?
• Improved student work

• Better student motivation

• Feedback is valued and viewed as

productive.
 Questioning Misconceptions
• The primary purpose for questioning
students is to evaluate what they have
learned.
• Asking good questions is something
teachers can do naturally, “on the fly.”
• Quality, formative discussions are the
rule of thumb rather than the
exception to the rule in the classroom.
Wait Time is Important!
Motivation Connection
Knowing the distance between where
you are and where you want to be
and can be is a fundamental
motivational principle.
- Locke & Latham, 2002
How do I close the
gap?
“Just as regularly checking your blood
pressure does little to improve your
health if you do nothing with the
information gained, what matters
most with formative assessments is
how students and teachers use the
results.”
- Thomas R.
Guskey
Strategies
Design lessons to focus on one aspect
of quality at a time.

Teach students focused revision.

Engage students in self-reflection and

let them document and share their
learning.
What do we do if they
don’t “get it”?
• Present the concepts differently.

• Engage students differently in

learning.

• Provide students with a successful

learning experience!
Formative Assessment
Activities
 The Stoplight Method
https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/daily-
lesson-assessment
 New Teachers: A Primer on
Assessment

http://www.edutopia.org/article/new-teachers-
assessment-primer-resources?
utm_content=resource-
roundup&utm_campaign=new-teacher-
assessment&utm_source=facebook&utm_medi
um=socialflow&utm_term=link
 Contact Information

Amy Laughter
Regional Education Facilitator,
NCDPI
amlaughter@hcpsnc.org
 Check out my Pinterest boards!
Formative Assessment:
https://www.pinterest.com/alaughter/formativ
e-assessment/
Beginning Teachers:
https://www.pinterest.com/alaughter/
beginning-teachers/
Classroom Management:
https://www.pinterest.com/alaughter/
classroom-management/
Sources
Chappius, J. (2005). Helping students understand
assessment. Educational Leadership, 63(3), 39-43.
Chappius, S. (2008). The best value in formative
assessment. Educational Leadership, 65(4), 14-19.
Guskey, T.R. (2008). The rest of the story. Educational
Leadership, 65(4), 28-35.
Moss, C., & Brookhart, S. (2009). Advancing formative
assessment in every classroom. Alexandria, Va.:
ASCD.