Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing It Right--Using It Well

by Rick J. Stiggins, Judith A. Arter

"Classroom Assessment FOR Student Learning: Doing It Right-Using It Well "is a combination textbook and workbook grounded in research shown to increase student motivation and learning through improved classroom assessment. This user-friendly, practical book is full of real-world examples of what assessment for learning looks like in today's classrooms. Presented in a format appropriate for use by individuals or collaborative learning teams, the book has an exceptionally strong focus on integrating assessment with instruction through student involvement in the assessment process. "Classroom Assessment FOR Student Learning "comes packaged with an Activities and Resources CD and a Video Segments: Demonstrations & Presentations DVD.

Genres: Education, Teaching, School, Nonfiction, Textbooks

Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Richard John Stiggins is the retired founder and president of the Assessment Training Institute (ATI), Portland, Oregon, a professional development company created and designed to provide teachers and school leaders with the assessment literacy needed to face the assessment challenges that pervade American education today. He is a native of Canandaigua, New York and a graduate of the State University of New York at Plattsburg where he majored in psychology. He also holds a master’s degree in industrial psychology from Springfield (MA) College and received a Ph.D. in educational measurement from Michigan State University.

Reviews

[Judi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as part of a book club at Saratoga High School. We all agreed that this would be a great text for a credential program as it sets a great foundation for the hows and whys of assessment. As experienced teachers we found it to be too detailed and would have preferred a more high level discussion.

[Diana Valdivia-Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is about learning targets and assessments.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used this textbook during a class I took in the spring. The class was called Assessment of Learning. It was full of practical classroom assessments. The book has many examples of real life situations explaining how teachers used the assessments and what it looked like in their classroom. The book focuses on how to create accurate classroom assessments and how to incorporate assessments daily while teaching in the classroom.
We practiced creating several of our own assessments and then used it in our own classroom. The focus is to help motivate student to become directly involved and responsible for their own learning. The book explains how to create assessments so student can be directly involved in evaluating their own work. This step gives their work purpose and meaning.
The book explains how the more the students understand how and why they are being assessed the better their performance will be. The book also explains why immediate positive feedback is so important. It helps the student know where their strengths are and where their work needs improvement.
There are five keys to classroom assessment. These are the five that are highlighted in the book:
Key 1: Establish a clear assessment purpose to meet information needs of all intended users
Key 2: Base instruction and assessment on clear learning targets
Key 3: Design or select all assessments to meet standards of accuracy
Key 4: Communicate summative and formative results effectively
Key 5: Involve students in the assessment process and in using the results to further learning

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classroom Assessment for Student Learning is really the foundational work on Assessment. I read this as my textbook for my Assessment class for my Masters in Educational Leadership. Because my teacher preparation degree did not have an assessment course (I know ... big mistake right?) I found this book to be incredibly helpful in defining the basics and creating the strong framework of assessment I felt I had been lacking. I also appreciated Chappuis, Stiggins, Chappuis, and Arter's focus on using assessment well in terms of understanding the difference between when to use formative and summative assessments and how to make assessments that help students learn.

I have already brought some of the material from this book to my staff team and will continue to use it as the foundation to build from. My real challenge will be to apply the strategies of this book to the new 'stems' reporting that my school system is using, which focuses on essential skills for reporting, not specific learning outcomes.

A well-recommended read for any educator. Know that it is a textbook style and will require sufficient motivation to read the whole text.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did actually read this whole book and for a textbook, it was really not so bad. I am, of course, as an aspiring teacher interested in the subject matter, so that may have helped.

I though the authors did really well in providing a wealth of examples to support their ideas and their focus for how assessments should be used in the classroom.

I liked it enough to decide to add it to my growing collection of reference material, so there ya go.

[Ramona · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a powerful professional development tool to be used in a learning team or individually. Stiggins et. al. explain the power of formative assessment as an ongoing element of everyday lesson planning and offer practical teaching strategies.

[Kristen Fort · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's on the "did-not-finish" shelf because I don't have to finish it. Yay for switching schools! It's not like it told me anything I didn't already know. What a waste of time, making the middle school teachers read this. What a waste of money, for investing in copies of this.

[Cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The absolute best book about teaching I have ever read! I will return to this book many times over the course of my career to continue to refine and deepen my understanding of appropriate assessment methods.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm reading this for my Tools and techniques for assessment class.

Very Easy read and easy to follow. Loved the DVD that came w/ the book, it gave lots of assessment examples as well as rubrics.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

For both new and practiced teachers - well written with information one can take and use in the classroom.

[K Kenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fudamentaly changed how I assess!

[Heath · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book for classroom teachers and education leaders. Assessment FOR Learning changes you and your students' lives. Wish I had this one when I was still in the classroom.

[Cordellya Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has wonderful information on creating rubrics for new teachers. It also provides a comprehensive look at assessment and all that is associated with that.

[Danielle Cozzola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful!

[Alicia]

Reading for an assessment committee at school

[Jessica Klap · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very anti-Maja Wilson. Too formulaic for this English tournament.

[jacky]

chapters on portfolios and rubrics recommended in Fair Isn't Always Equal; 7 practices mentioned in Tovani's What Do They Really Know