1. Create a post with a key concept or term you expect to see on the final exam
2. Include:
   • A clear definition/explanation of the concept
   • A practical example or relevant study material as an attachment
3. Review your peers’ contributions
4. Use comments to:
   • Suggest corrections if needed
   • Add additional insights
   • Ask clarifying questions

Purposes of Informal Assessment

Informal assessments are flexible, non-standardized methods used by teachers to gather ongoing information about student learning and progress during instruction. Their primary purposes include- 

Gauging understanding, Quickly check students' comprehension of concepts and skills as they are being taught.

Identifying learning needs- Pinpoint areas where students are struggling or excelling to inform immediate instructional adjustments.

Providing immediate feedback- Offer timely feedback to students to guide their learning and self-correction.

Monitoring engagement- Observe student participation, behavior, and interactions to understand their level of involvement and motivation.

Adapting instruction- Modify teaching strategies, materials, or pacing in response to real-time observations of student learning.

Building rapport- Create a more relaxed and interactive learning environment, fostering communication between students and teachers.

Assessing diverse learning- Allow students to demonstrate their understanding in various ways that might not be captured by formal tests.

Preparing for formal assessment- Help students become more comfortable with different assessment formats and identify areas needing further practice.

Examples of informal assessment methods include-

Observation- Watching students as they work individually or in groups.

Questioning-  Asking open-ended questions to stimulate thinking and gauge understanding.

Class discussion- Facilitating conversations to assess student comprehension and perspectives.

Work samples- Reviewing student work in progress to identify strengths and weaknesses.

Exit tickets- Short prompts or questions answered at the end of a lesson.

Quick quizzes- Brief, ungraded checks for understanding.

Self and peer assessment- Encouraging students to reflect on their own learning and provide feedback to peers.

Portfolios- Collections of student work over time that demonstrate growth.

Projects and presentations- Assessing application of knowledge and skills in more extended tasks.

Methods to Construct Curriculum-Based Assessment

Curriculum-based assessment (CBA) is a specific type of informal assessment that directly measures student performance on academic tasks taken from their current curriculum. It is used to monitor progress, identify areas of difficulty, and inform instructional decisions. Methods for constructing CBA typically involve the following steps-

1. Identify the instructional objective-Clearly define the specific skill or content area to be assessed, aligning directly with what is being taught.

2. Select or create appropriate probes- Develop brief assessment tasks or "probes" that directly sample the skills being taught. These should be quick to administer and score (typically 1-5 minutes). Examples of probes include

3. Reading-Having a student read aloud for one minute and counting the number of words read correctly.

   Spelling- Dictating a list of words from the current curriculum for the student to spell.

   Writing- Providing a story starter and having the student write for a short period, counting words written or correct word sequences.

   Math- Presenting a set of math problems aligned with the current unit of study.

4. Establish a baseline- Administer the initial probe to determine the student's current performance level before intervention or instruction.

5. Set goals- Define realistic and measurable goals for student progress based on curriculum expectations and individual needs.

6. Administer probes regularly- Implement the probes at consistent intervals (e.g., weekly, bi-weekly) to monitor student progress toward the set goals.

7. Score and graph data- accurately score each probe and visually represent the data on a graph to track progress over time. This allows for easy identification of trends and the effectiveness of instruction.

8. Make instructional decisions- Use the data collected to inform teaching adjustments. If a student's progress is below the set goal, modifications to instruction may be needed. If progress is strong, instruction can continue or be accelerated.

9. Communicate progress- Share CBA data and graphs with students, parents, and other relevant educational professionals to facilitate a clear understanding of the student's academic growth and the effectiveness of instructional strategies.