ANALYSIS OF STUDENT LEARNING- Self Assessment Discuss the results of your teaching in terms of the entire classs performance

based on assessment criteria in meeting the objectives/targets. I do not feel that I know enough or have enough evidence to look at to conclude whether or not my class was able to reach the learning objectives/targets that I set. The first thing to consider would be the amount of assessments that I received back from the students. Out of two classes (about 25 students) I received 11 assessments back, less than half. I had asked the students to complete the performance assessment, based upon a literary technique, which challenged the students to use what they had learned prior to the lab and the lab itself to assume the role of a peer tutor. In this assessment the students were asked to use molecules from the lab to help them in their analysis and ultimately answer the following question: Can we use
the molecular formula to predict the shapes of small molecules?

When I wrote the criteria for the assessment I provided the students with a one point rubric that outlined what the criteria was for the assessment and included a checklist of items that needed to be included in the analysis. Based on the work that I had received I would have to conclude that my students were not successful in meeting the criteria or objectives through the performance assessment, and this makes me question the effectiveness of my teaching. I question whether or not the students inability to succeed in the performance assessment was with the way that I taught the material or in the way that I presented the performance assessment, and the content of what was being asked in the performance assessment. The performance assessment challenged the students to connect all of the learning objectives and write a cohesive analysis that brought all these targets together. Each student was able to touch upon most of the learning objectives, but was not able to demonstrate their understanding of the relationship that connected all the concepts together. For the most part, most of the learning objectives were meet, but based on results I can only be confident that one of my students was able to be successful on the assessment and connect all four of the objectives into one cohesive analysis. I believe that the students were unable to meet the criteria on the assessment not because of my teaching or in the way that I presented the material, but because they were so unsure of what to do with the assessment. This was the first time for the students to be assessed in such away, and I think that it was too overwhelming for them and I did not provide them with the right direction to be successful. I thought that the criteria and assessment was laid out in such a manner that was detailed and organized enough for them to understand, but when I talked with them about the assessment many of them said that they were confused and did not know what to do. Because I am only there once a week(and was collecting the assessment the next week), I could not give them the help that they needed, or answer the questions that they had. Maybe if I would have discussed this assessment in more detail and provided an example of my own to model, the students would have been more successful.

Based on this assessment data, how would you use this information to plan for future instruction? Reflecting on the assessment data I feel that I would need to almost reteach/ review the relationship that exists among molecules and atoms and how that determines the shape of a molecule. I feel that the students understand this difficult concept at a rudimentary level, but there is no evidence that these students were able to demonstrate their understanding at higher levels of thinking. Because I received so few assessments back, I can only assume that the students would need to review this as a whole class. I think that I would take a day and do a review of the material and then go through all the criteria again and have the students ask me questions and then have them do this assessment together in pairs to complete the assessment. How effective was your assessment design? Looking at the student results, was the assessment a valid and reliable procedure that gave you information about student learning that you are confident in? If so, what is your evidence? If not, how would you change it? Looking at the results I would have to conclude that my assessment design was not effective because the majority of the class was not successful with this assessment. I feel that I did not provide the students with the right direction before they went on their own to complete the assessment. I thought that I was giving enough direction and detail but I think that all those words was actually too overwhelming and turned them off from the assessment. I only received less than half back, so I am disappointed that more of them were not excited about completing the assessment. I would condense the writing that I put on the assessment and model an analysis that I felt meet the criteria. Walking through the entire assignment step by step, reading it out loud, and providing examples would all be things that I would do again if I assigned this assessment again. I also think that breaking up the assessment into two parts would have helped tremendously. The first week I could have had them choose two of the molecules and write the description about said molecules and then the next week I could have assigned the rest of the assessment that had them use those two molecules. Breaking it up would have made the assessment seem like it was less to work with and maybe more students would have completed the task. I also think that I would try giving one of the parts in class, this would ensure that the students would actually complete the assessment, and I could answer any questions as they came up. Giving them a self assessment would have given me insight into the learning that they felt they were responsible for, I would add a self assessment to this assessment next time. I would not change the role that I assigned the students because I feel that this helped them understand that they had to be clear and detailed in their writing. But I do think that this led to the confusion that the students were feeling. They do not get much practice with this type of assessment and in writing, so I knew that it would be a challenge. If I changed the role I would be afraid that more of the assessments would not meet criteria.

What did you learn about yourself as a developing teacher and your impact on student learning? (refer to Alverno teaching abilities and Wisconsin teaching standards)

I learned that I am becoming fairly proficient in developing most of my abilities and standards. Throughout this semester, and specifically in doing this project, I did an exceptional job demonstrating my ability of WTS #1 and the Alverno Education Ability of Conceptualization. WTS #1 is about a teachers ability to understand the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the disciplines she or he teaches and create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for pupils. Through the implementation of using the manipulatives in this lesson, I was able to allow my students to tactilely gain an understanding of the concepts of the inter/intramolecular forces that are happening on a level that we cannot normally see occur. This scientific framework is difficult for most students because it is something that occurs without us being able to see, touch, or feel it happen at a sub-atomic level, and most students cannot relate that abstract thinking framework to anything else. Using gumdrop models of molecules allowed the student to grasp the abstract concept because he was the one causing the interactions and attractions to happen by moving the atoms and molecules around in the models. I demonstrated the Education Ability of Conceptualization by my ability to integrate a manipulative into my lesson. Many students are visual and kinesthetic learners but I have found that my ELL/ESL students are especially visual and kinesthetic learners and thrive off of opportunities to touch, see, feel, or create what is happening to gain a better understanding of the scientific concepts that are occurring. Many of my students struggle with communicating and explaining what is happening. By allowing them to show me by using the manipulative I give them all the opportunity to explain through actions and demonstrate understanding. This lab allowed my students to gain a better understanding of the material before they explored it even further in the performance assessment. Because my students and myself were not successful with this assessment, I would have to say that I need to better develop my ability to test for student progress and clearly communicate what it is I am asking my students to do.