So far the suggestions regarding what to do with writing portfolios in the CATS assessment have been polarized. In or out.
Proponents fear (and teachers know) that removing writing portfolios from the assessment will take the instructional focus off this important discipline.
Opponents argue that subjective nature of writing lowers the reliability of the assessment to unacceptable levels.
In my opinion, both are correct.
So what to do?
We can't get rid of the instruction our students need to compete globally, but an increasing number of teachers want to do just that. We can't rely on portfolio scoring because it doesn't discriminate very well between what constitutes good writing and what constitutes very good writing.
But portfolio scoring does discriminate between good writing and bad writing.
So let's change how the portfolios are scored. Let's make the Proficient and Distinguished portfolios = PASS. The Novice and Apprentice portfolios = FAIL.
Then, KDE should recalculate how that factors into the overall accountability system.
Why not?
3 comments:
Opponents also argue that the restrictions on how teachers can provide feedback negatively impacts writing instruction. I don't see how switching to Pass/Fail changes this.
How do we untie teachers hands and keep the writing portfolios in the assessment?
Can we get rid of the restrictions on how teachers may edit, and have both the unedited and edited versions in the portfolios? This may allow for both objective assessment and effective teaching.
Richard,
The power in writing portfolios comes when there is unfettered teacher-student feedback that allows full discussions of what the student has written and alternate ways of expression that might convey the ideas better. That includes discussion of how spelling, punctuation, and grammar also impact the presentation of ideas.
Once portfolios are dumped into accountability, however, that richness is largely destroyed. To avoid charges of cheating, when writing portfolios are used for accountability they become encumbered with awkward rules that tie teachers’ hands and prevent full discussions of the pieces the student is creating (For more on that, view this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7maF1AhyiM).
Now, you would hamper the power in portfolios even more by going to a “Pass-Fail” grading scheme.
That would provide a student and his parents even less information, but it won’t do anything to stem the inflated portfolio grading that is already well-established (the Assessment and Accountability Task Force even discussed some of that evidence). This would turn the recently added analytic scoring of portfolios on its ear, as “Pass-Fail” is the ultimate in holistic scoring schemes. But, most importantly, the arcane grading rules would remain as a necessary evil to prevent cheating. That would relegate your “Pass-Fail” portfolios an even worse choice than what we have now.
Portfolios are a very good idea, when used properly. The fact that no other state in the country now uses them for accountability, however, shows that once again Kentucky is on the tail end of education ideas that really work for kids. Just how badly is our current writing program performing? These two videos will give you an idea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdKFv77enrY
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVaSSU3IEgc.
Not unfettered, or you'll have teachers teaching a thousand different ways and some of them won't be good. Sure, some of the restrictions need to be changed...by all means...change them. Nothing should come between the teaching and the learning.
This idea does nothing to restrain a good teacher from sharing with parents a full report of how their child is progressing.
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