Weeks 7 & 8

Week 7

Last week, we discussed concepts in measurement and how it is important for us as teachers to understand how standardized tests are evaluated and interpreted. One thing that I thought was important is knowing the difference between population and sample. I will explain each of those definitions below. So many different math definitions can get confusing sometimes, so it is important to truly know the difference between them. It is essential to know all of these terms when it comes to standardized testing, because if a parent asks us what each mean it is our responsibility to make sure the parents are understanding what their child's score means. 

Population --> the ENTIRE group of people for whom typical performance is estimated

Example: All 2nd graders

Sample --> the SPECIFIC  group of people actually included/tested

Example: 2nd graders in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 

It is also important to know the difference between validity and reliability. 

Validity --> whether the given assessment measures what it is supposed to measure 

Reliability --> whether the results can be reproduced under the same conditions.

Week 8

This week, I was able to put some of the terms I learned last week and just from my prior knowledge into action. I honestly never really used Microsoft Excel a lot before class this week. But I can now say that I am comfortable with the content that is within the application. After typing all the data in and also creating different types of graphs (bar graphs and pie charts), it allowed me to see the correlation of how I will be using Excel in my future classroom. I can use Excel to interpret what my students are understanding and not understanding. 

For example, down below you can see that there is a wide range of scores when children were tasked to find place value. If these were my students, I would probably regroup and teach this lesson again to see if more students score higher after a second round of instruction. As for adding with regrouping, it seems as though a majority of students understand this concept. I would work one-on-one with students that did not score as high and see if we can build on their knowledge. 

 

I was also able to be introduced what my assignments will be while I am in my field placement! I am very excited about the next couple weeks, and being able to put my learning into practice. If I have any question pertaining to our two field assignments, I will not hesitate to reach out and ask any questions!