"There is now compelling research that assessment can be used to improve both student learning and professional practice. Nancy Sindelar provides practical examples of how teachers, teams, schools, and districts are using assessment to drive continuous improvement."
—Richard Dufour, Educational Author and Consultant
"This book provides specific strategies to unlock the mystery of data, outlining step-by-step processes on how to use it to impact teaching and create tools to keep students actively involved in their improved learning."
—Gail Gorry, Principal
Frontier Elementary School, Payson, AZ
Podcasts:
Education Talk Radio: 3/7/2011
We Are Teachers: 4/2011
Knowledge is power, and this book puts assessment data and instruction together in a step-by-step format. Instead of dreading the time testing takes from teaching, you can harness its power to define learning targets, build standards-based assessments, gather and use test data in the classroom, and develop data-driven teaching strategies. Assessment expert Nancy W. Sindelar provides practical tools that help teachers:
- Use formative and summative assessment results to enhance instruction
- Motivate students by providing clear learning targets
- Utilize technology to analyze students' progress
- Raise test scores
Included are testimonials from teachers, numerous data analysis examples, rubrics, and a chapter on culturally diverse schools. Designed to be adaptable, this book is a powerful resource for teachers, teacher teams, and all educators dedicated to enhancing student learning.
"In these pages you will find specific strategies to unlock the mystery of data—outlining step-by-step processes on how to use it to impact teaching and create tools to keep students actively involved in their improved learning."
"This book offers a step-by-step approach to becoming a Power Teacher."
"This book is a must-have for any group of educators that wants to get into the 'nuts and bolts' of what students are learning (or not learning); it sets teachers up for success."
"There is now compelling research that assessment can be used to improve both student learning and professional practice. Nancy Sindelar provides practical examples of how teachers, teams, schools, and districts are using assessment to drive continuous improvement."
“The author effectively shows how data-driven decision making works and presents practical examples of how this would work in a school. The examples of data collection “systems” provided are easily understandable.”
It didn't have the depth on particular topics (such as developing assessments, properties of assessments, etc) for pre-service teachers. This seems better suited to current teachers seeking to improve teaching through learning from assessment.
This book did not have enough meat for my graduate class. It would make a nice supplement to a course, however.