Brilliant or Insane?

7 Characteristics of Quality Summative Assessments

By Reed Gillespie

via wikimedia.com

Recently, much of the talk in educational circles has been on formative assessment--and with good reason--but in the process we've lost focus on creating effective summative assessments.

Today the term "summative assessments" conjures up images of standardized tests, benchmarks, data collection, and exams. In many ways, these have been over-emphasized to the point that we've missed the true value of summative assessments. I need look no further than many of my own tests, which over-emphasized multiple choice questions in an attempt to mimic our state tests, as an example of what summative assessments should not be.

We must move away from summative assessments being synonymous with district, state and national tests. Summative assessments should play an integral part in our educational system.

And how about what summative assessments should be? These seven characteristics comprise a quality summative assessment:

Quality summative assessments should be pre-defined by a group of teachers and involve the students. So as tempting and time-saving as it is, we shouldn't sue pre-crafted rubrics or textbook created tests.
Assessments must provide students with the opportunities to demonstrate what they know.
Challenge students to transfer what they've learned to specific and real-life tasks.
All assessments should correspond with important learning targets and essential questions so they yield true information about student progress.
Summative assessments must provide meaningful feedback to both the student and teacher. By doing so, assessments help increase student motivation to learn. Nonjudgmental feedback motivates students for further effort, while using grades as rewards or punishments decreases student motivation.
Incorporate 21st century skills and content into assessments.
Summative assessments should not be limited to high-stakes tests.

The purpose of any summative assessment is to provide meaningful reports on students’ achievement, and effective summative assessments help students achieve to their highest abilities.

Reed Gillespie writes about education for Brilliant or Insane. Learn more about Reed on our Team page. Follow Reed on Twitter here.

Lindsey Lohan Goes Public with Miscarriage, Sex List

By Anna Turner

via clevelandleader.com

It's been a tumultuous week for Lindsay Lohan, that adorable redhead Hollywood starlet everyone seems to have given up on--everyone except Oprah, that is, who gave Lohan a reality show on the Oprah Winfrey Network entitled Lindsay. The eight-part docuseries was fetching viewership numbers less than one million, which is never good news for a reality show, and it was during Lindsay's season finale that Lohan revealed she had suffered a miscarriage. Mere days later, Lohan is still creating buzz with her "Sex List," or a roster of all her sexual partners.

Now, we've all suffered Lohan-whiplash over the past several years with her stints in and out of rehab, prison, and homosexuality (does anyone else remember when she was a lesbian?). Like most 20-somethings, the actress is struggling to find identity and belonging. Unlike most 20-somethings, her quarter-life crisis is really, really annoying. Even more annoying is that her crisis has been made into a TV show. But what really irks me most is that Lohan's miscarriage became just an act out on said TV show--a final gasp before breaking to commercial.

Losing a child in pregnancy is perhaps the most devastating thing a woman can experience, so I am not going to downplay the tragedy, or what Lohan must be experiencing. I am, however, going to chastise Lohan for choosing to share it on her OWN reality show. That kind of trauma is not meant to be tabloid fodder. Some critics are speculating that Lohan is using her miscarriage (or making it up, which is unforgivable) as a means for better ratings, but I don't think anyone could stoop that low--not even a Kardashian.

Adding fuel to the fire are the recent headlines about Lohan's "Sex List," which purportedly included big names like James Franco, Justin Timberlake, and Colin Farrell.

The "Sex List," as it is being called, was allegedly part of Lohan's rehabilitation treatment at the Betty Ford Clinic. According to an E!Online article, Lohan confided the list to her sponsor and her sponsor alone. Lohan is quoted as saying that the list was part of the 12 Steps followed by Alcoholics Anonymous. "It's step number five or step number eight...It's your sexual inventory. That was in my Betty Ford book, so that was really personal to my sponsor."

In the 12 Steps Program, Step Five is admitting to one's wrongs and Step Eight is listing everyone one has harmed--so yes, it seems having sex with Lindsay Lohan is as harmful as you thought.

But even more harmful, it seems, is living your life in the spotlight. My suggestion to Lohan is to step away from the cameras, from the interviews, from the media. Put some space between yourself and your fame and figure out who you are, what you want, and when you're making the Parent Trap sequel.

Get it together, Lindsay. As a fellow Ginger, I am rooting for you.

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Brilliant or Insane?

7 Characteristics of Quality Summative Assessments

Lindsey Lohan Goes Public with Miscarriage, Sex List

Anna Turner is Brilliant or Insane's managing editor and pop culture diva. Learn more about Anna on our Team Page. Follow her on Twitter here.