DOCUMENT RESUME ED 380 508 TM 022 875 Davis, Wesley AUTHOR Alternative Assessment: Facts and Opinions. TITLE INSTITUTION Florida Educational Research Council, Inc., Sanibel. PUB DATE 94 NOTE 34p. AVAILABLE FROM Florida Educational Research Council, Inc., P.O. Box 506, Sanibel, FL 33957 ($4; annual subscription, $15; 10% discount on 5 or more copies). PUB TYPE Serials (022) Collected Works JOURNAL CIT Florida Educational Research Council Research Bulletin; v25 n4 p1-32 Sum 1994 EDRS PRICE MFOI/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Cost Effectiveness; *Educational Assessment; Educational Change; Educational Improvement; Elementary Secondary Education; *Evaluation Methods; Literature Reviews; Norm Referenced Tests; *Opinions; Standardized Tests; *Student Evaluation; Teacher Role; *Test Construction; Test Use IDENTIFIERS *Alternative Assessment; Large Scale Programs ABSTRACT An attempt is made to separate facts from opinions based on review of a representative sample of contemporary writings on alternative assessment. A summary listing of 15 statements perceived to be factual is offered, followed by opinions of the the historical background and origins author. These items cover: (1) of alternative assessments; (2) their current intent, focus, and (3) their technical problems and limitations; emphasis; the (4) potential impact for change these procedures may have on instruction and student-teacher relationships; (5) other possible consequences of (6) the expanded role of teachers in implementation; changes; the (7) most significant contribution alternative assessment might make for students; and (8) projected cost factors. It is suggested that changing the instructional process for the better may well be the major contribution of alternative assessment. Large-scale norm-referenced standardized tests are here to stay, and cost factors may mean that alternative assessments are most useful in the individual classroom. One table summarizes facts about alternative assessment. (Contains 44 references.) (SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***-'-********************""-c**;:*************A*****, f576 FLORIDA EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL RESEARCH BULLETIN Alternative Assessment: Facts and Opinions Wesley Davis Escambia County Public Schools Pensacola, Florida U.S. DEPARTMENT OP EDUCATION HEPRO011i'f- PERMISSION '0 Office of Educational Rseeth and improvement MATERIAL HA,S BEEN GRAN I ED BY T1ONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION ED CENTER (ERIC) 0010 0 Ns document has been reproduced as received trorn the person or organszahon originating 0 Minor changes have been made to smtyove roprOductiOn Clu Silty Points of view or oismions stated in this docu- TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES ment do not necessarily represent officsal OERI position or Polscy INFORMATION CENTER (ERIE,) C\1 Number 4 Volume 25 Summer 1994 FLORIDA EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL, INC. RESEARCH BULLETIN Alternative Assessment: Facts and Opinions Wesley Davis Escambia County Public Schools Pensacola, Florida Additional copies of this book may be obtained from: FERC, Inc. P.O. Box 506 Sanibel, Florida 33957 Individual Copies $4.00 Annual Subscription $15.00 10% Discount on an order of 5 or more. Order of less than $20.00 must be accompanied by a check or money order. F.E,R.C. NOTES ON THIS BULLETIN Differences and debate on alternative assessment, what it of great interest, means and how it works seems to be a topic especially among those whose primary responsibility is to see that it is implemented in a professionally defensible manner. F.E.R.C. published a bulletin on this topic in the fall of 1993 and this 1994 publication certainly compliments and supple- ments the earlier one. Without a doubt this topic will continue to spark controversy and conversation. F.E.R.C. is pleased to bring this and other information on education to its readers. Charlie T. Council Executive Director 4 2 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mary Kay Habgood - 1993-96 Lee Rowell - 1993-96 215 Manatee Avenue West PRESIDENT 445 West Amelia Street Bradenton, FL 34205 Orlando, FL 32801 Betty Hurlbut - 1992-95 Rick Nations - 1993-96 2418 Hatton Street PAST PRESIDENT Sarasota, FL 34327 426 School Street Sebring, FL 33870 John Hilderbrand Madhabi Banerji 1993-96 1994-97 901 E. Kennedy Boulevard TREASURER 7227 U.S. Highway 41 P.O. Box 3408 Tampa, FL 33601-3408 L and O'Lakes, FL 33537 John Headiee - 1994-97 Cecil Carlton 1992-95 3741 W. Educational Path P.O. Box 1470 Pensacola, FL 32597 Lecanto, FL 32661 Sandra McDonald - 1992-95 Tom Conner - 1994-97 40 Orange Street P.O. Box 787 St. Augustine, FL 32084 LaBelle, FL 33935 Jayne Hartman - 1992-95 Mike Jones 1994-97 2909 Delaware Avenue 2055 Central Avenue Ft. Pierce, FL 34947-7299 Ft. Myers, FL 33901-3988 J 3 ADVISORS Tom Gill Jake Beard College of Education College of Education Florida Atlantic University Florida State University Boca Raton, FL 33431 Tallahassee, FL 32306 William Castine Carl Salado College of Education College of Education Florida A & M University I Iniversity of Central Florida Tallahassee, FL 32307 Orlaa,-lo, FL 32816 Bette Soldwedel Charles Hayes College of Education Central Florida Community College University of North Florida P.O. Box 1388 Jacksonville, FL 32216 Ocala, FL 32678 Phyllis NeSmith Theresa Vernetsen Florida School Board College of Education Association University of Florida P.O. Box 446 Gainesville, FL 32611 Nocatee, FL 33864 Rodney Smith John Follman Florida Education Center College of Education Department of Education University of South Florida 325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 414 4204 Fowler Avenue Tallahassee, FL 32399 Tampa, FL 33620 Sam Mathews Allen Fisher Educational Research & College of Education Development Center Florida International University University of West Florida Tamiami Trail Pensacola, FL 32514 Miami, FL 33199 Suzanne Richter Florida Gulf Coast University 17595 S. Tamiami Trail Charlie T. Council Suite 200 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Fort Myers, FL 33908 P.O. Box 506 Sanibel, FL 33957 6 4 COUNCIL MEMBERS Address Contact Person County 620 E. University Ave. Alachua Mel Lucas Gainesville, FL 32601 Charlotte 1445 Piatti Drive John Wiegman Punta Gorda, FL 33948 3741 W. Educational Path Citrus John Head lee Lecanto, FL 32661 Donn Godin 3710 Estey Avenue Collier Naples, FL 33942 Marilyn Neff Dade 1450 N.E. 2nd Avenue Miami, FL 33132 Adrian H. Cline 530 LaSolona Avenue De Soto Arcadia, FL 33821 Cecil Carlton Escambia Post Office Box 1470 Pensacola, FL 32597 Avenue K and 8th Street Gary Clark Glades Moore Haven, FL 33471 Hardee Derrel Bryan Post Office Drawer 678 Wauchula, FL 33873 Hendry Tom Conner Post Office Box 787 LaBelle, FL 33953 Hernando 919 North Broad Street Jim Knight Brooksville, FL 34601 Highlands Betty Hurlbut 426 School Street Sebring, FL 33870 7 5 COUNCIL MEMBERS (cont.) Contact Person Address. County John Hilderbrand Post Office Box 3408 Hillsborough Tampa, FL 33601 Jack McAfee Indian River 1990 25th Street Vero Beach, FL 32960 Mike Jones 2055 Central Avenue Lee Ft. Myers, FL 33901 Mary K. Habgood 215 Manatee Avenue West Manatee Bradenton, FL 34205 Esther Oteiza Post Office Box 670 Marion Ocala, FL 32670 Deana Hughes Post Office Box 1049 Martin Stuart, FL 33494 James T. Northey 1201 Atlantic Avenue Nassau Fernandina Beach, FL 32034 Danny Mullins 100 S.W. 5th Avenue Okeechobee Okeechobee, FL 33472 Lee Rowell Orange 445 West Amelia Street Orlando, FL 32802 Madhabi Banerji 7227 U.S. Highway 41 Pasco Land O'Lakes, FL 33537 Mary Topping 1915 So. Floral Avenue Polk P.O. Box 319 Bartow, FL Sandra McDonald 40 Orange Street St. Johns St. Augustine, FL 32048 6 COUNCIL MEMBEI.S (cont.) Addreaa County Contact Peraon 2909 Delaware Avenue Jayne Hartman St. Lucie Ft. Pierce, FL 34947 Sarasota 2418 Hatton Street Rick Nations Sarasota, FL 33577 Suwannee 224 Parshly Street Marvin johns Live Oak, FL 32060 Volusia 729 Loomis Avenue Cynthia Pino P.O. Box 2410 Daytona Beach, FL 32115 AFFTLIDATED MEMBERS County Addres.a Contact Person Baker William Baker 392 So. Boulevard E. MacClenny, FL 32063 Jo Ann Cox Bay 1311 Balboa Avenue Panama City, FL 32401 Brevard Dan Schuerer 2700 St. Johns Melbourne, FL 32940 Jackson Frank Waller P.O. Box 5958 Marianna, FL 32447 Levy Ed Lovely P.O. Drawer 129 Bronson, FL 32621 Leon 2757 W Pensacola Street Shirley Eike land Tallahassee, FL 32304 Santa Rosa 603 Canal Street P.ichard Mancini Milton, FL 32570 7 Abstract The present paper seeks to separate facts from opinions based upon review of a representative sample of contemporary writings on alternative assessment. A summary listing of fifteen perceived to be factual statements is offered, followed by the present writer's opin- ions. These items cover the historical background and origins of these assessments; their current intent, focus, and emphasis; their technical problems and !imitations; the potential impact for change which these procedures may have upon both the instructional pro- cess and teacher-student relationships, the possible consequences of such changes, and the newly expanded role of classroom teachers in implementation; the likely most significant contribution which these procedures might make on behalf of students in contemporary public education; and projected cost factors. Much of the above has also been set forth in an inferential summary. Introduction When residing in the area of alternative/authentic/performance assessment, one experiences considerable difficulty separating fact from fiction. This makes even more interesting the use of the word "authentic" by those who feel that it somehow lends additional credence to these procedures. Is there anything less authentic about a student taking a standardized, norm-referenced achievement test? Is there not also an assessment of student performance in the use of such a test? This apparent play upon words also adds to the confu- sion prevalent in this endeavor. Hence, given this state of affairs, it is the intent of the present paper to attempt a separation of at least some of what appears to be fact from more obvious opinion, with the ultimate decision relative to each resting with the reader. Discussion The format of this paper will consist of what are perceived to be factual statements (extracted from considerable readings) followed by the present writer's opinions. As the reader may well appreciate, it is quite difficult at certain points to differentiate clearly between the two. Obviously what is offered involves perceptual judgment, and in such matters there is seldom solid agreement. Nonetheless, 108