Homework+Assessment

=**Homework Assessment 2011-2012**=


 * Goal#1:** To develop common assessments in order to provide consistency among teachers in each discipline and increase student outcomes.


 * Rationale:** To survey students about homework habits, collect and analyze data and determine how to develop useful and effective language homework assignments. The language teachers would like to address and evaluate homework assignments to determine student preference in order to promote effectiveness. Students are more motivated to do and complete an assignment when they have a choice of assignments. Our goal is to develop a "pool" of common preferred assessments that we feel would lead to improved student outcomes.


 * September 21, 2011**: Heather Bennett, Doug Crouse, Eric Gordon, Suzanne Jouravlev, Pietro Piccolo

Homework has some value but how much homework is appropriate to give, what kind, how often? "Rethinking HW" book recommended by Jennifer
 * Meeting minutes - our discussion about homework:** (Jennifer Chintala visits)
 * Sometimes we feel obligated to assign hw
 * Homework takes a lot of time to grade: even short assignments take away from creative planning
 * Parents may question too much OR too little hw
 * Homework-free days in other districts


 * How do students do hw - surroundings and conditions?**
 * Suzie: have present students clock themselves when doing hw - how long does it take and are there distractions?
 * Heather: most kids said no to optional hw in surveys but said grades likely would be lower if they didn't do it


 * What steps do we take?**
 * Maybe a month without hw, gauge effect, but that would be tough, concern for suffering grades
 * Heather: last yr's 6th graders had pretty good study habits, 7th not so much

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 * Examples of 8th grade hw thus far this year:**
 * Heather: five sentences in German about an image
 * Eric: fill-in-the-blanks, create sentences using defined words
 * Suzie: translating into target language - sometimes pre-written, sometimes students create
 * Suggestions:**
 * Eric suggests telling kids that if they can come up with ideas for homework and get it approved, they'll get extra credit
 * Pietro suggests an assignment that students write two questions each, use one from each student and incorporate into assessment
 * Heather: ask kids to come up with an assessment that's "fun" and meaningful, could give them a few e.c. points, also helps build students' feeling of contributing, let students know that it was designed by one of their peers without naming him/her

In June, the world language teachers gave all 6th and 7th grade students a "World Language Homework Survey" in order to determine students' attitudes about homework. We are currently in the process of gathering the data, calculating percentages and determining the overall responses to the survey questions. Example questions include:
 * December, 2011**
 * Click here to see the World Language Homework Survey**
 * When you get your homework back, what do you do with it? (Circle all that apply.)
 * How helpful is doing language homework? Is it useful practice?
 * How much time do you spend on your language homework?
 * How much effort do you put into your language homework?
 * When do you most often do your homework?
 * What time of day do you most often do your homework?
 * Where do you do your homework?
 * When I am completing my homework, I...
 * Who helps you with your language homework?
 * What kind of assignments most help you practice your language? (Circle all that apply.)
 * Would you do homework just for practice, if you didn’t receive a grade?
 * Do you think you would do just as well in class and on quizzes if you didn’t do any practice at home? Why or why not?
 * What suggestions do you have for making language homework more effective next year?

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 * Survey Results -** results varied by language. The totals shown reflect the averages between all 4 languages.
 * Do students find doing language homework helpful or useful?
 * Approximately 50% of language students found language homework helpful.
 * Only 8% of students found language homework not at all helpful.
 * How much time do students spend on language homework?
 * Approximately 50% of students responding spend 15-20 minutes on language homework.
 * How much effort is put into language homework?
 * 59% of students admit to giving "some effort and attention" to language homework.
 * 6% of students admit that they "normally do not their homework".
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Where is homework completed?
 * The kitchen or family area is where students do their homework 42% of the time.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What else is going on while completing homework.
 * 35% of student responses - "work quietly"
 * 27% of student responses - "listen to music"
 * 24% of student responses - "talk to others"
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is interesting to note that while the majority of students work on their homework quietly, many others are also simultaneously listening to music and/or talking to others (in person, texting, on computer)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Who helps with language homework?
 * 54% responded that "no one" helps them with their language homework.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What kind of assignments best help practice language?
 * Translating into English and from English were the most popular kinds of assignments.
 * Least popular assignments were writing dialogues and student teaching (parents/peers).
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Would students do homework just for practice, if not for a grade?
 * 50% of students responded that they would not do homework if it wasn't graded.
 * 36% of students responded that they would still do homework even if not graded.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Do students think they would do just as well in class and on quizzes if they didn’t do any practice at home? Why or why not?
 * Only 34% felt that they would still do well if they didn't do any sort of practice

**January 2012:**
====**Data Analysis:** Middle school students prefer to do "fun" assessments. The students admitted that they will probably not do an assignment unless credit is given. Students agreed that not doing their homework seems to affect their scores on quizzes. While such assignments may be the most time consuming and difficult, students claim that translations are the more preferable assignment.====


 * Goal & Recommendations:** Create templates to contribute to a "pool" of preferred assessments to be adapted and used by all language teachers. Each teacher will develop a "packet" of assignments allowing the students to choose which assessments they prefer to complete for credit. The templates will be kept in a collection on Google.docs to be accessed by the department. Such assignments may include recall, synthesis, analysis assignments. The teachers will then collect data as to the preferred assignments based on those chosen from each language's packet.

**February 2012:**
Homework packets will be created and distributed to classes on a Monday to be turned in on Friday. The packet will contain several different types of assignments each worth a different amount of points.Heather's homework packet includes the following types of assignments: fill in the blank, target language to English translation, fill in blank and translate to English, English to target language translation, free write. The students will be required to complete a number of assignments to equal a certain amount of point. Assignments will be graded for completion as well as accuracy. Data will be collected by each language teacher as to which type of assignment the students prefer.

More freedom and flexibility for the students - they have a choice as to what kind of assignments they prefer. Feedback can be given during class in a "Do now" or classwork. Holds the kids accountable for understanding during the class Demonstrates which students will choose the more difficult assignments in the packet to challenge themselves. Homework packet seems have more significance in that it is one total 30 point grade. The packet is much more differentiated to cater to skill level. Allows the kids to work on time management skills and determining priority of assignments and responsibility.
 * Pros**: Less instructional time is spent during class review homework

The teacher is concerned that students will procrastinate and wait till the night before to complete the packet. Immediate feedback cannot be given about the practice work. The students may not completely understand content to complete the packet More time given to complete the packet may allow the kids to copy off of one another. Some kids need the structure to have particular assignments due on certain days.
 * Cons:** More personal time spent assessing assignments.

Collect data as to preferred assignment rank as well as the highest degree of accuracy (80% or higher) Packet will be created, distributed and collected before the next PLC meeting at which we will compare data by language.
 * Homework Packet Goal**: Create one packet (modeled after Heather's) with a variety of assignments that suit content needs.

**March 2012:**

 * Homework Packet Data**: Each language teacher created a homework packet consisting of 6 different exercises with different point values.With some minimum individual variations, the packets were basically similar in assessing students' abilities to complete various exercises.

French - fill in the blanks(verb & prep), German - fill in the blank w/ article "the" or "a", Spanish (G) - definite article or indefinite article, Spanish (P) - fill in the blank stem changing verbs, Russian - fill in the blanks with verb or grammar endings. French - 45% chose, Spanish (G) - 88% chose, 92% scored above 80% Spanish (P) - 80% German - 78% chose, 40% scored above 80% Russian - 87% chose, 79% scored above 80%
 * Data Analysis:**
 * Section A: (5 pts)**

French - replace a noun with a noun and change adjective to reflect gender and plurality, German - replace pronoun with another pronoun, Spanish (G) - fill in blank with noun or verb in correct form, Spanish (P) - answering questions with numbers, Russian - switch verb from love/like or like/love making necessary changes French - 41% chose, Spanish (G) - 60% chose, 42% scored above 80% Spanish (P) - 80% German - 55% chose, 81% scored above 80% Russian - 58% chose, 88% scored above 80%
 * Section B: (5 pts)**

French - open ended fill in the blank with adjectives, German - translate G - E, Spanish (G) - translate S - E, Spanish (P) - fill inthe blank stem changing verbs, Russian - translate R - E French - 41% chose, Spanish (G) - 68% chose, 71% scored above 80% Spanish (P) - 80% German - 66% chose, 61% scored above 80% Russian - 56% chose, 44% scored above 80%
 * Section C: (5 pts)**

French - 36% chose, Spanish (G) - 27% chose, 0% scored above 80% Spanish (P) - 90% German - 79% chose, 28% scored above 80% Russian - 62% chose, 32% scored above 80%
 * Section D: (10 pts)** French - fill in lines of dialogue, German - fill in the blank of G sent then translate into E, Spanish (G) - translate questions and answer, Spanish (P) - translate a phone conversation S - E, Russian - fill in the blanks with verb then translate into E

French - series of 5 pictures - write description using different verbs and adjectives, German - translate E - G, Spanish (G) - write a questions of 6 words minimum, Spanish (P) - write a travel brochure, Russian - translate E - R French - 36% chose, Spanish (G) - 45% chose, 26% scored above 80% Spanish (P) - 95% German - 75% chose, 14% scored above 80% Russian - 73% chose, 32% scored above 80%
 * Section E: (10 pts)**

French - open ended 6 sentence description of illustration, German - open ended 5 sentence description of illustration using Dative case, Spanish (G) - open ended 10 sentences description of illustration, Russian - open ended 10 sentence description of illustration French - 68% chose, Spanish (G) - 10% chose, 17% scored above 80% German - 21% chose, 36% scored above 80% Russian - 56% chose, 84% scored above 80%
 * Section F: (20 pts)**

April 2012:
The packet is a great tool for differentiation. It is sometimes difficult to challenge the more motivated students while still accommodating those students who are struggling. It is, however, a great deal of work both in the creation process as well as collecting and assessing. The packet required much thought to assess different skills required in language learning. German - students prefer shorter daily assignments Russian - students preferred getting the packet on Monday and not having to hand it in until Friday so that they could pace themselves according to their workload. Spanish - students liked that they could do their assignments at their leisure and that they had a choice as to which kind of exercises they wanted to complete. French - students who did not like this packet were those who did not generally do their homework. The amount of points assigned affected their grade adversely. Those who do their homework regularly liked it but complained the packet was too much to do. - Giving a packet did require more time and effort on the teacher's part. It was easier, more consistent, to grade the packets all at one time to be fair with grading. - While the packet required more work on the teacher's part to create and grade, it did allow more time in class to devote to teaching.There was definitely a give and take - more time in the classroom means more work to take home in the evening. - Reviewing the packet with the kids in class was tedious and boring. Immediate feedback and answers to specific questions were much more appropriate than taking half a class period to discuss and review the entire packet. Common mistakes could be addressed to the class, individual errors should be addressed by individual students. - Although there were some general trends in the data, each teacher will use the data collected and apply it to his/her language. - There did seem to be a correlation between our teaching styles and the data demonstrated by the homework packet. For example: those teachers who emphasize writing as a dominant skill seemed to have better results in the writing sections of the packet. - The packet gave indications as to which students were ready and/or willing to take a challenge by completing particular exercises.This would also allow the teacher to understand which exercises were not popular or were more difficult. - Offering such a packet may be useful at certain points in a lesson - perhaps as a summary or review before a unit test.
 * Conclusions from Homework Packet Data**
 * Feedback from students:**
 * Teacher feedback:**
 * Final conclusions:**