Creating a context for growth-focused assessment

Abstract

We present a naturalistic case study of one teacher’s development of a growth-centered context for classroom assessment. In-depth interviews, analysis of student work, and observations were used to identify the processes this teacher used to engage her students in the assessment process. Data were analyzed using listening guide analysis to garner a holistic perspective on the nature of teaching, learning, and community established in this classroom. Findings are described by aligning the specific techniques used by this teacher to the growth mindset supportive instructional strategies noted in the literature and then providing tips for implementation in a middle grades classroom.

Keywords:

• assessment
• middle grades
• growth mindset
• case study analysis

Notes

¹ Early research on mindsets referred to these beliefs as implicit theories; for clarity in this article we use the more recent term “mindset” to refer to these beliefs.

² By voice we refer to the many and sometimes conflicting perspectives that must be engaged in the representation of data. Here we sought to provide this teacher with a voice in our discussion of her activities (Given, 2008).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nicole Barnes

Nicole Barnes is an associate professor of educational foundations at Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey. E-mail: [email protected]

Helenrose Fives

Helenrose Fives is a professor of educational foundations at Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey. E-mail: [email protected]