Phil Harrison Coaching

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey has sold more than twenty-five million copies and has been translated into forty languages. To say that it has been an influential book is probably an understatement. The second habit – begin with the end in mind – encourages people to get a picture of what they want to ultimately achieve, and build their lives intentionally toward the desired outcome. 

The same principle should be applied to the design of classroom tests, as well. Yes, classroom tests are still valid and should be a part of the assessment process for students. In order to provide the greatest value, they should be carefully constructed before instruction begins. In the book Classroom Assessment Essentials author Susan M. Brookhart shares tips for designing classroom tests and references an assessment blueprint. Such a blueprint might include the following (pp. 112-120):

1. Learning goals. Articulating specific learning goals for the assessment is a critical piece of the test blueprint. If your goals lack specificity, you will struggle to develop meaningful instruction and your students will struggle to master meaningful content. Be clear and concise in the blueprint stage. 
2. Item type. There are many item types from which to choose. Keeping track of multiple choice, short answer, true/false, and other response types will ensure that students have the opportunity to encounter a variety of question types. 
3. Item number. Determining how many of each type of item will be used ensures that your students don’t experience response type fatigue. 
4. Item points. Determining item points in the blueprint stage allows for internal consistency regarding type values. 
5. Cognitive level. Whether using Bloom’s Taxonomy or Webb’s Depth of Knowledge as a guide, responses should reasonably cover everything from simple recall to more complex application. 

As you prepare for the week ahead, think of how you might prepare a blueprint for your upcoming tests. In doing so, you will produce better assessments that ultimately guide student learning. You and your students will be glad you did!