Ferrara, S., Goldberg,G., McTighe, J. (1995). Ways in Which Teachers Communicate Learning Targets, Criteria, and Standards for Performance to Their Students. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA.

Abstract: This study was undertaken to describe ways in which "performance oriented" teachers in Maryland communicate learning targets, elements of quality, and standards for performance to their students. Surveys were distributed to approximately 90 participants at the annual meeting of the Maryland Assessment Consortium and to 72 scoring team leaders in the operational scoring project for the 1994 Maryland School Performance Assessment Program. Of these, 48 surveys were selected for scoring and 20 were selected as a coding validity check set. Data analysis indicated that most teachers communicate to students what they expect them to learn orally, in writing, or in classroom displays. However, they do not involve students directly in evaluation and in developing evaluative criteria on a regular basis. Also, teachers do not make distinctions among self, peer, and group assessment, and between applying pre-established criteria and generating criteria. Findings suggest that teacher training should focus on ways and means to communicate performance targets, elements of quality, and standards for performance in order to improve classroom assessment practices. For example, although these teachers reported that they communicate to students what they should know and be able to do, responses suggest that they communicate primarily traditional instructional objectives in traditional ways, and are more comfortable with providing scoring criteria to students rather than involving students in developing criteria and selecting model responses.