21.Ron Kenski and Ann Potter both have “students’ ability to compare and contrast” as a goal for their American history students.  They both assign an essay where the students have to compare and contrast the Jamestown and Plymouth Colonies in early America.  Ron constructs a set of criteria to be used in scoring the essay. Ann does not. They both score the essays and assign students’ grades.  Of the following, which is the most accurate statement?

a.Ann’s assessment is likely to be less reliable than Ron’s and therefore less valid as well.

b.Ann’s assessment is likely to be less reliable than Ron’s but they are equally valid.

c.Both teachers’ assessments are likely to be invalid, since they are essays.

d.Both teachers’ assessments are valid and reliable since the assessments are consistent with their goals.

Essay Items

22.Describe four functions of assessment for learning.

23.Jenna is assessing her kindergartener’s ability to identify letters.  She asks each child  to identify the letters found in his or her name.  Is Jenna’s assessment approach likely to be valid? Is it likely to be reliable? Explain in each case.

24.Suppose a woman weighs 130 pounds as measured by an accurate scale in her physician’s office. Also suppose that her scale at home gives the following readings over a 5-day period: 126, 134, 128, 132, 130, so the average is an accurate 130. Assume that her actual weight has not varied during the five days. Does her scale give reliable measurements? Does her scale give valid measurements? Explain in both cases.