Sarah+Talluri

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About Me
Sarah Talluri teaches Chemistry with Atlanta Public Schools, D. M. Therrell School of Law, Government, and Public Policy (LGPP). She has been teaching at the school since 2005. Mrs. Talluri has a B. A. in Science, a M. A. in Education and an Ed S. in Curriculum and Instruction. As a teacher she hopes to empower her students with the ability to apply inquiry and problem solving strategies through hands on activities to actively be engaged with the experience of science. Her assistance extends beyond the classroom as students are provided with opportunities to communicate electronically with Mrs. Talluri at stalluri@atlanta.k12.ga.us.

Takeaways / Big Ideas
How can I utilize teacher commentary to provide students with more effective feedback on assessment (formative/summative) activities? How has the use of rubrics assisted the student learner and teacher with better understanding expectation of the class activities?

AR Overview
Over the years I have noticed that there are some topics such as chemical bonding, formula writing, and balancing equations, which pose a challenge to students. After having taught the standards I would always feel that the students have understood the concepts. However, when it came to administering benchmark tests and formative assessments on those standards students did not seem to demonstrate the knowledge and deep understanding of the standards taught.

Through my readings, I have discerned the use of rubrics as an important assessment technique which can assist student learners to improve performance on a given task. As a result, I have decided to investigate the effect of using rubric-based formative assessment with feedback on students’ academic achievement in chemistry.

To accomplish the purpose of this study student were provided with rubrics, immediate feedback through teacher commentary and small group instruction through the use of multiple representations of varying tasks. One of the initiatives at my high school and in the school system is accountability. One aspect of this accountability impacts students being able to articulate and demonstrate their understanding of the standard being taught. To this end the focus of instruction is more student-driven with the teacher serving as a facilitator providing students with feedback as determined to be necessary.

AR Question
What are the effects of using rubric-based formative assessments with feedback on students’ academic achievement in chemistry?

AR Process
[explain the protocols/methods/interventions you used for your AR cycle] The process provided by the action research to test the hypothesis was: 10.Students began unit 2 on covalent bonding and naming molecular and acidic compounds 11. Students completed an in class worksheet on the standards 12.Students completed an action laboratory on polar covalent compounds 13.Students used the rubric to identify and name the compounds (ionic, covalent and acidic) 14.Students received a mixed naming quiz 15.Students received a research on properties of covalent bonds 16.Students completed a performance base lab on covalent and ionic compounds 17.Students completed additional questions on covalent bonding and answered questions relating to the lab 18.Students completed benchmark assessment on the standards
 * 1) Students used the vocabulary terms related to ionic compounds and made a concept map using that information
 * 2) Students completed an in class worksheet on ionic bonding
 * 3) Students researched properties of ionic compounds examine the given data and look characteristics in the properties of the ionic compounds
 * 4) Students completed a quiz on the properties of ionic compounds
 * 5) Students were provided with a rubric and instructions (through discussion) for the poster projects
 * 6) Students completed a quiz on naming ionic compounds
 * 7) Students completed oral presentations
 * 8) Students completed a benchmark assessment on the standards
 * 9) Students took a survey and concept map

AR Data Analysis
An attempt was made to determine the students’ perception of the benefits of receiving rubrics to complete their class activities. Twelve students took the survey and provided their responses to the seven questions related to the use of rubrics in their Chemistry class. The questions required that each student respond to the questions from the survey using a Likert rating scale of always, often, sometimes and never. Statistics on a few of the responses are provided in order to assist with obtaining a better understanding from the point of view of the students who participated in the action research. Question three from the survey asked the students if they enjoyed taking the rubric-based formative assessment. Of the twelve students only eleven responded to the question. Based on the results from survey question number three, eleven of the twelve students responded to their enjoyment of taking the rubric-based formative assessment. The results indicated that 27% of the students always enjoyed the rubric-based formative assessment while 36% of the students often or sometimes enjoyed the rubric-based formative assessment. One student did not respond to the question. Questions number five was answered by all twelve of the students. The question asked whether the student learned a great deal by doing this type of assessment. While 67% or eight of the student indicated that they sometimes learned by doing this type of assessment, 25% of the students indicated that they often learned, while one student or 8% of the student population indicated that they never learned by doing this type of assessment. The data indicate that a large percent of the students who participated in the action research learned a great deal by doing this type of assessment. The seventh and final question from the survey questioned whether the student felt that the rubric helps to do better on the test. 100% of the students who participated in the action research answered the question with a large percent, more than 50% of the students indicated that they either always or often found rubrics to be a helpful resource for testing. Based on the survey results 50% of the students always found rubrics to be helpful, while 33% or four students found rubrics to be helpful. The two remaining students who responded to the survey question indicate that 8% of the students either sometimes or never found that rubrics help to do better on tests. The results from the survey indicated that the students’ perception of the use of rubrics as an assessment tool was favorable. The response pattern indicates that a small percent of the students selected never as a response to any of the survey questions.







A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used because two categories (scores from assessment one from each group) were being observed. Here we are testing the means of the dependent variable between two independent variables (group one and group two).
 * **ANOVA ** ||
 * VAR00001 ||
 * || Sum of Squares || df || Mean Square || F || Sig. ||
 * Between Groups || 608.400 || 1 || 608.400 || 2.153 || .150 ||
 * Within Groups || 10736.700 || 38 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">282.545 ||  ||   ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Total || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">11345.100 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">39 ||  ||   ||   ||

The data indicates that the mean of both groups differ significantly with the between group at (608.400) and the within group at (282.545). The survey was designed to determine if the treatment of one group differed from the treatment of another group. The test scores were uploaded using SPSS, which is a commonly used statistical program to analyze data. A large significant level was detected when SPSS was used to analyze data from assessment 1 of both semester I and semester II.
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Descriptives ** ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">VAR00001 ||
 * || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">N || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Mean || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Std. Deviation || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Std. Error |||| <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">95% Confidence Interval for Mean || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Mini || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Max ||
 * ^  ||^   ||^   ||^   ||^   || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Lower Bound || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Upper Bound ||^   ||^   ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">1.00 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">20 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">65.9500 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">14.21813 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">3.17927 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">59.2957 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">72.6043 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">40.00 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">90.00 ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">2.00 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">20 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">73.7500 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">19.05083 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">4.25990 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">64.8339 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">82.6661 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">25.00 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">99.00 ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Total || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">40 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">69.8500 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">17.05579 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">2.69676 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">64.3953 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">75.3047 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">25.00 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">99.00 ||

Assessment one indicate a significant level of 0.150.The significance level of statistical data should provide information about how the likelihood of obtaining a given result by chance. While a small significant level provides strong indications that the results obtained are correct there can be several reasons for a large significant level of statistical data. A small sample size of twelve students was used in conducting this research. Additionally, treatment on the controlled group did not begin until ½ way through the second semester which occurred about four weeks after the beginning of that semester. In comparing the scores of both groups the data indicate that the mean average score of the test results from the second group was larger at 73.7500 in comparison to the mean average score of the first group at 65.9500. The standard deviation of both groups was about five points different with the second group obtaining a deviation of about 5 points more. In reference to assessment two the ANOVA test indicates that the means of both groups are significant with between groups at 2418.025 and within groups at 138.446. The significant level of 0.0 indicate the significantly higher mean of the second group at 72.7500 and the first group at 57.2000 on assessment two.
 * ** ANOVA ** ||
 * VAR00001 ||
 * || Sum of Squares || df || Mean Square || F || Sig. ||
 * Between Groups || 2418.025 || 1 || 2418.025 || 17.465 || .000 ||
 * Within Groups || 5260.950 || 38 || 138.446 ||  ||   ||
 * Total || 7678.975 || 39 ||  ||   ||   ||


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">VAR00001 ||
 * || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">N || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">Mean || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">Std. Deviation || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">Std. Error |||| <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">95% Confidence Interval for Mean || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">Minimum || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">Maximum ||
 * ^  ||^   ||^   ||^   ||^   || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">Lower Bound || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">Upper Bound ||^   ||^   ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">1.00 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">20 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">57.2000 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">12.11176 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">2.70827 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">51.5315 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">62.8685 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">44.00 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">90.00 ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">2.00 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">20 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">72.7500 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">11.41041 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">2.55144 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">67.4098 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">78.0902 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">45.00 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">90.00 ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Total || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">40 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">64.9750 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">14.03199 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">2.21865 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">60.4874 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">69.4626 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">44.00 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">90.00 ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Total || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">40 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">64.9750 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">14.03199 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">2.21865 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">60.4874 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">69.4626 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">44.00 || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px; text-align: right;">90.00 ||

AR Conclusions
As a result I plan to continue using rubric-based formative assessments in my classroom consistently and also give adequate and timely feedback to my students on their assessments.

Lit Review & Resources
Dodge, J. (2009). //25 quick formative assessments for a differentiated classroom.// New York, Scholastic. Malini, R. (2007). Effect of Rubrics on Enhancement of Student Learning: // Educate ,7 // (1), 3-17. Tuttle, H. G. (2009). //Formative assessment: responding to your students//. Larchmont, NY: Eye On Education. Nichol, D. J. & Macfarlane-Dick, D. (2006). Formative assessment and self-regulated learning: A model and seven principles of good feedback practice. //Studies in Higher Education, 31//(2), 199-218.

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Reflections
This was a rewarding professional experience. This project helped me communicate my ideas, reflect and evaluate my practices with other teachers. I thank my facilitators and also the program director for this meaningful professional development opportunity.

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