MCA II Test Basics

Curriculum and Instruction

Rochester Minnesota - Fall 2005

Key Vocabulary

What should children learn?

StrandStandards

Benchmarks

How will we know they’ve learned it?Test SpecificationsContent LimitsItem Samples

What the standards look likeStrand I – Reading and Literature Item Totals

By sub-strand Sub-strand C – Comprehension Standard: The student will understand the meaning of texts using

a variety of strategies and will determine literal, interpretive, inferential and evaluative comprehension.

24-31

Item Types

Cognitive Levels Benchmarks By Benchmark

MC or CR

A B C

I.C.1 Students will summarize and paraphrase main idea and supporting details.

Content Limit: Items will require a summary or paraphrase solely from

the text given. Items that will require the student to produce a summary

or paraphrase are CR Items will require the identification of the explicit or

inferred main idea and/or its relevant details solely from the text given.

10-14

Strand

This is the broadest statement of what we want students to learn. Under the umbrella of the strand, you will find all of the categories, known as sub-strands, and benchmarks that the MCA IIs will assess.

Math Strands

Math has 5 strands Mathematical Reasoning (Assessed within the

context of the other strands) Number Sense Patterns, Function, and Algebra Data, Statistics, and Probability Spatial Sense, Geometry and Measurement

Language Arts Strands

Language Arts has 3 strands Reading and Literature

Word Recognition, Analysis, and Fluency Vocabulary Expansion Comprehension Literature

Writing Speaking, Listening, and Viewing

Standards MN Academic Standards

A standard is a generalized goal of what we want students to know and be able to do.

Math Example Strand: Number Sense Standard: Represent whole numbers in various ways to

quantify information and solve real world and mathematical problems. Understand the concept of decimals and fractions.

Benchmarks

Closest to the classroom Specific knowledge or skills that the student

should acquire by the end of the grade level. Embedded in the curriculum

Layering it in: A Math Example Strand Number Sense Standard Represent whole numbers in

various ways to quantify information and solve real world and mathematical problems. Understand the concept of decimals and fraction.

Benchmark Student will compare and order whole numbers.

Test Specifications

Test Specifications help the test stay consistent over time,

tell the test developers exactly what the test should look like,

clarify, define and/or limit how test items will be written, and

outline parameters of the test, for example number of items on the test DRP level and number of passages (reading), and cognitive levels.

Interpreting Test Specifications

Cognitive Levels

A. Knowledge B. Understanding C. Application, Analysis, Synthesis,

Evaluation

Highest Level Evaluation Evaluation questions ask that judgments be made from information Signal words: assess, rate, justify, evaluate, judge, decide, criticize, defend, argue, support

Synthesis Synthesis questions combine information in a new way. Students often use concepts learned to originate new products. Signal words: create, design, revise, hypothesize, arrange, assemble, compose, construct, formulate

Analysis Analysis questions ask for information to be broken down into parts. Students may discover unique characteristics of something by analyzing it. Signal words: categorize, sort, classify, arrange, compare, distinguish

Application Application questions ask that the information be used in some manner. Students must relate or apply what has been learned to new situations. Signal words: generalize, infer, apply, predict, use, show

Comprehension Comprehension questions determine how well information has been understood. Students translate and interpret information heard or read. Responses are usually in a student’s own words. Signal words: define in your own words, explain, tell, paraphrase, summarize, identify, illustrate, discuss

Knowledge Knowledge questions ask for facts about what has been heard or read. Information is recalled in the approximate manner/form it was heard. Signal words: who, what, when, where, why, how, list, locate, choose, name, repeat, state, describe

Lowest Level

Bloom’s Taxonomy

A = Knowledge

B= Understanding

C= Application, Analysis, Synthesis, Evaluation

Cognitive Level A and Questioning

Knowledge: Knowledge is defined as the remembering of previously learned material. This may involve the recall of a wide range of material, from specific facts to complete theories, but all that is required is the bringing to mind of the appropriate information. Knowledge represents the lowest level of the cognitive domain.

Illustrative Behavioral Terms Define Describe Identify Label List Match Name Reproduce State

Recalling or locating information is the most common type of classroom assignment. Information is not interpreted in any way, just simply fed back.

EXAMPLES What is 8 + 4? Recite the eight parts of speech. What is the name of the main character in this story? Who was Abraham Lincoln?

Cognitive Level B and Questioning

ComprehensionComprehension is defined as the ability to grasp the meaning of material. This may be shown by translating material from one form to another (words to numbers), and by interpreting material (explaining or summarizing). The students go one step beyond the simple remembering of material, and represent the lowest level of understanding. Comprehension is more than merely repeating something that has been heard or said.

Illustrative Behavioral Terms Convert Explain Extend Generalize Give Examples Infer Paraphrase Rewrite Summarize

EXAMPLES Tell in your own words what the article is about. What does this cartoon mean? Summarize the main idea in chapter 2. Why are the days shorter in the winter than in the summer.

Don’t stop yet!

The knowledge and comprehension levels form the foundation or launching pad for higher thinking. Thinking must be extended beyond these levels.

Don't leave your students and lesson expectations just at levels A and B; move them to level C.

Cognitive Level C and QuestioningApplicationApplication

Application refers to the ability to use learned material in new and concrete situations. This may include the application of such things as rules, methods, concepts, principles, laws, and theories. Lessons in this area require a higher level of understanding than those in the understanding category.

ILLUSTRATIVE BEHAVIORAL TERMS Change Compute Demonstrate Discover Manipulate Operate Prepare Produce Relate Show Solve UseThis is the beginning of creative thinking. The student applies learning to his/her own life or to new situations.

EXAMPLES Following these directions, build a birdhouse. Using this recipe, bake a cake. If the main character came to your house, what would you ask him? If you had been the main character, whom would you have gone to visit?

Cognitive Level C and QuestioningSynthesisSYNTHESIS

Synthesis refers to the ability to put parts together to form a new whole. This may involve the production of a unique communication (theme or speech), a plan of operations (research proposal), or a set of abstract relations (scheme for classifying information). Learning in this area stresses creative behaviors, with major emphasis on the formulation of new patterns or structures.

ILLUSTRATIVE BEHAVIORAL TERMS Combine Compile Compose Create Devise Design Generate Modify Organize Plan Rearrange Reconstruct Reorganize Revise Rewrite WriteAt this level, students take what they have learned and create or invent something entirely new, usually a product such as a story, picture, diagram, model, etc.

EXAMPLES Write a new ending for "Red Riding Hood" that involves an elephant instead of a wolf. Compose a poem about the French Revolution. Draw a blueprint of a house in the year 2050

Cognitive Level C and QuestioningEvaluationEVALUATION

Evaluation is concerned with the ability to judge the value of material (statement, novel, poem, research report) for a given purpose. The judgments are to be based on definite criteria. These may be internal criteria (organization) or external criteria (relevance to the purpose), and the students may determine the criteria or be given the criteria. Learning in this are is at the highest of the cognitive hierarchy because the expectation contains elements of all the other categories plus value judgments based on clearly defined criteria.

ILLUSTRATIVE BEHAVIORAL TERMS Compare Conclude Contrast Criticize Describe Discriminate Explain Justify Interpret Relate SummarizeThis level involves students making judgments and supporting those judgments with sound reasoning. If a student states an opinion about something, she/he is only operating at the evaluation level if she/he is able to tell why.

EXAMPLES Should capital punishment be abolished? Why or why not? Was the boy in the story running away? How can you tell? Which form of government is more fair, monarchy or democracy? Why?

Cognitive Level C: AnalysisAnalysis

Analysis refers to the ability to break down material into its component parts so that its organizational structure may be understood. This may include identification of the parts, analysis of the relationships between parts, and recognition of the organizational principles involved. Learning her represents a higher intellectual level than comprehension and application because analysis requires an understanding of both the content and the structural form of the material.

ILLUSTRATIVE BEHAVIORAL TERMS Break down Diagram Differentiate Discriminate Distinguish Outline Point Out Relate Select Separate Subdivide

This level requires the ability to categorize: the ability to perceive similarity in different things and differences in similar things.

EXAMPLES In what ways is the main character like you? different from you? Which things in the story were real and which were make-believe? Put the people in this article into categories according to their points of view. What were the causes of the Civil War and its effects on the lives of those in the South.

From Minnesota Department of Education

Mathematics Sample Level A

Grade 5

Benchmark V.B.4

Students will know the sum of the angles in triangles and quadrilaterals.

Use the figure below to answer question X.

X. Three angle measures are shown in the quadrilateral above. What is the measure of the fourth angle?

A. 22˚ B. 68˚ C. 108˚ D. 292˚

117˚ 112˚

? 63˚

From Minnesota Department of Education

Mathematics Sample Level B

Grade 5 Benchmark V.C.2

Students will use a net of a cube or rectangular box to compute the surface area.

From Minnesota Department of Education

Mathematics Sample Level C

Use the data sets given below to make conjectures about the meaning of the following terms: mean, median, mode, range

Set A: 5, 12, 16, 10, 2 Set B: 1, 2, 2, 6, 7, 18

Mean: 9 Mean: 6

Median : 10 Median: 4

Mode: none Mode: 2

Range: 14 Range: 17 (The actual problem provides 8 data sets.)

From Minnesota Department of Education

Why use cognitive levels in your classroom? Provides educators with a place to start when

reviewing and revising units to better align with the Minnesota Academic Standards

Provides educators with enhanced understanding of writing well-defined educational and instructional objectives that frame exemplary teaching

Provides students with clearly defined expectations as to what they must learn

Model Questions – Level A

Model Questions and Key Words – Developing Questions

Knowledge (eliciting factual answers, testing recall and recognition) Who Where Describe Which one What How Define What is the one best

Why How much Match Choose When Select Omit What does it mean

Level B - Comprehension

Which are facts, opinions… Is this the same as… What would happen if … Explain what is happening… Explain what is meant… Read the graph, table… Is it valid that … Which statement support the

main idea… Show in a graph or table… What seems to be… Match… What seems likely…

State in your own words… What does this mean… Judge… Give an example… Condense this paragraph…

State in one word… Indicate… What part doesn't fit… What restrictions would you

add… What exceptions are there… Which is more probable… What are they saying … Select…

Level C - Application

Predict what would happen if …

Identify… Explain… Tell what would

happen… Tell how, when, where,

why…

Select… Judge the effects… Tell how much change

there would be… What would result… Choose the best

statements that apply…

Level C - Analysis

Distinguish… The least essential statements

are… Identify… What is the theme? main

idea? subordinate idea? What assumptions… What inconsistencies can you

find in the text? What motive is there … What literary form is used… What conclusions… What persuasive technique… Make a distinction… What relationship between…

What is the premise… What ideas apply? do not

apply? What is the function of… Implicit in the statement is the

idea of… What does the author believe?

assume? State the point of view… What ideas justify the

conclusion? What statement is

relevant? extraneous? Related to…? not applicable?

Level C – Synthesis

Write (according to the following limitations)…

How would you test …?

Propose an alternative … Solve the following… How else would you …? Formulate a theory…

Develop… State a rule… Choose… Compose… Make up… Create…

Level C - Evaluation

Appraise … What appear?

fallacies, consistencies inconsistencies

Judge… Defend… Criticize …

Find the errors… What is

more important? more moral? more logical? more valid? more appropriate?

What’s are the biggest changes with MCA II? The BST in reading and math at grade 8 is

gone, replaced by the MCA II. Students will take the BST/MCA writing test

in grade 9 beginning in 2007. The grade 10 reading MCA II GRAD will be

scored as both a high-stakes test (required to pass for graduation) and a systems-accountability test (school report cards).

What is the MCA GRAD? GRAD stands for Graduation-Required

Assessments for Diploma The benchmarks are divided into four areas:

Assessed by Grad Common Assessments – either GRAD or MCA Assessed only for MCA Assessed only at the classroom level

The MCA GRAD replaces the BST.

Sample Standard with MCA, Common, and GRAD

MDE Website

Practice tests are available for each grade level in both reading and math.

Go to: http://education.state.mn.us/mde/index.html

Click on Accountability Programs Click on Assessment and Testing On the left side, click on Teachers in the

Resources box Scroll down to find the sample test you want.