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McDaniel College Tuesday 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Fall Semester 2011 (October 26 - December 13, 2011) Instructor-Cindy Fitzpatrick CUR 509 Monitoring and Aligning Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Slide 2 Assessment for learning should use a range of approaches~ a simple mental note taken by the teacher during observation Class Norms Equal participation in small group and whole group discussions Be respectful of each other Listen (do not talk or interrupt) while others are speaking Refrain from side conversations Stick to task and/or topic We arent going to discuss what we cant change Parking Lot Use your computer for class business only If you need to use your phone to talk or text, please leave the room Put on an administrators hat--perspective Slide 3 Achievement Targets (Intended Learner Outcomes) for CUR 509 Participants will: 1.Demonstrate skill at providing clear and appropriate learning targets. (CFO 1-5, CIPO 1, 4, 6, ELCC 2, MILF 3, 5, NBPTS 1-5) 2.Demonstrate skill in using the four methods of assessments appropriately (selected response, essay, personal communication and performance). (CFO 1-5, CIPO 4, 6, 8, ELCC 2, MILF 3, 5, NBPTS 1-5) 3.Demonstrate skill in adapting assessments to meet the needs of diverse learners. (CFO 1-5, CIPO 8, ELCC 4, MILF 3, 5, NBPTS 1-5) 4.Demonstrate the ability to develop a comprehensive assessment plan for the formative and summative assessment of student learning of an appropriate set of achievement targets for a complete course or an extended unit of study. (CFO 1-5, CIPO 1-8, ELCC 2, MILF 3, 5, NBPTS 1-5) 5.Develop plans to involve students in the assessment process. (CFO 1-5, CIPO 3-6, ELCC 2, MILF 3, 5, NBPTS 1-5) 6.Determine fair grading plans that facilitate the summation of evidence of achievement for each student for each outcome or target. (CFO 1-5, CIPO 6, ELCC 2, MILF 3, 5, NBPTS 1-5) ?????? 7.Explain to parents what students will learn. Include what evidence they are expected to provide to demonstrate their quality of achievement, how that evidence will be summarized for a grade on a report card, and how parents can be involved in the process. (CFO 1-6, CIPO 3, 7, ELCC 4, MILF 3, 5, NBPTS 1-5) 8.Determine effective ways of using technology in the assessment process. (CFO 1-6, CIPO, 7, ELCC 2, MILF 6, NBPTS 1-5) ?????? 9.Examine personal strengths as an assessor and determine plans for personal improvement. (CFO 1-5, CIPO 2, ELCC 2, MILF 3, 5, NBPTS 1-5) OBJECTIVES This course supports the achievement of the McDaniel College Conceptual Framework Outcomes (CFO), Curriculum and Instruction Program Outcomes (CIPO), Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC), Maryland Instructional Leadership Framework (MILF), and the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). Slide 4 Assignment 1~Parent Communication Letter (15 points) Explain to parents what students will learn. Include what evidence they are expected to provide to demonstrate their quality of achievement, how that evidence will be summarized for a grade on a report card, and how parents can be involved in the process. (CFO 1-6, CIPO 3, 7, ELCC 4, MILF 3, 5, NBPTS 1-5) Develop a letter for a specific unit to be available to parents electronically that communicates the units learning targets (what their child is expected to know, understand and be able to do by the end of the unit), how their child will be assessed throughout the unit and what roles parents can play to help students be successful. Be sure to consider: How you will communicate the targets The variety of ways their child will be evaluated The role you are expecting of the parents Scoring Guide: (15 points total) Clearly communicates the learning targets--what is to be learned by the end of the unit. (5 points) Clearly communicates how you will assess student success of the learning targets. You must use a variety of assessments. (5 points) Invites parents to participate meaningfully in the learning process in a clearly understood and professional manner. (5 points) Slide 5 Assignment 2. Summary of Personal Reflections (15 points) Examine personal strengths as an assessor and determine plans for personal improvement. (CFO 1-5, CIPO 2, ELCC 2, MILF 3, 5, NBPTS 1-5) Throughout the course you will reflect on current assessment practices you are using in your daily practice. As a result of classroom discussions and readings you will complete an on-going personal reflection log regarding what assessment practices you will continue, start and change/stop. You will use this information to write a summary about your new philosophy of classroom assessment. Your summary will include assessment practices you will continue, start and change/stop based on information learned during this course. Scoring Guide: (15 points) Discuss the classroom assessment practices you will continue and why. Discuss the classroom practices you will start and why. Discuss the classroom practices you will change/stop and why. Your justification must be based on information learned during class discussions and readings. Slide 6 Chapters Class Instructional/Assessment Practices I will CONTINUE Instructional/Assessment Practices I will START Instructional/Assessment Practices I will CHANGE/STOP PERSONAL REFLECTION As a result of classroom discussion and reading the book, complete the personal reflection chart. You will use this information to write a summary. Slide 7 Assignment 3. Group Presentation (40 points) Demonstrate skill in using the four methods of assessments appropriately (selected response, essay, personal communication and performance). (CFO 1-5, CIPO 4, 6, 8, ELCC 2, MILF 3, 5, NBPTS 1-5) Each student will be required to work with a small group to present the information in an assigned chapter to the rest of the class. Scoring Guide (40 points) The presentation should: summarize the key points of the chapter, (20 points) include at least one activity that engages the class and encourages active participation, (10 points) create an assessment to assess the class members understanding of the key points in the chapter (10 points) integrate technology, be approximately 20-30 minutes. Slide 8 Project 4. Assessment Make-Over Project (20 points) Demonstrate the ability to develop a comprehensive assessment plan for the formative and summative assessment of student learning of an appropriate set of achievement targets for a complete course or an extended unit of study. (CFO 1-5, CIPO 1-8, ELCC 2, MILF 3, 5, NBPTS 1-5) The purpose of this project is to take an assessment you (or someone else) currently use(s) and give it a make-over. This assignment is a concrete application of concepts covered in the course. This assignment can be approached from an individual perspective, or you can choose to work with a partner or small group. Rationales for the assessment you choose may have to do with a mismatch of standard or achievement target with method of assessment, a lack of clarity, or a misalignment of the curriculum or instruction with the assessment. In short, use this assignment to reflect on and revise an assessment that has failed to deliver what you had hoped it would a clear representation of your students understanding of a concept, an aid in developing future instruction, or a way to benefit your students learning. The assessment you choose doesnt need to be a large project or unit test, even a small selection of informal assessments such as exit tickets could be meaningful. If you have no current classroom access, you can partner with someone who does, or use an assessment from another source, such as one you had to take yourself, your childs, one you found on-line, etc. We may (if time allows) share with the class (informally in a small group) your before and after assessments, as well as your rationale for your selection, your path to creating the new assessment, and if possible, what you found out after you administered your made-over assessment. Attempt to integrate information from the text, supplemental readings, class discussions, etc. into your rationale and resulting new and improved assessment. Slide 9 2 Very Strong Themes Emerge Assessment is, in part, the process of gathering information to inform instructional decisions. Those decisions, when made well, drive student learning success. Effective instructional decisions require accurate assessment. *This does not include just knowing who got it. We can use classroom assessments for more than merely a source of evidence for grading. We can also use it to build student confidence, motivation and engagement for learning. Slide 10 Last Weeks Outcomes How does classroom assessment fit into the big picture of your job as a teacher? What does it mean to develop and use assessments that are valid and reliable? What is the relationship among assessment, student confidence, and student success at learning? What are the four guiding principles that lead to sound classroom assessment practice? Slide 11 What is the relationship among assessment, student confidence, and student success at learning? A Story of Assessment for Student Success Read pages 4-8. As you read, consider the conditions that were in place in Mrs. Weathersbys classroom for Emily and her classmates to have experienced such success. Take notes and share your ideas with your group. Some Students Arent So Lucky Read pages 9-10. Analyze and compare the assessments experienced by Emily and Kristen. Considering the keys to success discussed here, what were the essential differences? Where were assessment purposes and learning targets clear? Unclear? Appropriate? Inappropriate? Slide 12 Divide into groups-As, Bs, Cs, Ds 30 minutes Go back to your original group and share Slide 13 ValidReliable Guides to Valid and Reliable Assessment Effectively Used Guiding Principle 1: Start with a Clear Purpose~Why Am I Assessing? Classroom level assessment is part of a larger assessment system to meet the information needs of a variety of users If any users information needs are ignored or they are provided with misinformation due to inept assessments, ineffective decisions will filter down to harm student confidence, motivation, and learning Slide 14 Guiding Principle 2: Start with Clear and Appropriate Achievement Targets~Assess What? The quality of any assessment depends on how clearly and appropriately you define the achievement target you are assessing You cannot validly assess achievement targets that you havent defined Do I (the teacher) know what it means to do it well? Do students know what it means to do it well? Slide 15 Guiding Principle 3: Create High-Quality Assessments that Yield Dependable Information Rely on a proper assessment method (a method capable of reflecting the target) Sample student achievement appropriately (provide enough evidence) Be built with high-quality ingredients (good test items and scoring schemes) Minimize distortion of results due to bias (more about this later) *Assessments that meet all of these standards can support valid and reliable inferences about student learning. Slide 16 Guiding Principle 4: Communicating Results Effectively Students need descriptive feedback focused on specific attributes of their work revealing how they can do better the next time (grades and percentages are not the only, or best, way to communicate achievement) Good job! Try harder! Awesome Slide 17 Chapter 1. Reflection -What classroom practices might you consider implementing? -What classroom practices might you give up? How does classroom assessment fit into the big picture of your job as a teacher? What does it mean to develop and use assessments that are valid and reliable? What is the relationship among assessment, student confidence, and student success at learning? What are the four guiding principles that lead to sound classroom assessment practice? Slide 18 Review/Reflection Working with your team play Fan N Pick to review what you learned about Chapter 1. Slide 19 Chapters Class Instructional/Assessment Practices I will CONTINUE Instructional/Assessment Practices I will START Instructional/Assessment Practices I will CHANGE/STOP PERSONAL REFLECTION As a result of classroom discussion and reading the book, complete the personal reflection chart. You will use this information to write a summary. Slide 20 Chapter 2.~Understanding Why We Assess Chapter Focus This chapter answers the following guiding questions: Who are the various users of the assessment process and its results within and outside the classroom and how do (can, should) they use them? From your study of this chapter, you will understand the following: How your classroom assessments fit into the big picture of assessments in schools. How classroom assessments can affect the quality of instruction. How interim and annual assessments can support and certify learning. Slide 21 How does your role as a teacher fit into the big picture? Assessments at each level--classroom, interim/benchmark, and annual can serve either of two purposes: they can support student learning (formative) or certify that learning has been attained (summative) When we cross the three levels of assessment use with formative and summative applications, we frame the big assessment picture in schools. Slide 22 22 Keys to Assessment Quality Key 1: Clear Purpose Why assess? Who will use the results? How will they use them? Are students among intended users? Key 2: Key 3: Key 4: Slide 23 Elements of a Balanced Assessment System Classroom Assessment Formative ApplicationsSummative Applications What key decisions are to be informed by assessment results? Who are the decision makers? What information do they need to make sound decisions? What essential assessment conditions must be satisfied to ensure a productive decision? Slide 24 Assignment 3. Group Presentation (40 points) Demonstrate skill in using the four methods of assessments appropriately (selected response, essay, personal communication and performance). (CFO 1-5, CIPO 4, 6, 8, ELCC 2, MILF 3, 5, NBPTS 1-5) Each student will be required to work with a small group to present the information in an assigned chapter to the rest of the class. Scoring Guide (40 points) The presentation should: summarize the key points of the chapter, (20 points) include at least one activity that engages the class and encourages active participation, (10 points) create an assessment to assess the class members understanding of the key points in the chapter (10 points) integrate technology, be approximately 20-30 minutes.