The Common Core + ? = Deeper Learning and CCR?:

Three Key Skill Sets to Pay Attention To

Dr. Karin HessSenior AssociateCenter for Assessmentkarinhessvt@gmail.com www.karin-hess.com

Ready for College?

Meeting the CC Standards and Beyond through Deeper, Student-Centered Learning

Hess & Gong (2014)

http://www.nmefoundation.org/resources/scl-2/ready-for-college-and-career

“cliff notes” version: http://www.districtadministration.com/article/one-pathway-college-and-career

Turn & Talk…Think about the knowledge & skills that best prepared you for college, post-secondary training, work, or life after high school?

Findings based on a review of the CCR research & SCL practices

What CAN the Common Core do to prepare students for college & careers if and when fully implemented by skilled educators?

What is “beyond” the Common Core in terms of college and career readiness?

How can student-centered learning practices support both deeper learning & college and career readiness?

My focus today…

“… we posit that there are multiple pathways, different approaches, and perhaps a broader set of standards and skills beyond those articulated in the Common Core that are needed to truly prepare students for college or careers. The academic content standards themselves do not ensure that all students will graduate from high school ready for college and career without having additional (individual and system) supports in place.”

(Hess & Gong, 2014, p.1)

What CAN the Common Core do to prepare students for college & careers?

Limited content areas CCSS “Instructional shifts” Other “cross-cutting skills &

dispositions” – What’s explicit? What’s only implied in the Common Core?

CCSS “Instructional Shifts”Shifts English Language Arts and

LiteracyShift 1 Increase reading of informational textsShift 2 Increase the complexity of texts readShift 3 Increase understanding of “academic

vocabulary”Shift 4 Focus on close reading and text-based

answersShift 5 Focus writing on use of sourcesShift 6 Implement literacy skills across all

content areas

ELA

CCSS “Instructional Shifts”Shifts Mathematics Content (& Math

Practices)Shift 1 Focus: narrow & deepen instructional scope

Shift 2 Coherence: connect prior learning to new learning

Shift 3 Rigor: conceptual understanding, procedural skill, and mathematical applications

Shift 4 Fluency: speed & accuracy with simple calculations

Shift 5 Deep Understanding: deeply understand math concepts before moving on

Shift 6 Application: choose the appropriate math concept for application

Mathematics

Simply teaching the standards and addressing the Common Core “shifts” will not be enough, because this approach focuses on what content to teach, but not on how to support student learning

-- shifts in how curriculum & the learning environment are organized

-- shifts in the roles of students and teachers in the learning process

-- shifts in what assessments must measure

(Hess & Gong, 2014)

Three broad types of knowledge, skills, & aptitudes = CCR

Academic

Intra-personal

Interpersonal

Learning & taking action

A broader CCR framework

What is “beyond” the Common Core in terms of College & Career Readiness? What other skills and dispositions are

strong indicators of students being on track for future success in college or careers and can support the intended learning described in the Common Core State Standards?

What additional skills and dispositions are necessary for deeper learning that will be required by college or future careers?

Our research synthesis

Think about the knowledge & skills that best prepared you for college, post-secondary training, work, or life after high school? Were they…

Academic? Interpersonal? Intrapersonal?

Which CCR Knowledge & Skills Best Prepared You?  Academic Knowledge

& SkillsIntra-personal

Knowledge, Skills, & Aptitudes

Inter-personal Knowledge, Skills,

& Aptitudes

Context-specific Knowledge & Skills (specific to a job situation)

applying math or technology skills to work-related, real-world tasks

work ethic, conscientious-ness, taking initiative

teamwork, collaboration, leadership

Acquired Disciplinary Knowledge & Skills (courses taken)

using evidence to support analysis, solving a multi-variable problem

intellectual openness, flexible thinking

group problem solving

Learned Cognitive Skills(learned within courses/activities)

critical thinking, reasoning, argumentation

self-awareness, time and goal management

communication using digital tools

[Blue text=explicit in CC]

CCR Skill Set #2

Supporting the Ability to Develop Independence as a Learner

CCR Skill Set #1

CCR Skill Set #3

Providing Opportunities to Initiate, Sustain, Extend, &

Deepen Learning

Integrating Academic & Cross-Cutting Skills in Cognitively Demanding

Learning Tasks (all content areas)

3 Interrelated CCR skill sets

CCR Skill Set #2: -- Targeted/contextualized study and organizational skills -- Metacognition (self-awareness, self-monitoring, self-control)-- Academic perseverance/grit; intrinsic motivation to reach learning goals

Supporting the Ability to Develop Independence as a Learner

CCR Skill Set #1:-- Communication: precision and accuracy of discipline-specific language and thought-- Critical thinking, abstract reasoning, and problem solving

CCR Skill Set #3:-- Transfer & construction of new knowledge -- Disciplined inquiry, elaborated communication-- Creativity, innovation, creative-productive thinking

Providing Opportunities to Initiate, Sustain, Extend, & Deepen Learning

Integrating Academic & Cross-Cutting Skills in Cognitively Demanding

Learning Tasks

3 Interrelated CCR skill sets

Integrating Academic & Cross-Cutting Skills in Cognitively Demanding Learning Tasks

Communication: precision and accuracy of discipline-specific language and thought (DOK 1 & 2) Apply domain-specific & technical language in context Recognize what information & structures are needed

Critical thinking, abstract reasoning, and problem solving (DOK 3 & 4) Look for schemas/big ideas (e.g., taking a genre apart); build

expertise in a discipline (novice to expert) Detect incompleteness, inconsistency, and opportunities for

expansion of ideas, products, procedures Formulate core questions, explore strategies & approaches,

justify choices & decisions Transfer what’s known to non-routine situations

Deconstructing Skill Set #1

Supporting the Ability to Develop Independence as a Learner

Targeted/contextualized study and organizational skills (DOK 2) Break down tasks, set goals/timelines Seek out relevant resources (e.g., mentors, peers)

Metacognition (self-awareness, self-monitoring, self-control) (DOK 3, DOK 4) Review past activity – what worked? What didn’t? Monitor progress against benchmarks Learn from missteps, new/unexpected insights

Academic perseverance/grit; intrinsic motivation to reach learning goals (builds over time) See progress as a continuum & possibility; believe you can

improve (e.g., “I can change my brain capacity & expertise.” A. Duckworth); have a ‘growth mindset’

Deconstructing Skill Set #2

Providing Opportunities to Initiate, Sustain, Extend, & Deepen Learning

Transfer & construction of new knowledge (DOK 3 & 4) Look for new applications, new insights/opportunities, deeper

questions Justify WHY it has value (personal, social , cultural, etc.)

Disciplined inquiry, elaborated communication (DOK 4) Initiate and extend knowledge & skills Apply discipline-specific approaches (research methods) Generate own complex questions Demonstrate ‘complex’ messaging (e.g., multimedia)

Creativity, innovation, creative-productive thinking (DOK 3 & 4) Explore /develop new schemas based on known schemas (e.g.,

solve /address old problem in a new way)

Deconstructing Skill Set #3

What does CCR research say about…Use of technology?

Teamwork & collaboration?

How can student-centered learning practices support both deeper learning & college and career readiness?

Making connections

CCR Skill Set #2: -- peer & self-assessments promoting self-reflection-- ongoing, formative assessments-- individualized assessments, such as personalized learning plans

Supporting the Ability to Develop Independence as a Learner

CCR Skill Set #1:-- performance assessments-- ongoing, formative assessments promoting self-reflection-- short & longer constructed response

CCR Skill Set #3:-- project-based assessments -- peer & self-assessments promoting self-reflection-- portfolio assessments-- mentor-assessments

Providing Opportunities to Initiate, Sustain, Extend, & Deepen Learning

Integrating Academic & Cross-Cutting Skills in Cognitively Demanding

Learning Tasks

Assessment Types & SCL

The road ahead…

Three propositions… Proposition 1: Re-design curriculum and instruction to

systematically integrate targeted cross-cutting skills with challenging academic learning to achieve greater levels of rigor and deeper learning in each content area

Proposition 2: Restructure the “classroom” and the school day to expand learning opportunities that are relevant and authentic to what will be expected in college and careers and employ a range of technically sound assessments to measure this learning

Proposition 3: Redefine the roles of teachers and students, placing students closer to the center of their learning and expanding our ideas of who/what is the “teacher”

Beyond standards: Supporting deeper, student-centered learning to promote college and career readiness

Duckworth, Peterson, Matthews, & Kelly. (2007). Grit: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals.

Lucas, Claxton, & Spencer. (2013). Progression in student creativity in school: First steps towards new forms of formative assessments.

Farrington, Roderick, Allensworth, Nagaoka, Keyes, Johnson, & Beechum. (2012). Teaching adolescents to become learners - The role of non-cognitive factors in shaping school performance: A critical literature review.

Mojkowski, & Washor. (2013). Leaving to learn: How out-of-school learning increases student engagement and reduces dropout rates.

Newmann, King, & Carmichael. (2007). Authentic instruction and assessment: Common standards for rigor and relevance in teaching academic subjects.

Savitz-Romer & Bouffard (2012). Ready, willing, and able: A developmental approach to college access and success.

Hess, K. (2013). Linking research with practice: A local assessment toolkit to guide school leaders. www.karin-hess.com

Some Key References