Using Assessment to Design Instruction that Enhances Student Learning From Seminarcolepsy To Deliberate practice Nephew story Michelle Withers, West Virginia University

Intended Learning Outcomes By the end of this workshop you will be able to: design classes that help your students learn what you want them to learn use formative assessment to engage students in “deliberate practice” so they can achieve your intended learning outcomes

Are our students learning what we want them to learn? A Private Universe

Brainstorm If the folks from “A Private Universe” interviewed your class at the end of the term, what things would you be embarrassed to find that your students didn’t know or couldn’t do?

Backward Design goal-oriented instructional design that emphasizes learning not teaching (Wiggins and McTighe, 1998) Learning goals What should students know or be able to do by the end of your course? What evidence will convince you that they got there? Assessments How will you help them get there? Learning activities 5

Which column is easier to assess? Intended learning outcomes Learning Goals Understand gene expression Develop science process skills Understand evolution by natural selection Students will be able to predict changes in amino acid sequences caused by mutations Students will be able to interpret a graph. Students will be able to explain how adaptations seen in nature occurred.

Alignment Students will understand evolution by natural selection Learning Goal Intended Outcome Assessment Learning Activity Students will understand evolution by natural selection Students will be able to explain how adaptations seen in nature occurred. Students will be able to explain how running speed in cheetahs increased given interactions with their prey. Work in groups to explain how various adaptations occurred.

If they sit and listen, what they learn to do is sit and listen If they sit and listen, what they learn to do is sit and listen. Randall Phillis, UMass Amherst

“Deliberate Practice” The one doing is the one learning.

As the acorn grows into the tree, the majority of the biomass comes from _________ Air (104671) Soil (104672) Water (104678) Sun (104683) Text a code to: 37607

Three identical plates of radish seeds are incubated under three conditions, with results as shown. Their DRY weights in increasing order will be (lightest to heaviest): 1, 2, 3 (104736) 1, 3, 2 (104740) 3, 2, 1 (104741) 3, 1, 2 (104745) All the same (104753) Text a code to: 37607 Batzli and Ebert-May 1 2 3

What are some intended learning outcomes that the previous learning activities would help students achieve?

Reflection What did you learn or experience in the role of student? What feedback did the learning activities offer the you? How do you think this feedback compares with a traditional lecture classroom?

Summary Backward design is a framework for creating a goal-oriented class that drives meaningful learning Formative assessment serves as deliberate practice to engage students in ways that help them achieve your intended learning outcomes There are a variety of ways to successfully engage students, so use methods that fit your style and situation. Key misconceptions about AL: As long as students are busy, they’re learning. Students’ minds are empty vessels or blank slates. If students are not taking notes, they’re not learning. Miscons can be addressed by simply telling right answer. Students should learn the way I did.

% normalized learning gain Comparison of student normalized learning gains in traditional and interactive-engagement courses traditional interactive Number of students interactive % normalized learning gain Developmental biology,a required course for majors, ~70 junior and senior undergraduates, taught in Fall '03, Spr. 04,and Spr. 05 by Jennifer Knight and Bill Wood (Cell Biol Educ 4: 298-310, 2005).