Creating Credible Criteria Module 1: Defining Terms and Roles An AAC Professional Learning Module Book Study based on the AAC publication Creating Credible Criteria

Module 1 in Context Creating Credible Criteria Module 2 explores Alberta learner outcomes through the lens of levels of cognition as the foundation for creating credible criteria. Creating Credible Criteria Module 3 models a four-step process for integrating criteria into the instruction/ formative assessment sequence. Creating Credible Criteria Module 4 considers some cautions of which to be aware when using “I can” statements to articulate criteria. The purpose of this module is to consider the AAC working definition of criteria. Teachers’ professional responsibility in regard to creating credible criteria will be explored. AAC Professional Learning

Logistics Page numbers in the upper right hand corner of the slides refer to pages in Creating Credible Criteria. Participants will require access to a copy of the resource in order to take full advantage of this professional learning experience. Participant materials and facilitator notes are available to accompany this professional learning module. These materials are provided as a service to AAC members and are protected by copyright. If modifications are desired, the modified version should clearly indicate that they have been modified from the original and also provide the link to the original materials. Modified materials are for personal use and may not be subsequently posted to any website. The complete AAC Copyright and Terms of Use document is available at http://www.aac.ab.ca/AACCopyright.html . AAC Professional Learning

Criteria: A Working Definition AAC Professional Learning

Criteria: In Search of a Working Definition p. 2 ? What are some contexts where you apply criteria outside of education? What are your criteria for buying a new car? What are your criteria for a good friend? What are your criteria for... a great restaurant... a great book/movie... a great vacation... AAC Professional Learning

Criteria in the Context of Assessment p. 2 Teachers examine programs of study to anticipate the evidence of learning students are expected to provide at the end of a unit of instruction. ! Criteria can be considered the pivot point in terms of the relationship among curriculum, instruction and assessment. AAC Professional Learning

Criteria in the Context of Assessment p. 2 Assessment criteria describe student actions, and as such, are most effective when they begin with verbs. ? What potential benefits might be realized when criteria are stated as action verbs rather than as topics? AAC Professional Learning

Criteria: The AAC Working Definition p. 3 statements beginning with strong action verbs that identify the learning to be achieved, based on Alberta Programs of Study LEARNER OUTCOMES ! Please notice: Criteria do not stand alone! CRITERIA RUBRIC DESCRIPTORS AAC Professional Learning

Examples of Criteria – AAC Style Examine the sample criteria listed on p. 4. ? How do the AAC examples of criteria model a focus on the ‘big ideas’ of the disciplines? How might this focus support teachers and students as Alberta moves towards competency-based curriculum? AAC Professional Learning

More Examples of Criteria – AAC Style Examine criteria from a variety of AAC performance assessment tasks. Note the explicit link between outcomes and criteria. Note that criteria appear again in the LH column of the rubric. AAC Professional Learning

Alberta Teaching Quality Standard (1997) p. 5 Review the Alberta TQS to find assessment connections. Specifically, consider sections c), g), & i). How does the AAC Key Visual capture key elements from the TQS document? ! The process of creating credible criteria is a professional responsibility that impacts the entire teaching/learning/assessing process. AAC Professional Learning

Setting Criteria: Whose Job is it? AAC Professional Learning

Articulating Criteria: A Professional Responsibility pp. 6 - 7 Criteria: statements beginning with strong action verbs that identify the learning to be achieved, based on Alberta Programs of Study View the video clip, Setting Criteria in Science from the AAC Refocus CD. Note how the teacher uses student input to further their science learning. ? Why must teachers retain the primary responsibility for setting criteria? AAC Professional Learning

Next Steps... Include learner outcomes and corresponding criteria to be addressed when planning lessons and assessments. Revise/develop rubrics using verbs at the beginning of the criteria statements. Plan opportunities for discussions with students in order to come to a shared understanding of criteria for a given task. Further support for creating credible criteria is found on the AAC website www.aac.ab.ca. Check the Professional Learning tab for other Professional Learning Modules on the topic of creating criteria. Check the Assessment Materials tab for the link to Performance Assessments for models of criteria and rubrics. AAC Professional Learning

Looking Ahead to Module 2 Creating Credible Criteria Module 1 introduced participants to the AAC working definition of criteria and explored teachers’ professional responsibility in regard to creating credible criteria. Creating Credible Criteria Module 3 models a four-step process for integrating criteria into the instruction/ formative assessment sequence. Creating Credible Criteria Module 4 considers some cautions of which to be aware when using “I can” statements to articulate criteria. The purpose of Module 2 is to explore Alberta learner outcomes through the lens of levels of cognition as the foundation for creating credible criteria. AAC Professional Learning