Why Performance Assessments Matter June 9, 2016

Agenda Connections and Agenda Review Introduction to Quality Performance Assessments Assessment Validation Session Reflections Importance of looking at teacher work: Teachers are resources for one another to help identify “hidden” strengths and “blindspots” in instructional practice Importance of looking at student work: Creating a common understanding of student performance ensures that students in the same grade level are assessed similarly across classrooms Importance of structured conversations: We use protocols to guide this work. We will review them with you prior to looking at teacher and student work.

Connections 411: Hope for this Session Name Subject(s) Taught Years in Education (Here & Elsewhere) Fun/Interesting Fact about Yourself Hope for this Session

Center for Collaborative Education Our Vision Equity and data are embedded in all conversations and practices, Teaching and learning are purposeful, challenging, and have value beyond school, Assessment demonstrates the competence of students in multiple ways, and Collaborative practices improve teaching and learning. Established in 1994 to promote innovative schools and increase justice and opportunity for all learners Providing technical assistance and professional development focused on effective and equitable schools Network of approximately 50 districts, mostly urban, across a range of programs

Goals for Today’s Session Build a common understanding of cognitively rigorous performance assessments Practice substantive, intellectual discourse focused on improving instruction Introduce processes and structures that support the creation and implementation of cognitively rigorous performance assessments at schools

Norms Active listening Check your assumptions Trust the process Respect all voices Honor our learning and the work of the teacher and the student Start and end on time

Introduction to Quality Performance Assessments

Connections What is the most effective assessment you’ve ever given? How do you know?

Foundations for the Work College and Career Readiness Common Core 21st Century Skills Critical Abilities Quality Performance Assessments: Technical Quality Depth of Knowledge Backwards Design/Understanding by Design

Critical Abilities from Common Core State Standards and NGSS Research Analysis of Information Experimentation and Evaluation Communication in Many Forms Use of Technology Interpersonal Interaction and Collaboration Modeling, Design, and Problem Solving Next generation science standards © Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity (SCALE) 2013

Career Readiness Interpersonal skills Intrapersonal skills Communication Thinking skills Ability to access, understand and apply content knowledge appropriately Partnership for 21st Century Skills

English Language Arts: Literacy Across ALL Content Areas The CCSS Shifts Build Toward College and Career Readiness for All Students English Language Arts: Literacy Across ALL Content Areas

The CCSS Shifts Build Toward College and Career Readiness for All Students Math Standards AND Practices Learn more about fewer, key concepts Use math in real world applications Really know it, Really do it Math practices – where is it?

Why Performance Assessment Matters? Conley, D.T., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2013). Creating systems of assessment for deeper learning. Stanford, CA: Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education

Understanding By Design Stage 1: Desired Results Stage 2: Assessment Evidence Stage 3: Learning Plan

Transfer Involves: Applying prior learning to a novel and increasingly new and unfamiliar-looking task, in increasingly challenging context and situation (in terms of purpose, audience, dilemmas, etc.). This should occur in the learning (practice) context and not just in assessment (game) situations.

Bloom Webb Bloom and Webb What type of thinking (verbs) is needed to complete a task? Bloom How deeply do you have to understand the content to successfully interact with it? Complexity, not Difficulty Webb In order to [adapted from K. Hess]

Depth of Knowledge – Working Definition Categorizes tasks according to the complexity of thinking required to successfully complete them. DOK 1 DOK 2 DOK 3 DOK 4 Recall and Reproduction Basic Application Strategic Thinking Extended Thinking One answer More than one answer

The Capital of Rhode Island at Four DOKs “True/False: Westerly is the Capital of Rhode Island” or “What city is the Capital of Rhode Island?” (DOK 1) In terms of relative and absolute location, where is the Capital of Rhode Island? (DOK 2) Why is Providence the Capital of Rhode Island? (DOK 3) What if Newport was the Capital of Rhode Island? (DOK 4)

Validity and Reliability An assessment measures what it intends to assess. An assessment delivers consistent results. In order to get a true measurement of student progress, the New Hampshire Department of Education believes in a balanced system of assessment that is multiple and varied. Performance Assessments are an important indicator of student achievement and readiness. We make sure these assessments are valid and reliable. In order for an assessment to be valid, the assessment must assess what it intends to assess. In order for a task to have validity, it must also be reliable. This means that if the task will be administered fairly. Meaning that if it is administered under different conditions (to different students, by different teachers, in different settings), it will deliver consistent results. In baseball, a strike should be so called regardless of the umpire, the batter, the location of the field, or the time of day. In the classroom, a competent score should be so called regardless of the teacher, the student, the city, or the time of year. Notice though, that while the strike zone is considered universally consistent, it actually changes for each batter depending on their proportions. That mixture of consistency and flexibility is a great metaphor for how we should be approaching our students.

Validation

Validation Process How many people have a process for validating lesson plans, unit plans, or assessments? Turn and Talk: What are the strengths that your school has in terms of sharing, critiquing and improving work? What is a challenge that your school has in terms of sharing, critiquing and improving work?

Assessment Validation Checklist Dimensions for Review Alignment Clarity and Focus Student Engagement Criteria and Levels Fairness Adheres to Principles of Universal Design Student Work Analysis Purpose: To ensure our internal assessments have technical quality. When we share our assessments with our colleagues we are more likely to uncover our blind spots and assumptions.

Assessment Validation Protocol Presentation: 1-2 minutes Examination: 6-8 minutes Clarifying Questions: 2-5 minutes Validation Guide: 20-30 minutes Feedback and reflection: 5-8 minutes Tools 1 & 3

Debrief What have you thought deeply about today?

Thank You! Thanks so much. I hope this has been helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any member of the PACE or QPA teams?