Assessment by Design Hazlet Township Public Schools Professional Development Day October 11, 2010

Workshop Objectives Big Ideas: UbD, Assessments Essential Questions: How does Understanding by Design influence curriculum, teaching, and assessment? What are authentic assessments? What is the importance of common assessments?

“To understand…is to see [meaning] in its relations to other things, to note how it functions, what consequences flow from it…Acquiring information can never develop the power of judgment.” John Dewey (How We Think, 1910)

Understanding by Design Goals 1. Genuine understanding/higher order thinking skills 2. Transfer and meaning, not coverage 3. Working in stages (3) 4. Reflection and Review

Compare Plan Models Traditional Sample Focused on activities Largely knowledge and skills-based Assessments at end, traditional Q&As UbD Model Sample Assessments at outset, based on meaning, evidence-based Balance of skills, knowledge and understandings Activities all focused on achievement of goals

Understanding by Design Methodology Stage 1: Desired Results What long term transfer goals are targeted? What meanings should student make in order to arrive at important understandings? What essential questions will students explore? What knowledge and skill will students acquire? What established goals/standards are targeted? Wiggins & McTighe, 2010

Understanding by Design Methodology Stage 2: Evidence What performance and products will reveal evidence of meaning-making and transfer? By what criteria will performance be assessed, in light of Stage 1 desired results? What additional evidence will be collected for all desired results? Is evidence aligned among the stages? Wiggins & McTighe, 2010

Understanding by Design Methodology Stage 3: Learning Plan What activities, experiences and lesson will lead to achievement of the desired results and success at the assessments? How will the learning plan help students with acquisition, meaning making and transfer? How will the unit be sequenced and differentiated to optimize achievement for all learners? Wiggins & McTighe, 2010

Understanding by Design Sequence 1. Identify Big Ideas (Goals) 2. Assessments=Desired Results 3. Essential Questions 4. Skills, knowledge and understanding 5. Develop Learning Plan Exercise: Differentiate among S, K, and U.

FAQ Aren’t skills and knowledge as important as understanding?

Focus on Assessment Why do we assess students?

Focus on Assessment How do we assess students?

Why common assessments? Focus on Assessment

Authentic Assessments Authentic (adj) defined: 1. Worthy of acceptance 2. Conforming to an original so as to produce essential features; not false. 3. True to one’s personality, spirit or character Mirriam-Webster Dictionary 2010

Authentic Assessments A form of assessment in which students are asked to perform real-world tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills -- Jon Mueller A form of assessment in which students are asked to perform real-world tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills -- Jon Mueller "...Engaging and worthy problems or questions of importance, in which students must use knowledge to fashion performances effectively and creatively. The tasks are either replicas of or analogous to the kinds of problems faced by adult citizens and consumers or professionals in the field." -- Grant Wiggins "...Engaging and worthy problems or questions of importance, in which students must use knowledge to fashion performances effectively and creatively. The tasks are either replicas of or analogous to the kinds of problems faced by adult citizens and consumers or professionals in the field." -- Grant Wiggins (1993). "Performance assessments call upon the examinee to demonstrate specific skills and competencies, that is, to apply the skills and knowledge they have mastered." -- Richard J. Stiggins "Performance assessments call upon the examinee to demonstrate specific skills and competencies, that is, to apply the skills and knowledge they have mastered." -- Richard J. Stiggins (2000).

Traditional Assessments =Post/Ad Hoc Educational Philosophy for TAs: 1. A school's mission is to develop productive citizens. 2. To be a productive citizen an individual must possess a certain body of knowledge and skills. 3. Therefore, schools must teach this body of knowledge and skills. 4. To determine if it is successful, the school must then test students to see if they acquired the knowledge and skills. *forced-choice multiple-choice tests, fill-in-the-blanks, true- false, matching *students recall information to complete the assessment *curriculum drives assessment; knowledge becomes the curriculum that is delivered, and assessments are developed and administered to determine if acquisition of the curriculum occurred. Mueller, 2010

Authentic Assessments =By Design Educational Philosophy for AAs: 1. A school's mission is to develop productive citizens. 2. To be a productive citizen, an individual must be capable of performing meaningful tasks in the real world. 3. Therefore, schools must help students become proficient at performing the tasks they will encounter when they graduate. 4. To determine if it is successful, the school must then ask students to perform meaningful tasks that replicate real world challenges to see if students are capable of doing so. *assessment drives the curriculum; teachers first determine the tasks that students will perform to demonstrate their mastery, and then a curriculum is developed that will enable students to perform those tasks well, which would include the acquisition of essential knowledge and skills (i.e. backwards planning) Mueller, 2010

Traditional and Authentic Assessments

Authentic Assessments An authentic assessment usually includes a task for students to perform and a rubric by which their performance on the task will be evaluated. Examples: /examples/authentictaskexamples.htm

Try it Brainstorm an authentic assessment: 1. Nutrition pyramid: What is healthful eating? 2. Variables: How can we determine an unknown given certain information? 3. Pursuasive writing: What techniques and language are used? 4. The election process: How is voting an essential cornerstone of a democracy?

FAQ Do I have to choose between traditional and authentic assessments? Some mix of the two will best meet your needs. Ex. a pilot needs a background of knowledge to be tested in a written exam (traditional), but has to have monitored experience in the air (authentic).

Mission + Initiatives Mission: the rudder “self actualized…” Initiatives: the route Data-driven, differentiated, 21 st century instruction The destination: improved student learning Authentic, personalized, holistic instruction

The Benefits of Technology Communicate * Collaborate * Share We are not alone!

References Dewey, J. (1910). How we think. Boston, MA: D.C. Heath & Co. Mueller, J. (2010). Authentic assessment toolbox. Accessed at jonathan.mueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/whatisit.htm Stiggins, R.J. (2000). Student-centered classroom assessment. Merrill Publishing. Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2010). Workshop on UbD by the Sea. Handouts discussed: Typical vs. UbD 3 rd grade unit plan New UbD template (blank and with descriptions) Authentic Assessment samples from LAL and Math PP outline PowerPoint by Marc Natanagara