AP Course and Exam Redesign

AP Higher Education Website

Most popular AP exams in AZ

Advances in AP Redesigning High Stakes Assessments to Measure 21 st Century Knowledge and Skill

What’s Changing in Each Subject?

Key Components of the Revised AP Courses and Exams

AP Course Launch Schedule Fall 2011 French Language & Culture German Language & Culture Fall 2012 Biology Latin Spanish Literature & Culture Fall 2013 Chemistry Spanish Language and Culture Fall 2014 Physics 1: Algebra- Based Physics 2: Algebra- Based United States History Fall 2015 Tentative Art History European History Calculus (update)

World Language Curriculum Revisions: Goals

New Courses and Exams Emphasize Real- World Application AP World Language Before RedesignAP World Language After Redesign Emphasized learning about the language (memorized) Students learn to use the language Focused on isolated language skillsInstruction focuses on integrating skills in the modes of communication The textbook was the curriculumTeachers use thematic units and authentic materials Students learned cultural facts in isolationStudents explore relationships between cultural practices, products, and perspectives Students respond to artificial situations from the textbook Students are given personalized, real-world tasks Assessment was about finding out what students know Assessment is to find out what students can do with their language skills

Historical Thinking Skills Chronological Reasoning Crafting Historical Arguments from Historical Evidence Comparison and Contextualization Historical Interpretation and Synthesis  Historical argumentation  Appropriate use of relevant historical evidence  Historical causation  Patterns of continuity and change over time  Periodization  Comparison  Contextualization  Interpretation  Synthesis Redesigned history courses focus on four key historical thinking skills central to 21 st century history studies.

Science Curriculum Revisions: Goals Developed in response to recommendations made by the National Research Council and the National Science Foundation

What’s Changing for Physics B in 2014?

Why Are We Redesigning Physics B? Recommendations of a 2002 National Research Council/ National Science Foundation Report:

Current CourseRedesigned Courses Current course includes a wide breadth of topics to be covered in a single year. New courses decrease breadth of content each year to allow time to promote conceptual reasoning and understanding. kinematics; Newton’s laws of motion; torque; gravitation and circular motion; work, energy, and power; linear momentum; oscillations, mechanical waves and sound; fluid statics and dynamics; thermodynamics with kinetic theory, PV diagrams; electrostatics; electrical circuits; magnetic fields; electromagnetism; physical and geometric optics; topics in modern physics AP Physics 1: kinematics Newton’s laws of motion; torque; rotational motion and angular momentum; gravitation and circular motion; work, energy, and power; linear momentum; oscillations, mechanical waves and sound; introduction to electric circuits AP Physics 2: fluid statics and dynamics; thermodynamics with kinetic theory, PV diagrams and probability; electrostatics; electrical circuits; magnetic fields; electromagnetism; physical and geometric optics; topics in modern physics

Current ExamRedesigned Exam Emphasis is often placed on questions that require only mathematical routines used for solution. Students will continue to solve problems mathematically but the use of proportional and symbolic reasoning and ability to translate between multiple representations will be emphasized. 70 Multiple-choice questions | 90 minutes Discrete items and items in sets 5 answer choices for each question 6-7 Free-response questions | 90 minutes 1 laboratory-related item Questions of varying length Physics 1 and 2 Exams | 90 minutes multiple choice questions Discrete items and items in sets 4 answer choices for each question Multiple-correct items Physics 1 | 90 minutes 5 free-response questions 1 experimental design question 1 qualitative/quantitative translation 3 short-answer questions Physics 2 | 90 minutes 4 free-response questions: 1 experimental design question 1 qualitative/quantitative translation 2 short-answer questions

Recommending Course Credit- What do AP Exam Scores of 3+ mean?

Curriculum Framework Development 4-year colleges & universities Academic organizations Panels of subject- matter experts Committee of college faculty & AP teachers 50+ college department chairs 50+ AP teachers Curriculum studies, research, and recommendations are collected A curriculum framework is drafted The curriculum framework is reviewed and verified

Exam Development Standard settingCollege comparability Exam questions are reviewed against achievement expectations to set raw scores for the overall exam. Portions of an AP Exam are administered to students in the related college course; student AP scores are correlated to their final course grades. A panel of 15 college faculty & AP teachers College faculty from the panel and their students Committees of teachers & college faculty who teach comparable college/AP courses Achievement expectations are defined by the specific knowledge and skills required to earn each exam score. Two studies are conducted to establish standards and inform cut scores for the relevant AP Exam.

Sample of colleges participating in comparability studies 22

How do we determine exam scores and grade correlates? 23 Knowledge and skills required to earn scores of 1-5 on an AP Exam are derived from standard settings and college comparability studies.

No recommend -action Possibly Qualified QualifiedWell QualifiedExtremely Well Qualified Equivalent to grades of B-, C+, and C in the corresponding college course Equivalent to grades of A-, B+, and B in the corresponding college course Equivalent to grades of A and A+ in the corresponding college course What do AP scores mean? 24 AP scores are correlated to grades in the corresponding introductory college course

AP RESEARCH

AP Fosters Persistence and College Success AP Students Succeed in Subsequent Courses AP students exempting from introductory course perform as well, or better than, non-AP students in the sequent course, and earned higher overall GPAs. AP Students Persist and Complete Degrees Students with AP Exam scores of 3 and higher were more likely to graduate from college, and to graduate within 4 or 5 years, than non- AP students. AP Contributes to Students’ Disciplinary Focus AP students generally took more courses in the discipline and were more likely to major in a closely related discipline.

AP Students Tend to Major in Disciplines Related to the AP Exam The correlation between AP Exam and major is particularly strong for STEM subjects. Adapted from Mattern, Shaw, & Ewing, 2011

Morgan & Klaric: Findings

Patterson, Packman, & Kobrin: Findings 29

Using evidence to inform college credit and placement policy 30 Institutions who establish evidenced based AP credit policies, examine content and curriculum alignment, AP student placement validity to inform AP policy review.

Introducing AP Capstone ™ Launching Fall 2014

Introducing - AP Capstone™ Developed with higher education support and a successful pilot supported by 100+ colleges in the U.S. and Canada Emphasizes Critical Skills Complements the in-depth subject-matter study in AP  Considering multiple perspectives  Careful evaluation of information  Writing evidence-based arguments  Identifying and Solving Problems  Oral communication and defending an argument  Collaboration & teamwork is an innovative program that allows students to engage in rigorous college-level study of the critical skills necessary for success in college. The Program of study includes a two-course sequence: AP Seminar and AP Research

AP Capstone Promotes the Skills Identified by Leading Educational Organizations  The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) College Learning for the New Global Century, Essential Learning Outcomes  College Board - Advanced Placement Program Skills and Practices identified in AP Courses  The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21), A Framework for 21st Century Learning  Common Core State Standards Initiative, Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects 6-1  Council of Writing Program Administrators, Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing Building on the hallmarks of the AP Course & Exam Redesign, AP Capstone emphasizes critical thinking, inquiry, reasoning and communication

A flexible two-course sequence that teaches students rigorous college-level curricula while promoting the critical inquiry skills needed for success in college and beyond. AP Capstone Program Model Students who earn scores of 3 or higher on the AP Seminar and AP Research Exams and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing will receive the AP Capstone Diploma™. Students who earn scores of 3 or higher on the AP Seminar and AP Research Exams only will receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate™ AP Capstone Diploma ™ AP Research & Seminar Certificate ™

AP Seminar Students learn to: 1.Team Project & Presentation 25% 2.Individual Essay & Presentation 35% 3.Written Exam 40% Exams Scored: Teachers & Students typically select 2-4 topics for the course. Example Topics Democracy Education Revolution Freedom Protest Technology Sustainability Example Topics Democracy Education Revolution Freedom Protest Technology Sustainability

 Design, plan, and conduct a year-long mentored, research- based investigation  Apply research methods and practices to address a real- world topic selected by the student  Write a college-level research paper, present and orally defend the findings and research methodology AP Research Students Learn to: 1.Research Process 15% 2.Academic Thesis Paper (~5,000 words) 70% 3.Public Presentation and Oral Defense 15% Exams Scored: AP Seminar is a prerequisite to AP Research.

Distinction – Stand out in the college admission process and have the opportunity to earn valuable college credit or placement Critical Skills – Students acquire rigorous college-level analysis, writing, and research skills that that are increasingly valued by colleges. Choice – Students choose individual research topics and study topics of relevance and interest. AP Capstone : The Benefits for Students

What Colleges are saying about AP Capstone “[Through this program] you get students turned on to higher education in a way they are not currently and they enter university with a different kind of attitude.” Susan Roth, Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Studies, Duke University, AP Capstone Curriculum Advisory Committee “AP Seminar and AP Research are terrific classes that prepare students to think in non- formulaic ways.” Stuart Schmill, Dean of Admissions, Massachusetts Institute of Technology “At the University of Washington, we would be very interested in enrolling students who have distinguished themselves through the AP Capstone program.” Phillip Ballinger, Associate Vice Provost for Enrollment and Undergraduate Admissions, University of Washington

Additional Information about AP Capstone 39 AP Capstone online: questions to: The AP Capstone Brochure

Practical Considerations…… 40

Resources available….. AP Capstone™: Statement of Support

QUESTIONS?