EDU 385 EDUCATION ASSESSMENT IN THE CLASSROOM Session 1: Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment

New Framework BYUH School of Education Prepare Engage Improve “is to have students come prepared to class ready to engage and then take the knowledge from both preparation and class activities and go forth to improve.”

EDU 385 Syllabus Overview and Expectations of the Course Course Goals and Objectives Course Calendar Assignments Readings

Bell Work - Reflect on these Questions Are your students approaching your course as hurdlers, barely clearing required levels of performance? Or are they approaching your course like high jumpers, pushing themselves under your guidance to increasingly more challenging heights? If your students aren't high jumpers, maybe it's because you aren't asking them to high jump. By using appropriate assessment techniques, you can encourage your students to raise the height of the bar.

Content Objectives Understand how to most effectively bring about student learning? Know the Role that Assessment has in this Process Understand that Effective Instruction combines a teaching-learning-assessment process Know the main function of assessment is to improve student learning

Language Objectives Students Will Be Able To (SWBAT): Describe the components of a Balanced Assessment Program Summarize the roles of various types assessments in good instruction Explain how a well designed assessment is an integral part of good instruction Identify the advantages and disadvantages of of paper and pencil tests vs. performance assessment Demonstrate an understanding of the methods of measurement

Vocabulary Types of Assessments Performance Alternative Authentic Placement and Preassessment Formative and Diagnostic Computer Adapted Testing Summative

Assessment Drives Instruction Assessment tells your students what the teacher feels is important Students will learn what teachers guide them to learn through assessment

Traditional Assessments Have been limited measures of student learning and Have provided limited value in guiding student learning Problematic: With increased emphasis on students to think analytically, to understand and communicate at both detailed and "big picture" levels, and to acquire life - long skills that permit continuous adaptation to workplaces that are in constant flux.

Assessment is the Glue Assessment is the glue that links the components of a course - its content instructional methods skills development Changes in the structure of a course require coordinated changes in assessment.

Intended Outcomes First Step is to Articulate the Course Goals

Key Questions What is Assessment? Why Do We Need It? Why Do it in a Particular Way?

What is Assessment? Assessment is more than grades Assessment is Feedback for both Instructor and Student Assessment Drives Student Learning

Why Assessment To Evaluate Attainment of Course Goals To Evaluate What Students Know and Can Do Assessment must be Aligned with Course Goals

Why Assess in Particular Way? To Align Assessment with Stated Goals The level of understanding (high level thinking) you want students to have at end of course determines the type of assessments given For students to learn course goals - choose appropriate assessment techniques that guide students to these goals

CIA Model of Course Development (Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment) Goals Students Goals Instruction Assessment Goals

CIA Model of Course Development Curriculum (The content) Instruction (Instructional Delivery Methods used to deliver Curriculum) Assessment (techniques with which our success in attaining course goals is evaluated)

CIA Model The CIA model requires that goals be formalized at the outset (i.e., goals be clearly articulated) Course goals set the standard against which the success of the course development effort is measured The role of assessment is to measure the efficacy of the curriculum and of the instructional methods with respect to the stated course goals.

Course Development Road Map translate goals into Measurable Student Outcomes determine Levels of Expertise required to achieve outcomes select both Curriculum and Classroom Assessment Techniques choose and implement Instructional Methods• conduct Assessment and evaluate--were Measurable Student Outcomes realized?

Group Work Examine the chart and discuss with your group how good assessment practices are key to good instruction

Relation of Instruction & Assessment Instruction Effective When Directed toward clearly defined learning Outcomes Instructional Methods & Materials congruent with Outcomes Instruction adapted to instructional needs of Students Instruction decisions meaningful, dependable and relevant information Student Progress monitored by teacher and student Remediation provided Instructional effectiveness reviewed often Designed to clearly define set of intended learning outcomes Assessments are congruent w/ outcomes to be assessed Assessment fits relevant student characteristics and are fair to all Assessments information is meaningful, dependable and relevant Early assessment feedback provided students Assessments identify learning weaknesses Assessment information help evaluate program effectiveness Assessment Effective When

Planning for Instruction Planning a course or unit of instruction needs have a blueprint or road map Define what students should look like at the end of the course (What students should know and be able to do) What are the intended learning outcomes of instruction? How will we know if students have achieved the learning outcomes?

Curriculum Content Standards Terms such as: Knows, Understands, suggest they are Content Standards or more general in nature Knows (e.g., identifies, describes) Understands (e.g., explains, gives examples) Applies (e.g., computes, converts)

Instructional Objectives Standards are converted into instructional objectives or Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) provide a guidelines or a blueprint for: planning instructional activities preparing assessment instruments Instructional Objectives describe how students will demonstrate achievement of the learning objectives

Backward Design First, identify and clearly define what students should know and be able to do when the complete the course of instruction How will you know that they know the intended outcomes When you have answered these issues you can begin to develop your lesson plans

Beginning of Instruction Information teachers need to know when beginning a new unit of instruction To what extent do the students possess the skills and abilities that are need to begin instruction Prerequisite skills or knowledge (Prior Learning) To what extend have the students already achieved the intended learning outcomes of the planned instruction

Placement Assessment Readiness Pretest covers the prerequisite skills necessary for success in the course Remediation may need to be provided Placement Pretest assesses the students knowledge of the courses intended learning outcomes Interested in knowing what learning outcomes the students have already mastered May modify instruction based on information

Formative Assessment Progress monitors learning outcomes during instruction (limited segments or units of instruction) Purpose of Formative tests is not for grading it is to determine: Which students are and which students are not progressing satisfactory? Which students have severe learning issues and need remedial support

Diagnostic Assessment When students learning problems are persistent and not resolved by correctives from formative assessments Diagnostic tests probe deeper to identify specific learning tasks student have not mastered Observation and teacher judgement are important

Example of a Diagnostic Test Yearly Progress Pro (YPP)

Summative Assessment Determines learning tasks students have mastered Should student proceed to next course or unit of instruction What grade should be assigned each student

Computer Adapted Testing How it works Measures student growth in reading, language, mathematics, and science

Other Ways Assessment Enhances Learning Student Motivation Retention and Transfer of Learning Student Self-Assessment Evaluating Instructional Effectiveness

Teacher Standards for Student Assessment 1) Teachers should be skilled in Choosing assessment methods appropriate for instructional decisions 2) Teachers should be skilled in Developing assessment methods appropriate for instructional decisions 3) Teachers should be skilled in Administering, Scoring, and Interpreting the results both externally produced and teacher-produced assessment methods

Teacher Standards for Student Assessment 4) Teachers should be skilled in Using Assessment Results when Making Decisions about Individual Students, Planning Teaching, Developing Curriculum, and School Improvement 5) Teachers should be skilled in Developing Valid Pupil Grading Procedures that use pupil assessments

Teacher Standards for Student Assessment 6) Teachers should be skilled in Communicating Results to Students, Parents, other lay audiences, and other educators 7) Teachers should be skilled in Recognizing Unethical, Illegal, and otherwise Inappropriate Assessment Methods and uses of Assessment Information

Summary of Key Concepts on Assessment Movement to move emphasis from paper - pencil tests to performance assessment Balanced Assessment should include both testing and Performance Testing where appropriate Achievement Testing is a general category that includes many methods to determine extent students are mastering intended learning outcomes Well-designed assessments enhance instruction Assessment helps student motivation, retention, transfer of learning, self-evaluation, and instructional effectiveness

Summary of Key Concepts (continued) on Assessment Assessment used to measure entry performance (Placement), Monitor learning (Formative & Diagnostic, Measure end-of- instruction (Summative Teacher Assessment Standards focus on a) selecting, b) developing, c) administering, d) scoring, e) interpreting, f) grading, g) communicating, h) evaluating instructional effectiveness

Next Session Nature of Student Assessment

Now Go Forth and Do Good Things