Welcome Back to Science Alliance! August 2007 The Science Alliance is supported by the Department of Education and PIMSER

SA Facilitators Kim Zeidler, PIMSER, Univ. of Kentucky Diane Johnson, Lewis County Schools Becky Smith, Regional Teacher Partner Zexia Barnes, Morehead State University Robin Cooper, University of Kentucky Gerry Swan, University of Kentucky

Group Norms Start and end on time Put cell phones on silent Be respectful of all comments Everyone participates Exercise the rule of “two feet” Come prepared for the meeting Keep side conversations to a minimum

Objectives for Today Identify lessons learned from last year’s work Identify personal strengths and weaknesses in unit development Identify group strengths and weaknesses in unit development Consider assessment from varied perspectives Examine the effect of assessment on student motivation

Agenda Lessons learned and individual/group strengths and weaknesses for unit design Pilot procedures for first unit Unit topic identification for second unit Plus/Minus – assessment experiences Why we assess? Assessments and Student Motivation “Inside the Black Box” – research base Users and Uses of Assessment Wrap-up

Table Discussion Individually complete the Table Discussion Guide handout Discuss your comments with your table group Determine group needs based on feedback

Piloting Schedule Please sign INDIVIDUALLY on the yellow sheet, when you are going to pilot your unit this year. Please include approximate time of your unit. Parameters for piloting: –Complete by KCCT Testing Window –Submit pre/post data –Include examples of student work –Include anecdotal notes

Unit Decisions Use the GREEN sheet, to sign up INDIVIDUALLY for the unit you will develop this school year. Please place on the appropriate chart, your name and your unit topic. –5, 6, 7, or 8 th grade, biology, integrated, chemistry, physics or other –Color coded by Fleming, Lewis, Powell and Washington counties

Stage 2 - Evidence

Plus/Minus Think of a time when you were assessed and it was a positive experience. Write this on a post-it and post on the ‘plus’ chart. Think of a time when you were assessed and it was a negative experience. Write this on a post-it and post on the ‘minus’ chart. Generalize causes from experiences and effects on motivation.

Why use Assessment For Learning (AFL)? Student Motivation

Assessment for Student Motivation Mistaken Belief #1: High-stakes standardized tests are good for all students because they motivate them to learn. Mistaken Belief #2: It is the instructional decisions of adults that contribute the most to student learning and school effectiveness. Mistaken Belief #3: The instructional decisions that have the greatest impact on student learning are those made once a year. Mistaken Belief #4: Teachers and administrators don’t need to know about and understand the principles of sound assessment practice—the professional testing people will take care of that for us. –From “New Assessment Beliefs for a New School Mission” Phi Delta Kappan, 2004

Objectives Understand why and how behavior management defined the relationship between assessment and student motivation in schools for decades. See why the vision no longer serves our needs Be able to contrast that the historic vision of assessment/motivation relationship with a new vision specifically designed for use in standards- driven schools Understand why it is important to learn how to use student-involved classroom assessment FOR learning to keep students understanding the achievement targets and believing that success is within reach so that they keep trying

Assessment for Student Motivation What effects do assessments have on student motivation? Can assessments be both productive and counterproductive on student motivation? Video: Assessment for Student Motivation

Video Segment #1: Our Legacy As you watch video segment #1, complete the first blank column on Table 1.

Work Segment #1 Analyze this legacy by completing the Work Segment #1 page in your handouts. Discuss the answers posed at your table.

Video Segment #2: A New Mission As you watch this video segment complete Table 2 and Table 1. –Compare Winners and Losers –Complete the Possible Future column on Table 1

Work Segment #2 Think of an assessment environment in your own experience that had the effect of increasing your confidence, motivation, and therefore learning. This need not be an assessment that took place in a school setting. It might have involved a professional growth experience or have been associated with a hobby or other personal interest outside of school.

Video Segment #3: A New Vision Complete Table 3 as you view this part of the presentation.

Work Segment #3 Discuss the conditions that must be satisfied in a learning environment for success to appear to be, and actually to be, within reach for every student. What are the keys for making that possible?

Video Segment 4: An Illustration We describe the basics of student- involved classroom assessment, record keeping, and communication by telling a story of a high school teacher who leads students through the production of a term paper.

Work Segment 4 Think of a context in your own classroom where student involvement might be possible—indeed, might even be a good idea. –Who are the students? –What is the achievement target to be mastered? –How might students become involved in the self-assessment, record keeping or communication process in order to show improvement over time and in telling the story of their success?

“ Anybody who accepts mediocrity—in school, on the job, in life—is a person who compromises, and when the leader compromises, the whole organization compromises.” -Charles Knight

What does the Research Say?

Inside the Black Box Small Group Discussion –With your group, discuss the question on your post reading guide that corresponds to your group number. –Elect a representative to share out the Final Word on your particular question.

Research on Effects Black and Wiliam (1998) International Research Review –.5 to 1.0 Standard Deviation Score Gain –Largest Gain for Low Achievers Bloom (1984) Mastery Learning Research 1.0 S.D. Gain Rivals One-on-One Time

1.0 Standard Deviation Gain Equals 35 Percentile Points (middle of score range) 2-4 Grade Equivalents 100 SAT Score Points 5 ACT Score Points U.S. TIMSS Rank from 23 rd to Top 5 Markedly Reduced Score Gaps

We know of NO OTHER WAY OF RAISING STANDARDS for which such a strong case can be made on the basis of evidence of such large learning gains. - Black and Wiliam, 1998

Unprecedented Gains Achieved Through…. …Increased accuracy of classroom assessments …Focus on descriptive feedback …Student involvement in assessment, record keeping, and communication

NEW IDEA: Formative assessment can and should be done BY STUDENTS, as well as by teachers. The key to improvement is how students and teachers use the information.

A key premise is that for students to be able to improve, they must have the capacity to monitor the quality of their own work during actual production. This in turn requires that students: Know what high quality work looks like Be able to objectively compare their work to the standard Have a store of tactics to make work better based on their observations  Royce Sadler, 1989

Formative Assessment: Three Guiding Questions Where are you trying to go? Where are you now? How can you get there?

Inside the Black Box Pupils Teachers Other Resources Management Rules & Requirements Parents High-Stakes Tests Society Proficient Students Increased Test Scores Satisfied Teachers Satisfied Parents Good Media Satisfied colleges & employers Improved International Rankings

Inside the Black Box “….the heart of effective teaching…. Is formative assessment.” It’s NOT formative assessment unless “the evidence is actually used to adapt the teaching to meet student needs.” From “Inside the Black Box”, Phi Delta Kappan, 1998

We must overcome the awful inertia of past decades. Michael Fullan

Users and Uses

What’s the Purpose? Beginning with the person whose birthday is the closest to today and moving clockwise, assign the following roles: Student, parent, teacher, principal, coach, grandparent, guidance counselor, college admissions officer.

Users and Uses Write your role in the blank on the handout. Answer #1 individually (3-5 minutes), then beginning with “student”, share your list with others at the table. When all roles have shared, notice what conclusions you are drawing about classroom assessment. Note and discuss your responses to question #2

Role Play: Users and Uses Debrief What are some of the decisions that students make? What are some of the decisions that parents (or other role) make? Some conclusions from this role play?

Some Conclusions Data must be sound because major decisions that affect students’ well-being are made on its basis. Assessment data is used for many purposes beyond grading. Students are crucial decision-makers, whose information needs must be considered.

WE NEED ASSESSMENTS THAT ENCOURAGE, not discourage Build CONFIDENCE, not anxiety Bring HOPE, not hopelessness Offer SUCCESS, not frustration Trigger SMILES, not tears

Wrap-Up/Reflection What did you learn to today? What surprised you? Today was like… The one most important idea is…

For September Meeting Read Chapter 2 in the CASL book. Use the reading guide to organize your thoughts. How can you apply the information in Ch. 2 to your classroom practices?