Network for New Science/Math Teachers May 26, 2010 Meeting 5 Lexington, KY University of Kentucky Partnership Institute for Math & Science Education Reform Kentucky Department of Education Welcome! Help yourself to some refreshments and networking

Let’s Breakout First!

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

Review from March Break Outs CASL Work Balanced Assessment Users and Uses Formative Assessment: Questioning

Roadmap for Today Break-Outs Student Engagement Balanced Assessment: Learning Targets Researched Based Strategies

Classroom Assessment for Student Learning (CASL) Learning Goal –To deepen understanding of Classroom Assessment for Learning. Learning Targets –I can identify the 4 types of learning targets. –I can explain the role learning targets play in instruction.

SPIDER Strategy Balanced Assessment

Balanced Assessment Goal of SB 1 Summative Provides evidence achievement to certify student competence or program effectiveness Assessment for learning Use assessments to help students assess and adjust their own learning Formative uses of summative data Use of summative evidence to inform what comes next for individuals or groups of students Formative Formal and informal processes teachers and students use to gather evidence to directly improve the learning of students assessed Assessment for learning Use classroom assessments to inform teacher’s decisions

Crucial Distinction Assessment OF Learning: How much have students learned as of a particular point in time? Assessment FOR Learning: How can we use assessment to help students learn more?

Assessment is REALLY formative when: Its purpose is to support—not merely monitor--learning It points up the scaffolding It provides descriptive feedback It builds self-confidence, self-efficacy It’s “Assessment FOR Learning”.

We ASSESS to: INFORM instructional decisions ENCOURAGE students to try to learn

PURPOSE TARGET ACCURACY EFFECTIVE USE STUDENT INVOLVEMENT DESIGN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION Keys to Quality Assessment CASL, 2004

The Critical Nature of Learning Targets

Research-based Strategies 5 Research-based strategies that significantly improve student learning: Sharing criteria (clear learning targets with success criteria) –Questioning –Feedback –Peer assessment –Self-assessment Black and Wilam, 1998

Students who can identify what they are learning significantly outscore those who cannot. Robert J. Marzano

Clear Learning Targets Individually, draw the front of a penny. Include as many details as you can without looking at one. Do not compare with a partner until instructed.

What’s the Target?

Learning/Achievement Targets Statements of what we want students to learn and be able to do.

“Teachers who truly understand what they want their students to accomplish will almost surely be more instructionally successful than teachers whose understanding of hoped-for student accomplishments are murky.” - W. James Popham

How do Learning Targets connect to our assessment practices?

PURPOSE TARGET ACCURACYEFFECTIVE USE STUDENT INVOLVEMENT DESIGN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION Siggins et al, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Assessment Training Institute, 2004

The Challenge…. How can we use assessments to help the student believe that the target is within reach?

CLEAR TARGETS Assess what? What are the learning targets? Are they clear? Are they good? Are the student learning targets stated and easy to find? Are the student learning targets focused—are there too many? Are they clear? Are they appropriate? Do the stated learning targets reflect a bigger plan to cover all important learning targets over time? Siggins et al, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Assessment Training Institute, 2004

Educators & Students must be able to answer…… Where am I going? Where am I now? How can I close the gap? How will I know I’m getting there? How can I keep it going? Adapted from Stiggins et al, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Assessment Training Institute, 2004

Is this a Target? What do you think? Complete a senior project Build a bird Feeder Use a band saw safely Analyze a lab report Construct a diorama Stiggins et al, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Assessment Training Institute, 2004

A Math Example Math Decimals Page 152 in the book Going on a decimal hunt Read decimals and put them in order Subject Topic Assignment Activity Learning Target Stiggins et al, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Assessment Training Institute, 2004

The single most common barrier to sound classroom assessment is the teachers’ lack of vision of appropriate achievement targets within the subjects they are supposed to teach. Rick Stiggins

Learning Targets Knowledge Reasoning Performance/ skills Products Adapted from Stiggins et al, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Assessment Training Institute, 2004

Knowledge Targets Mastery of substantive subject content where mastery includes both knowing and understanding it. Adapted from Stiggins et al, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Assessment Training Institute, 2004

Knowledge Examples Identify metaphors and similes Read and write quadratic equations Describe the function of a cell membrane Know the multiplication tables Explain the effects of an acid on a base Adapted from Stiggins et al, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Assessment Training Institute, 2004

Reasoning Targets The ability to use knowledge and understanding to figure things out and to solve problems. Stiggins et al, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Assessment Training Institute, 2004

Reasoning Examples Use statistical methods to describe, analyze, evaluate, and make decisions. Make a prediction based on evidence. Examine data/results and propose a meaningful interpretation. Distinguish between historical fact and opinion. Adapted from Stiggins et al, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Assessment Training Institute, 2004

Performance/Skill Targets The development of proficiency in doing something where the process is most important. Stiggins et al, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Assessment Training Institute, 2004

Performance/Skill Examples Measure mass in metric and SI units Use simple equipment and tools to gather data Read aloud with fluency and expression Participates in civic discussions with the aim of solving current problems Dribbles to keep the ball away from an opponent Adapted from Stiggins et al, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Assessment Training Institute, 2004

Product Targets The ability to create tangible products that meet certain standards of quality and present concrete evidence of academic proficiency. Stiggins et al, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Assessment Training Institute, 2004

Product Examples Construct a bar graph Develop a personal health-related fitness plan Construct a physical model of an object Write a term paper to support a thesis Adapted from Stiggins et al, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Assessment Training Institute, 2004

Clear Targets Clear targets help us: Recognize if the formative assessment adequately covers and samples what we taught. Correctly identify what students know/don’t know, and their level of achievement. Plan the next steps in instruction. Give meaningful descriptive feedback to students.

Clear Targets (continued) Have students self-assess or set goals likely to help them learn more. Keep track of student learning target by target or standard by standard. Complete a standards-based report card. Stiggins et al, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Assessment Training Institute, 2004

Classifying Learning Targets Lay out the four learning target category cards— Knowledge, Reasoning, Performance/Skill, and Product—in a row in that order. Sort the learning target example cards according to which kind of learning target it is. Lay these cards in columns under the appropriate category. When you have finished, walk around and look at what other groups have done and discuss any differences that you notice.

Classifying Learning Targets What were some considerations for how you classified the samples you had? Is it always clear how to classify a statement from the standards? Why or why not?

QUESTION What is the difference between a STANDARD and a TARGET?

An Example STANDARD: An excellent golf swing TARGETS: –Proper placement for feet (stance) –Proper grip while maintaining stance –Swing A, B, C (3-parts to swing) ACTIVITIES: –Watch videos of great golfers and imitate their stance When should these be added and/or developed?

“By setting out clearly in their own minds what they wanted the students to learn, the teachers would be in a position to find out what the ‘gap’ was between the state of students’ current learning and the learning goal and to be able to monitor that ‘gap’ as it closed.” -- Assessment for Learning: Putting it into Practice, 2003

Without Clear Targets We Can’t Do Any of the Following… Know if the assessment adequately covers and samples what we taught. Correctly identify what students know and don’t know and their level of achievement. Plan next steps in instruction. Give detailed, descriptive feedback to students. Have students self-assess or set goals likely to help them learn more. Keep track of student learning target by target or standard by standard. Complete a standards-based report card. Stiggins et al, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Assessment Training Institute, 2004

Classroom Instruction That Works

LEADERSHIP Variables School Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum Challenging Goals and Effective Feedback Parent and Community Involvement Safe and Orderly Environment Collegiality and Professionalism Teacher Instructional Strategies Classroom Management Curriculum Design StudentHome Environment Learned Intelligence and Background Knowledge Student Motivation What Works in Schools, Robert J. Marzano

For Next Time Our next meeting will be: June 1 st Please bring: – Your multiple choice question with next steps identified from March mtg. –Classroom Instruction that Works book