August 2012

Alignment & Rigor

VCU Study of the Virginia Standards of LearningIn some cases, the tests didn’t rise to the

Bloom’s levels of the standards.This meant our tests didn’t adequately

assess the standards.Common Core Movement

Out-rigoring the Common CoreVirginia will have access to the Common

Core item bankPerformance-based assessments

Factors Influencing the New Virginia Standards of Learning

21st Century Skills MovementHow can we assess with only multiple-

choice in a performance-based world?4 C’s: Critical Thinking, Creativity,

Collaboration, & CommunicationMove to a Growth Model (required to earn

an AYP waiver)Too many pass-advanced scores are a problem in

a growth modelEconomic Changes + PISA and Other

International Comparisons

Factors Influencing the New Virginia Standards of Learning

Performance-based Tasks (TEIs)STEM initiatives (Science, Technology, Engineering, &

Math)Increased rigor in the classroomEnd of NCLB: A 100% passing mandate was stifling

rigor and the 4 C’sPush for Algebra I by the 8th grade

So…A child has two years between his elementary content and high-school credit-bearing content

More difficult to earn pass-advancedStandards-setting: Move from “should a borderline

student be able to get this correct” to “is this possible or impossible for students.”

Effects

Virginia’s NCLB waiver has set new Annual Measurable Objectives in elementary reading and math that are realistic and achievable.

Roanoke County was ahead of the 6-year targets in all performance-based subgroups.

The new, more rigorous mathematics tests are NOT impossible to master. In fact, even our most high-need elementary schools proved it.

If we respond positively, these changes can actually make education more fun and rewarding for both teachers and students.

The Good News

Bower & Powers (2009): “…how the standard curriculum is delivered in the classroom to ensure that students are not only successful on standardized assessments but also able to apply this knowledge to new situations both within the classroom and in the real world.”

What is Rigor?

1. Critical thinking and problem solving2. Collaboration and leadership3. Agility and adaptability4. Initiative and entrepreneurialism5. Effective oral and written

communication6. Accessing and analyzing information7. Curiosity and imagination

Tony Wagner: The 7 Survival Skills Our Students Need to Learn in K-12

Source:

Overbaugh/Shultz - ODU

Where do Wagner’s 7 Survival Skills Fit into Bloom’s (Revised)

Taxonomy?

http://www.southalabama.edu/oll/mobile/Jobaids/performance_objectives.html

Bloom’s Action Verbs

“Relevance Makes Rigor Possible” – Bill Daggett/International Center for Leadership in Education

Scott County example – “No one ever told us it was hard.”

Rigorous activities show higher gains in student achievement with low-performing students than non-rigorous activities.

Students who use project-based learning outperform their traditionally-educated peers on standardized tests (Bell, 2010)

Rigor is Not Just for Top Students!

Mason’s Cove – 94%Glen Cove – 85%Green Valley – 85%Title I Schools – 74.7%Non-Title I Schools – 71.7%

2012 3rd Grade Mathematics SOL: Top

Schools

Example of the Impact of Higher-Order Instruction

Rigor means different work, not more workYou are NOT being asked to be at the

highest level of Bloom’s Taxonomy all the time. Sometimes simple direct instruction is an important lesson component.

Adding rigor doesn’t mean we let students “sink or swim.”

This is NOT going back to the way things used to be.

Rigor Misconceptions

Student is introduced to the content ->Student applies the content in a real-world

scenario or performs a high-interest task that forces him/her to apply the new knowledge ->

When students struggle, teachers lead the student to the correct answer through a questioning process rather than simply give the student the answer ->

Students produce a product demonstrating their understanding of the concept.

Aligning to the new standards requires rigor. What does rigor look like in the classroom?

Source: Julie Edmunds/SERVE

Effective Questioning Techniques

“Students are pulled through the curriculum by a meaningful question to explore, and engaging real-world problem to solve, or a design challenge to meet.” (Buck Institute for Education)

Project-Based Learning (PBL)

Is challenging and interestingRequires in-depth inquiry and higher-order

thinking to answer itTo answer it, the question makes your

students learn core SOL content and /or skillsExamples:

What would be an appropriate poem to sum up the London Olympics?

Which of the famous Americans had the greatest impact in shaping the principles of modern America?

The PBL Driving Question

InstructionIs the content part of the SOLs?Does the lesson require students to engage in

higher-order thinking?Do students have the ability to apply their

knowledge into a real-world scenario?Are students asked to explain or justify their

conclusions?Assessment

Does the cognitive level of the questions match the cognitive level of the verbs in the standards?

Is the assessment all multiple choice (it shouldn’t be)

Are technology-enhanced question formats used?

Rigor Quick-Check

Never give a test taken directly from textbook resources.

Blended tests (some multiple choice, some enhanced items, some free response, multiple cognitive levels assessed) should be the new normal.

Test items should move from lower- to higher-order in order to differentiate whether the student knows the content and can apply the content.

Test items should combine essential skills and essential content into single questions when possible.

Correct use of IA, VSUP, TFHS, and other item banks.

Assessment Alignment

Adapted from Leslie Grant/William & Mary

Table of Specifications

Example Table of Specifications

Using the Table of Specifications to Assess Test Validity

Assessment Alignment: Question Cloning

Illustrate Figures in Non-Traditional Ways

Technology-Enhanced Items Don’t Require Technology: Drag and Drop

Technology-Enhanced Items Don’t Require Technology: Drag and Drop

Technology-Enhanced Items Don’t Require Technology: Drag and Drop

Technology-Enhanced Items Don’t Require Technology: Hot Spot

Technology-Enhanced Items Don’t Require Technology: Graphs

Technology-Enhanced Items Don’t Require Technology: Fill-in-the-Blank

Spiraling“Old Friends” - Cumulative /most missed

testingRepetitionLessons that are novel/differentD0 your kids sleep?Take information in one format and re-

represent it in another formatLink to prior and future learningEdgar Dale / Cone of Experience

Making the Move Into Long-Term Memory

Have you taken advantage of the 10-point scale to add rigor into your assessments?

Is a student’s grade mostly content mastery or work completion?

If using a points system, what is an appropriate weight for a homework or in-class assignment versus a test?

Can students get credit for learning a concept after the initial test?

Am I effectively communicating student progress with parents?

Rhetorical Questions about Grading

Social Studies is the only subject that will get released items this year.

Some of the strategies that we used to teach our students are no longer applicable.

If an average student thinks the SOL was difficult, that is a clue that your class either lacks rigor or your alignment is off.

This PPT is posted on my website at: http://www.rcs.k12.va.us/SOL/

Odds and Ends

Ben WilliamsAssoc. Dir. of Testing, Remediation, and Staff

Development562-3900 x 10257

bewilliams@rcs.k12.va.us

Contact Info