EDUC 613 Classroom Assessment Fall 2013

Instructor: Marcia Cushall, EdD Office: Frampton Hall – Room 121 Office Hours: Phone: 301-687-4308 M, T, TH: 10:00 am – 11:30 am E-Mail: mcushall@frostburg.edu W: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Other times by appointment REQURIED TEXT: The Formative Assessment Action Plan; Nancy Frey & Douglas Fisher, Copyright 2011 by ASCD [Buy online] READINGS/COURSE MATERIALS

Additional readings will be required and will be assigned as needed. These readings supplement and extend class discussions. A critical appraisal of these readings is an essential requirement of this course. Readings are to be completed prior to each class.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is intended to assist each student in his/her attainment of a theoretical understanding and knowledge related to the design and appropriate use and implementation of various assessment techniques that include, but are not limited to, formal and informal observations, paper and pencil instruments, oral questioning, analysis of student records, student portfolios, authentic tasks, qualitative/quantitative analysis of pupil performance – process and products. COURSE PURPOSES: Recent educational reform efforts, especially at the national and state levels, have highlighted a wide-spread support base for a reconstruction of assessment practices that make student learning the primary focus. Classroom teachers, need to gain prerequisite understanding, knowledge, and skill regarding the various tenets of assessment that focus on actual student performance, be able to gather data relevant to that performance, make important decisions that will foster continuous progress as well as remediate to foster student success, and communicate necessary information to all members of the school community as a means of gaining needed support to foster student academic achievement.

Each candidate will further develop his/her professional role and responsibilities in terms of the following: Knowledge

Item Assessment CF INTASC MTTS Nat’l Std

Understand current assessment-related issues/concerns

• Analysis of readings RD - 6

Understand appropriate uses of various types of assessment

• Reflection Analysis of lesson plans and of feedback to students

• Video of questioning

CA – 2, 4

6j; 6k; 6n

(13) Std 3b

Understand the connection between national and state standards, unit/lesson objectives, and assessment.

• Determining lesson targets and appropriate formative assessments

CA - 3 6o

Understand and be able to incorporate qualitative analysis of student performance

• Pre and Post testing and analysis shown in Unit

CA – 2, 4 RD – 1, 2, 3 IL - 11

6o; 6i IV

Skills

Item Assessment CF INTASC MTTS Nat’l Std

Select and/or create and implement a variety of appropriate assessment methods

• Video presentation with reflection

CA – 4, 5, 6 IL - 11

6k

Score appropriate assessment instruments.

• Reflective analysis of Lesson Plan assessments

CA – 2, 3, 4

6l

Use the results of assessment when making decisions about individual students and instructional performance

• Reflection Analysis of lesson plan assessments

• Analysis of pre and post unit test results

CB – 3 CA – 1 RD – 1, 4

6l;6g;6h; 6i

IV (13) Std 3b

Developing valid scoring instruments

• Rubrics used in the Practicum experience

CA – 5, 6

Recognizing unethical, illegal, and inappropriate methods and uses of assessment instruments

• Lesson Plan assessments reflections

• Class Discussion

CB - 5 6v (13) Std 3b

Dispositions

Item Assessment CF INTASC MTTS Nat’l Std

Values the purposes of assessment as essential to the overall development of students with specific focus on the instructional process specifically related to increasing student academic performance.

• Analysis of lesson assessments

• Class Discussion

RD – 1, 4

6s; 6t (13) Std 3b

Recognizes the need to utilize a variety of assessment methods to adequately determine student overall classroom performance

• Analysis of formative lesson assessments

• Discussion

RD – 1, 2

6t; 6u (13) Std 3b

Values the complexity of current issues at all levels as they are related to the realm of assessment.

• Reflections and discussions about CCSS and PARCC

RD – 1

Class Topics

Week Tentative Topics Outline Readings/Assignments Activities

Sept 10

Review of policies and syllabus; What is assessment? Why do we assess?

Presentation: TfU Presentation 2 (ppt); Exploring Formative Assessment – Assessment for Learning (ppt) [Course Materials]

Sept 17

Assessment for Learning. Formative Assessment Definition, concept, types, uses; Teaching for Understanding

TfU [Course Materials/Teaching for Understanding] What is Understanding Research to Practice Brief Institute for Inquiry Teaching for Understanding Framework Education Essay Formative Assessment [Course Materials/Assessment] Inside the Black Box Black and Wiliam Article Value of Formative Assessment Textbook: Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Study Guide questions [Course Materials/Assessment]

Class Discussion: What is “understanding?” Define and give examples in your content area. What is teaching for understanding? What is formative assessment? What is the importance of formative assessment? Review Study Guide questions for Chapter 1

Sept 24 Online

Formative assessments: Guiding questions for checking for understanding;

Textbook: Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Study Guide questions [Course Materials/Assessment] Assessment Crisis – Stiggins [Course Materials/Assessment]

Submit Study Guide questions for Chapter 2 and questions/activities listed below by email to instructor, no later than September 24

[Course Materials/Assessment/Videos] Embedded formative assessments – Dylan Wiliam Assessment for Learning – Rick Stiggins Principles of Formative Assessment – Paul Black

Activity: List 4 formative assessments that you would use during instruction and describe when you would use them. Questions:

- What does it mean to “embed” formative assessments?

- What are the 4 main features of formative assessment? In one sentence describe each feature and why it is important.

- What is the difference between assessment of learning and assessment for learning? Why do we want to balance the two?

- How do teachers advance student learning by assessing for learning?

Oct 1

Formative Assessment Learning Targets

Textbook: Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Study Guide questions [Course Materials/Assessment] Videos [Course Materials/Assessment/videos] Toxic Grading Practices – Doug Reeves Effective formative learning – Dylan Wiliam

Discussion Checking for understanding; examples of formative assessments and when to use them; questions related to videos

Learning Targets Learning Targets – an important part of formative assessment Targets and Deconstruction (ppt) Learning Targets Slides Target Types and Blooms Taxonomy 7 strategies of assessment for learning Bloom-Stiggins Target-Assessment Match [Course Materials/Learning Targets] Complete the Learning Targets Practice Sheet using a lesson that you created in TaskStream. Refer to the readings for assistance.

Review Study Guide questions for Chapters 2 and 3 Why is assessment the central process in instruction? What are the key strategies of formative assessment and how would you apply them in your teaching? Discussion: Learning Targets Learning Targets Practice Sheet Student Self-assessment

Oct 8 Online

Design of scoring tools. Questioning

Rubrics: Tips for Rubrics Developing Rubrics Questioning [Course Materials/Questioning]: Questioning in the Classroom (ppt) Questioning – PG County Teacher questions (Good Questions; Question Skills; Question Framework; Extended Framework; QuESTioning Matrix) The QuESTioning Rubric 6 Hats and QuESTioning Rubric

Submit responses to questions listed below by email sent to instructo no later than October 8 Questions:

- List and discuss 3 misuses of questioning

- List and discuss the 5 steps of the questioning process

- List and describe the types of questions that could be

developed for instructional use

- Relate the types of questions to Bloom’s taxonomy and give examples

- List and describe 5 features of effective questioning

- What are the differences between holistic and analytic rubrics? How would you determine which type to use for an assessment?

- Two important tips in designing rubrics are: Don’t make task-specific rubrics; Use measureable criteria. Why would you follow these tips?

Oct 15

Questioning. Prior knowledge and misconceptions. Writing

Questioning: Explore the “Questioning Toolkit” Revisit video: Principles of Formative Assessment – Paul Black Assignment: Development of questioning session with students

Discuss responses to questions from last week Discuss all aspects of the video – Principles of Formative Assessment Discuss the Questioning Toolkit

Oct 22 Online

Oral language. Quality feedback. Student self regulation and evaluation

Feedback: Textbook: Chapter 4

What do the various studies on constructive feedback, grades, praise,

[Course Materials/Feedback] Feedback Study Results Quality Feedback Video Feedback on Learning – Dylan Wiliam Assignment: Feedback to students on written assignments Complete questions listed in Activities

and ego- vs. task involvement indicate about learning? If feedback is to increase student learning, feedback should … Give examples of talent refineries (academic programs) vs. talent incubators (athletics) What are some indicators of quality feedback? Email responses to the questions above and Chapter 4 study guide questions to the instructor by October 22

Oct 29

Data-based decision-making; Assessment for making instructional decisions. Collection of assessment data.

Making instruction decisions based on data: Textbook: Chapter 5 Assignment: MTTS IV [Instructions and materials in Course Materials] Video: The Formative Classroom [Course Materials/Assessment/videos] Monitoring Student Progress http://www.mdk12.org/data/progress/index.html Analyzing and Using Data http://www.mdk12.org/data/progress/using.html • Read How will you discuss it? How will you use it? Resources for Analyzing Classroom Data Classroom-Focused Improvement Process (CFIP) http://mdk12.org/process/cfip/index.html

Review questions for Chapters 4 and 5 Review feedback questions Discussion: analyzing and using data in/for instruction Begin assessment MTTS IV

Nov 5

Summative Assessment. Designing tests. Test item analysis

Summative assessments [Course materials/developing tests]: Summative Tests (ppt) Designing tests/test items [Course materials/developing tests]: Test Blueprint Test Development Effective Classroom Tests Test Items Tips for Creating Classroom Tests Valid and Reliable Tests Test Items http://www.park.edu/cetl/quicktips/multiple.html http://www.park.edu/cetl/quicktips/writingtest.html http://www.park.edu/cetl/quicktips/essay.html http://www.park.edu/cetl/quicktips/shortanswer.html http://www.park.edu/cetl/quicktips/truefalse.html http://www.park.edu/cetl/quicktips/matching.html

Discuss readings Discuss test construction and designing various types of test questions In groups, design test questions given the type of question, topic, learning targets, and grade level

Nov 12

Review of questioning sessions No formal class

We will meet in small groups at designated times to assess your questioning sessions

Review questioning videos

Nov

Evaluating student growth

Textbook: Chapter 6

Review question responses for Chapter 6

19

Performance Assessment Common Core standards; MSA; HSA, PARCC Assessments

Authentic Assessment http://www.park.edu/cetl/quicktips/authassess.html Performance Assessment Tasks http://www.pgcps.pg.k12.md.us/~elc/developingtasks.html Access pages for

1. Research about value of performance assessment 2. Process to design a performance assessment task 3. Scoring performance assessment tasks

Grading Strategies http://www.park.edu/cetl/quicktips/grading.html Grading Rubrics http://www.park.edu/cetl/quicktips/rubrics.html

Discuss value, design, and scoring of performance assessments In groups, given a performance assessment, design a scoring rubric to assess the student performance

Nov 26 Online

MSA/HAS MSA http://www.msde.maryland.gov/MSDE/testing/msa/ HSA http://www.msde.maryland.gov/MSDE/testing/hsa/index.html Sample test items http://mdk12.org/assessments/k_8/index.html http://mdk12.org/assessments/high_school/index.html http://hsaexam.org/img/CD%20Content/English/PR09_English.pdf http://hsaexam.org/img/CD%20Content/samples_2009/hsaAlgebra09.pdf

Review general information about MSA and HAS Complete the first 10 items from either the released math test or the released English test. Submit the test item and your response. Describe the Maryland flexibility plan for NCLB

Flexibility from NCLB http://www.mdreportcard.org/whatschanged/2.aspx?K=99AAAA County/School Data http://www.mdreportcard.org

Go to the MDreportcard site. Select Allegany County. Select High School. In English, Algebra, and Biology, describe the trend results for all students for Special Education and FARMS. Describe the trends when white vs. black/African American is added to SpecEd and FARMS criteria. Describe the trends for all students for Advanced, Proficient, and Basic levels Submit your work via email to the instructor no later than Nov 26.

Dec 3

Common Core standards; MSA; HSA, PARCC Assessments

MD Common Core Curriculum Frameworks http://mdk12.org/instruction/commoncore/index.html Middle School Teachers’ Guide http://mdk12.org/msteachers/ High School Teachers’ Guide http://mdk12.org/hsteachers/index.html S.L.O.

Review, analyze, deconstruct common core curriculum Discuss lesson/unit design for addressing the MD frameworks Review and analyze

What is it? How is it constructed? How is it used?

SLOs

Dec 10

PARCC Assessments About PARCC http://www.parcconline.org/about-parcc Prototypes http://www.parcconline.org/samples/item-task-prototypes Other items not addressed when scheduled.

Review and analyze sample PARCC assessments

Course Calendar

This schedule is tentative and subject to change at the instructor’s discretion based on the progress and interests of the class. The instructor reserves the right to alter topics and assignments to meet emergent needs as the course progresses.

Class Assignments and Assessments Study Guide Questions: All study guide question responses will be word-processed and will be collected during the class in which they are due, after discussion of the questions. [If the class is online, the responses will be emailed to the instructor no later than the date listed for the class.] List each question followed by your response. Additional guiding questions for readings and videos: All assigned questions will be word-processed and will be collected during the class in which they are due, after discussion of the questions. [If the class is online, the responses will be emailed to the instructor no later than the date listed for the class.] List each question followed by your response. Questioning Session: • Develop a 5-10 minute questioning session with students. Implement this session as part

of a lesson. Inform students of what they will be questioned about (determine if they understood readings, homework; review for a quiz; introduce new concepts (determine what they already know))

• Use checklist of effective questioning and list of strategies (from your readings) to make the classroom more interrogative and guide the questioning session

• Make certain you include questions that address higher-order thinking skills (Use various levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.)

• Video the questioning session (must be digital) • Write an explanation of the session: rationale for questioning, design of the questioning

session, types of questions used and how this was determined, interactions with students, your expectations of the students, your understanding of how the students performed during the session. Due November 5.

• November 12. We will meet in small groups to view your video and assess your questioning session. We must be able to view your video. You may need to bring equipment (camera, laptop, etc.) so we can view the video.

Feedback to Students • Select 2 examples of student work from the assignments in the unit for which you gave

constructive feedback to students. Write a reflection about the type of feedback given, the rationale, what learning you hoped would occur, what time was given to students to work on the feedback. Due November 26

Formative Assessments in Lessons • Select 2 lessons from the unit. List the essential question, standard(s), and learning

targets for the unit. Show formative assessments and placements of the assessments in the lessons (how they relate to learning targets and standards). Discuss how you used the results of the formative assessments to guide your instruction. Due October 8

Pre/Post Test Construction

• Develop a test for your unit (or a 5-day set of contiguous lessons) • Include multiple-choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blank, and short response questions • Identify the learning targets for the lessons • Create a blueprint for the test (must tie back to the learning targets) • Using the blueprint and information from the documents that you read, create a test • Review tests items against the suggestions from the documents about creating quality

test items • Reflect on the analysis of the test results you would do after administering and grading

the test • Due December 3 MTTS IV Databased decision-making • Create a spreadsheet, tables and graphs to display and sort individual, total class, and

sub-group performance data. • Summarize the data in a chart and make instructional decisions by answering written

questions. • Due November 19 Class Participation To get class participation points you must attend class and demonstrate that you have completed the readings and watched the videos by contributing to the class discussions. STUDENT ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION

Your final grade will be the product of your class participation, quality of oral participations in discussions, quality of written assignments, and class presentations for a possible total score of 100 points.

Description Points

1. Class Participation 5 2. Study Guide Questions 10 3. Questions for readings and videos 10 4. Questioning Session 20 5. Feedback to students 15 6. Formative assessments in lessons 15 7. Pre/Post Test Construction 15 8. MTTS IV 10

GRADING SCALE

Percentage Description Letter Grade 90%-100% Outstanding achievement; for only the highest

accomplishment A

80%-89% Praiseworthy performance; above average B 70%-79% Average; for satisfactory performance C Below 70% Unsatisfactory performance F

Course Policies: Attendance at all classes is expected. If it becomes necessary to miss a class, the student’s responsibility is to inform the instructor and to make arrangements to make up the missed class work. Absence from two classes may result in a failure of the course. Unexcused late papers may be penalized one grade for each class day late, up to a maximum of two days. NO PAPER WILL BE ACCEPTED MORE THAN TWO CLASS SESSIONS AFTER THE DUE DATE, except in the case of verified exceptional circumstances. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: The University considers academic dishonesty to be impermissible and subject to disciplinary actions. “ Academic dishonesty is defined to include any form of cheating and/or plagiarism. Cheating includes but is not limited to, such acts as stealing or altering testing instrument; falsifying the identity of persons for any academic purposes; offering, giving or receiving unauthorized assistance on an examination, quiz, or other written or oral record. Plagiarism is the presentation of written or oral material in a manner which conceals the true source of documentary material; or the representation of material which uses hypotheses or conclusions, evidence, data, or the like, in a way that the student appears to have done work which he/she did not, in fact do” (The Pathfinder, Frostburg State University) Accommodations: Students with any type of recognized and confirmed disability that would require accommodations in assignments or assessment practices should provide written notification to the instructor by no later than 48 hours prior to an expected accommodation. Students are responsible for providing an accommodation letter prepared by Disability Support Services. NOTE: In the event that the University closes and classes cannot meet, we will meet on Blackboard.

RESOURCES Airasian, P. W. (2003). Classroom assessment: New York: McGraw Hill. Anderson, Robert (1972). “How to Construct Achievement Test to Assess Comprehension, Review of Educational Research: 42, 145 – 170. Arter, J. A. & McTighe, J. (2001) Scoring Rubrics in the Classroom: Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Carlson, Samuel,. (1985). Creative Classroom Testing: Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service.

Corby, Kenneth. (2002). Tests and Testing Information, East Lansing, Michigan: Michigan State University Library. King, W. L. (1990). Testing Accommodations for Students With Disabilities.

Washington, DC: Association on Handicapped Student Services. Nitko, Anthony. (2007). Educational Assessment of Students. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall. Wiggins, G. (1998). Educative assessment: designing assessments to inform and improve student performance. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Wiggins. G. & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. The most recent resources may be located on the Frostburg Web site: Click on “Library,” and then on “Research Portal.”