Center for Curriculum Materials in ScienceCenter for Curriculum Materials in ScienceAAAS, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, University of MichiganAAAS, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, University of Michigan

OrganizersAndy Anderson, Michigan State UniversityBeth Covitt, Michigan State University Karen Draney, University of California - BerkleyRavit Golan Duncan, RutgersJoe Krajcik, University of MichiganPhil Piety, University of MichiganShawn Stevens, University of Michigan

CCMS Knowledge Sharing Institute 2006Strand 3: Student Learning

Designing Assessments to Track Student Understanding Across Time

Center for Curriculum Materials in ScienceCenter for Curriculum Materials in ScienceAAAS, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, University of MichiganAAAS, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, University of Michigan

• Description of successively more sophisticated ways of thinking about a big idea

• Provide a framework for long-term development Describes what it means to move towards more expert

understanding in an area Gauge increasing competence over time A sequence of successively more complex ways of

thinking about how an idea develops over time

• Consider how ideas build upon each other to form more complex practices or ideas

Learning Progressions

Center for Curriculum Materials in ScienceCenter for Curriculum Materials in ScienceAAAS, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, University of MichiganAAAS, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, University of Michigan

Questions you had

• What are essential attributes (nature & stuff)• How do we track student learning• Language to describe LPs- What are they

exactly? (what sort of framework)• Link between LPs and instruction• LPs impact of teaching and PD• How does an LP deal with external (prior)

knowledge

Center for Curriculum Materials in ScienceCenter for Curriculum Materials in ScienceAAAS, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, University of MichiganAAAS, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, University of Michigan

• Examine how we might track the development of a Big Idea across time.

• We will examine questions like: What is meant by a progress variable? What are indicators and constructors? What is the appropriate grain size of a progress

variable? • Begin to appreciate some of the challenges involved in

developing a learning progression

Goals of Session

Center for Curriculum Materials in ScienceCenter for Curriculum Materials in ScienceAAAS, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, University of MichiganAAAS, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, University of Michigan

Overview9:00 - 9:15 Introductions, overview of session purpose,

9:15 - 10:00 Karen Draney -- Presentation: How do we assess the development of students’ ideas of central concepts and principles across time? What are the major issues that are involved?

10:00 - 11:00 Four examples

• Properties of matter and changes in matter (led by Karen Draney). Examples from high school chemistry students.

• The movement of carbon through environmental systems (led by Chris Wilson). Examples from elementary, middle, high school students.

• The movement of water and substances carried by water through environmental systems (led by Beth Covitt and Kristin Gunckel). Examples from elementary, middle, high school students.

• The particle nature of matter (led by Shawn Stevens). Examples from middle, pre- chemistry, and chemistry students.

Participants will examine student work.

11:00 - 11:10 Break

11:10 - 11:30 Syntheses Remarks -- Jim Pelligreno

11:30 - 12:00 Discussion: What were some of the challenges we faced in analyzing students’ work in our groups? What are some of the larger challenges in developing learning progressions that are conceptually and empirically sound?

Center for Curriculum Materials in ScienceCenter for Curriculum Materials in ScienceAAAS, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, University of MichiganAAAS, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, University of Michigan