Mapping Assessments

1. Mapping Assessments Week 3 EDUC 616 Curriculum Design and Instruction

2. Developmental Assessment • Unless otherwise cited the content from this section is referenced from: • Hayes Jacobs, H. (1997). Mapping the Big Picture. Alexandria: ASCD. Benedictine University

3. Mapping the Big Picture, Chapter 5 • A critical problem with assessment: • There is remarkable disparity between K and 12 in terms of knowledge and capability levels • There is remarkable repetitionfrom K-12 in the types, or genres, of assessment. (Jacobs, p. 35) • Students work on more advanced content as they progress through the grades AND should have more complex genres of assessment • For example, • If they do “reports” in 4thgrade • They should do more advanced work, such as “position papers” or complex or analytical reports at more advanced grade levels Benedictine University

4. Mapping the Big Picture, Chapter 5 • We must view assessments: • In light of the spiraling nature of learners’ experiences over time • Assessments should have appropriate matches to: To the type of work expectation The level of student learning • Though the content becomes more advanced over time, the assessment genre does not always become more advanced or sophisticated • Match the ageandstage of the learner (Jacobs, p. 36) • If overlaps in assessment genre occur, teachers should view student samples for further clarification and targeted discussion Benedictine University

5. Mapping the Big Picture • Jacobs calls for teachers to add assessments to the lists in Figure 5.1 (Jacobs, p. 37-8) and write brief descriptive sentences for each item • When matching assessments to the ageandstage of the learner, • Teachers should consider the population of the school and/or district • Prior to the development of assessments, the following factors should be considered: Benedictine University

6. Mapping the Big Picture • Figure 5.1 (pages 37-38)discusses Developmental Characteristics of various grade levels from K-12 • The next few slides discuss key characteristics for each stage and give links for examples of suggested assessments Benedictine University

7. Mapping the Big Picture K-2 Developmental Characteristics: • Concrete-operational • Egocentric • Strong need for primary affiliation with key adults/parental surrogates • Risk takers • Differences between boys and girls in verbal and spatial-motor skills • Fine motor/gross motor disparities in development • Reading and writing emerges with uneven development in speaking skills Benedictine University

8. Mapping the Big Picture • Examples of K-2 Genres: • Story boards • Graphs/charts • Maps • Simple research • Observational drawing • Captions • Labels • Story lines (definition) • Joke telling • What types of assessments have you used? • What can you add? Benedictine University

9. Mapping the Big Picture Grades 3-5 Developmental Characteristics: • Early signs of abstract thinking • Combine concepts and perceive cause-effect relationships • Fascination with the world • Excellent “reporter” and seekers of information • Social skills related strongly to peers and to teachers • Enjoy large group projects • Social concern for others emerging • Physical stability and agility Benedictine University

10. Mapping the Big Picture • Examples of Grades 3-5 Genres: • Simple research report • Extended research report • Note cards (lesson example) • Short stories; interviews • Photo essay with text • Artifact analysis (lesson example) • Newspaper articles • Comparative observations • What types of assessments have you used? • What can you add? Benedictine University

11. Mapping the Big Picture Grades 6-8 Developmental Characteristics: • Formal operations • Quest for personal identity • Heightened sensitivity to ego and to views of peers • Fascination with issues of fairness, justice, and trust • Pronounced surges in physical development • Uneven development among peers • Self-consciousness about physical presence • Concern for others conflicting with concerns for self Benedictine University

12. Mapping the Big Picture • Examples of Grade 6-8 Genres: • Persuasive essays • Descriptive essays • Analytic essays • Personal essays (prompts link) • Hypothesis testing • Issue-based forums • Blueprints and models • Original play writing • Museum text/captioning • Four note taking forms • What types of assessments have you used? • What can you add? Benedictine University

13. Mapping the Big Picture Grades 9-10 and 11-12 Characteristics:; • Significant differences among 9th and 12th graders progressing from mid-adolescent concerns to pre-adult education • Formal operations involving abstract concepts • Projections • Social life focused on smaller groupings and pairings • Sexuality is an issue • Physical maturity rapidly paces • Focus on future and next steps Benedictine University

14. Mapping the Big Picture • Examples of Grades 9-10 and 11-12 Genres: • Position papers • Legal briefs • Business plans • Anthologies • Choreography • Game book (definition of) • Film and literary criticism • Senior project and defense • Work study analysis • Interview simulations • Case studies • Original musical compositions • What types of assessments have you used? • What can you add? Benedictine University

15. NCLB Impact on Testing • Unless otherwise cited the content from this section is referenced from: • Wagner, T. (2008). The Global Achievement Gap. New York: Basic Books. Benedictine University

16. The impact of NCLB on High School Tests (Wagner, Chapter 3) NCLB Criticisms… • By 2014, all students must have 100% proficiency in Reading and Math (unrealistic goal) • Punitive approach towards students, teachers, and schools as consequence for “failing” tests • Lack of assistance for schools not making AYP • What is the meaning of “assistance”…money, curriculum, management? • Weak definition of what it means to be “highly qualified” • Highly varied state standards to determine student proficiency (leads to ‘dumbing down’ of tests) Benedictine University

17. The impact of NCLB on High School Tests? (Wagner, Chapter 3) Wagner poses these specific questions: • To what extent do these state tests assess the skills that matter most for work, citizenship and college? • What is the impact of “teaching to the test” on students’ motivation to learn and stay in school? Analytical Thinking Pop Quiz: It seems there is a tendency today to assign the blame to NCLB for every deficiency in our education system. Is that a valid assumption or are there multiple factors? Benedictine University

18. What is the impact of NCLB on High School Tests? • NCLB has a daily influence on what happens in our classrooms, tending to drive memorization instead of analytical thinking • Students typically take 3 years of high school science, but may not understand the scientific method and how to use it • Students can solve algebra problems by rote, but do not know how use math as a way of thinking about how to solve problems • Students need more relevant andengagingmath and science courses—not more courses Benedictine University

19. What is the impact of NCLB on High School Tests? • PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) tests of scientific and mathematical literacy show that America is unprepared in comparison to other countries • The goal of the (PISA) tests is to determine if students have acquired the wider knowledge and skills needed as adults…not just recall of specific content • To reiterate a point…in this information-driven world, today’s “facts” are tomorrow’s “old-wives’ tales”…the rate of change is exponential, so mere memorized facts tend to have a limited shelf-life Benedictine University

20. What is the impact of NCLB on High School Tests? • Andreas Schleicher presented the results of our failing schools in a program entitled • “Losing Our Edge: Are American Students Unprepared for the Global Economy?” • Schleicher states that our students often cannot: • Applywhat they learned toa new problem or context that they haven’t seen before • We rely too much on multiple-choice tests • Students have a very difficult time when given an “open-ended” task (Wagner, p. 94-95) Benedictine University

21. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? • Examples of “open ended” math tasks that encourage creative or entrepreneurial solutions are: • Additional examples can be found at http://sln.fi.edu/school/math2/sept.html#dsp or • Click on this link: Click here. Benedictine University

22. What is the impact of NCLB on High School Tests? • Students are now writing in a ‘formulaic’ manner for the standard 5-paragraph essay • Some colleges have dropped the SAT requirement for admissions based on the new writing test… • It fails to predict how well students will write college research and analysis papers • The key question educators and researchers must ask themselves is: • Does a standardized writing test really reflect students’ writing skills? • …Hundreds of universities say it does not! Benedictine University

23. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? How can we help students become Citizenship-Ready? • U.S. History classes must help students: • Understand the roots of some of the issues we face as a country… • While also developing the analytical skills they need to come to their own conclusions about the important questions of our time (Wagner, p. 99) • Basic knowledge about history and government should be taught (in an engaging manner) in order to: • Prepare students to be able to define an issue and • Analyze both sides of a question to develop an informed opinion or write effective communications • Assessing factual knowledge is not enough to help students become citizenship-ready or even jury-ready • Students’ must be able to think critically, seek the truth, distinguish fact from opinion, and communicate clearly Benedictine University

24. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? How can we help students become College-Ready? • Wagner conducted a focus group of past H.S. graduates attending colleges to ask what might have helped them better prepare for college • Wagner asked, “Looking back, what about your high school experience did you find most engaging or helpful to you?” • To address this question in relation to your high school preparation, participate in a Large Group On-line discussion on the next slide Benedictine University

25. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? • ‘Achieve,’ a nonprofit education organization, conducted new research about what it means to be college-ready • They interviewed 300 first and second-year college instructors • These instructors said students are unprepared in the following ways: • 70 percent say students do not comprehend complex reading materials • 66 percent say students can’t think analytically • 65 percent say students lack appropriate work and study habits • 62 percent say students write poorly • 59 percent say students don’t know how to do research • 55 percent say students can’t apply what they’ve learned to solve problems • “…about two-thirds of students entering community college need to take at least one remedial course in math, English or reading”(USA Today, May 11, 2010) Benedictine University

26. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? • Most surprising is that instructors said the students most lacked competencies, rather than specific subject content—just like Wagner’s focus group earlier (Wagner, p. 103-4) • Click Here or go to http://www.achieve.org/node/76 • To read more about how ‘Achieve’ defines college-ready and career-ready Benedictine University

27. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? • To be college-ready, David Conley lists core “habits of the mind” that matter most for college success: • Intellectual openness; inquisitiveness; • Analysis, reasoning, interpretation; • Argumentation and proof; • Precision and accuracy; • Problem solving • He also identifies the most important “Overarching Academic Skills” as • Writing and • Research(Wagner, p. 104, 5) Benedictine University

28. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? What about AP courses? • Originally designed in the 1950’s as a way for advanced students to take college-level courses in H.S. • Many colleges began to offer credit for high scores on AP tests, but this is changing rapidly • Several studies show that success on the AP exam isnota good predictor of success in comparable college courses • Wagner spoke with several AP students who talked about the course offering the “wrong kind of work” and that the courses taught exclusively to the test • Students did not have to thinkcritically at all • Oddly enough, AP programs have become the standardfor a “rigorous” course Benedictine University

29. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? How do we define rigor? • Parents want it to mean more homework or memorization of facts • Teachers may want students to move at a faster pace and cover more material • “Carnegie Units” defined it early in the last century with the standardized four years of English, three years of math and science, two of foreign language, etc. • TakingMOREacademic courses that covered more material has become the accepted definition of rigor Benedictine University

30. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? • The definition of rigorhas been unchanged for at least a century—but our world is so different today • Specifically, • access to information has radically changed • Memorizing information made sense in the past since it was difficult to just “look things up” • Now we can use the Internet to quickly find information • In addition, this information changes and increases at exponential rates • This knowledge revolution demands a different set of skills for work and citizenship • Now, the rigor that matters most is the ability to… ‘ask the right questions’ Benedictine University

31. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? • We MUST ask ourselves which is more important: • Memorizing the parts of speech or writing a clear and effective essay? • Memorizing the periodic table or knowing how to get and analyze important information? There is simply not enough timeto “cover” everything! Benedictine University

32. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? Wagner’s stand on rigor… “The rigor that matters most for the Twenty-First Century is demonstrated mastery of the core competencies for work, citizenship, and life-long learning. Studying academic content is the means of developing competencies, instead of being the goal, as it has been traditionally. In today’s world, it’s no longer how much you know that matters: “it’s what you can do with what you know.” (Wagner, p. 111) Benedictine University

33. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? • Students must be college- and citizenship-ready • Have our schools been motivating students to graduate with the appropriate (marketable) skills? • Many standardized tests and an overwhelming core curriculum have squeezed out the arts and extracurricular activities • For many students, these courses and activities are their reason for remaining in school • Question: In the cash-strapped school districts that cut ‘non-core’ courses/activities, what is the dropout rate compared to those that continue to have such activities? Cause/effect? • The assumption seems to be that if students are not motivated, the threat of not passing the tests or of not receiving their diploma will fix it! Benedictine University

34. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? Are there better tests available? Are there tests worth taking that even the students will find worthwhile? Benedictine University

35. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? How can we move toward a more meaningful accountability system? • We need more open-ended assessments that give us insight into the Seven Survival Skills: • Critical thinking and problem solving • Accessing and analyzing information • Effective oral and written communication • Agility and adaptability • Initiative • Curiosity • Imagination Benedictine University

36. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? Currently, there are tests available that assess some of the Seven Survival Skills: • Collegiate Learning Assessment: • click here for a sample • PISA Problem Solving Test: • Click link for examples • ISkills Test • The New York Performance Standards Consortium • Click for components • The Nebraska School Based Teacher-led Assessment Reporting System (STARS) • To learn more about this test please refer to the “STARS” report located in Session 4 Resource Folder Benedictine University

37. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? • These examples tell us that we already have proven models of dramatically better accountability systems • Systems that focus on • Assessing the skills that matter most • In ways that both teachers and students find more motivating and engaging Benedictine University

38. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? Why aren’t we all using these “better” tests? Benedictine University

39. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? …which leads us to the next question: How do politics and finances affect testing? • One example is in Kentucky, where the board began with performance-based testing, but had to cease those efforts after 5 years because it was too expensive, had to be changed every year and there were concerns about the subjectivity that crept into scoring • There were even objections that students’ values were being measured and they must stay in school until they answered the “right way” • NCLB sanctions and demands on states for evidence of improvement on standardized tests eliminated the more open ended, performance based assessments and replaced them with easily scored multiple choice tests Benedictine University

40. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? • Due to NCLB, states must show that all kids were learning and would be ‘proficient’ by 2014 • This unrealistic goal of 100 percent of students meeting proficiency resulted in some states “dumbing down” the assessments so that more students could score well • Now, “teaching to the test’ is commonplace Benedictine University

41. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? Final Reflections… • We have 50 different states and 50 different standards about what it means to be ‘proficient’ • None of these meet the standards for work, college or citizenship in the 21st Century • We have the knowledge and the models of how to create a different and better accountability system • So…what’s next? Benedictine University

42. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? Things to Consider: • Will we, as a nation, rethink what high school students should know and be able to do? • Will we confront the academic and political forces that are holding our states’ testing system hostage—and perhaps our students’ futures as well? • Can we agree that every student in every state should be tested for mastery of a few core competencies (not mere information) using a uniform assessment system, in addition to locally developed assessments? Benedictine University

43. What is the impact of NCLB on High School tests? The Question is… We have the skill, but do we have the political will to make changes to what we are currently doing? Benedictine University