Analysis of Student Learning and Communicating Achievement

1. Educ 3100 Analysis of Student Learning and Communicating Achievement

2. Grading Debate • What elements of student learning should a grade convey? • Achievement • Aptitude • Effort • Compliance • Attitude

3. Grading Policies: Table Discussion • What is an appropriate distribution of grades (how many As, Bs, etc.)? • Should you allow late work? • How will you count late work? • Will process as well as product be part of the grade? • Will there be any group grades given or will all the grades be individually determined? • Will homework and/or attendance be part of the final grade? • Should I hold all students to the same standard or should I adjust my expectations for special needs students? • What does a grade mean? • What elements of student learning should a grade convey? • Achievement • Aptitude • Effort • Compliance • Attitude • Should grades be criterion-referenced or norm-referenced?

4. I’ve stated my objectives. • I’ve taught the lessons. • I made changes during the lessons based on my formative assessments. • I helped students through correctives and gave them opportunities to extend their learning. • I assessed their learning of the whole unit using my summative assessment. • Now what . . . . . .

5. What do I do with the Data? • How do I use the information from summative assessments? • Who uses the information I gather? • How should I store the information? • How should I summarize the information?

6. What are the uses? • Grades • Indicate student mastery • Indicate teacher competence • Criteria for continued study • Criteria for acceptance in groups • What if students did poorly? What do I do then?

7. How will information be stored? • Descriptive detail • Item analysis • Summary judgment • Gradebook vs. portfolio • Who stores it?

8. How will the information be summarized? • Achievement status • Examples • Improvement • Mastery level • http://www.davis.k12.ut.us/staff/agonzales/disclosure07.html • Individual students or group

9. How will the information be reported? • Students • Parents • Administration • State – CRT, AYP • http://www.schools.utah.gov/assessment/ • Federal

10. All of these elements need to be considered as data about students is gathered and transferred into a reportable formGRADES

11. Essential Factors in Grading • Clearly define expectations in each grading context for a given grading period. • Develop sound assessments for those outcomes. • Keep careful records of student attainment of the achievement expectations over the grading period.

12. The Ten Commandments of Grading • The grade is a report of achievement • The grade is based upon a number of varied, valid measures • The grading system is simple enough for all to understand • The origin of students’ grades is clearly made known • The students know where they stand at all times • If you can’t measure it, don’t count it (much) • Remember, all measures are estimates at best • The grade is not payment for something the student has done • Time to question the grade is at the beginning, not the end of the term • Surprises are for Christmas, not for report card time DO YOU AGREE?

13. Report Cards with more detail • Standards-based reporting • Narrative reporting • Continuous progress reporting

14. Educ 3100 Grading Systems and Disclosures

15. What did you learn in Level 1 (any class) about education that surprised you? • What did you wish we had done in Educ 3100 that we didn’t do? Or what did you want to learn about that wasn’t covered?

16. Disclosures • What is the purpose? • Communicate with • Students • Parents • Specify policies • Get it in writing (legal issues)

17. Parts of a Disclosure • Teacher’s name, name of course/unit, time frame • Brief course/unit description and broad goals • Specific course/unit objectives • Specific course requirements • Grading/testing policies • Citizenship policies • Class expectations and rules • Standards for written work, group work, etc. • Class resources • Video information • FERPA information • Other (homework philosophy, parent involvement, special dates, etc) • Parent signature

18. Sample Course Disclosures • 1st grade • http://www.davis.k12.ut.us/staff/sipson/files/779482D6D51747EAB3FDD7D81BF9AFFA.pdf • 1st grade • http://www.davis.k12.ut.us/staff/mseegmiller/disclosure.html • 3rd grade • http://www.davis.k12.ut.us/staff/jbaetge/index.html • 5th grade • http://www.davis.k12.ut.us/staff/ralbrecht/index.html Disclosure evaluation

19. Disclosure Template • http://faculty.weber.edu/kristinhadley/ed3100/Analysis%20of%20Student%20Learning/Default.htm

20. Review TWS expectations and organization • Begin working on your course disclosure.

21. Educ 3100 Parent Communicationand Standardized Testing

22. Types of Parent – School Communication • Formal events • Back to school night • Programs • Scheduled parent/teacher conferences • Traditional • Student led, portfolio centered • Reverse conferences • Informal communication • Class newsletters • Regular e-mail • Phone calls

23. Back to School Night • Be positive, energetic • Give them an overview • Don’t overwhelm with details • Have any important information in writing

24. Student Programs • Can communicate with parents before or after event. • The program is also a form of communication • What/who is important? • What is valued?

25. Elementary Conferences Prepare for the conference: • Develop a packet for the conference, including: • Student's goals • Samples of work • Reports or notes from other staff (can gather at a staff meeting). Conduct conference with the student, parent, and teacher. • Have a comfortable, pleasant setting, e.g. right sized chairs, coffee, and cookies; • Establish a time period for the conference, e.g., 20 minutes; • Review goals set earlier (if none, it's time to set goals); • Review progress toward goals Scenario 1

26. Elementary Conferences • Review progress with samples of work from learning activities; • Review attendance and handling of responsibilities at school/home; • Modify goals for balance of the year as necessary; • Determine other learning activities to accomplish goals; • Describe upcoming events and activities; • Discuss how the home can contribute to learning; • Parents give their thoughts on student's progress; and • Ask parents and students for questions, ideas. Scenario 2

27. Other Types of Conferences • Student-led, portfolio-driven conferences • Students prepare to show parents their progress using their portfolio. • Pre-post data • Progress • Teacher prepare an outline of topics that the student needs to cover with their parents. • Can have several going on at the same time.

28. Sidebar: Portfolios • Portfolios can help a student evaluate their work and see progress over time. • Students should be in charge of their portfolios and what is in them within certain parameters. • Discuss growth and improvement with students

29. Other Types of Conferences • Reverse parent conferences • Conduct at the start of school • Goal is to help teachers understand the child and become an advocate for their progress and interests. • Questions: • What is the most important thing you would like me to know about your child? • What are some of your child’s talents and strengths? • What are some areas where your child struggles? • How does your child view school? • What are your goals for your child this year? • What is your child's activity schedule away from school?

30. Reverse Conferences • More questions • How do you deal with homework? Do you help your child with it, or check to make sure it's finished? • What is your family routine at home? How does the family spend its evenings? • How does your child solve problems at home? • What holidays does your family celebrate? Will any of these celebrations affect your child's activities at school? • Would you share a bit about your family's heritage? • Has your child seen family members in situations in which they were discriminated against? • What are some of the ways that your family has worked to help your child appreciate racial or ethnic differences?

31. Class Newsletters • Have some sort of parent communication letter at least four times a year. Include • Schedules and calendar • Important events • Large assignment due dates and details • Ways parents can help • Information about how to contact you • Can be written by teacher or students • PROOFREAD!!!!! and then PROOFREAD again, and then have a colleague PROOFREAD!!!

32. Class Websites • http://www.davis.k12.ut.us/staff/agonzales/curriculum.html • http://ffjh.davis.k12.ut.us/faculty.htm • http://blog.weber.k12.ut.us/tisimonsen/ • http://www.morgan.k12.ut.us/elementary/4th/team%20Netz%20Root/index.html • http://mcgowan1st.com/1stGrade/firstsites.html#1

33. E-mail • Prepare a distribution list of parent and student e-mails. • Send out a weekly, monthly, quarterly communication with information similar to a newsletter. • Check e-mail daily and respond the same day (if possible).

34. Phone Calls Scenario 3 • The first contact with a parent should be positive. • Call about the good things. • Plan to call three or four parents during your planning time two or three times a week. • When calling about a classroom concern, start with something positive, then express the problem as a “concern” rather than a gripe. • Get the parents on board by creating a plan to work together to help the child. Scenario 4

35. Standardized Testing

36. What Types of Testing Will You Likely See? • Iowa Test of Basic Skills - ITBS • Utah State End of Level Tests – CRT • National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) • Norm-referenced • Direct Writing Assessment - DWA

37. Iowa Test of Basic SkillsITBS • Norm-referenced • Achievement test • Score reports • Percentiles • Stanines • Grade-equivalent (not very useful)

38. Percentile • The raw scores of the norming population are put in order from lowest to highest. They are then split into 100 equal groups, called PERCENTILES. Each student’s score is then compared to the norming scores to see where it falls.

39. Stanines: The percentile score is divided into nine segments, each of which represents a “standard nine.”

40. Utah State End of Level Tests • Criterion-referenced tests – CRT • Criteria is the state core for the course • Language Arts - 1st – 6th grade • Math – 1st – 6th grade • Science – 4th – 6th grade • Reported in percentage correct • Compared to class, grade, school, district • Proficiency level also reported • Level 4: Substantial. The student's performance indicates substantial understanding and application of key curriculum concepts. • Level 3: Sufficient. The student's performance indicates sufficient understanding and application of key curriculum concepts • Level 2: Partial. The student's performance indicates partial understanding and application of key curriculum concepts. • Level 1: Minimal. The student's performance indicates minimal understanding and application of key curriculum concepts.

41. National Assessment of Educational Progress - NAEP • The Nation’s Report Card • A national-wide norm-referenced test. • Compares students across the country to assess “educational progress.” • http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/ • http://www.schools.utah.gov/assessment/Default.aspx

42. Direct Writing Assessment - DWA • 6th grade • Evaluates student writing based on six traits • http://www.schools.utah.gov/assessment/Default.aspx

43. Faculty Evaluation