MODULE DESCRIPTION:

The purpose of this module is to assist pre-service candidates, in-service teachers, parents and other interested persons in exploring key concepts related to assessment practices in the classroom that are more student-centered. It is designed to help educators of students with exceptional needs demonstrate competencies in knowledge base, performances and dispositions in alignment with Standard #3 of the IPSB approved standards (1998). It also aligns with INTASC new teacher training standard #8 and with The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) “Learned Society” standard #8.

The Indiana Professional Standards Board states: The educator of students with exceptional needs is competent in selecting, administering, and interpreting a variety of formal and informal assessment strategies and utilizes this information to design, implement and evaluate instruction and to guide students in self- assessment.

The focus of this module is on acquiring information to support the belief that teachers must view students as active partners in the assessment process and the most important users of assessment data.

Students are the most important stakeholders in the assessment process.

It is what students know, how they think, what they can produce and how they feel we are constantly attempting to quantify. Once quantified, we have an established benchmark from which to view student progress over time. Progress assumes that there is some positive change in student performance that indicates student success as a learner. Success is usually recorded as student achievement in the academic arena. All of this presupposes that students are motivated to actively engage in activities/exercises that are designed to result in improved performance.

This is especially important when teachers are working with students with exceptional needs and their parents. In some cases, these students may be fearful of failure. They have experienced too much failure in the past. Often students must repeatedly fail for long periods of time before they are identified, referred and determined eligible for special education and related services. By this time students may have developed a variety of strategies to avoid becoming actively engaged in any learning. One strategy is learned helplessness. Another is procrastinating. There are many others. Student behaviors indicate that they will do almost anything or do absolutely nothing if they can protect themselves from feeling bad or mad or sad because they don’t think they can be successful. These students lack self-confidence in their abilities. One major cause of low self-esteem may be related to the emphasis placed on their disability rather than on their abilities. A second major cause may be that students have trouble understanding exactly what is being expected of them. Their parents may not understand either. Sometimes expectations are too difficult. Other times expectations may not be high enough and so students lack motivation to address them. Without clear communication among teachers, students and parents the chances that student efforts will reflect success are greatly reduced.

IPSB Standards for Teachers of Students with Exceptional Needs

Standard #3

The educator of students with exceptional needs:

Performance #5-	effectively communicates the results of the assessment efforts to all involved parties.
Performance #11-	prepares students to be effective participants in the assessment process.
Knowledge #4-	knows the instruments and procedures used to assess student abilities, attitudes, interests and performance.
Knowledge #5-	collaborates effectively with all involved parties regarding the assessment process.
Disposition #2-	values the rights of students and parents.
Disposition #3-	appreciates and respects the need to accurately select, administer, interpret, and report the results of the assessment.

INSTRUCTIONAL OUTCOMES:

Upon completion of this module the individual will be able to:

1. locate at least 2 relevant Internet resources with pertinent information on
students and parents as valued partners in the assessment process, research the sites and provide evidence of a minimum of 2 key concepts that are new or that have resulted in remodeling of his/her knowledge base or caused a change in his/her disposition about student involved classroom assessment. 

2. provide evidence of change in his/her knowledge base of assessment terms.
   
3. design a format for clearly communicating performance assessment expectations to students and their parents. 
   
4. create a plan for using action research to improve teaching and learning performance based upon assessment results and involving students and parents as partners.

INSTRUCTIONAL EVENTS:

1. Read the narrative section of the module. 
   Examine how this information needs to be assimilated into your current knowledge base and dispositions about your own classroom assessment. Use appropriate NETIQUETTE as you access and use the Internet resources provided.
   
2. Begin the creation of, check the accuracy of, or add to the contents of your own “personalized” Glossary of Assessment Terms.
   
a.   If you are acquiring new knowledge, you may need to just copy terms and definitions.
b.   If you are reflecting on or adding to previous knowledge, try to demonstrate ways in which the basic knowledge has more meaning for you now. You can do this by citing your own examples and connections.

Visit the NCREL site Glossary to view an example of a basic knowledge level entry at http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/stw_esys/4assess.htm. The Glossary is a part of an18p document entitled “What Does Research Say About Assessment?” which has a great deal of information worth considering. [The most useful portion may be p14-17 so scroll through the text].

Visit "What Does Research Say About Assessment?" http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/stw_esys/4assess.htm for other useful references.

There are many excellent reference books in libraries that cover topics in tests and measurements. They are also good resources for you when building your vocabulary and concepts so you can become more assessment literate.

Through this instructional event you will be working on Performance #5, Knowledge #4 and Disposition #3.

It is important that you have a clear understanding of the most commonly used terms of assessment. You, your students and their parents must be able to decode the many terms that are used to make critical educational decisions. One of these key decisions is about eligibility for special education and related services. Another deals with appropriate placement and LRE (Least Restrictive Environment). Still others are related to creating an appropriate individualized plan for instruction including IFSP(Individualized Family Service Plan), IEP(Individualized Education Plan) or ITP(Individualized Transition Plan).

Yet others are related to what tool or modality or format is best for assessing a student on any given task.

If you, your students and their families cannot decode frequently used assessment terms, it will be very difficult to understand a student’s present level of performance or achievement and to understand how that level was determined. Without this knowledge, it is nearly impossible to make good decisions about what needs to happen in your classroom and at home to help a student become successful.

As a teacher of students with exceptional needs, you must also bring relevant assessment data to EIT (Early Intervention Team) meetings, eligibility determination conferences, educational planning meetings and annual case review meetings. Your relevant information often is generated by informal assessments you have done in your classroom. This is another reason why it is important for you to be able to communicate clearly and effectively. You need to speak in assessment terms that all partners involved can relate to. Students and parents must know how to interpret the data that results from more formal standardized testing. They must also understand how this data compare with the data they are more familiar with. This is the data that tells them how the student is performing day-to-day in the classroom.

GOOD LUCK AS YOU BEGIN OR CONTINUE TO BUILD YOUR KNOWLEDGE BASE OF ASSESSMENT TERMS!

3.  Design a format that helps you clearly communicate performance expectations to students and their parents about a specific assessment activity. Be sure to identify the target, task, scoring criteria, timeline and any other pertinent data that will affect student success. Use those terms from your personalized glossary to script your communication. Try the script out with students and parents and pay close attention to their feedback.

View the Texas Star Center site Step 2 and explore an example of a format for this type of communication. 
URL for this site is http://www.rmcdenver.com/useguide/assessme/communic.htm.

Through this instructional event you will be working on Performance #11, Knowledge #5 and Disposition #2.

Everyday, teachers give assignments to students. These assignments are ways teachers have decided they can gather important data about how all their students are doing in school. The goal is to get the most accurate data possible. Teachers want to see the best work every student can do. Too often though, teachers fail to set students up to do their best. When students hear that they are being “tested” their responses are usually not cries of joy! Their responses are more likely to be tears, fears and jeers. If a student is anxious, afraid or rebellious it is not very likely that the way s/he performs on the assignment will give the teacher the best data. Students with exceptional needs may suffer more test anxiety than their peers.

One way to set students up for success on an assignment is to share all of the key information with them and with their parents. This tells them they are valued. It also says they are necessary partners in the assessment process. In this way, teachers, students and parents become collaborators. It is even possible for teachers, students and parents to plan together and create the assignments that will be used as assessments. When everyone understands what it takes to be successful, it is more likely that students will experience higher levels of performance.

4. Access the Texas Star Center at http://www.rmcdenver.com/useguide/assessme/aindex.htm?
   Engage in or plan ways you might try using “Action Research” to help you and your students profit from the results of an assessment exercise. A quality assessment yields results that teachers and students can easily use to increase or improve performance. Design a plan that targets both teacher and student improvement.
   
   The Texas Star Center site Step 4 is where you can read more about action research, characteristics of effective teachers who use it and important points to consider when applying it in your situation.
   
5. Examine a variety of sites on the Internet related to assessment and students as involved participants. Several suggested sites are:

   a.    http://www.rmcdenver.com/useguide/assessme/online.htm
   Online Resources for Assessment
   Indicators of Engaged Learning
   How Can I Ensure the Integrity of My Assessment?

   b.   http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/assess.html 
   Visit Kathy Schrock’s DiscoverySchool.com. View a variety of assessment rubrics.

   c. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/IASA/newsletters/assess/pt1.html
   Check out this site if you wish to gain a background in how America’s schools are addressing important issues in school reform. “Creating Better Student Assessments” includes answers to questions such as: What are content standards? What are performance standards? What are key issues in creating assessments?
   
   

6. Design your own problem-based learning task WITH student and parent input. Or you may locate an appropriate one and design a plan to get students’ and parents’ understanding and approval. Be sure to carefully analyze its’ appropriateness based on best practice, age/grade level, student interest and relationship to general education curriculum and standards. Tell how you did or would get input from students and parents.

   If you need more background information on the key concepts of Problem-Based Learning consider viewing:

   a.    http://www.imsa.edu/team/cpbl/cpbl.html
   Visit the Illinois Math and Science Academy site and read some basic information. Click on the yellow pin-up note “What is Problem-based Learning?”. Then click on the Tutorial to get some specifics on this type of instruction and assessment.

   b.    http://www.chemeng.mcmaster.ca/pbl/pbl.htm
   Visit this site and read the answers to many frequently asked questions about PBL.

   c.    http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/science/sc3learn.htm
   This site presents the article “Learner-Centered Classrooms, Problem-Based Learning and the Construction of Understanding and Meaning by Students”. There are 3 major concepts presented. First, the 3 characteristics needed to create an effective learning situation in the classroom are identified. Second, the Savoie/Hughes process for designing PBL is discussed. Third, Marzano’s 6 assumptions about a creating a learner-centered classroom are explored.
   Click on References icon to check out some more resources.

   If you are not sure about the creating a problem-based learning assignment, you may want to check out some of the following sites:
   
   TO BEGIN DESIGNING YOUR PROBLEM:

   You can use the Savoie/Hughes process information in the middle of this webpage
   OR

   You can follow the six Basic Steps for Planning and Implementing a PBL and MM Project. Click on: “Table outlining three examples” for models.

   OR

   http://www.cotf.edu/ete/teacher/rubrics.html
   http://www.cotf.edu/ete/teacher/assessment.html
   http://www.cotf.edu/ete/teacher/teacherout.html

   This is a great site for exploring designs for PBL including assessment, rubrics and examples

   OR
   
   You can explore this Chicago Public Schools site to assist you in your selection and design.  You can find ideas, model descriptions, and information on how to “scaffold” for student success. ADD
   
   http://intranet.cps.k12.il.us/Assessments/Ideas_and_Rubrics/ideas_and_rubrics.html - Click on Elements of a Scoring Rubric, Explore the other areas as you wish.  This is a great resource to use when you are designing your rubric!

   d.   http://edweb.sdsu.edu/clrit/learningtree/PBL/WhatisPBL.html
   This is a great 8 page tutorial.  Click on each NEXT button to view all 8 pages.  Information included:  "What is PBL?",  "Advantages", "Barriers", "How to Overcome Barriers", "Implement PBL", "How to Structure PBL", "Example and Facilitation of PBL", "Disadvantages", "Assessment," and "Creating an Appropriate Problem".

   e.   http://pblmm.k12.ca.us/topics_main.htm 
   This gives examples of PBL activities that have strong assessment components.  Assessing student learning: Available Resources ACRL Association of College & Research Libraries.

   f. http://pblmm.K12.ca.us/PBLGuide/Activities/Activities.html#general
   Here are some basic descriptions of curriculum activities to engage students in their own learning. Check out the General Activities Summary section. http://www.coff.edu/ete//teacher/teacherout.html. Great introduction to key aspects of problem-based learning.

   g. http://pblmm.K12.ca.us/ClassExamples/projectgrid.html
   Check this out for specific examples of PBL activities to use to complete this instructional event. On the homepage for their site there is a PBL Web Ring icon for use to engage in discussion with others who have an interest in PBL.

   h. ASCD Website
   (Check out the ASCD website and click on Publications.  Then click on 'Books'.  Click on 'Browse by Author'.  Then clock on 'T' of the alphabet display and look for 'Torp'.)
   Authors Linda Torp and Sara Sage have written an ASCD publication entitled “Problems as Possibilities: Problem-Based Learning for K-12 Education”. The book can be purchased from ASCD or it is available in bookstores.

   i. http://www.uchsc.edu/CIS/PBLChkList.html
   Adapted from the work of Jane Westberg and Jason Hilliard titled Fostering Learning in Small Groups: A Practical Guide. This is A Self Checklist for Planning and Conducting Problem-Based Learning. It is a great resource for evaluating the process you used to create a PBL activity for your class.

   j. http://www.essdack.org/tips/pbl/sld013.htm
   Tammy Worcester has done a wonderful job of presenting the basics of the design process with this 13 slide series titled ”Designing Problem-Based Learning With the Net”.

TASK: Now analyze the rubric you plan to use to determine student achievement on the problem-based task. The assessment tool to use here can be found on the Internet at Kathy Schrock’s DiscoverySchool.com site. The tool is called “Rubric to Assess a PBL and Rubric”. 
The URL for locating this is http://www.idecorp.com/assessrubric.pdf.

1. Use the first row of this tool labeled “Task Authenticity” to analyze the task you have designed/located in the first part of this instructional event.
2. Rate the level of authenticity of your target task.
3. Explain why you gave it the rating that you did.
4. If the rating is below EXPERT, explain at least one way to improve the task and move it toward the target level.
5. Use the other four rows on this tool to analyze the rubric you have designed and are planning to use to determine various levels of student achievement on the problem-based learning task.

Having trouble creating a rubric?

If you are having trouble creating a rubric, here are some sites with examples:

http://7-12educators.about.com/library/weekly/blrubriccompare.htm can help with a rubric to score Compare/Contrast Essays.

http://7-12educators.about.com/blrubricdebate.htm can help with a rubric to score debate skills.

http://www.nwrel.org/assessment/pdfRubrics/oralassess.pdf provides a sample rubric for evaluating the Verbal Effectiveness of a Student in the Role of Oral Presenter.

http://www.nwrel.org/assessment/pdfRubrics/groupassess.pdf  provides a sample rubric for evaluating the Verbal Effectiveness of Students in the Role of Group Discussion Member.

http://www.awesomelibrary.org/office/Teacher/Assessment_Information/Rubrics.html and is another great resource for rubrics.