EDU 503: Assessment Strategies to Improve K-12 Learning

Overview

Assessment of student performance is an essential component of educational programs from Kindergarten through Graduate School. Primarily, it is necessary to know how well students perform those behaviors that are being taught in the instructional program. This information is critical to determining how well the student is mastering the achievement targets of the program so that instruction can be tailored to the individual student’s learning requirements. Assessment information not only drives decisions about the student, but about the effectiveness of the instructional program and the instructor.

This course is designed to instruct teachers and administrators in the concepts and practices of effective educational assessment. Through a step-wise sequence of developmental activities students of assessment are introduced to the essential concepts and practices of educational assessment. Then, students apply these concepts and practices to the development of an assessment program that is applicable to their own teaching. Thus, students of assessment exit the course with mastery of the principles and practices of educational assessment, and a practical model assessment program that can be used as a basis for the development of future assessment programs.

Most of the examples used in this course are related to conventional schools and subjects because the majority of the enrolled students are either already teachers or intend to teach in these types of school situations. However, the principles and practices advocated in this course are applicable to all types of instructional situations. There are opportunities within the course for students to practice the application of assessment methods in any instructional setting.

The course syllabus briefly addresses the assessment of Dispositions (feeling, attitudes, opinions, etc.) because there may be instances when a classroom teacher needs to assess these types of behaviors. However, there may be students in this course that will need to assess Dispositions as a regular part of their instructional program. To assist these students, there is an Optional Activity in Theme 6 of Module 4 that students who desire this additional instruction can access. This optional module is not graded or included in the grading for the course.

Introduction

If you are in the licensure program, you will be assessed on achievement of Colorado Department of Education state standards. This course contributes to your proficiency in state standard three:

Knowledge of Standards and Assessment: The teacher shall be knowledgeable about strategies, planning practices, assessment techniques, and appropriate accommodations to ensure student learning in a standards-based curriculum.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Describe the purposes for and principles and practices of classroom assessment in a standards-based curriculum
• Construct academic achievement targets that define the behavioral outcomes to be assessed in a standards-based curriculum
• Develop an assessment blueprint that describes the elements of the assessment program, including the proper assessment methods to be employed for each achievement target
• Construct test items that accurately assess the achievement target
• Evaluate an assessment program for validity, reliability and fairness
• Develop forms for scoring, recording, analyzing and reporting assessment results
• Establish and advocate a position on the issue of standardized testing programs
• Promote the use of good classroom assessment practices among colleagues

Required Texts
EDU 503 texts are available from the JIU/MBS bookstore