CURIN 878-01
Assessment for Effective Teaching
Course Syllabus
Instructor:
Dr. Ray Willard
Hughes Hall, Rm. 117D
Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction
Pittsburg State University
Office – (620) 235 - 4491
rwillard@pittstate.edu
Dates:
Spring 2009
Place:
Hughes Hall
Credit:
3 hours, graduate
Course Description:
The three (3) hour course will examine the current research on effective
assessment in terms of methodologies and perspectives. It will explore state and national assessment
directions, classroom evaluation systems, test construction and interpretation, performance and
portfolio assessments, as well as various assessment techniques that meet or accommodate diverse
intelligences and learning needs.
Course Texts:
Optional Text: Popham, James. Classroom Assessment: What Teachers Need to Know.
Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2002.
Required:
Internet Research
Course Objectives:
As a result of the study of CURIN 878, the student should be able to;
Standard #13 – The educator is a reflective practitioner who uses an understanding of historical,
philosophical, and social foundations of education to guide educational practices.
1. Synthesize the history of educational testing.
2. Identify key changes occurring in American society that has directly affected educational
assessment.
3. Recognize key paradigm shifts occurring in the assessment of student learning.
Standard #9 – The educator is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his or
her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning
community), actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally, and participates in the school
improvement process (Kansas Quality Performance Accreditation [QPA]).
4. Distinguish the key components associated with “Frequent Monitoring” in the Effective
Schools research and evaluate a school based on the criteria.
5. Distinguish the key components associated with “Criteria Reference Testing” in Outcomes
Based research and evaluate a school based on the criteria.
6. Outline the key assessment components associated with “no Child Left Behind” legislation
(NCLB).
7. Synthesize the testing structure associated Kansas Quality Performance Accreditation (QPA)
and how the concept of meeting Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) affects individual Kansas
schools.
8. Synthesize the testing structure associated with the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP)
and how the concept of meeting Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) affects individual Kansas
schools.
Standard #12 – The educator understands the role of technology in society and demonstrates skills
using instructional tools and technology to gather, analyze, and present information, enhance
instructional practices, facilitate professional productivity and communication, and help all students
use instructional technology effectively.
9. Use an electronic record-keeping program to maintain a classroom assessment system.
10. Use the Internet to acquire assessment rubrics and various assessment tools.
11. Illustrate how numerous instructional curriculums use technology to assess, analyze, and
report student progress.
12. Appreciate how a Teacher Work Sample will be used to facilitate professional productivity.
Standard #7 – The educator plans effective instruction based upon the knowledge of all students,
community, subject matter, curriculum outcomes, and current methods of teaching reading.
13. Understand the variables that affect student assessment and describe the basic components
of an effective evaluation system.
14. Write cognitive, affective and psychomotor objectives that reflect the curriculum outcomes
as well as the classroom assessment system.
15. Name the types and state the purposes of various standardized tests.
16. Overview the primary student assessment information found in various national and state
tests.
17. Understand how to use standardized tests to enhance instructional practices.
Standard #3 – The educator demonstrates the ability to provide different approaches to learning
and creates instructional opportunities that are equitable, that are based on developmental levels,
and that are adapted to diverse learners, including those with exceptionalities.
18. Identify and define the major intelligences identified by Howard Gardner and develop
multiple intelligence assessment plans for various content related lessons.
19. Identify specific questioning behaviors that can assess student learning as well as affect
student achievement.
20. Explain and put into practice the major elements and precepts of re-teaching, retesting, and
enrichment found in Mastery Learning.
21. Design appropriate assessment accommodations and modifications for students with special
needs.
22. Design appropriate assessment techniques for English Language Learners.
Standard #2 – The educator demonstrates an understanding of how individuals learn and develop
intellectually, social, and personally and provides learning opportunities that support this
development.
23. Appreciate how various standardized tests are used to provide feedback on student
intellectual, aptitude, or achievement development.
24. Comprehend how raw scores, percentiles, and stanines are used to measure individual
development.
25. Understand how reliability, validity, and bias affect testing.
26. Use character, value, or attitudinal inventories to assess student social development.
27. Assess appropriate social objectives in a cooperative learning activity.
Standard #5 – The educator uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior
to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in
learning, and self-motivation.
28. Examine the basic elements and critical components of an effective classroom assessment
plan that motivates success.
29. Describe various games, activities, and questioning techniques that help create an
assessment environment conductive to learning.
30. Depict specific teacher actions that help prepare and maintain an effective classroomtesting atmosphere.
31. Develop a personal classroom assessment system.
Standard #8 – The educator understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to
evaluate and ensure the continual intellectual, social, and other aspects of personal development of
all learners.
32. Describe the key components involved in T/F, multiple-choice, completion, short answer,
and essay assessment.
33. Name various formal and informal performance assessments and how they are used to
evaluated intellectual, social and attitudinal development of students.
34. List possible structures and display formats for portfolio assessment.
35. Develop and use rubrics to evaluate performance and portfolio artifacts.
Standard #10 – The educator fosters collegial relationships with school personnel, parents, and
agencies in the larger community to support all students’ learning and well-being.
36. Identify methods of communicating student performance between the home and school.
37. Describe the process and portfolio assessment focus in National Board Certification and
appreciate how it is used to increase a teacher’s effectiveness in teaching.
Course Requirements:
1. Attendance and Activity Participation
Each student will be responsible for reading the required readings, visiting Internet sites, and for
participating in class activities and discussions. Each student will be expected to participate in a
cooperative learning group that will stay together throughout the term of the course and participate
in a number of class activities.
2. Class Activities
Each student will complete various class activities from a list of options and individualize them to
his/her own teaching situation. The grade will be dependent on how many of these projects are
successfully completed. The points awarded are as follows:
5 projects = 25
4 projects = 20
3 projects = 15
2 projects = 10
1 project = 5
3. Research Project
Each student will construct a classroom assessment system, portfolio plan, or performance
assessment that can be used in the classroom.
4. Final Exam
At the end of the course an exam will review the student’s level of application for each of the major
objectives of the course. Each student will use his or her cooperative group to prepare for the
exam.
Course Evaluation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Class attendance and activity participation
Class Activities
Research Project
Final Exam
25%
25%
25%
25%