GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
EDSE 656/ EDUT 512
Assessment of Diverse Young Learners 3-5
Spring 2009
Wednesdays 7:20- 10:00 p.m.
Krug Hall 5
PROFESSOR (S):
Name: Debra Fulcher
Phone: 703-314-2390
Office hours: By appointment
Email address: dfulche1@gmu.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
A. Prerequisites:
Admission to Graduate School of Education in George Mason University or
permission of the instructor.
B. Course description:
This course provides students with an understanding of the forms, functions, methods,
and roles of assessment for planning and implementing effective early childhood
programs for young children, ages three to five, from diverse cultures and with varied
learning needs. The students will explore both quantitative and qualitative approaches to
evaluation and assessment. They will learn about technological adaptations to enhance
the assessment process. Students will gain an understanding of appropriate strategies for
conducting, reporting, and decision making related to specific functions of assessment.
They will learn about assessment strategies necessary for second language learners and
about adaptations for children with disabilities. They will use selected assessment
strategies with young children in their field placements and are expected to become
competent in the use of authentic assessment strategies to describe a child’s learning
strengths and instructional needs.
Course Format:
Students will connect classroom knowledge with field experiences. Course assignments
are closely linked with field experiences and can be completed on site with children and
families enrolled in the program. The class is conducted in a seminar format and includes
community observations and guest lecturers to enhance the content from the readings.
Active participation of all students is required.
STUDENT OUTCOMES AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS:
The outcomes for this course address competencies for licensure for teachers in early
childhood education and early childhood special education as identified by the Division
for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children and the National
Association for the Education of Young Children. Upon successful completion of the
course students will:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of the various forms and functions of assessment used with
young children. (NEAYC 3; CEC CC8K1-4; CEC EC8S2)
2. Demonstrate the ability to use a variety of authentic assessment strategies to learn
about a child and plan for group and individual instruction. (NAEYC 1, 3; CEC
CC7S13, 8S1, 8S2, 8S3; CEC EC8S1)
3. Demonstrate the ability to incorporate a variety of assessment strategies into the daily
routine in order to document learning and developmental progress and to adjust
teaching. (NAEYC 3; CEC CC7S4, 8S5)
4. Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate and adapt the assessment process to
ensure family and cultural relevance, to reduce language bias, and to reduce the
impact of disability on the assessment. (NAEYC 1, 2, 3, 4a; CEC CC7S3, 8S1, 8S4,
8S6)
5. Report assessment results in a manner that is relevant for family members and other
staff and that highlights children’s strengths and capacities. (NAEYC 2, 3, 4a; CEC
CC8S5, 8S7. EC8S3-6)
6. Demonstrate the ability to develop and maintain an ongoing system for documenting
children’s progress in the classroom context. (NAEYC 3; CEC CC8S9)
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Cohen, D., Stern, V., & Balaban, B. (2008). Observing and recording the behavior of
young children. New York: Teachers College Press.
McAfee, O. & Leong, D. (2006). Assessing and guiding young children’s development
and learning. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Puckett, M. & Black, J. (2008). Authentic assessment of the young child: Celebrating
development and learning. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Merrill.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
1. The completion of all readings assigned for the course is assumed. Because the
class is structured around discussion and small group activities pertaining to
assessment of young children, it is imperative that students keep up with the
readings and participate in class.
2. Class attendance is important. If, due to an emergency, students will not be in
class, they must call the instructor and leave a message.
3. The university requires that all pagers and cell phones be turned off before class
begins.
4. It is expected that assignments be turned in on time (the beginning of the class in
which they are due). However, it is recognized that graduate students
occasionally have serious problems that prevent work completion. If such a
dilemma arises, students should speak to the instructor in a timely fashion.
GRADING SCALE
A = 95-100
A- = 90-94
B+ = 87-89
B = 83-86
B- = 80-82
C = 70-79
F = Below 79
EVALUATION CRITERIA:
1. Participation and preparation for class;
10 points
a) Participate in class discussions and activities,
demonstrating knowledge of assigned readings
and site experiences
b) Completion of all class assignments (on-time)
unless prior arrangements are made.
2. Interest/Preference Analysis
15 points
3. Team Assessment Project
25 points
4. Formal Assessment Used with Preschool Children 20 points
and Written Report
5. Individual Child/Study/Portfolio
30 points
DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Interest Preference Analysis (15 points)
Students, using their knowledge of observational strategies, are to develop a format
for documenting children’s interests and preferences to guide their planning for a
classroom. Begin with an observation of 30 minutes in the classroom during free
play. Keep a record of activities, materials, spaces, events, play partners etc that seem
to engage children. Look for shared interests and preferences. Discuss cultural,
linguistic and ability factors. In a paper, they are to describe what they learned and
discuss how their observations might help them to plan for a group of children.
Students will support their conclusions with references to class readings. Their paper
must include a description of how the information was collected (including the
observation formats) as well as any limitations or further information needs.
Undergraduate students may use a published observation protocol for this project.
Due on: February 18, 2009
2. Team Assessment Project (25 points)
In groups of three, students are to select a commercially published assessment
indicated for use with children between three to five years of age. Read the manual
and instructions carefully. Try the assessment out with each other, as well as with
three children from different backgrounds who are between the ages of 3-5. Each
team member should administer the assessment to one child. Critically evaluate the
assessment from one’s own perspective, from the perspective of class readings, from
the perspective of cultural, linguistic and ability appropriateness, from the perspective
of usefulness for families and from one’s experiences at the site. As a group, prepare
a written product and in-class presentation. The students’ task is to give their
classmates a working knowledge of this assessment from a critical perspective.
Include the following information:
a. Publication information. Students will include title, publisher,
recommended age range, stated purpose, scope, standardization, and
stated limitations.
b. Description. Students will describe what they did and what they learned
from administering the assessment.
c. Critical analysis. Students will give their general reaction. What did they
see as strengths, and/or limitations of the assessment? Students will
support their position with information from the readings, class discussion,
and their experience on site. In particular, they will evaluate the
assessment for cultural and linguistic bias, as well as for appropriate use for
children with disabilities, and for the appropriateness and usefulness of the
assessment for families.
d. Supporting information. Students will locate at least three articles out
of current journals that may be relevant to this assessment. They will
provide complete citations and discuss the relevance of these articles to
their understanding of the particular assessment they chose. If at all
possible, students will interview staff and parents at their site about their
impressions of the assessment.
Students will prepare a complete paper for the instructor and a reference handout
for all of their classmates. In class, each team will present a 15-minute presentation on
the assessment and share their experiences.
Due on: March 18, 2009
3. Formal Assessment Used with Preschool Children and Written Report
(20 points)
Each student will select one child to assess using one norm-referenced instrument and
one criterion or curriculum referenced instrument. The child selected may be the child
one is using for the portfolio assignment. The child selected must be between the ages
of three to five years. Students will complete the assessments during at least two
separate sessions with the child. Submit a formal written report that integrates the
results of both assessments. The report must include parental concerns regarding the
child’s development and the settings in which the assessment took place, assessment
results and recommendation for facilitating the child’s development. Students will
also include a reflection of how they felt as an assessor/evaluator; as well as what
they would you do differently in the future etc.
Due on: April 1, 2009
4. Individual Child/Study/Portfolio (30 points)
Students will study and practice formal and informal assessment strategies with a
child between the ages of three to five years. The result of this experience will be the
development of a child portfolio containing selected materials to support the students’
written description of what they learned about the child, as well as an interpretation of
the materials gathered.
Select a child and obtain permission from his/her parent to study and practice
assessment strategies with his/her child. Students will need to talk with or interview a
parent as part of this process. Begin to develop the portfolio and compile materials
early in the semester. Students are to bring their compiled materials to class to share
periodically during the semester. Students are to select and provide a rationale on how
they organized their portfolio contents. Students are expected to incorporate
information from other assignments when appropriate.
The final product must include the following sections:
 Annotated Table of Contents: This section of the portfolio should be reader
friendly, enabling readers to find materials easily. The table of contents should
make it clear to the reader that materials have been organized carefully and
logically. Annotations should provide a brief overview about each section
included in the portfolio.
 Narrative: Prepare a narrative to accompany the portfolio that includes the
following:
o A brief summary of the portfolio contents
o A description of and rationale for the approach that was taken to build
the portfolio, including all sources of information; classroom, home,
play
o A description of the child, including observations of all key domains
of development, including emergent literacy
o A discussion of what was learned about the child, implications of
teaching, and implications for collaborating with the child’s family
o A discussion of how impressions will be validated with the family
o A critique of the approach and what might be changed the next time
 Summary and recommendation: Students will prepare a summary of their
portfolio to share with classmates and faculty. This section should include a
discussion of implications of one’s findings for classroom planning with
recommendations and analysis. It should be reflective of the child as a learner
and provide an understanding of how one integrated the knowledge one
gained to provide an improved educational program for the child. How would
one use the results of the portfolio assessment to develop and implement
individual instruction? Based on the findings of the portfolio what are one’s
recommendations for monitoring the child’s progress over the course of the
year?
 Reflection and recommendation: Students will upon completion of the
above tasks write a postscript of two pages in which they discuss the process
of creating their portfolio from their perspective. What was learned in the
process? What are the legal and ethical principles that were considered in
developing the portfolio? What technologies if any were used to support the
assessment process? What would one change or do differently?
Prepare a complete paper for the instructor. In class, students are required to do an
individual presentation for15 minutes to share their findings. Bring work samples of the
child to the presentation.
Due on: April 29 (Presentations April 15, April 22, April 29)
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT STATEMENT OF
EXPECTATIONS:
All students must abide by the following:
Students are expected to exhibit professional behavior and dispositions. See
http://www.gse.gmu.edu for a listing of these dispositions.
Students must follow the guidelines of the University Honor Code. See
http://www.gmu.edu/catalog/apolicies/#TOC_H12 for the full honor code.
Students must agree to abide by the university policy for Responsible Use of Computing.
See http://mail.gmu.edu and click on Responsible Use of Computing at
the bottom of the screen.
Students with disabilities who seek accommodations in a course must be registered with
the GMU Disability Resource Center (DRC) and inform the instructor, in writing, at the
beginning of the semester. See www.gmu.edu/student/drc or call 703-993-2474 to access
the DRC.
PROPOSED CLASS SCHEDULE
Date
Topic/Learning Experiences
Readings and Assignments
Jan 21
Overview of class, review of syllabus,
key concepts in assessment
NAEYC on Assessment
Jan 28
Why, what and when to asses
Legal, ethical & professional responsibilities
McAfee & Leong Ch. 1-3
Puckett & Black Ch 1-2
Feb 4
Collecting and recording data
Cohen Ch. 1-3
McAfee & Leong Ch. 4 & 5
Feb 11
Norm Referenced Tests
McAfee & Leong Ch. 10
Puckett & Black Ch. 3
Feb 18
Criterion Referenced Tests
Interest Preference Analysis Due
Feb 25
Introduction to authentic assessment and portfolio
Puckett & Black Ch. 5 & 7
Cohen Ch. 5, 8
Mar 4
Summarizing and interpreting assessment
information
Discuss progress on portfolios
Team Assessment Presentation
McAfee & Leong Ch. 6 & 7
Puckett & Black Ch. 6
Mar 11
Spring Break
Mar 18
Cultural and linguistic diversity in the assessment
process
Team Assessment Presentation
Puckett & Black Ch. 4 & 8
Mar 25
Portfolio development and assessment
Discuss progress on portfolios
Puckett & Black Ch. 7
Apr 1
Cultural and linguistic diversity in the assessment
process
Formal Assessment Written Report Due
Apr 8
How can assessment be used for individual and
group planning
Presentation on individual child study
(8-9 students)
Presentation on individual child study
(8-9 students)
Presentation on individual child study
(8-9 students)
McAfee & Leong Ch. 11
Cohen Ch. 13
Apr 15
Apr 22
Apr 29
Team Assessment Paper Due
Report on Individual Child Study
Portfolios Due
ASSESSMENT RUBRIC (S)
COURSE
Assignment Rubric
Name: ___________________________
Date: ____________________________
No
Evidence
1
CRITERIA
Comments:
Beginning
(Limited
evidence)
2
Developing
(Clear evidence)
3
Accomplished
(Clear, convincing,
substantial evidence)
4
SCORE