Research on Assessment and Learning
C&I 8900-41
Fall, 2009
Tues 1-4, Strickland 104
Professor:
Marcelle A. Siegel, Ph.D.
Office Hours: By appointment
882-8695
321K Townsend (and
SiegelM@missouri.edu
124 Schweitzer)
Rationale
This course is designed for doctoral students in science education who are interested
in research on assessment. This research seminar will explore assessment in various
domains, from curriculum to equity. You will learn about the relationship of learning theory
to assessment. We focus on classroom assessment, but not from a teaching perspective,
but rather a research perspective.
The state of classroom assessment has been dismal for decades (Stiggins, 2001). It is
important for researchers to promote the improvement of classroom assessment. To do
this, you will need understanding of assessment reforms, current research, theoretical
principles, and how to conduct assessment research effectively. Thus the broader purpose of
this course is to contribute to the reform of classroom assessment at all grade levels.
Expected Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, I expect that you will:
 Have a deeper understanding of the science assessment research literature;
 Be able to apply theoretical design principles to assessment development;
 Understand how theories of learning affect assessment practices;
 Enhance the assessment component of your own research.
Reading
Required:
Readings are free online. They are linked on the reading list or available on electronic
reserve (ERES http://eres.missouri.edu). One that we will use multiple times is:
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Knowing What Students Know: The Science and Design of Educational Assessment
(2001). (KWSK) Available: http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309072727
Recommended:
Classroom Assessment and the National Science Education Standards. (CANSES)
Available: http://www.nap.edu/books/030906998X/html/
How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. Available:
http://books.nap.edu/books/0309070368/html/index.html
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Inclusion (ADA)
I wish to fully include persons with disabilities in this course. If you need accommodations
because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if
you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please inform me
immediately. Please see me privately after class, or at my office.
To request academic accommodations (for example, a note taker or extended time on
exams), students must also register with the Office of Disability Services
(http://disabilityservices.missouri.edu <http://disabilityservices.missouri.edu> ), S5 Memorial
Union, 882-4696. It is the campus office responsible for reviewing documentation provided
by students requesting academic accommodations, and for accommodations planning in
cooperation with students and instructors, as needed and consistent with course
requirements. For other MU resources for students with disabilities, click on "Disability
Resources" on the MU homepage.
Assignments and Grading
Assignment
Due Date
% of
Grade
1. Class Participation: Seminar will require your active and
N/A
20%
N/A
30%
Oct 13
15%
Dec 1
35%
thoughtful participation in discussions.
2. Reading participation: Preparing for class by carefully reading
articles will be key to learning from the seminar. Each week you
will write a short response to the reading(s). You will facilitate at
least one discussion of the readings during the semester.
3. Design project: You will design assessments based on theoretical
principles.
4. Research project: You will conduct a group or individual project
on a new or current study involving assessment.
For this project you will have a lot of choice and should begin
exploring options early. If you wish, you can use the project to
enhance research you are currently doing. Other options will be
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discussed in class.
Proposal due: Oct 6; Draft due: Nov 17
Writing Style Requirements
All assignments should be written in accordance with APA style (5th Ed.). A full explanation
of APA style can be found in:
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American
Psychological Association (5th Edition). Washington, DC: Author.
Some APA highlights that you should pay close attention to are: levels of headings, running
head and page numbers, quotation citations, reference citations in text, and reference list
requirements.
APA style suggests that writing in third person may at times be ambiguous. Like APA, I
prefer that you write your papers in first person when appropriate. APA style also suggests
using an “active voice” in writing rather than a “passive voice.” Again, I concur and prefer
that you write your papers in “active voice.” In other words, avoid constructions where the
subject is not present (the test was administered), and replace with an active subject (the
professor administered the test). The give away for passive voice is the explicit or implicit
“by” (e.g., in the example above, “by the professor” is implicit).
Academic Honesty
Academic honesty is fundamental to the activities and principles of a university. All
members of the academic community must be confident that each person’s work has been
responsibly and honorably acquired, developed, and presented. Any effort to gain an
advantage not given to all students is dishonest whether or not the effort is successful. The
academic community regards academic dishonesty as an extremely serious matter, with
serious consequences that range from probation to expulsion. When in doubt about
plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting, or collaboration, consult the course instructor.
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Tentative Reading List
For this seminar, you should have knowledge of best assessment practices (NRC, 2001:
CANSES) and introductory educational research. If needed, ask me for additional reading so
you will be prepared for this course.
An initial reading list is provided below. Reading links and reading reflections will be given
each week. To access the links you must be on campus or logged in through VPN.
Date
Assessment
Reading due
research and…
Aug 25
Course intro
KWSK, Executive Summary, 1-16
Sep 1
Learning theory
KWSK, Chapter 3 (except 92-96)
Shepard, 2000
http://www.jstor.org/pss/1176145
Baxter & Glaser, 1998
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119124713/issue
Sep 8
Learning
Minstrell, 2000, p. 44-66
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=B9uzxmM2FLYC&o
i=fnd&pg=PA44&dq=%22Minstrell%22+%22Student+thinking+an
d+related+assessment:+Creating+a+...%22+&ots=KfXMG8u8Wf&s
ig=oKKHO-XMPRpEVa1rc52y-jTqa-Q
Liu, Lee, Hofstetter, & Linn, 2008
Sep 15
Learning
(ERES)
Furtak & Ruiz Primo, 2008
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgibin/fulltext/117926297/PDFSTART
Fusco & Barton, 2001
http://www.duluth.umn.edu/~bmunson/Courses/Educ5560/rea
dings/Fusco-Barton.pdf
Sep 29
Design of
KWSK, Chapters 2 and 4
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assessment
Solano-Flores & Nelson-Barber, 2001
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/80502092/abstract
Oct 6
Teaching
Ruiz Primo & Furtak, 2006 (ERES)
Abell & Siegel, in press
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Date
Oct 13
Topic
Teaching
Readings
Otero, 2006
http://jte.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/57/3/247?maxtoshow=&HITS=1
0&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&author1=Otero%2C+V*&searchid=
1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT
Tomanek, Talanquer & Novodvorsky, 2008
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/117923488/abstract
Oct 20
Learners
(review Solano-Flores & Nelson-Barber, 2001
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/80502092/abstract )
Luykx et al., 2007 (ERES)
Siegel, 2007
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/114029922/abstract
Oct 27
Curriculum
KWSK, p. 92-96
KWSK, chap 6-7
Nov 3
Curriculum
Shavelson
Mamlok-Naaman, Hofstein & Penick, 2007
http://www.springerlink.com/content/8530r3521p02j8u1/fulltext.pd
f
Nov 10
Curriculum
Facets
Wilson
Nov 17
Present first version of research projects for feedback
Nov 24—Thanksgiving vacation—No Class
Dec 1
Professional
Gearhart & Osmundson, 2009 (ERES)
development
Pannizon & Pegg, 2007
http://www.springerlink.com/content/rx51330r044w5615/fulltext.pd
7
f
Dec 8
Reform
KWSK, Chapter 8
Resnick & Resnick, 1992 (ERES)
Stiggins, 2003
http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/k0206sti.htm
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