EDC 452: Evaluation of Elementary and Middle School Students
University of Rhode Island
Section 2; Spring, 2009
Monday – 4:00 – 5:50
Chafee 244
Instructor: Dr. Pete Adamy
Office: Chafee 613
Phone: 874-7036
E-Mail: adamy@uri.edu
Office Hours: Wednesdays 9:00-11:00
Course Description: This course is designed to help you acquire a basic knowledge of
assessment and evaluation concepts and how to apply them in an informed manner in your daily
work as a teacher.
Students who complete the course should be able to:
 Recognize and discuss the relationship between curriculum development, instruction, and
assessment.
 Make modifications to lessons based on assessment of students’ special needs.
 Construct and implement multiple choice, true/false, and matching tests, as well as
instruments that utilize interpretive exercises, short answers, and essays.
 Construct and implement various scoring systems (holistic and analytic).
 Interpret and make meaningful use of standardized test scores – this includes Rhode Island
State testing in reading, writing, and math, as well as data from the SALT survey.
 Understand the concepts of reliability and validity, as well as basic statistical concepts related
to testing.
 Construct and use performance assessments, evaluation portfolios, and scoring rubrics.
 Understand and use various grading and reporting systems.
 Create and implement forms for observational assessments.
 Effectively measure affective characteristics.
 Understand the impact of various methods of student assessment upon student motivation
and learning.
 Determine appropriate assessment techniques and instruments for different purposes.
 Understand and discuss legal, political, and ethical issues involved with testing, test
preparation, and evaluation.
 Understand and begin to use Standard 9 from the Rhode Island Beginning Teacher Standards
in their practice.
This class also specifically addresses ACEI 4 and RIBTS Standard 9.
ACEI 4: Assessment for Instruction-Candidates know, understand, and use formal and
informal assessment strategies to plan, evaluate and strengthen instruction that will
promote continuous intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of each
elementary student.
EDC 452 – Spring, 2009
RIBTS 9: Teachers use a variety of formal and informal assessment strategies to support
the continuous development of the learner.
Teachers...
9.1 gather information about their students (e.g., experiences, interests, learning
styles, and prior knowledge) from parents/guardians, colleagues and the students
themselves.
9.2 use a variety of assessment strategies and instruments (e.g., observation,
portfolio, teacher made tests, self -assessments) that are aligned with instructional
content and methodology.
9.3 encourage students to evaluate their own work and use the results of this selfassessment to establish individual goals for learning.
9.4 maintain records of student learning and communicate student progress to
students, parents/guardians, and other colleagues.
9.5 use information from their assessment of students to reflect on their own
teaching and to modify their instruction.
Course Texts:
1. Wiggins, G. (1998). Educative assessment: Designing assessments to inform and
improve student performance. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
2. Salend, S. J. (2008). Creating inclusive classrooms: Effective and reflective practices
for all students, 6th Ed. Boston: Pearson/Merill/Prentice Hall.
3. Rhode Island statewide curriculum: http://www.ride.ri.gov/instruction/curriculum/
4. Rhode island Grade Level Expectations (GLE):
http://www.ride.ri.gov/Instruction/gle.aspx
**Additional readings may be required. Always bring books and articles to class.
Course Requirements: Completion of all assigned readings, preparation for in-class discussion,
participation in those discussions and group activities, and timely completion of class
assignments are basic expectations for this course. Working in groups is required. Effective
collaboration with colleagues is an area all beginning teachers need to work on (RIBTS 7).
Unit group: You will be doing a unit simulation as part of your Wikispace portfolio. This is to
prepare you for the unit you will write in order to student teach. As much as possible, this group
will be grade level focused.
Attendance: It is expected that you will attend every class session and come prepared, having
completed all readings and assignments for that class. Missing class will result in points
deducted from your total as follows: late once, leaving early once, or 1 class session missed = 5
points deducted; late twice, leaving early twice, or 2 classes missed = 10 points deducted; late 3
times, leaving early 3 times, or 3 classes missed = 15 points deducted. More than 3 absences, 3
times leaving early, or 3 times being late may result in a student being required to retake
this course.
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EDC 452 – Spring, 2009
If you have a valid reason for missing a class, it is your responsibility to get any notes or
information from other students. You must contact me (ahead of time, if possible) to explain
your absence and arrange a make-up assignment.
Communication Skills: As prospective teachers, it is important that you exhibit proficient oral
and written communication skills. If these skills are not acceptable, you should make a plan for
acquiring basic proficiency in that area. Please visit the URI Writing Center or obtain tutoring if
you need to remediate your oral and written communication skills. It is your responsibility to
work on your areas of weakness.
Academic Assistance: The Academic Enhancement Center houses the University’s existing
writing center and learning assistance program, as well as many other academic support service
areas such as tutoring, study groups, and multiple forms of academic assistance workshops. The
Center serves students who are seeking academic support as well as those with more advanced
academic ability who are interested in helping others. The Center is located on the 4th floor of
Roosevelt Hall in University College.
Technology:
 You must have a working e-mail account that you access on a regular basis in order to
communicate with fellow students and me, and to participate in out-of-class assignments. All
URI students have such an account automatically assigned as part of their student status.
Contact the Office of Information Services if you need help with this
(http://www.uri.edu/ois/gen/email.html).
 You must have access to the Internet in order to fully participate in class assignments.
 Written work submitted for the class (with the exception of any in-class assignments) must
be word-processed (12-point, double-spaced) and submitted on time. There will be a 5 point
penalty for each day an assignment is late.
Special Considerations: If you have a documented disability that may require individual
accommodations, please make an appointment to discuss this prior to the second class meeting.
We will discuss how to meet your individual needs to ensure your full participation and fair
assessment procedures. If you have not done so already, you may also want to contact Disability
Services for Students, Office of Student Life, 330 Memorial Union; 874 – 2098.
Major Assignments:
Participation: This class will not be successful without your active participation. Much of your
class time is spent actually working on projects for the course. You need to do the readings and
come to class prepared to work.
Chapter Questions: In order to maximize the value of the readings for the course, you will be
responding to questions focused specifically on the readings for each week.
In-class planning and assessment development: In small groups, you will move through the
curriculum and assessment cycle to create a unit of instruction that is curriculum and standardsbased, includes specific learning objectives, and incorporates a variety of assessments.
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EDC 452 – Spring, 2009
Individual and group examination of selected activities and assessments will lead to reflection on
effectiveness, validity, and reliability of your planning, and will culminate in the creation of a
finished set of curricular materials. This assignment will be documented at
http://adamy.wikispaces.com. The unit will include a minimum of four fully developed lessons
and a culminating assessment. Lessons must be included in language arts, math, science and
social studies.
Assessment journal: Given the limited amount of time you spend in your practicum placement
this semester, it is not feasible to expect you to create and implement the various types of
assessment tools and procedures we will be examining in this course. In lieu of actual
implementation of your own assessment planning, you will need to observe and reflect on your
cooperating teacher's use of assessment in your practicum placement. You will need to write a
minimum of 10 entries that address individual instances of assessment that you observe in your
placement. The format you use is flexible, however, at a minimum you will need to:
1. fully identify the context and structure of the assessment,
2. provide details of the implementation and results, and
3. engage in meaningful reflection as to the effectiveness of the particular assessment you
observed.
Examples of the types of assessment you observe might include:
Pre-assessment
Anecdotal records
Observation
Multiple choice test
True/false test
Fill-in-the-blank test
Short answer test
Essay test
Performance assessment
Affective assessment
Grading:
-
Class participation
Chapter Questions
Unit planning and
assessment
development
- Assessment Journal
- Midterm exam
- Final exam
_________________
Total =
10%
10%
30%
10%
20%
20%
100 pts.
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
F
4
93-100
90-92
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
73-76
70-72
67-69
63-66
Below 66
EDC 452 – Spring, 2009
Course Outline:
Date:
Week 1
1/26
Week 2
2/2
Week 3
2/9
Topic:
Course Introduction
Assignment:
Assessment in Rhode Island:
 NECAP – Grade-Level
Expectations
 Goals, Objectives and
Assessments
 Pre-assessment
Read
 Wiggins Chapter 1
 Salend Chapter 2


Read
 Wiggins Chapters 2 & 3
 Salend Chapter 3

Familiarize yourself with the statewide
curriculum and the GLE's (math, reading,
writing, and science; alternative):
 www.ride.ri.gov/instruction/curriculum
 www.ride.ri.gov/Instruction/gle.aspx
Authentic assessment
Formative and summative
assessment
Reliability and Validity
**First assessment journal entry due
Week 4
2/18
*NOTE: This
is a
Wednesday
Week 5
2/23




Deciding what and how to
assess
Bias
Read
 Wiggins Chapter 4
 Salend Chapter 8
Standards-based/criterionbased assessment
Assessing critical
thinking/going beyond
recall
Read
 Wiggins Chapter 5
 Salend Chapter 9
Week 6
3/2
Performance Assessment:
 Anecdotal Records
 Observational Methods
 Reliability and Validity
Read
 Wiggins Chapters 6 & 7
 Salend Chapter 10
Week 7
3/9
MIDTERM EXAM
**At least half of assessment journal
entries due
Week 8
3/16
SPRING BREAK
Week 9
3/23


Portfolio Assessment
Affective Assessment
Read
 Wiggins Chapter 8
 Salend Chapter 5
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EDC 452 – Spring, 2009
Date:
Week 10
3/30



Topic:
Paper/Pencil Tests;
Constructed Response
tests;
Structured Response Tests
Week 11
4/6


Week 12
4/13
NO CLASS
Week 13
4/20



Assignment:
Read
 Wiggins Chapter 9
 Salend Chapter 11
Read
 Salend Chapters 1 & 6
IDEA
Accommodations/
Modifications
ESEA: “No Child Left
Behind”
Standardized Assessments
RI State Assessments
Read
 Wiggins Chapter 11
 Salend Chapter 12
**All planning and assessment
development due
Week 14
4/27



Report Cards;
Grading Students;
Reporting to Parents
Read
 Wiggins Chapter 12
 Salend Chapter 12
**All assessment journal entries due
Finals Week
5/4 - 3:00 PM
FINAL EXAM - Chafee 244
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