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Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute: A Powerful Partnership
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute (ATI) partnered to create the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. The modules are based on the work of Rick Stiggins, Jan Chappuis, Steve Chappuis, and Judith Arter, leading experts in the field. Specifically, the module content draws heavily from two Pearson ATI publications:
•Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right—using it well (2nd edition)
•Seven strategies of assessment for learning
These materials are designed to correspond with the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. Therefore, the following icons are used to indicate text that is a quote or paraphrase from Pearson ATI publications:
List of references:
Module 1 Facilitation Guide: Section I, Activity 1 Characteristics of Effective Feedback. Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning (p. 56). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 1 Facilitator Answer Key: Section II, Activity 1 Where am I going? Where am I now? How can I close the gap? Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., pp. 28-32). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 1 Facilitator Answer Key: Section II, Activity 1 Sharing Learning Targets with Students. Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning (pp. 22-40). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 1 Facilitator Answer Key: Section II, Activity 1 Using Examples of Strong and Weak Work. Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning (pp. 42-50). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 1 Facilitator Answer Key: Section II, Activity 1 Characteristics of Effective Feedback. Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning (p. 56). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 1 Facilitator Answer Key: Section II, Activity 1 Assessment Methods. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., pp. 87-92). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to clarify common educator misconceptions or pitfalls about formative instructional practices. Time: 30 minutes
Section II: Confirming Our PracticeActivity 1: My Formative Instructional Practices
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is for teachers to self-assess where they are with their own use of formative instructional practices. Time: 20 minutes
Activity 2: I Used to Think, But Now I Think…
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is for teachers to reflect on any changes in thinking about formative instructional practices based on what they have learned so far. Time: 10 minutes
Section III: Confirming Our CommitmentActivity 1: What Comes Next in Our Learning?
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is for the team to understand what comes next in the learning and prepare for the completion of Module 2: Clear Learning Targets. Time: 20 minutes
Activity 2: How Are You Progressing On Your Learning Journey?
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to determine how comfortable the team is with its learning journey so far. Time: 10 minutes
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Prior to Facilitating Discussion about Module 1: Introduction to Formative Instructional Practices
READY TO GO
NEED TO DO THIS
Ensure that all teachers have access to the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices modules.
Ensure that all teachers have completed Module 1.
Review Module 1. This includes reviewing reflection questions and video that might be incorporated into the meeting(s).
Review the Module 1 facilitation materials.
Determine agenda(s) based on the available time you have to meet. You may need to adapt the provided agenda based on the time available to you.
Notify teachers of the meeting time and place. Remind them to bring any notes they recorded when they took Module 1.
One week before the scheduled meeting(s), send copies of the agenda to colleagues.
Make copies of participant resources as needed.
Review Module 2: Clear Learning Targets to help you preview the next module with teachers. This will occur in Section III of Module 1 facilitation.
Arrange internet access if you plan to refer to any pages in Module 1.
SECTION I CONFIRMINGOUR LEARNINGACTIVITY 1This section includes one activity designed to ensure that teachers have met the
learning targets of Module 1: Introduction to Formative Instructional Practices.
Total Section I Time: 30 minutes
Activity 1: 30 minutes
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Misconceptions about Formative Instructional Practices
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Review the learning targets of Module 1: Introduction to Formative Instructional Practices.
2. Provide each teacher a copy of the handout Misconceptions about Formative Instructional Practices.
3. Share the purpose of the activity.
4. Working in groups or pairs, have the teachers follow the directions on the handout, selecting the answer they believe better explains why the statement is a common misconception about formative instructional practices. They must also provide a justification for their choice.
5. After the pairs or groups have selected their answers, ask each group to share their responses along with justification of their choices.
6. Use the Misconceptions about Formative Instructional Practices Answer Key to help facilitate the conversation as needed.
HERE ARE SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER:
• Both of the answers are correct. You are listening to make sure the groups support their choices with sound and sufficient reasoning.
• Included on the answer key are suggestions of additional questions for you to pose to the group, as well as specific pages to reference in Module 1.
• Because this is a blended learning experience, feel free to go back into Module 1 as needed.
MODULE 1 - SECTION I - ACTIVITY 1
FIP TIPS
APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to clarify common educator misconceptions or pitfalls about formative instructional practices.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Facilitator Resources: Handout: Misconceptions about Formative Instructional Practices Answer Key
Participant Resources: Handout: Misconceptions about Formative Instructional Practices
SECTION II CONFIRMINGOUR PRACTICEACTIVITIES 1-2This section includes two activities designed to facilitate reflection and discussion
about teacher practice related to formative instructional practices.
Total Section II Time: 30 minutes
Activity 1: 20 minutes
Activity 2: 10 minutes
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My Formative Instructional Practices
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Provide each teacher a copy of the handout My Formative Instructional Practices, and share the purpose of the activity.
2. Working on their own, have the teachers follow the directions on the handout and complete the graphic organizer with information specific to their practice. Hint: Teachers explored this framework on page 39 of Module 1.
3. After teachers have completed their graphic organizers, have teachers share their responses. Use the My Formative Instructional Practices Answer Key to listen for ideas that teachers will share.
4. Summarize where the team is in its use of formative instructional practices. Collectively, what do we do to help students answer the following questions: Where am I going? Where am I now? How can I close the gap?
MODULE 1 - SECTION II - ACTIVITY 1
Revisit the learning targets, especially if you are working through Section II at a different time than Section I.
Have learners self-assess; it is not a luxury. Keep in mind that it is one of three recommendations made by Black and Wiliam in their key research.
Don’t forget the characteristics of effective feedback. When addressing the final column, revisit the recommendations Black and Wiliam cite in their research—the high-impact practices learned in Module 1. However, don’t do the thinking for the learners. If they are off track, revisit Module 1.
FIP TIPS
APPROXIMATE TIME: 20 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is for teachers to self-assess where they are with their own use of formative instructional practices.
Facilitator Resources: Handout: My Formative Instructional Practices Answer Key
Participant Resources: Handout: My Formative Instructional Practices
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I Used to Think, But Now I Think …
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Provide each teacher a copy of the handout I Used to Think, but Now I Think…
2. Share the purpose of the activity.
3. Give teachers a few minutes to record their thoughts on the handout provided.
4. Have teachers share their reflections. Go first if needed.
5. Have someone record and summarize the changes in thinking for the group.
MODULE 1 - SECTION II - ACTIVITY 2
Have learners self-reflect. If it helps, you can share first, and model the thinking. Example: “I used to think that formative instructional practices were about short-cycle assessments. Now, I think it is much more. It is the use of assessment information that defines formative instructional practice, not the test itself.”
FIP TIP
APPROXIMATE TIME: 10 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is for teachers to reflect on any changes in thinking about formative instructional practices based on what they have learned so far.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Participant Resources: Handout: I Used to Think, But Now I Think…
SECTION III CONFIRMINGOUR COMMITMENTACTIVITIES 1-2This section includes two activities designed to help teachers set goals and take action
based on what they’ve learned about formative instructional practices.
Total Section III Time: 30 minutes
Activity 1: 20 minutes
Activity 2: 10 minutes
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What Comes Next in Our Learning?
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Provide team members with the Module 2: Clear Learning Targets Preview. Review as a team.
2. Pose the following questions to the group.
° How could Module 2 help us transition to the new standards?
° How might the learning in Module 2 help us build upon what we’re already doing in our classroom?
3. Establish a commitment to proceed with further learning by completing Module 2. Make this doable by agreeing on a reasonable timeline.
MODULE 1 - SECTION III - ACTIVITY 1
Share what comes next in the learning. By previewing Module 2, participants have the opportunity to begin to understand the learning targets that come next.
FIP TIP
APPROXIMATE TIME: 20 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of the activity is to preview what comes next in the learning and prepare for the completion of Module 2: Clear Learning Targets.
1. Ask the team to complete the How Are You Progressing on Your Learning Journey handout.
2. Invite any closing remarks. Recognize the good work they have done and your eagerness to continue with them on this journey.
MODULE 1 - SECTION III - ACTIVITY 2
Have learners self-assess. This way, you know which teachers are comfortable with the learning so far, so you can intervene appropriately. This self-assessment serves as feedback for you.
FIP TIP
APPROXIMATE TIME: 10 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to determine how comfortable the team is with its learning journey so far.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Participant Resources: Handout: How Are You Progressing on Your Learning Journey?
1. Common Pitfalls or Misconceptions about Formative Instructional Practice An assessment is viewed as an event or test rather than a process.
Why Is This a Pitfall or Misconception? The act of “assessing”—both formatively and summatively—is a process. The difference between formative and summative assessment is in its purpose. When formatively assessing, you are gathering and responding to evidence of student learning for the purpose of improving learning and informing instruction. When summatively assessing, the process stops once evidence of student learning is gathered. A judgment is made from the evidence gathered, and new learning targets become the focus.
How a Facilitator Could Respond to Support Teacher Learning The achievement gains that can be realized through formative instructional practices don’t come from a series of tests or a program. They come when teachers and students understand and use formative instructional practices.
Use page 12 in Module 1 to review and discuss how researchers define formative instructional practices (formative assessment).
2. Common Pitfalls or Misconceptions about Formative Instructional Practice Formative instructional practices are an initiative, and “this too shall pass.”
Why Is This a Pitfall or Misconception? Formative instructional practices are about good teaching—they are not a program or initiative. Because these practices are about gathering and responding to evidence of student learning, and grounded in research, they will always be a priority and not an initiative. In fact, engaging in formative instructional practices calls for assessment-literate educators, so it is these practices that make all other assessment-driven initiatives successful.
How a Facilitator Could Respond to Support Teacher Learning Direct participants to Module 1 Download D: Formative Instructional Practices—Ten Lessons Learned.
Ask participants the following:
• Would you consider good teaching to be a program or initiative?
• Shouldn’t good teaching—ensuring quality instruction for every student—always be a priority in schools?
Misconceptions about Formative Instructional Practices
DIRECTIONS: Use the explanation of these misconceptions to help teachers fully understand formative instructional practices. Many of these misconceptions will be explored and addressed further in Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices Modules 2–5.
3. Common Pitfalls or Misconceptions about Formative Instructional Practice All formative instructional practices are created equal.
Why Is This a Pitfall or Misconception? Although there are many formative instructional practices that teachers and students use, Black and Wiliam recommend the following practices to raise levels of achievement, based on extensive research:
• Increase opportunities for students to communicate their evolving learning during instruction.
How a Facilitator Could Respond to Support Teacher Learning Direct participants to pages 21-22 of Module 1 to review the key research that supports formative instructional practices (formative assessment) as the way to raise achievement for all students.
4. Common Pitfalls or Misconceptions about Formative Instructional Practice Using formative instructional practices means I have to change everything I do.
Why Is This a Pitfall or Misconception? Teachers already use many formative instructional practices. The shift for most teachers is how intentional these practices are daily, and in how they prepare students to use these practices as well.
Small and strategic changes in teacher and student behavior make a big difference in the effectiveness of formative instructional practices on student learning.
How a Facilitator Could Respond to Support Teacher Learning Direct participants to the following video clips found in Module 1:
• Teacher Insight (page 31): Hear what teachers are saying as they embed formative instructional practices into their daily teaching.
• My Classroom Then and Now (page 45): Use this video to open up the conversation with teachers about how formative instructional practices transform a classroom.
5. Common Pitfalls or Misconceptions about Formative Instructional Practice I’m already using formative instructional practices (formative assessment). I have learning targets posted in my room.
Why Is This a Pitfall or Misconception? You often hear, “We do formative assessment. We have learning targets.”
However, targets are the tip of the iceberg, and their use goes much deeper than simply posting the targets for students to see. Making the learning target visible is a great start; however, the power of the target is when the teacher and student have a shared understanding of exactly what the learning is and what it looks like when a student has mastered or met the learning at varying levels.
Used successfully, the learning target guides teachers and students throughout the teaching and learning process.
How a Facilitator Could Respond to Support Teacher Learning Share with participants that as we move through the next several formative instructional practices online modules, we will discover the real power of clear targets.
The teachers that already post clear learning targets will learn how to further harness the power of these targets to guide the teaching and learning process.
6. Common Pitfalls or Misconceptions about Formative Instructional Practice After administering a formative assessment, teachers always need to reteach and reassess.
Why Is This a Pitfall or Misconception? This is true some of the time, but not all of the time. After a formative assessment (formative event), teachers and students need to respond to what the data, or evidence, tells them. Sometimes this will mean reteaching and reassessing, and sometimes it will mean moving on.
It is important to note when teachers reteach or provide enrichment, they also need to provide further practice opportunities before assessing students again.
How a Facilitator Could Respond to Support Teacher Learning When planning to use assessment information formatively, consider the following options:
•Will you use the results to group students for reteaching or enrichment?
• Will you use the results to provide students with feedback on their strengths and areas of need?
•Will students use the results to self-assess and set goals for further learning?
• Will students use the results to offer each other feedback?
Module 3: Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning is a valuable learning experience for this misconception.
7. Common Pitfalls or Misconceptions about Formative Instructional Practice Summative assessments are bad.
Why Is This a Pitfall or Misconception? “Summative assessments aren’t bad or wrong. They’re just not formative; they have a different purpose—to report out level of achievement. Mislabeling them as formative will not cause them to generate the achievement gains noted in research studies.” – Formative assessment expert Jan Chappuis, in her book, Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning.
Both formative and summative assessments play an important role in a balanced assessment system.
How a Facilitator Could Respond to Support Teacher Learning There are a few options for revisiting this topic:
1. Refer participants to Module 1 Download A: Formative or Summative Chart. This chart serves as a reminder for all educators about the varying uses of assessment and needs of assessment users.
2. Navigate participants through the online version of this activity.
3. Work through Module 1 Download B: Formative or Summative Template. Working through this together is a great way to understand the difference between formative and summative assessment and the need for both.
8. Common Pitfalls or Misconceptions about Formative Instructional Practice Formative instructional practices always play out over a long period of time.
Why Is This a Pitfall or Misconception? This is true some of the time, but not all of the time. Remember, using formative instructional practices can be both formal and informal.
Teachers and students may use formative instructional practices in a “formal process” that occurs over the course of a week or unit. They can also be used in an “informal process” that takes place in a lesson or even in a matter of minutes.
How a Facilitator Could Respond to Support Teacher Learning Ask participants the following:
•Have you ever gathered and responded to evidence within a lesson or class period?
• How did you or your students use the evidence to get better?
Question Students Can Answer Current Practice By Whom? High-Impact Practice?
Where am I now? Provide students effective feedback (oral, written, individual, and group). This includes:
• Feedback directed to the learning and not the learner.
• Feedback that occurs during the learning.
• Feedback that addresses at least a partial understanding.
• Feedback that does not do the thinking for the student.
• Feedback that is limited to what students can act on.
This also includes establishing a feedback-friendly culture in the classroom.
Teacher
Students
Teacher and Students
Yes, Black and Wiliam recommend that we increase descriptive feedback and reduce evaluative feedback.
No
Where am I now? Teach students how and then have students provide each other effective feedback (oral, written, individual, and group). This includes:• Teaching students how to use tools like
rubrics and exemplars to guide their thinking.
• Modeling for students how to conference.• Having students examine their own work
before pairing with others.
Teacher
Students
Teacher and Students
Yes, Black and Wiliam recommend that students engage in peer feedback or peer review.
No
Where am I now? Assess where students are now—formally or informally. This includes collecting and documenting evidence from:
• Selected response assessment.• Written response assessment.• Performance assessment.• Personal communication—
what we learn from interacting with students (Q & A, interviews, etc.).
Question Students Can Answer Current Practice By Whom? High-Impact Practice?
Where am I now? Teach students how to self-assess, and then have students self-assess their own learning—their results—and set goals. This includes:• Using tools likes rubrics and checklists. • Referring back to exemplars as needed.
Self-assessment and goal setting can occur:• Before the learning (a way to clarify
understanding of the learning target).• During the learning (while a student is
completing an assignment or taking a formative quiz).
• After…after the formative event.
Teacher
Students
Teacher and Students
Yes, Black and Wiliam recommend that students engage in self-assessment.
No
How can I close the gap?
Plan and deliver focused reteaching, enrichment and revision. This includes:• Analyzing evidence—common
misconceptions and reasoning errors.• Creating focused tasks or assignments.• Grouping as needed—whole group, small
group, or even one-on-one.• Using various assessment methods as
teaching tools with students.• Providing focused practice.
Teacher
Students
Teacher and Students
Yes
No
How can I close the gap?
Teach students how to act on feedback, and have them track, reflect on, and share their learning with others. This includes:• Modeling for students what to do with
feedback once it’s given.• Having students document their progress
by learning target.• Having students reflect on growth,
projects, achievement, and themselves as learners.
• Having students share their learning—orally and written.
Teacher
Students
Teacher and Students
Yes , Black and Wiliam recommend that students communicate about their evolving learning during the learning.
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute: A Powerful Partnership
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute (ATI) partnered to create the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. The modules are based on the work of Rick Stiggins, Jan Chappuis, Steve Chappuis, and Judith Arter, leading experts in the field. Specifically, the module content draws heavily from two Pearson ATI publications:
•Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right—using it well (2nd edition)
•Seven strategies of assessment for learning
These materials are designed to correspond with the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. Therefore, the following icons are used to indicate text that is a quote or paraphrase from Pearson ATI publications:
List of references:
Module 1 Participant Handout: Section II, Activity 1 Where am I going? Where am I now? How can I close the gap? Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., pp. 28-32). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
1. An assessment is viewed as an event or test rather than a process.
A. The act of “assessing”—both formatively and summatively—is a process that includes gathering evidence about student learning and responding to the results.
B. What makes assessment more than just an event or test is what you do with the results from the event, test, or activity. When formatively assessing, the results are used to improve learning and inform instruction. When summatively assessing, the results are used to make a judgment about student learning.
Why we chose our answer …
2. Formative instructional practices are an initiative, and “this too shall pass.”
A. Formative instructional practices are about good teaching—they are not a program or initiative.
B. Formative instructional practices are supported in the research to raise levels of achievement for all learners, especially low achievers.
Why we chose our answer …
Misconceptions about Formative Instructional Practices
DIRECTIONS: Read the common educator misconceptions below. Based on what you’ve learned so far, select the answer that you feel is the better information to help address this misconception. Record what makes your choice the better answer. Feel free to return to Module 1 as needed.
3. All formative instructional practices are created equal.
A. Although there are many formative instructional practices, Black and Wiliam recommend key practices—high- impact practices—based on their extensive research.
B. Although there are many formative instructional practices for teachers, it is how students use formative instructional practices that needs to be heightened in classrooms.
Why we chose our answer …
4. Using formative instructional practices means I have to change everything I do.
A. Small and strategic changes make a big difference. Teachers will want to work together to learn about formative instructional practices and intentionally embed the practices proven to produce great gains in student achievement.
B. Using formative instructional practices will also involve changing what students do. This means that teachers need to prepare students and model the high-impact practices that are proven to produce great gains in student achievement.
Why we chose our answer …
5. I’m already using formative instructional practices (formative assessment). I have learning targets posted in my room.
A. Clear learning targets are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to formative instructional practices. They are important because they make the high-impact formative instructional practices possible.
B. Although a great start, the power of learning targets occurs when teachers and students have a shared understanding of exactly what the learning is and what it looks like when a student has mastered or met the learning at varying levels.
6. After administering a formative assessment, teachers always need to reteach and reassess their students.
A. This is true some of the time, but not all of the time. After a formative assessment (a formative assessment event), teachers and students need to respond to what the data, or evidence, tells them.
B. If reteaching is necessary, students should not be reassessed until they have additional opportunities to practice.
Why we chose our answer …
7. Summative assessments are bad.
A. “Summative assessments aren’t bad or wrong. They’re just not formative.” –Formative assessment expert Jan Chappuis, in her book, Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning.
B. Summative assessments are a necessary component of a balanced assessment system—in our classrooms, schools, and districts.
Why we chose our answer …
8. Formative instructional practices always play out over a long period of time.
A. This is true some of the time, but not all of the time. Using formative instructional practices includes gathering and responding to evidence of student learning both formally and informally.
B. The process of using formative instructional practices can occur within a class lesson or even a matter of minutes. If a teacher or student gathered and responded to evidence of learning to improve learning, he or she has used formative instructional practices.
DIRECTIONS: Fill in the boxes to best reflect your own thinking about formative instructional practices. Be prepared to share your thoughts with the team.
Segment One: Clarity of Learning The Teacher: Learn about the benefits of clear learning targets and how to ensure your own understanding of what students should know and be able to do.
Segment Two: Clarity of Learning The Student: Learn how to make the learning targets clear to your students.
SUMMARY
Learning targets—the statements of the intended learning—are essential for sound assessment, serving as a critical foundation of the teaching and learning process.
In Segment One, you will learn how to ensure your own understanding of the learning targets by: • Deconstructing complex standards; • Identifying the ultimate type of learning target and determining the underpinning targets that make up the standard; and • Learning the benefits of learning targets to teachers, students, and parents.
In Segment Two, you will learn how to make the learning targets clear to students using the following steps: 1. Deconstruct the standard or learning goal if needed. 2. Rewrite the learning targets in student-friendly language. 3. Organize learning targets into a logical progression, considering which targets: • Lay the base for learning (foundation learning) • Demonstrate mastery of the standard • Go beyond the standard 4. Share learning targets with students using one of the following options: • State the learning target in its original form • Create a student-friendly version of the learning target and then share it • Create a student-friendly rubric
Clear learning targets, written in student-friendly language, are an essential component of formative instructional practices. They serve as a foundation that helps teachers, students, and parents understand the intended learning.
What Comes Next in Our Learning?Module 2: Clear Learning Targets Preview
LEARNING TARGETS: 1. Understand the benefits of clear learning targets.
2. Know how to ensure learning targets are clear to the teacher.
3. Know how to make learning targets clear to students.
• Understand the benefits of clear learning targets.
• Know how to ensure learning targets are clear to the teacher.
• Know how to make learning targets clear to students.
2
Reference Information
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute: A Powerful Partnership
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute (ATI) partnered to create the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. The modules are based on the work of Rick Stiggins, Jan Chappuis, Steve Chappuis, and Judith Arter, leading experts in the field. Specifically, the module content draws heavily from two Pearson ATI publications:
• Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right—using it well (2nd edition)
• Seven strategies of assessment for learning
These materials are designed to correspond with the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. Therefore, the following icons are used to indicate text that is a quote or paraphrase from Pearson ATI publications:
List of references:
Module 2 Facilitation Guide: Section I, Activity 1 Characteristics of Effective Feedback. Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning (p. 56). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 2 Facilitation Guide: Section I, Activity 2 Types of Learning Targets. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., pp. 44-56). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 2 Facilitation Guide: Section I, Activity 3 Sharing Learning Targets with Students. Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning (pp. 22-40). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 2 Facilitation Guide: Section II, Activity 1 Types of Learning Targets. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., pp. 44-56). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 2 Facilitator Answer Key: Section I, Activity 2 Types of Learning Targets. Chappuis, J.,Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., pp. 44-56). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
• Understand the benefits of clear learning targets.• Know how to ensure learning targets are clear to
the teacher.• Know how to make learning targets clear to students.
Section I: Confirming Our Learning Activity 1: What Leaders, Teachers, Coaches, and Students Might Say About Clear Learning Targets
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to clarify common educator misconceptions or pitfalls about learning targets by critiquing what educators and students might say. Time: 30 minutes
Activity 2: Critiquing Deconstructed “Standards”
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to ensure that teachers understand how to classify learning targets—this includes how to determine the ultimate target type of a standard and its underpinning targets. Time: 15 – 30 minutes
Activity 3: Sharing and Ensuring Students Understand Learning Targets
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to clarify that the key to sharing learning targets is making sure that students understand them. Time: 15 – 30 minutes
Section II: Confirming Our PracticeActivity 1: Assessing Our Practice of Deconstructing a Standard
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is for teachers to self-assess where they are with their ability to deconstruct standards. Time: 30 minutes
Activity 2: Assessing Our Practice of Creating Student-Friendly Learning Targets
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is for teachers to self-assess where they are now with their ability to create student-friendly learning targets. Time: 30 minutes
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is for the team to establish some specific and challenging individual or team goals around the creation and use of learning targets. Time: 20 minutes
Activity 2: What Comes Next in Our Learning?
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to preview what comes next in the learning and prepare for the completion of Module 3: Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning. Time: 10 minutes
Prior to Facilitating Discussion about Module 2: Clear Learning Targets
READY TO GO NEED TO DO THIS
Ensure that all teachers have access to the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices modules.
Ensure that all teachers have completed Module 2.
Review Module 2. This includes reviewing reflection questions and video that might be incorporated into the meeting(s).
Review the Module 2 facilitation materials.
Determine agenda(s) based on the available time you have to meet. You may need to adapt the provided agenda based on the time available to you.
Notify teachers of the meeting time and place. Remind them to bring any notes they recorded when they completed Module 2. This includes the standard that they deconstructed in segment one and scaffolded into student-friendly learning targets in segment two.
One week before the scheduled meeting(s), send copies of the agenda to colleagues.
Make copies of resources as needed.
Review Module 3: Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning to help you preview the module with teachers (Section III of agenda).
Arrange internet access if you plan to refer to any pages in Module 2.
SECTION I CONFIRMINGOUR LEARNINGACTIVITIES 1-3This section includes three activities designed to ensure that teachers have met
the learning targets of Module 2: Clear Learning Targets.
Total Section I Time: 60 – 90 minutes
Activity 1: 30 minutes
Activity 2: 15 – 30 minutes
Activity 3: 15 – 30 minutes
6
What Leaders, Teachers, Coaches, and Students Might Say About Clear Learning Targets
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Review the learning targets of Module 2: Clear Learning Targets.
2. Provide each teacher a copy of the handout What Leaders, Teachers, Coaches, and Students Might Say About Clear Learning Targets.
3. Share the purpose of the activity.
4. Working in pairs, have the teachers follow the directions on the handout, deciding if what leaders, teachers, coaches, and students might say about clear learning targets is aligned to what they’ve learned. They must also provide a justification for their choice.
5. After the pairs have selected their answers, ask each pair to share its responses along with justification of their choices.
6. Use the What Leaders, Teachers, Coaches, and Students Might Say About Clear Learning Targets Answer Key to help facilitate the conversation as needed.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
• All statements except number four are common misconceptions about clear learning targets.
• Remember to listen to make sure the groups support their choices with sound and sufficient reasoning.
• Because this is a blended learning experience, feel free to go back into Module 2 as needed.
MODULE 2 - SECTION I - ACTIVITY 1
FIP TIPS
APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to clarify common misconceptions or pitfalls about clear learning targets by critiquing what educators and students might say.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Facilitator Resources: Handout: What Leaders, Teachers, Coaches, and Students Might Say About Clear Learning Targets Answer Key
Participant Resources: Handout: What Leaders, Teachers, Coaches, and Students Might Say About Clear Learning Targets
Share the learning targets, and remember, the power of sharing them is realized when learners understand them.
Provide effective feedback. As you use the provided resource, be sure that the
feedback you provide:
• Directs attention to the intended learning. Point out strengths in their justifications and offer specific information to guide them as needed.
• Occurs during this activity.
• Addresses partial understanding. If a pair’s answer is not on track at all, you may suggest that it revisit Module 2 for clarity.
• Does not do the thinking for the teachers.
• Is limited to what teachers can handle at this point in their learning. Most have only completed Modules 1 and 2.
7
Critiquing Deconstructed “Standards”
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Let teachers know that Activity 2 addresses the second learning target of Module 2: Know how to ensure learning targets are clear to the teacher. This is why the deconstruction process is so important.
2. Provide each teacher a copy of the handout Critiquing Deconstructed “Standards.”
3. Share the purpose of the activity.
4. Working in pairs, have the teachers follow the directions on the handout, critiquing the cards and discussing their insights with each other.
5. Use the Critiquing Deconstructed “Standards” Answer Key to help facilitate a follow-up conversation as needed.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
• As indicated on the answer key, card A is an example of strong work, and card B is an example of weak work.
• For teachers having difficulty classifying types of learning targets, review the definitions.
° KNOWLEDGE TARGETS represent the factual information, procedural knowledge, and conceptual understandings that underpin a standard.
° REASONING TARGETS specify thought processes students are to learn to do well within a range of subjects—solve problems, make inferences, draw conclusions, and form judgments.
° SKILL TARGETS are those where a demonstration or physical skill-based performance is the heart of the learning.
° PRODUCT TARGETS describe learning in terms of artifacts where creation of a product is the focus of the learning target. With product targets, the specifications for quality of the product itself are the focus of teaching and assessment.
• Because this is a blended learning experience, feel free to go back into Module 2 as needed.
MODULE 2 - SECTION I - ACTIVITY 2
FIP TIPS
APPROXIMATE TIME: 15 - 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to ensure that teachers understand how to classify learning targets. Classifying learning targets includes determining the ultimate target type of a standard and its underpinning targets.
Remind teachers one of the reasons we deconstruct standards is to clarify our own understanding of the intended learning.
Use examples of strong and weak work to clarify the learning targets. The “cards” of this activity serve this purpose.
8
Sharing and Ensuring Students Understand Learning Targets
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Let teachers know that Activity 3 addresses the third learning target of Module 2: Know how to make sure learning targets are clear to students.
2. Provide each teacher a copy of the handout Sharing and Ensuring Students Understand Learning Targets.
3. Share the purpose of the activity.
4. Working in pairs, have the teachers follow the directions on the handout. Teachers will pick a partner, read two of the following scenarios each, and prepare to discuss the following with their partners:
° How does the teacher or team ensure that students understand the learning targets?
° Could any of the scenarios work in your classroom? Which one(s)? How?
5. Use the Sharing and Ensuring Students Understand Learning Targets Answer Key to help facilitate follow-up conversations as needed.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
• The four scenarios are just a few examples of teachers ensuring that learning targets are clear to their students. Have teachers brainstorm other ideas.
• Considering the FIP Tips to the right, have a conversation about how to make their learning targets student-friendly (if time permits).
• Because this is a blended learning experience, feel free to go back into Module 2 as needed.
MODULE 2 - SECTION I - ACTIVITY 3
FIP TIPS
APPROXIMATE TIME: 15 - 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to clarify that the key to sharing learning targets is to ensure that students understand them.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Facilitator Resources: Handout: Sharing and Ensuring Students Understand Learning Targets Answer Key
Participant Resources: Handout: Sharing and Ensuring Students Understand Learning Targets
SECTION II CONFIRMINGOUR PRACTICEACTIVITIES 1-2This section includes two activities designed to facilitate reflection and discussion
about teacher practice related to clear learning targets.
Total Section II Time: 60 minutes
Activity 1: 30 minutes
Activity 2: 30 minutes
10
Assessing Our Practice of Deconstructing a Standard
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Provide each teacher a copy of the handout Checklist for Deconstructing Standards and share the purpose of the activity.
2. Working on their own first, have the teachers check their own work of deconstructing standards using the deconstructing work they completed in segment one on page 36.
3. After teachers have critiqued their own work using the checklist, have them pair up with a colleague to critique each other using the checklist. (Pair teachers of like grades and subjects if possible.)
° If teachers of the same grade/subject, do you have common expectations of what students should know and be able to do based on how you deconstructed standards?
° If working in vertical teams, are there any surprises from one grade to the next?
4. Ask teachers how comfortable they are with their ability to deconstruct standards. For teachers who teach more than one subject, ask about their comfort level in different subjects.
SHARE THESE DECONSTRUCTION TIPS WITH TEACHERS:
• As teachers, we deconstruct so we have a collective understanding of the potential knowledge, reasoning, skill, and product targets that underpin a standard. We “break the standards down” so we can purposely “build
them up again” to create logical progressions for student learning. Through this process, we help even the youngest learners see the connections between and among standards.
• When you deconstruct standards, keep in mind the following:
° For the first couple of standards you deconstruct, fill out the template as shown in the deconstruction example in Module 2.
° Eventually, you may not need to fill out the entire template as you work through this process. For example, you might go through the process of identifying the ultimate target type of a standard and its underpinning targets; then, Steps C and D on the template can occur as rich dialogue with colleagues.
MODULE 2 - SECTION II - ACTIVITY 1
Revisit the learning targets, especially if you are working through Section II at a separate time than Section I.
Have learners self-assess and peer-assess. Critiquing your own work first is important. Too often learners pair up to engage in peer assessment/feedback before examining their own work first.
FIP TIPS
APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is for teachers to self-assess where they are now with their own ability to deconstruct standards.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Participant Resources: Handout: Checklist for Deconstructing Standards
Assessing Our Practice of Creating Student-Friendly Learning Targets
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Provide each teacher a copy of the handout Checklist for Creating Student-Friendly Learning Targets and share the purpose of the activity.
2. Working on their own first, have the teachers check their own work of creating student-friendly learning targets using the work they completed in segment two on page 49.
3. After teachers have critiqued their own work using the checklist, have them pair up with a colleague to critique each other using the checklist. (Pair teachers of like grades and subjects if possible.)
° If teachers of the same grade/subject, compare and contrast how you converted the language (if necessary) and how you organized the learning progression.
° If working in vertical teams, are there any surprises from one grade to the next?
4. Ask teachers how comfortable they are with their ability to create student-friendly learning targets and organize them into a logical progression for learning (i.e., laying the base, mastering the standard, going beyond).
Remember: If at all possible, teachers should plan for all three levels (laying the base, mastering the standard, and going beyond). Why?
° Determine “Mastering the Standard” targets first. This will give the team clarity around what exactly students should know and be able to do with the standard, at the grade level.
° “Laying the Base” targets are important because they force us to consider where the mastery learning springs from. If our students are struggling with mastering the standard, how far back should we go? How can we meet students where they are in order to move their learning forward?
° In the same spirit, “Going Beyond” learning targets are important because they encourage us to know and plan for where the learning goes next. This is especially important for students already mastering the standard.
MODULE 2 - SECTION II - ACTIVITY 2
Have learners self-assess and peer-assess. Notice how having a tool like a checklist supports both self- and peer-assessment.
FIP TIP
There are learning paths that provide teachers with additional instruction and practice in deconstructing standards, classifying and creating clear learning targets, and organizing targets into a logical progression for learning in various grades and subject areas:
• Creating Clear Learning Targets in ELA
• Creating Clear Learning Targets in Math
• Creating Clear Learning Targets in Social Studies
• Creating Clear Learning Targets in Science
NOTE:
APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is for teachers to self-assess where they are now with their own ability to create student-friendly learning targets.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Participant Resources: Handout: Checklist for Creating Student-Friendly Learning Targets
SECTION III CONFIRMINGOUR COMMITMENTACTIVITIES 1-2This section includes two activities designed to help teachers set goals and take action
based on what they’ve learned about clear learning targets.
Total Section III Time: 30 minutes
Activity 1: 20 minutes
Activity 2: 10 minutes
13
Setting Goals for Learning Targets
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Provide and ask teachers to complete the Setting Goals for Learning Targets handout.
2. Ask teachers to share their goals with the group.
MODULE 2 - SECTION III - ACTIVITY 1
Have teachers set specific and challenging goals.
FIP TIP
APPROXIMATE TIME: 20 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is for the team to establish some specific and challenging individual or team goals around the creation and use of learning targets.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Participant Resources: Handout: Setting Goals for Learning Targets
3. Provide team members with the Module 3: Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning Preview. Review as a team.
4. Pose the following questions to the group:
° How can learning more about designing accurate assessments better support student learning?
° How confident are we that the assessments we use, both formally and informally, provide accurate information about student learning?
5. Establish a commitment to proceed with further learning by completing Module 3. Make this doable by agreeing on a reasonable timeline. (Keep in mind that your team may choose to take the additional modules for how to create clear learning targets specifically in ELA, mathematics, science, and social studies.)
6. Invite any closing remarks. Recognize the good work they have done and your eagerness to continue with them on this journey.
MODULE 2 - SECTION III - ACTIVITY 2
Share what comes next in the learning. By previewing Module 3, participants have the opportunity to begin to understand the learning targets that come next.
FIP TIP
APPROXIMATE TIME: 10 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of the activity is to preview what comes next in our learning and prepare for the completion of Module 3: Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Participant Resources: Handout: Module 3: Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning Preview
1. A leader might say: “When it comes to learning targets, the most important thing for me is to ensure that all teachers are posting them in their classrooms.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. The power of clear learning targets on the learning process goes much deeper than simply posting a learning target on the wall for students to see. Making the learning target physically visible is a great start. However, the power of the target is when the teacher and student have a shared understanding of exactly what the learning is and what it looks like at varying levels of quality.
2. A student might say: “Learning targets are what I should know and be able to do.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. Learning targets are the statements of the intended learning. They are what students learn—the end goal. The activities are what they do to meet them. The activities are the means to the end.
3. A coach might say: “As we work in our learning teams, our ultimate goal is to ensure that all learning targets are crafted as “I can” statements.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. Although many educators begin learning targets with the “I can” stem, there are many ways to craft learning targets. For example, other stems, such as “I know” or “We are learning to” can work. A learning target is sometimes one concise statement. It could also be longer, be embedded in a rubric, or contain graphics… whatever it takes to make the learning clear to students.
What Leaders, Teachers, Coaches, and Students Might Say About Clear Learning Targets
DIRECTIONS: With a partner, read what some leaders, teachers, and students might say about clear learning targets. Based on what you’ve learned so far, do you agree or disagree that the statement aligns with formative instructional practices? Be prepared to defend your choice. Feel free to return to Module 2 as needed.
4. A leader might say: “I know that it takes time to create learning targets; however, it is only the teachers who can align learning targets to standards and put them into student-friendly language for the students who need to learn them.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. Educators must be the ultimate experts of any tool or resource used with students, and learning targets are no exception. Only assessment-literate teachers can create and/or adapt targets to ensure that the wording meets the requirement of the standards and the needs of the students who are working to master or meet them. Moreover, it is the creation of targets where educators reflect on how to best make the learning clear for all students.
5. A teacher might say: “Since my targets are organized as a list, I will be able to check them off as I teach them.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. The last thing we want to do is view learning targets as a list of things to “cover” and check off. It is critical that learning targets be organized into a logical progression for learning and grouped appropriately to provide a meaningful learning experience for students. Yes, we can still isolate learning targets when providing explicit success and intervention feedback, but students need to see the connections between and among the learning targets.
6. A teacher might say: “If I share the learning target by stating it at the start of instruction, that should be enough.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. An important part of creating a target-rich learning environment—instead of an environment that places the focus on activity—is to keep the learning target(s) front and center throughout the entire learning process. Simply sharing the learning target at the start of instruction is not enough. We need to ensure students understand the learning targets and why the learning is important.
Scenario 1: Mr. Quinn’s Pretest In Mr. Quinn’s classroom the learning targets are posted on the bulletin board. He starts each week by pointing to the chart of targets and reminding students which specific targets they are currently working to master.
As he begins a new unit of instruction, Mr. Quinn creates a pretest that lists the learning targets at the start of each section of the assessment. In other words, the pretest is organized so that each learning target is the header to a section of questions; that way, the students always know how the assessment questions are aligned to the learning targets.
Mr. Quinn uses this pretest to gather data by individual student for EACH target on the assessment. He uses this information to differentiate the process, products, and content throughout the unit of instruction.
Students in his classroom maintain a portfolio with a list of learning targets—a mirror image of the learning targets posted on Mr. Quinn’s bulletin board. Students keep their pretest results in their portfolios and gather evidence that they are mastering the targets and are ready for the summative assessment.
How does Mr. Quinn ensure that students understand the learning targets?• Mr. Quinn physically posts the targets in the room and orally reminds students which targets they are working to master.
• Mr. Quinn puts the learning targets on pretests as section headers so students see what the targets look like in the form of problems and questions.
• Mr. Quinn individualizes learning based on students’ understanding of the learning targets.
• Mr. Quinn’s students keep a portfolio where they gather evidence and track their learning/progress of the learning targets.
Scenario 2: Monday Math Quizzes A team of Grade 7 math teachers has agreed to give a quick five-point quiz every Monday. The quiz is aligned to the learning targets for that week of study. At the end of the day, the team gathers to sort all of the student quizzes from their various class periods into three piles:
1. Students who clearly don’t understand the majority of the learning targets.
2. Students who clearly do understand the majority of the learning targets.
3. It remains unclear if students understand the targets or not.
At this point, team members select one of the piles and create a series of learning activities or experiences to support the learners represented in the pile.
Sharing and Ensuring Students Understand Learning Targets
DIRECTIONS: Pick a partner and read two of the scenarios each. Discuss the following with your partner:
• How does the teacher or team ensure that students understand the learning targets?
• Could any of the scenarios work in your classroom? Which one(s)? How?
On Tuesday, teachers reenter their classroom with three differentiated options in their hands, and students embark on the activities they are to accomplish that week relative to their learning needs.
In this scenario, teachers remain in their individual classrooms, monitoring all three groups at once. Variation: In some cases, if schedules align, students move to different classrooms for the week based on their learning needs.
The teachers move about their rooms throughout the week, monitoring student changes in learning with a (+) for targets mastered, a (-) for targets not mastered, and a (?) if evidence is inconsistent. The team touches base quickly at the end of each day for a quick brainstorming session to help the learners in their room who are not mastering the learning targets prior to Friday’s summative assessment.
How does the Grade 7 math team ensure that students understand the learning targets?• The team gives a quick assessment each Monday to determine where students are with the learning targets and sort their students into three groups—those who clearly don’t understand the learning targets, those who clearly do understand the learning targets, and those where more evidence is needed to know.
• The team differentiates instruction based on the three groups, each teacher taking responsibility for preparing materials for one of the groups.
• Throughout the week, the teachers monitor student changes in learning.
Scenario 3: Ms. Kennedy’s Writing Lesson Every Monday, Ms. Kennedy poses a writing prompt to her students. Together, Ms. Kennedy and her students review the prompt as well as the rubric that clarifies all of the criteria needed to produce a high-quality piece of writing.
However, even before her students begin brainstorming their own topics, Ms. Kennedy shares anonymous examples from students who wrote on the same prompt. She is purposeful in choosing examples of both strong and weak work. This way, when students review the anonymous examples using the rubric, they are able to determine what qualities make the example strong or weak work.
If it is a new prompt, Ms. Kennedy usually opts to write on the topic herself and let her students critique her work. She has found that students love to critique the work of their teacher!
After students write their first drafts, Ms. Kennedy’s students critique their own papers using the rubric. Using the rubric categories, students identify the feedback they need from Ms. Kennedy to improve their writing. Around the room, Ms. Kennedy hangs sign-up sheets for each category of the rubric. Students sign up for a conference with Ms. Kennedy based on the feedback they need. By using this process, students can conference with Ms. Kennedy about one aspect of quality at a time, and she only gives feedback about the category of the student’s choosing. Because the rubric brings clarity to the learning, Ms. Kennedy is able to easily provide descriptive feedback to her students.
How does Ms. Kennedy ensure that students understand the learning targets?• Ms. Kennedy shares the writing rubric with her students, clarifying all of the criteria to produce a high-quality piece of writing.
• Ms. Kennedy shares anonymous examples of strong and weak work to review with the rubric, allowing students to determine what qualities make the examples strong or weak work.
• Ms. Kennedy often shares her own writing for her students to critique.
• Ms. Kennedy has students critique their own drafts against the rubric and determine which aspect of quality they would like to conference on with her.
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute: A Powerful Partnership
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute (ATI) partnered to create the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. The modules are based on the work of Rick Stiggins, Jan Chappuis, Steve Chappuis, and Judith Arter, leading experts in the field. Specifically, the module content draws heavily from two Pearson ATI publications:
• Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right—using it well (2nd edition)
• Seven strategies of assessment for learning
These materials are designed to correspond with the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. Therefore, the following icons are used to indicate text that is a quote or paraphrase from Pearson ATI publications:
List of references:
Module 2 Participant Handout: Section I, Activity 2 Types of Learning Targets. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., pp. 44-56). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 2 Participant Handout: Section II, Activity 1 Types of Learning Targets. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., pp. 44-56). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 2 Participant Handout: Section II, Activity 1 Deconstructing Standards. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., pp. 60-68). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 2 Participant Handout: Section II, Activity 2 Types of Learning Targets. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., pp. 44-56). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 2 Participant Handout: Section III, Activity 1 Goal Setting Form. R. Stiggins, J. Arter, J. Chappuis, and S. Chappuis, (2004) Classroom assessment for student learning (p. 369). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 2 Participant Handout: Section III, Activity 1 Goal Setting Form. R. Stiggins, J. Arter, J. Chappuis, and S. Chappuis, (2004) Classroom assessment for student learning (p. 369). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
1. A leader might say: “When it comes to learning targets, the most important thing for me is to ensure that all teachers are posting them in their classrooms.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. The power of clear learning targets on the learning process goes much deeper than simply posting a learning target on the wall for students to see. Making the learning target physically visible is a great start. However, the power of the target is when the teacher and student have a shared understanding of exactly what the learning is and what it looks like at varying levels of quality.
2. A student might say: “Learning targets are what I should know and be able to do.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. Learning targets are the statements of the intended learning. They are what students learn—the end. The activities are what they do to meet them. The activities are the means to the end.
3. A coach might say: “As we work in our learning teams, our ultimate goal is to ensure that all learning targets are crafted as “I can” statements.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. to students.
What Leaders, Teachers, Coaches, and Students Might Say About Clear Learning Targets
DIRECTIONS: With a partner, read what some leaders, teachers, and students might say about clear learning targets. Based on what you’ve learned so far, do you agree or disagree that the statement aligns with formative instructional practices? Be prepared to defend your choice. Feel free to return to Module 2 as needed.
4. A leader might say: “I know that it takes time to create learning targets; however, it is only the teachers who can align learning targets to standards and put them into student-friendly language for the students who need to learn them.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice.
5. A teacher might say: “Since my targets are organized as a list, I will be able to check them off as I teach them.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice.
6. A teacher might say: “If I share the learning target by stating it at the start of instruction, that should be enough.”
DIRECTIONS: Two of your colleagues are teaching students how to drive. In order to prepare for instruction, they each deconstructed the standard, “Drive a car with skill.”
Choose a partner, and complete the following steps:
• Partner A: Critique Card A.
• Partner B: Critique Card B.
• Be prepared to share your critique with your partner.
• Feel free to return to Module 2 as needed.
CARD A
STANDARD: Drive a car with skill. ULTIMATE TARGET TYPE: Skill Target
UNDERPINNING TARGETS:
CARD B
STANDARD: Drive a car with skill. ULTIMATE TARGET TYPE: Reasoning Target
Scenario 1: Mr. Quinn’s Pretest In Mr. Quinn’s classroom the learning targets are posted on the bulletin board. He starts each week by pointing to the chart of targets and reminding students which specific targets they are currently working to master.
As he begins a new unit of instruction, Mr. Quinn creates a pretest that lists the learning targets at the start of each section of the assessment. In other words, the pretest is organized so that each learning target is the header to a section of questions; that way, the students always know how the assessment questions are aligned to the learning targets.
Mr. Quinn uses this pretest to gather data by individual student for EACH target on the assessment. He uses this information to differentiate the process, products, and content throughout the unit of instruction.
Students in his classroom maintain a portfolio with a list of learning targets—a mirror image of the learning targets posted on Mr. Quinn’s bulletin board. Students keep their pretest results in their portfolios and gather evidence that they are mastering the targets and are ready for the summative assessment.
How does Mr. Quinn ensure that students understand the learning targets?
Scenario 2: Monday Math Quizzes A team of Grade 7 math teachers has agreed to give a quick five-point quiz every Monday. The quiz is aligned to the learning targets for that week of study. At the end of the day, the team gathers to sort all of the student quizzes from their various class periods into three piles:
1. Students who clearly don’t understand the majority of the learning targets.
2. Students who clearly do understand the majority of the learning targets.
3. It remains unclear if students understand the targets or not.
At this point, team members select one of the piles and create a series of learning activities or experiences to support the learners represented in the pile.
Sharing and Ensuring Students Understand Learning Targets
DIRECTIONS: Pick a partner, and read two scenarios each. Discuss the following with your partner:
• How does the teacher or team ensure that students understand the learning targets?
• Could any of the scenarios work in your classroom? Which one(s)? How?
On Tuesday, teachers reenter their classroom with three differentiated options in their hands, and students embark on the activities they are to accomplish that week relative to their learning needs.
In this scenario, teachers remain in their individual classrooms, monitoring all three groups at once. Variation: In some cases, if schedules align, students move to different classrooms for the week based on their learning needs.
The teachers move about their rooms throughout the week, monitoring student changes in learning with a (+) for targets mastered, a (-) for targets not mastered, and a (?) if evidence is inconsistent. The team touches base quickly at the end of each day for a quick brainstorming session to help the learners in their room who are not mastering the learning targets prior to Friday’s summative assessment.
How does the Grade 7 math team ensure that students understand the learning targets?
Scenario 3: Ms. Kennedy’s Writing Lesson Every Monday, Ms. Kennedy poses a writing prompt to her students. Together, Ms. Kennedy and her students review the prompt as well as the rubric that clarifies all of the criteria needed to produce a high-quality piece of writing.
However, even before her students begin brainstorming their own topics, Ms. Kennedy shares anonymous examples from students who wrote on the same prompt. She is purposeful in choosing examples of both strong and weak work. This way, when students review the anonymous examples using the rubric, they are able to determine what qualities make the example strong or weak work.
If it is a new prompt, Ms. Kennedy usually opts to write on the topic herself and let her students critique her work. She has found that students love to critique the work of their teacher!
After students write their first drafts, Ms. Kennedy’s students critique their own papers using the rubric. Using the rubric categories, students identify the feedback they need from Ms. Kennedy to improve their writing. Around the room, Ms. Kennedy hangs sign-up sheets for each category of the rubric. Students sign up for a conference with Ms. Kennedy based on the feedback they need. By using this process, students can conference with Ms. Kennedy about one aspect of quality at a time, and she only gives feedback about the category of the student’s choosing. Because the rubric brings clarity to the learning, Ms. Kennedy is able to easily provide descriptive feedback to her students.
How does Ms. Kennedy ensure that students understand the learning targets?
I have determined the ultimate target type(s) of the standard. This means I have classified the standard as being a knowledge, reasoning, skill, or product standard. (Remember that a few of the standards have more than one ultimate type of intended learning.)
I have determined the underpinning targets of the standard. This means I have determined any knowledge, reasoning, skill, or product targets that underpin or define this standard. (These targets are the “mastering the standard” targets.)
I have defined any academic or domain language of the standard that needs clarification. This means I have listed and defined any academic or domain language that may be new or difficult for my students.
I have reviewed the learning that comes before this standard. This means I have determined some key targets that “lay the base” for the standard. This also means I have determined the key foundational learning needed to master the standard. These targets are determined by:
• Reviewing the related intended learning of previous grade or course • Revisiting targets from earlier in the year• Considering a lower cognitive demand of the standard• Using my own professional judgment• Or, using any combination of the above strategies
I have reviewed the learning that comes after this standard. This means I have determined some key targets that “go beyond” the standard. This also means I have determined how to stretch the learning for students who have mastered or met the standard. These targets are determined by:
• Reviewing the related intended learning of a future grade or course • Going deeper with content• Considering a higher cognitive demand of the standard• Using my own professional judgment• Or, using any combination of the above strategies
I have used my professional judgment and experience to consider other things about this standard such as common misconceptions students have, what students typically find easy or difficult when learning this standard, etc.
Checklist for Deconstructing Standards
DIRECTIONS: Use the following checklist to critique standard deconstructions.
I have converted the deconstructed learning targets into student-friendly language as needed. This means I have:
• Created student-friendly versions as statements or rubrics of the Laying the Base, Mastering the Standard, and Going Beyond targets of a standard, yet maintained the intent and rigor of the targets.
• Chosen an appropriate stem dependent on the age and needs of my students.• Used symbols and other graphic representations needed for clarity.
I have made sure that the “Mastering the Standard” targets reach the cognitive demand of the standard. “Mastering the Standard” means mastering or meeting all of the knowledge, reasoning, skill, and product targets that define or underpin a standard.
I have clarified any academic or domain language of the standard in my learning targets. This means I have used the targets as a way to teach my students the academic and domain language they need to be successful.
I have organized the learning targets into a logical progression for learning. This means I have targets that demonstrate Laying the Base, Mastering the Standard, and Going Beyond the standard.
Consider This! As you proceed to create clear learning targets for your students:
• Purposely pair or group standards together. You won’t often teach a standard in isolation. You will be combining deconstructed standards together in a logical learning progression.
• Spend time creating logical progressions for learning. It is time well spent. As you do, ask yourself: Where should I enter students into this learning? Remember, learning and engagement are best served by entering into higher-level thinking.
• All of the targets of a standard are not always all learned at one time. Your learning progression may include targets from several standards. Sometimes you may include a target in a progression of something coming up later as a way to “plant the seed” for future learning. Other times, you might include a target or two in a progression to purposely “spiral back” or revisit previous learning.
• Continue this important work with your colleagues. Together, you know and can do more.
When deconstructing, you made sure that the targets align to the standards. Now it is time to align the targets to the students. When converting deconstructed standards into student-friendly learning targets, the age of students matter as well as the individual students who make up any class, K–12. Remember, the intent is to share learning targets so students can master or meet them. As teachers, you do your best to strike a balance between being student-friendly enough, being concise, and using appropriate academic or domain language. It is important to always maintain the intent and rigor of the target itself.
Checklist for Creating Student-Friendly Learning Targets
DIRECTIONS: Use the following checklist to critique student-friendly learning targets that are organized into a logical progression for learning.
Why Clear Targets? “Absent clear targets, students lack the information they need to self-assess, set goals, and act on the
descriptive feedback they receive. Poorly defined learning expectations cause similar problems to poorly defined behavior expectations—confusion and conflict—which sets students up for failure down the road.”
-Rick Stiggins, Judith A. Arter, Jan Chappuis, and Stephen Chappuis in Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, 2nd edition, 2012
NAME: DATE:
Goal(s):
Current level of achievement:
Evidence:
What I/we need to learn:
Plan of action:
Support needed:
Time frame:
Evidence of achieving goal(s):
Setting Goals for Learning Targets
DIRECTIONS: Write one or two specific and challenging goals you have for creating and using clear learning targets in your classroom. Feeling stuck? Check out the example.
NAME: Maria Sanchez (and team) DATE: September 25th
Goal(s) or learning target(s): 1. Deconstruct the standards for our team's next unit in English language arts. 2. Know how to deconstruct standards in social studies.
Current level of achievement:We feel comfortable deconstructing ELA standards, and it helps that the sample in the module was a reading standard. I am not sure what I need to use from the Model Curriculum to deconstruct content statements in social studies.
Evidence:In our team meeting, we successfully deconstructed a writing strand standard. We had some questions about social studies and science.
What I/we need to learn: We need to learn how to deconstruct ELA standards in a timely manner. We also need to learn how to navigate and utilize the Model Curriculum in social studies.
Plan of action: Each of my team members is going to deconstruct two ELA standards. Then we are going to share and give each other feedback and refine the targets after we use them with our students. We are also going to complete the Creating Clear Learning Targets in Social Studies module. Within this module, we are going to focus on the middle school segment.
Support needed: We need the Model Curriculum in ELA and social studies as well as the formative instructional prac-tices modules. We might even reference the Creating Clear Learning Targets in ELA module to check out all of the samples. And, of course, we need each other!
Time frame: Three weeks
Evidence of achieving goal(s): Students understanding the ELA targets we create and use with them. Checking our deconstruction work in social studies against the samples found in the Creating Clear Learning Targets in
Segment One: Collecting Accurate Formative Evidence Learn about the key aspects of assessment quality to ensure accuracy of the information. Consider the vast amounts of evidence you collect and interpret daily … what will be used formatively?
Segment Two: Documenting Formative Evidence Learn ways to keep track of formative evidence that makes it easier to use for instructional decisions.
SUMMARY
Any evidence of student learning you collect needs to be an accurate reflection of what students should know or be able to do in relation to the defined learning targets. In this module, you will learn about the key aspects of assessment quality to ensure accuracy. Keeping in mind the vast amounts of evidence you collect and interpret daily, you will learn the importance of deciding what information will be collected for formative use at the outset of learning.
Clear Purpose + Clear Learning Targets + Sound Assessment Design = Accuracy Module 3 focuses on the sound assessment design part of the equation. You will learn about the four methods of assessment and how to match them to the learning targets you are teaching: selected-response assessment, written response assessment, performance assessment, and personal communication. You will also learn how to document the evidence you collect. Documentation begins with decisions about which assessment events will be used formatively and which will be used summatively, determining what formative evidence you need or want to keep track of, and identifying the best locations to keep the evidence so it can be easily accessed and used.
The practices of collecting and documenting evidence of student learning do matter. When we have the this information at our fingertips, we are better equipped to provide accurate feedback, plan for differentiated instruction, track student progress toward mastery of the learning targets and standards, and complete a standards-based report card.
Preview of Module 3: Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning
LEARNING TARGETS: 1. Know how to collect accurate formative evidence of student learning.
2. Know how to document formative evidence of student learning.
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute: A Powerful Partnership
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute (ATI) partnered to create the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. The modules are based on the work of Rick Stiggins, Jan Chappuis, Steve Chappuis, and Judith Arter, leading experts in the field. Specifically, the module content draws heavily from two Pearson ATI publications:
•Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right—using it well (2nd edition)
•Seven strategies of assessment for learning
These materials are designed to correspond with the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. Therefore, the following icons are used to indicate text that is a quote or paraphrase from Pearson ATI publications:
List of references:
Module 3 Facilitation Guide: Section I, Activity 2 Assessment Methods. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., pp. 87-92). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 3 Facilitation Guide: Section I, Activity 3 Formative Use of Assessment. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., pp. 104-106). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 3 Facilitator Answer Key: Section I, Activity 1 Target-Method-Match. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., p. 94). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 3 Facilitator Answer Key: Section I, Activity 1 Performance Assessment. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., chapter 7). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 3 Facilitator Answer Key: Section I, Activity 2 Types of Learning Targets. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., pp. 44-56). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 3 Facilitator Answer Key: Section I, Activity 3 Performance Assessment Task Form. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., p. 217). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
4
MODULE 3: Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning
TOTAL TIME: 2.5 hours
MODULE 3 LEARNING TARGETS:
• Know how to collect accurate formative evidence of student learning.
• Know how to document formative evidence of student learning.
Section I: Confirming Our Learning Activity 1: What Leaders, Teachers, and Coaches Might Say About Collecting and Documenting Evidence
of Student Learning
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to clarify common educator misconceptions or pitfalls about collecting and documenting evidence of student learning by critiquing what educators might say. Time: 30 minutes
Activity 2: Test Blueprint Exercise
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to check for understanding of the target-method match. Time: 30 minutes
Activity 3: Documenting Evidence of Student Learning
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to determine ways to document evidence of student learning. Time: 30 minutes
Section II: Confirming Our PracticeActivity 1: Audit an Assessment for Clear Learning Targets
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to assess our understanding of auditing assessments for clear targets. Time: 30 minutes
Section III: Confirming Our CommitmentActivity 1: Setting Goals for Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is for the team to establish some specific and challenging individual or team goals around collecting and documenting evidence of student learning. Time: 20 minutes
Activity 2: What Comes Next in Our Learning?
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to preview what comes next in the learning and prepare for the completion of Module 4: Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback. Time: 10 minutes
Prior to Facilitating Discussion about Module 3: Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning
READY TO GO
NEED TO DO THIS
Ensure that all teachers have access to the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices modules.
Ensure that all teachers have completed Module 3.
Review Module 3. This includes reviewing reflection questions and video that might be incorporated into meetings.
Review the Module 3 facilitation materials.
Determine agendas based on the available time you have to meet. You may need to adapt the provided agenda based on the time available to you.
Notify teachers of the meeting time and place. Remind them to bring any notes they recorded when they completed Module 3 as well as the blueprints they created as they were working on the module.
For this meeting, they will also need to bring the downloads/activities they completed on page 27 of Module 3:
• Test Blueprint Template (Download B from Module 3)
• Audit for Clear Learning Targets (Download C from Module 3)
• A copy of the assessment they audited in Module 3
One week before the scheduled meeting(s), send copies of the agenda to colleagues.
Make copies of resources as needed.
Review Module 4: Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback, which you’ll preview in Section III of the agenda.
Arrange internet access because you will be referring to Module 3 during the activities. If you cannot get Internet access, the handouts can be used by themselves.
SECTION I CONFIRMINGOUR LEARNINGACTIVITIES 1-3This section includes three activities designed to ensure that teachers have met the learning targets of Module 3: Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning.
Total Section I Time: 90 minutes
Activity 1: 30 minutes
Activity 2: 30 minutes
Activity 3: 30 minutes
7
What Leaders, Teachers, and Coaches Might Say About Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Review the learning targets for Module 3: Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning.
2. Provide each teacher a copy of the handout What Leaders, Teachers, and Coaches Might Say About Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning and share the purpose of the activity.
3. Working in pairs, have the teachers follow the directions on the handout, deciding whether they agree or disagree that what leaders, teachers, and coaches might say aligns with what they’ve learned. They must also provide a justification for their choice.
4. After the pairs have selected their answers, ask each pair to share its responses along with justification of its choices.
5. Use the Facilitation Resource What Leaders, Teachers, and Coaches Might Say About Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning Answer Key to help facilitate the conversation as needed.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
• Remember to listen to make sure the groups support their choices with sound and sufficient reasoning.
• Because this is a blended learning experience, feel free to go back into Module 3 as needed.
MODULE 3 - SECTION I - ACTIVITY 1
FIP TIP
APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to clarify common misconceptions or pitfalls about collecting and documenting evidence of student learning by critiquing what educators might say.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Facilitator Resources: Handout: What Leaders, Teachers, and Coaches Might Say About Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning Answer Key
Access to Module 3, Page 10
Participant Resources: Handout: What Leaders, Teachers, and Coaches Might Say About Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning
Share the learning targets and connect them to prior learning. Learners need to understand each learning target and how it connects to what they already know. Remember that just posting a learning target doesn’t ensure learners know where they are going.
8
Test Blueprint Exercise
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Remind teachers that during Module 2 they learned the importance of learning targets and how to deconstruct complex standards in an effort to make them clear to the teacher and to students. Module 3, builds on that information and shows us how to match learning targets to appropriate assessment methods.
2. Review the four methods of assessment and the types of learning targets.
a. Reference page 20 in Module 2 and distribute the handout Types of Targets and the Methods They Match.
b. For the four methods of assessment, pull up page 10 in Module 3 and roll over the squares on the page.
3. Provide each teacher a copy of the handout Test Blueprint Exercise. Tell teachers the purpose of this activity is to help them match appropriate assessment methods to learning targets. The handout is an incomplete blueprint for assessments of formative instructional practices learning targets.
4. Have teachers look at each assessment event, and determine the target types AND which method(s) of assessment would be a good or strong match for the learning targets. Consider using a think-pair-share method to work
through the exercise.
5. Remind teachers that once they have determined what methods they will use to assess the learning targets, they need to consider how much evidence they need. Ask them to consider the learning targets provided and assign a percent importance. This percent represents the sample they will collect to determine whether or not students have learned the target. It also helps students and teachers gauge the priority of each learning target on this assessment. For example, a Spanish test with 30 conjugations and one short answer about Spanish culture implies that vocabulary and grammar are the priority. Students can learn how to study more effectively and efficiently if they know what percent importance targets will have on an assessment.
6. Ask teachers to share their conclusions.
Continued on next page.
MODULE 3 - SECTION I - ACTIVITY 2
FIP TIPS
APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is check for understanding of the target-method match.
Check for learning throughout the learning. Formative instructional practice requires two-way communication. The teacher’s role expands beyond presenting a lesson. Instead, the teacher and students are continually collecting and responding to information about learning.
You will be modeling formative instructional practice by checking for understanding and informally recording evidence of teacher learning. Talk through that process with your participants, so they understand how you are modeling formative instructional practices.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Facilitator Resources: Handout: Test Blueprint Exercise Answer Key
Participant Resources: Handout: Test Blueprint Exercise
Handout: Types of Targets and the Methods They Match
• Teachers may disagree about which assessment is the “best” method. As noted on the key, more than one assessment method may be a good or strong match. Ensure participants communicate sound reasoning for their choice.
• Remind teachers this activity only scratches the surface of sound assessment design. Matching learning targets to appropriate methods of assessment is design requirement number one.
To learn more about sound assessment design, refer to chapters 4-8 of Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, 2nd Edition, by Jan Chappuis, Rick Stiggins, Steve Chappuis, and Judith Arter.
1. Review Module 3 learning targets. This activity addresses the second learning target of Module 3: Know how to document formative evidence of student learning.
2. Remind teachers that Module 3 offers an example of a teacher using red, green, and blue cards during a history class to collect formative evidence of student learning that she tracks informally. Ask them to recall this example. (Teachers should say that the teacher uses different colored cards for the different kinds of government. She asks students to hold up the card they think is the right answer to questions she asks. When all students demonstrate they understand the form of government, she moves her colored card to the side, since she no longer needs to ask questions about that form of government. This technique allows her to continuously monitor what students know and what they do not yet know. She is able to spend her time helping clear up confusions rather than teaching a concept the students already understand.)
3. Review formative uses of assessment provided in the module:
• Using results to group students for re-teaching or enrichment
• Using results to provide students with feedback on their strengths and areas of need
• Providing results to students so they can use them to self-assess and set goals for further learning
• Having students use the results to offer each other feedback
4. Working in pairs or small groups, have the teachers follow the directions on the handout, deciding if they would formally or informally document the assessment information.
5. After giving them some time to work, ask the pairs or groups to share their answers.
6. Use the handout Documenting Evidence of Student Learning Answer Key to help facilitate the conversation as needed.
Continued on next page.
MODULE 3 - SECTION I - ACTIVITY 3
FIP TIP
APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to determine ways to document evidence of student learning.
Assessment information can be tracked formally or informally, meaning it can be formally recorded or just used in the moment to assess where students are. Informal checks for understanding (a stack of sorted papers or cards, recorded answers on a whiteboard, oral questioning, etc.) would not necessarily be recorded. These informal checks are used to help the teacher take the temperature of the room to determine whether or not students are ready to move on.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Facilitator Resources: Handout: Documenting Evidence of Student Learning Answer Key
Participant Resources: Handout: Documenting Evidence of Student Learning
11
Documenting Evidence of Student Learning Continued
• Teachers may disagree about HOW and IF they would record assessment results. There is no “right” answer, so just make sure teachers are sharing their reasoning and point out that sound reasoning is more important than the final answer. There are several examples of how to record assessment results in Module 3.
• Help teachers remember that students do not need to have everything they do recorded, especially when the assessment event is informal or “in the moment.”
SECTION II CONFIRMINGOUR PRACTICEACTIVITY 1This section includes one activity designed to facilitate reflection and discussion about
teacher practice related to collecting and documenting evidence of student learning.
Total Section II Time: 30 minutes
Activity 1: 30 minutes
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Audit an Assessment for Clear Learning Targets
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Revisit the first learning target for Module 3: Know how to collect accurate formative evidence of student learning.
2. Connect this session to prior learning by reviewing that the previous session confirmed that they learned the methods of assessment and the types of learning targets from Module 2, and that they could match good/strong assessment methods to various learning targets types. They also started considering sampling. This section will confirm their practice of collecting accurate formative evidence by having them evaluate assessments they use.
3. During Module 3, teachers were asked to complete an assessment blueprint and then audit an assessment for clear learning targets. Ask them to pull these documents out, along with a copy of the assessment they audited.
4. As a team, discuss item 3 from the handout Audit an Assessment for Clear Learning Targets. Using a flip chart or on a board, record teachers’ responses to the questions.
5. Collect data on how well the teachers understand how to audit an assessment for clear learning targets by having them complete the Exit Slip.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
• Teachers may have trouble connecting learning targets to the new standards if they are not familiar enough with them. Auditing assessments for clear learning targets helps teachers plan for how they will assess the new standards and serves as another great way to begin the transition.
• Auditing assessments as a team is an effective way to build a common understanding of what students should know and be able to do.
MODULE 3 - SECTION II - ACTIVITY 1
Critique anonymous work first. Although teachers will critique assessments they create, it is a good idea to start with something that isn’t so personal, especially when making our work public with our peers. The same is true with students.
Point out to the teachers how important a deep understanding of Ohio’s new standards is to evaluate assessment quality. In order to be able to evaluate assessments, teachers need to know and understand the standards in their content area. They need to know whether or not the assessment is hitting the right targets and how much value it places on different targets.
Exit slips can be a great way to gauge student understanding. They can help you adjust your instruction, so you are being more efficient and ensuring all students are engaged in the learning. Normally teachers would collect exit slips and use them to design instruction, but you will take these exit slips with you and use them to help you reflect upon your commitment to quality assessment practices.
FIP TIPS
APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to assess our understanding of auditing assessments for clear learning targets.
SECTION III CONFIRMINGOUR COMMITMENTACTIVITIES 1-2This section includes two activities designed to help teachers set goals and take
action based on what they’ve learned about collecting and documenting evidence
of student learning.
Total Section III Time: 30 minutes
Activity 1: 20 minutes
Activity 2: 10 minutes
15
Setting Goals for Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Ask teachers to complete the Setting Goals for Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning handout.
2. Ask teachers to share their goals with the group.
MODULE 3 - SECTION III - ACTIVITY 1
Have teachers set specific and challenging goals.
FIP TIP
APPROXIMATE TIME: 20 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of the activity is for the team to establish some specific and challenging individual or team goals around collecting and documenting evidence of student learning.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Participant Resources: Handout: Setting Goals for Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning
1. Provide team members with the Module 4: Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback Preview. Review as a team.
2. Establish a commitment to proceed with further learning by completing Module 4. Make this doable by agreeing on a reasonable timeline.
3. Invite any closing remarks. Recognize the good work they have done and your eagerness to continue with them on this journey.
MODULE 3 - SECTION III - ACTIVITY 2
Share what comes next in the learning. By previewing Module 4, participants have the opportunity to begin to understand the learning targets that come next.
FIP TIP
APPROXIMATE TIME: 10 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of the activity is to preview what comes next in the learning and to prepare for the completion of Module 4: Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback.
1. A leader might say: “I’m sure that all the instructional materials used in our school are aligned to the new standards because the sales rep assured us of it.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. With any commercially-developed product, all educators need to use their professional judgment to ensure that all instructional materials are truly aligned to the learning targets that students are expected to master or meet.
2. A coach might say: “The teachers I’m working with monitor learning by tracking summative evidence only.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. First, teachers track assessment information both formally and informally. Teachers and students benefit from tracking formative evidence. When formative evidence is documented, teachers and students have the information they need while learning unfolds and not only after it has occurred. Equally important is the fact that assessment information is tracked by learning target and not by learning activity.
3. A teacher might say: “With traditional paper and pencil assessments, I always include at least one item where students have to write out an answer.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. Any assessment method used should be determined by the learning target types being assessed and not by a “routine.” (Remember the target types: knowledge, reasoning, skill, and product.) For example, if the learning targets are all knowledge targets, it might be more efficient to use selected-response assessment for all assessment items. On the other hand, if the learning target happens to be a product target, the only reliable and valid method of assessment is performance assessment.
What Leaders, Teachers, and Coaches Might Say About Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning
DIRECTIONS: With a partner, read what some leaders, teachers, and coaches might say about collecting and documenting evidence of student learning. Based on what you’ve learned so far, do you agree or disagree that the statement aligns with formative instructional practices? Be prepared to defend your choice. Return to Module 3 as needed.
4. A coach might say: “It is important that I help teachers with performance assessment this year. If we work on tasks, we can work on rubrics down the road.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. Performance assessment has two parts: the task and the rubric. The rubric, is critical as it defines the criteria for which the product or performance will be judged. With a high-quality rubric, teachers and students are both equipped with the tool they need to assess, and give and receive feedback as the performance assessment method is used to move learning forward.
5. A teacher might say: “I plan the questions I ask. It is not always in the best interest of learning to just see where the discussion goes.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. Like the other methods of assessment, personal communication requires planning as well. If teachers want the questions to match the kinds of targets being assessed, questions should be planned in advance. Yes, classroom discussions create new questions, but appropriate planning will result in the level of dialogue required by the learning targets.
6. A teacher might say: “It is important to determine the sampling of items in advance.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. Inadequate sampling leads to unreliable information to act upon. Without proper sampling, educators don’t have enough items to get the coverage they need in order to make sound decisions with the results. Or, with a single item (especially if it’s selected response) we could be looking at lucky or unlucky results.
DIRECTIONS: Pretend you are teaching a course on formative instructional practices. You are writing an assessment that will address the learning targets listed below. Before creating the actual assessment, you need to match the learning target types to assessment methods. You also need to consider what percent importance you would place on each learning target in this assessment. Use the chart below to help you practice this process. Be prepared to justify your answers and share how you reached your conclusions.
For the last column, teachers should be able to support how they determined the importance of each target.
Learning Target
Target Type
Knowledge, Reasoning,
Skill, or Product
Assessment MethodSelected Response, Written Response, Performance Assessment, and Personal
Communication
Percent Importance (Sampling)
Understand what formative instructional
practices are.Knowledge Target
Written Response = Strong Match
Personal Communication = Strong Match
Selected Response = Good Match
Answers will vary.
Be familiar with the key research findings that support formative instructional practices.
Knowledge Target
Written Response = Strong Match
Personal Communication = Strong Match
Selected Response = Good Match
Answers will vary.
Understand the benefits of clear learning targets.
Knowledge Target
Written Response = Strong Match
Personal Communication = Strong Match
Selected Response = Good Match
Answers will vary.
Know how to ensure learning targets are clear
to the teacher. This means teachers can deconstruct
complex standards.
Knowledge Target—Calls for procedural
knowledge for “how to” deconstruct standards
Written Response = Strong Match
Personal Communication = Strong Match
Selected Response = Good MatchAnswers will vary.
Determine the relative importance of various learning targets when
designing assessments.
Reasoning Target
Written Response = Strong Match
Personal Communication = Strong Match
Selected Response = Good Match
Answers will vary.
Create learning targets by deconstructing standards and organize them into a
logical progression for learning.
Product Target Performance Assessment = Strong Match Answers will vary.
1. Each student submits an exit card that addresses the following learning targets:
a. Explain how to identify authoritative print and digital sources.
b. Know how to use effective strategies for gathering information.
Name: Joel
Explain how you know if a print or digital source is authoritative. If necessary, revisit your list of key terms related to research. There are several ways I can tell if a print or digital source is authoritative. First, the source is credible. This means it is accurate information from a reliable source. Second, the source is from an expert author or publisher on the topic being researched.
State two effective research strategies. Next, explain what makes each strategy an effective one. One research strategy is to use good search terms. Another strategy is to make sure that you have an effective research question to begin with–not too narrow or too broad.
I would formally document the information and then use it.
I would informally use the information.
WHY? Answers will vary.
Formally document—Why? Because the cards are exit cards, there is time to formally document. This would provide the teacher with recorded evidence of these two learning targets. After all, this formative event utilized written response assessment.
Informally document—Why? Because the evidence is on cards, the teacher may choose to simply sort the cards into piles of those who demonstrate an understanding of both learning targets, those who don’t demonstrate an understanding of either learning target, and those who need more support with one of the targets. Additionally, the teacher may not feel a need to record the evidence on these targets because other events are planned for that purpose.
Documenting Evidence of Student Learning Answer Key
DIRECTIONS: With a partner, examine the assessment information below gleaned from formative events of a class learning about and conducting research. For each piece of information, decide if you would formally document the assessment information and then use it or if you would proceed informally.
2. The teacher plans an activity—a planned formative event—where students, working in pairs, distinguish between effective and ineffective research questions. Each student is responsible for recording what makes each question an effective or ineffective research question.
I would formally document the information and then use it.
I would informally use the information.
WHY? Answers will vary.
Formally document—Why? Understanding what makes an effective research question is an important part of the research process. By formally documenting, the teacher has early documentation of which students are struggling with this learning and which students are not.
Informally document—Why? Much of this formative event involves oral personal communication, and teachers will choose when to formally record this information and when they don’t. Additionally, the teacher may choose, for example, to simply make an “informal” list of students who seemed to have trouble.
3. For this planned formative event that took place over several days, the teacher observed and listened as students physically gathered their research information, meeting with students one-on-one for feedback. Using performance assessment as the assessment method the teacher gave each student the task below.
Gathering Relevant Research
Knowledge students are to use: Use your knowledge of targeted search terms, authoritative sources, and effective research strategies.
What students are to accomplish: Using advanced search options, gather relevant information from credible print and digital sources about your topic.
Performance or product students are to create:
You will use targeted key terms and conduct an advanced search of your topic. At this point, you will explain to me how you know if a source result-ing from the search is credible or not. Next, you will skim the text to deter-mine if the source provides relevant information about your topic.
Materials to be used: Use authoritative print and digital sources.
Timeline for completion: You will be gathering relevant research for several days.
Conditions: I will meet with you for about 5 minutes.
Help allowed: You may reference your Research Rubric and Judging Sources Checklist.
Criteria: Your performance will be judged by the Research Rubric.
I would formally document the information and then use it.
I would informally use the information.
WHY? Answers will vary.
Formally document—Why? This performance task addresses the ultimate target of the research standard—gathering relevant information. Since the teacher is meeting individually with students, recording the information seems logical. Although it is a planned formative event, if a student demonstrates mastery, there would be nothing stopping the teacher from using the information summatively instead.
Informally document—Why? The teacher may decide to not record the results of the assessment and stick with the sole purpose of “on the spot” feedback for students, knowing that he or she will meet with each student again.
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute: A Powerful Partnership
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute (ATI) partnered to create the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. The modules are based on the work of Rick Stiggins, Jan Chappuis, Steve Chappuis, and Judith Arter, leading experts in the field. Specifically, the module content draws heavily from two Pearson ATI publications:
•Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right—using it well (2nd edition)
•Seven strategies of assessment for learning
These materials are designed to correspond with the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. Therefore, the following icons are used to indicate text that is a quote or paraphrase from Pearson ATI publications:
List of references:
Module 3 Participant Handout: Section I, Activity 2 Types of Learning Targets. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., pp. 44-56). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 3 Participant Handout: Section I, Activity 2 Types of Learning Targets. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., pp. 44-56). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 3 Participant Handout: Section I, Activity 2 Target-Method-Match. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., p. 94). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 3 Participant Handout: Section I, Activity 3 Performance Assessment Task Form. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., p. 217). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 3 Participant Handout: Section III, Activity 1 Goal Setting Form. R. Stiggins, J. Arter, J. Chappuis, and S. Chappuis, (2004). Classroom assessment for student learning (p. 369). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 3 Participant Handout: Section III, Activity 1 Goal Setting Form. R. Stiggins, J. Arter, J. Chappuis, and S. Chappuis, (2004). Classroom assessment for student learning (p. 369). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
1. A leader might say: “I’m sure that all the instructional materials used in our school are aligned to the new standards because the sales rep assured us of it.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. With any commercially-developed product, all educators need to use their professional judgment to ensure that all instructional materials are truly aligned to the learning targets that students are expected to master or meet.
2. A coach might say: “The teachers I’m working with monitor learning by tracking summative evidence only.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. First, teachers track assessment information both formally and informally. Teachers and students benefit from tracking formative evidence. When formative evidence is documented teachers and students have the information they need as learning unfolds and not only after it has occurred. Equally important is the fact that assessment information be tracked by learning target and not by learning activity.
3. A teacher might say: “With traditional paper and pencil assessments, I always include at least one item where students have to write out an answer.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. Any assessment method used should be determined by the learning target types being assessed and not by a “routine.” (Remember the target types: knowledge, reasoning, skill, and product.) For example, if the learning targets are all knowledge targets, it might be more efficient to use selected-response assessment for all assessment items. On the other hand, if the learning target happens to be a product target, the only reliable and valid method of assessment is performance assessment.
What Leaders, Teachers, and Coaches Might Say About Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning
DIRECTIONS: With a partner, read what some leaders, teachers, and coaches might say about collecting and documenting evidence of student learning. Based on what you’ve learned so far, do you agree or disagree that the statement aligns with formative instructional practices? Be prepared to defend your choice. Return to Module 3 as needed.
4. A coach might say: “It is important that I help teachers with performance assessment this year. If we work on tasks, we can work on rubrics down the road.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. Performance assessment has two parts: the task and the rubric. The rubric is critical as it defines the criteria for which the product or performance will be judged. With a high-quality rubric, teachers and students are both equipped with the tool they need to assess, and give and receive feedback as the performance assessment method is used to move learning forward.
5. A teacher might say: “I plan the questions I ask. It is not always in the best interest of learning to just see where the classroom discussion goes.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. Like the other methods of assessment, personal communication requires planning as well. If teachers want the questions to match the kinds of targets being assessed, questions should be planned in advance. Yes, classroom discussions create new questions, but appropriate planning will result in the level of dialogue required by the learning targets.
6. A teacher might say: “It is important to determine the sampling of items in advance.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. Inadequate sampling leads to unreliable information to act upon. Without proper sampling, educators don’t have enough items to get the coverage they need in order to make sound decisions with the results. Or, with a single item (especially if it’s selected-response) we could be looking at lucky or unlucky results.
DIRECTIONS: Pretend you are teaching a course on formative instructional practices. You are writing an assessment that will address the learning targets listed below. Before creating the actual assessment, you need to match the learning target types to assessment methods. You also need to consider what percent importance you would place on each learning target in this assessment. Use the chart below to help you practice this process. Be prepared to justify your answers and share how you reached your conclusions.
Learning Target
Target Type
Knowledge, Reasoning,
Skill, or Product
Assessment MethodSelected Response, Written Response, Performance Assessment, and Personal
Communication
Percent Importance (Sampling)
Understand what formative instructional
practices are.
Be familiar with the key research findings that support formative instructional practices.
Understand the benefits of clear learning targets.
Know how to ensure learning targets are clear
to the teacher. This means teachers can deconstruct
complex standards.
Determine the relative importance of various learning targets when
designing assessments.
Create learning targets by deconstructing standards and organize them into a
KNOWLEDGE TARGETS Knowledge targets represent the factual information, procedural knowledge, and conceptual understandings that underpin a standard.
REASONING TARGETS Reasoning targets specify thought processes students are to learn to do well within a range of subjects—solve problems, make inferences, draw conclusions, and form judgments.
SKILL TARGETS Skill targets are those where a demonstration or physical skill-based performance is at the heart of the learning.
PRODUCT TARGETS Product targets describe learning in terms of artifacts where creation of a product is the focus of the learning target. With product targets, the specifications for quality of the product itself are the focus of teaching and assessment.
Target-Method Match
Selected Response Written Response Performance Assessment
Personal Communication
Knowledge GoodCan assess isolated elements of knowledge and some relationships among them
StrongCan assess elements of knowledge and relationships among them
PartialCan assess elements of knowledge and relationships among them in certain contexts
StrongCan assess elements of knowledge and relationships among them
Reasoning GoodCan assess many but not all reasoning targets
StrongCan assess all reasoning targets
PartialCan assess reasoning targets in the context of certain tasks in certain contexts
StrongCan assess all reasoning targets
Skill PartialGood match for some measurement skill targets; not a good match otherwise
PoorCannot assess skill level; can only assess prerequisite knowledge and reasoning
StrongCan observe and assess skills as they are being performed
PartialStrong match for some oral communication proficiencies; not a good match otherwise
Product PoorCannot assess the quality of a product; can only assess prerequisite knowledge and reasoning
PoorCannot assess the quality of a product, can only assess prerequisite knowledge and reasoning
StrongCan directly assess the attributes of quality of products
Poor Cannot assess the quality of a product; can only assess prerequisite knowledge and reasoning
1. Each student submits an exit card that addresses the following learning targets:
a. Explain how to identify authoritative print and digital sources.
b. Know how to use effective strategies for gathering information.
Name: Joel
Explain how you know if a print or digital source is authoritative. If necessary, revisit your list of key terms related to research. There are several ways I can tell if a print or digital source is authoritative. First, the source is credible. This means it is accurate information from a reliable source. Second, the source is from an expert author or publisher on the topic being researched.
State two effective research strategies. Next, explain what makes each strategy an effective one. One research strategy is to use good search terms. Another strategy is to make sure that you have an effective research question to begin with—not too narrow or too broad.
I would formally document the information and then use it.
I would informally use the information.
WHY?
2. The teacher plans an activity—a planned formative event—where students, working in pairs, distinguish between effective and ineffective research questions. Each student is responsible for recording what makes each question an effective or ineffective research question.
I would formally document the information and then use it.
I would informally use the information.
WHY?
Documenting Evidence of Student Learning
DIRECTIONS: With a partner, examine the assessment information below gleaned from formative events of a class learning about and conducting research. For each piece of information, decide if you would formally document the assessment information and then use it or if you would proceed informally.
3. For this planned formative event that took place over several days, the teacher observed and listened as students physically gathered their research information, meeting with students one on one for feedback. Using performance assessment as the assessment method, the teacher gave each student the task below.
Gathering Relevant Research
Knowledge students are to use: Use your knowledge of targeted search terms, authoritative sources, and effective research strategies.
What students are to accomplish: Using advanced search options, gather relevant information from credible print and digital sources about your topic.
Performance or product students are to create:
You will use targeted key terms and conduct an advanced search of your topic. At this point, you will explain to me how you know if a source result-ing from the search is credible or not. Next, you will skim the text to deter-mine if the source provides relevant information about your topic.
Materials to be used: Use authoritative print and digital sources.
Timeline for completion: You will be gathering relevant research for several days.
Conditions: I will meet with you for about 5 minutes.
Help allowed: You may reference your Research Rubric and Judging Sources Checklist.
Criteria: Your performance will be judged by the Research Rubric.
I would formally document the information and then use it.
Ensuring Accurate Assessment Results “Varying assessment methods to give students practice or to accommodate learning styles is a thoughtful
consideration. However, assessment methods are not interchangeable. To ensure accurate assessment results, the overriding criterion for selection of method is consideration of the type of learning targets to be assessed.”
-Rick Stiggins, Judith A. Arter, Jan Chappuis, and Stephen Chappuis in Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, 2nd edition, 2012, (p. 87)
NAME: DATE:
Goal(s):
Current level of achievement:
Evidence:
What I/we need to learn:
Plan of action:
Support needed:
Time frame:
Evidence of achieving goal(s):
Setting Goals for Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning
DIRECTIONS: Write one or two specific and challenging goals that you have for collecting and documenting evidence of student learning in your classroom. Feeling stuck? Check out the example.
Goal(s) or learning target(s): 1. Audit our next set of common assessments in mathematics for quality. 2. Experiment with ways to formally document formative and summative assessment events.
Current level of achievement:When we shared our assessment audits from the module we discovered that some of the assessment methods used were not a good match for the learning targets. The activity also revealed that some of the items were poorly written. Additionally, most of us only track grades–summative data.
Evidence:In our team meeting, we successfully shared how we audited the assessment and discussed our current documenting practices.
What I/we need to learn: We need to learn how to select or create better assessments no matter how big or small. We also need to learn how to track formative evidence so we can make better use of the information as learning unfolds.
Plan of action: Each of my team members is going to fill out an assessment blueprint template for the upcoming math common assessment. This way we can meet, discuss our work, and revise and edit the assessment as needed. We also are going to share what we’ve tried with documenting formative evidence so we can provide each other feedback.
Help needed—what and who: We need the assessment blueprint template, Download B from Module 3, and each other!
Time frame: Three weeks
Evidence of achieving goal(s): 1. A high quality math assessment that produces accurate information about student learning 2. Better ways to track formative evidence so we have information we can use to improve student learning at our fingertips!
Segment One: Analyzing Evidence Learn ways to use methods of assessment formatively in order to analyze evidence of student learning.
Segment Two: Effective Feedback Understand the different types of feedback and learn research-based practices for providing effective feedback.
SUMMARY
In the first segment of this module, you will learn how to use the four methods of assessment formatively in order to analyze evidence of student learning. What is considered evidence? Evidence refers to the information about student learning gathered through formal and informal assessment events. It can be in the form of data that is documented formally on a chart, student artifacts that are used formally and informally, and the observations made as teachers and students assess learning within a lesson itself.
In segment two, you will examine your own knowledge and practices when it comes to effective feedback and discover why feedback is so important. To solidify your understanding, this segment includes activities where you must determine if a scenario provides an example of effective feedback or something else, such as a common misconception.
Effective feedback comes in two forms—success and intervention feedback. Success feedback helps students focus on what was done well, whereas intervention feedback helps the student focus on what needs work and provides guidance for what to do about it.
Module 4 also emphasizes the importance of having a feedback loop in your classroom. As we know, truly effective feedback is not only about the feedback we give students, but about the learning that takes place after feedback is given. Students need to be taught how to provide and act upon feedback to move their learning forward.
What Comes Next in the Learning?Module 4: Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback Preview
LEARNING TARGETS: 1. Know how to use methods of assessment formatively in order to analyze evidence of student learning.
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute: A Powerful Partnership
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute (ATI) partnered to create the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. The modules are based on the work of Rick Stiggins, Jan Chappuis, Steve Chappuis, and Judith Arter, leading experts in the field. Specifically, the module content draws heavily from two Pearson ATI publications:
•Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right—using it well (2nd edition)
•Seven strategies of assessment for learning
These materials are designed to correspond with the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. Therefore, the following icons are used to indicate text that is a quote or paraphrase from Pearson ATI publications:
List of references:
Module 4 Facilitation Guide: Section I, Activity 3 Characteristics of Effective Feedback and Success and Intervention Feedback. Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning (p. 56-68). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 4 Facilitator Answer Key: Section I, Activity 1 Characteristics of Effective Feedback. Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning (p. 56). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 4 Facilitator Answer Key: Section I, Activity 2 Formative and Summative Assessment Data Recorded Together. J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., p. 308). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 4 Facilitator Answer Key: Section I, Activity 3 Record Keeping: Tracking Student Learning. J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., chapter 9). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 4 Facilitator Answer Key: Section I, Activity 3 Success and Intervention Feedback. Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning (p. 57-68). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
3
MODULE 4: Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback Facilitation Agenda
TOTAL TIME: 3 hours
MODULE 4 LEARNING TARGETS:
• Know how to use methods of assessment formatively in order to analyze evidence of student learning.
• Understand what makes feedback effective.• Know how to provide effective feedback.
Section I: Confirming Our Learning Activity 1: What Teachers and Students Might Say About Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to clarify common educator misconceptions or pitfalls about analyzing evidence and providing effective feedback by critiquing what teachers and students might say. Time: 30 minutes
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to analyze formally documented evidence of student learning. Time: 30 minutes
Activity 3: Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to analyze evidence in the form of student artifacts and provide effective feedback. Time: 30 minutes
Section II: Confirming Our PracticeActivity 1: Using Methods of Assessment Formatively
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to assess how you use the methods of assessment formatively to move learning forward. Time: 30 minutes
Activity 2: My Feedback Practices
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to determine if the feedback we give is effective feedback or something else.Time: 30 minutes
Section III: Confirming Our CommitmentActivity 1: Setting Goals for Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is for the team to establish some specific and challenging individual or team goals around analyzing evidence and providing effective feedback. Time: 20 minutes
Activity 2: What Comes Next in Our Learning?
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to preview what comes next in the learning and prepare for the completion of Module 5: Student Ownership of Learning: Peer Feedback, Self-Assessment, and More. Time: 10 minutes
Prior to Facilitating Discussion about Module 4: Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback
READY TO GO
NEED TO DO THIS
Ensure that all teachers have access to the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices modules.
Ensure that all teachers have completed Module 4.
Review Module 4. This includes reviewing reflection questions and video that might be discussed or incorporated into your discussions.
Review the Module 4 facilitation materials.
Determine an agenda based on the available time you have to meet. You may need to adapt the provided agenda based on the time available to you. Note that each section may take more than one meeting to get through.
Notify teachers of the meeting time and place. Remind them to bring any notes they recorded when they took Module 4 and to bring the handouts they downloaded. For this module, they will also need samples of completed assessments they currently use. Ask them to bring copies of assessments with feedback already on them.
One week before the scheduled meeting, send copies of the agenda to colleagues.
Make copies of resources as needed.
Review Module 5: Student Ownership of Learning: Peer Feedback, Self-Assessment, and More. Section III of this facilitation includes a preview of Module 5.
Arrange internet access if you want to be able to refer to the Module 4. The activities in this guide do not require internet access.
SECTION I CONFIRMINGOUR LEARNINGACTIVITIES 1-3This section includes three activities designed to ensure that teachers have met the learning targets of Module 4: Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback
Total Section I Time: 90 minutes
Activity 1: 30 minutes
Activity 2: 30 minutes
Activity 3: 30 minutes
6
What Teachers and Students Might Say About Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Review the learning targets of Module 4: Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback.
2. Provide each teacher a copy of the handout What Leaders, Teachers, and Coaches Might Say About Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback and share the purpose of the activity.
3. Working in pairs, have the teachers follow the directions on the handout, deciding whether they agree or disagree with what teachers and students might say about analyzing evidence and providing effective feedback. They must also provide a justification for their choice.
4. After the pairs have selected their answers, ask each pair to share its responses along with justification of its choices.
5. Use the handout What Teachers and Students Might Say About Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback Answer Key to help facilitate the conversation as needed.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
• Remember to listen to make sure the groups support their choices with sound and sufficient reasoning.
• Because this is a blended learning experience, feel free to go back into Module 4 as needed.
MODULE 4 - SECTION I - ACTIVITY 1
FIP TIP
APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to clarify common misconceptions or pitfalls about analyzing evidence and providing effective feedback by critiquing what teachers and students might say.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Facilitator Resources: Handout: What Teachers and Students Might Say About Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback Answer Key
Participant Resources: Handout: What Teachers and Students Might Say About Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback
Discuss learning targets and connect them to prior learning. Students (and adult learners) need to understand each learning target and how it connects to what they already know. Just posting a learning target doesn’t ensure students know where they are going.
7
Analyzing Formally Documented Evidence
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Provide each teacher a copy of the handout Analyzing Formally Documented Evidence.
2. Working in pairs or small groups, have teachers follow the directions on the handout. They will examine the assessment information and answer the discussion questions that follow the chart.
3. After giving them some time to work, ask the pairs or groups to share their answers.
4. Use the handout Analyzing Formally Documented Evidence Answer Key to help facilitate the conversation as needed.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
• Evidence is the term we use to refer to the information about student learning gathered through formal and informal assessment events. It can be in the form of data that is documented formally on a chart, student artifacts that are used formally and informally, and the observations made as teachers and students assess learning within a lesson itself.
• Assessment event is the term we use to describe an activity that serves as a source of information providing evidence of student learning.
• Remember: As we learned in Module 3, there are many options for documenting evidence. This activity is an example of formally documenting formative and summative data together.
MODULE 4 - SECTION I - ACTIVITY 2
FIP TIPS
APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to analyze formally documented evidence of student learning.
Analyze evidence of learning in order to:• Provide effective feedback• Make sound instructional choices
Collect the evidence you need in order to confirm your questions about student learning. Too often data are collected and then questions are generated.
Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Review Module 4 learning targets. This activity addresses all three learning targets.
2. Provide each teacher a copy of Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback.
a. Working in pairs or small groups, have the teachers analyze the assessment information informally collected during a discussion by an instructional coach who is learning and working with teachers to advance their understanding and use of formative instructional practices.
b. Have them complete the three exercises that follow the information, classifying each learning target and providing effective feedback to the learners.
3. After allowing some time to work, ask the pairs or groups to share their answers.
4. Use the handout Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback Answer Key to help facilitate the conversation as needed.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
• Effective feedback:
° Directs attention to the intended learning, pointing out strengths, and offers specific information to guide improvement
° Occurs during the learning, while there is still time to act on it
° Addresses partial understanding
° Does not do the thinking for the student
° Limits corrective information to the amount of advice the student can act on
• Success feedback helps students focus on what was done well.
• Intervention feedback helps the student focus on what needs work and provides guidance for what to do about it.
MODULE 4 - SECTION I - ACTIVITY 3
FIP TIPS
APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to analyze evidence in the form of student artifacts and provide effective feedback.
Provide learners both success and intervention feedback. However, both types of effective feedback are not always called for at the same time.
Use tools like rubrics and checklists (made in advance) to provide effective feedback.
Consider your options for providing success feedback:
• Identify what is done correctly.• Describe a feature of quality present in the work.• Point out an effective use of strategy or process.
Consider your options for providing intervention feedback:
• Identify a correction.• Describe a feature of quality needing work.• Point out a problem with strategy or process.• Offer a reminder.• Make a specific suggestion.• Ask a question.
Participant Resources: Participants need to bring the notebook or journal they used to record answers to reflection questions as they completed Module 4.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Have teachers take out the notebook or journal they used to record responses to the reflection questions found on pages 13 and 27 of Module 4.
2. Have teachers share their responses to the following:
° How do you use evidence gleaned from selected response formative events? (page 13 of Module 4)
° How do you use written response assessment evidence formatively? (page 27 of Module 4)
° How do you use performance assessment evidence formatively? (page 27 of Module 4)
° How do you use evidence from personal communication formatively? (page 27 of Module 4)
3. Record teachers’ responses as they share.
4. Summarize for the group how they use different methods of assessment as part of the teaching process. Acknowledge good practices already in place.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
• If teachers seem to share many examples of the same method of assessment, ask them how they could use others (if the other methods are a good or strong match, of course!).
• When using personal communication, especially oral questioning, ask teachers how they ensure that the questions they pose elicit high level thinking. Module 4 Download D Verbs and Question Stems that Elicit Different Types of Thinking is a great resource.
FIP TIP
Share how you have used different methods of assessment to move their learning forward. For example, with this activity we are using personal communication to advance our learning.
Participant Resources: Handout: My Feedback Practices
Participants also need their own samples of student assessments with feedback already on them.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Ask teachers to take out their samples of student assessments that already have feedback on them.
2. Provide teachers with the My Feedback Practices handout to gauge the effectiveness of their feedback.
3. Have teachers work together and discuss the samples, sharing their critiques of their own feedback to students.
4. Encourage teachers to offer success and intervention feedback to each other during this process.
5. Ask teachers to identify two strengths and two areas for improvement in their own feedback practices.
6. Share strengths and, weaknesses and have teachers help each other by generating suggestions for overcoming challenges.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
• Remind teachers that although we are looking at written feedback, much of the feedback we provide students is done orally.
• If time is available, ask teachers to discuss how often they use tools like rubrics and checklists to provide their students effective feedback.
FIP TIPS
Remind teachers of the characteristics of effective feedback.
Have teachers practice offering success and intervention feedback with each other. Peer feedback is a key formative instructional practice and is important for both students and adult learners.
SECTION III CONFIRMINGOUR COMMITMENTACTIVITIES 1-2This section includes two activities designed to help teachers set goals and take action
based on what they’ve learned about analyzing evidence and providing effective feedback.
Total Section III Time: 30 minutes
Activity 1: 20 minutes
Activity 2: 10 minutes
13
Setting Goals for Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Ask teachers to complete the Setting Goals for Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback handout.
2. Ask teachers to share their goals with the group.
MODULE 4 - SECTION III - ACTIVITY 1
Encourage teachers to set specific and challenging goals.
FIP TIP
APPROXIMATE TIME: 20 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of the activity is for the team to establish some specific and challenging individual or team goals on analyzing evidence and providing effective feedback.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Participant Resources: Handout: Setting Goals for Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback
1. Provide team members with the Module 5: Student Ownership of Learning Preview. Review as a team.
2. Establish a commitment to proceed with further learning by completing Module 5. Make this doable by agreeing on a reasonable timeline.
3. Invite any closing remarks. Recognize the good work they have done and your eagerness to continue with them on this journey.
MODULE 4 - SECTION III - ACTIVITY 2
Share what comes next in the learning. By previewing Module 5, participants have the opportunity to begin to understand the learning targets that come next.
FIP TIP
APPROXIMATE TIME: 10 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of the activity is to preview what comes next in the learning and to prepare for the completion of Module 5: Student Ownership of Learning: Peer Feedback, Self-Assessment, and More.
1. A teacher might say: “When analyzing student work samples, I put them in order—the best one on the top. This way I compare the others against it.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. What defines high-quality work should not be determined by the best of what students produce. As assessment expert Rick Stiggins says, “Students can hit any target that holds still for them.” What defines high-quality needs to be determined, shared, and understood by both teachers and students at the outset of learning.
2. A student might say: “My teachers put lots of comments on assignments, but by the time we get them back, we are already studying something else.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. A characteristic of effective feedback is that it needs to be timely so that the student has time to act upon the feedback during the learning and not after it has occurred. Because students see the learning as over, the teacher spends time providing feedback that students often dismiss.
3. A teacher might say: “I believe that my students should have lots of descriptive feedback about their work, but I don’t always give it because writing it all out takes too long.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. There are multiple ways for effective feedback to occur—it can be written, but it can be oral or given/received with rubrics and checklists, too. Feedback does not all have to be given by the teacher either. If they are taught how, students can give themselves feedback and provide it to each other as well.
What Teachers and Students Might Say About Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback
DIRECTIONS: With a partner, read what some teachers and students might say about analyzing evidence and providing effective feedback. Based on what you’ve learned so far, do you agree or disagree that each statement aligns with formative instructional practices? Be prepared to defend your choice. Feel free to return to Module 4 as needed.
4. A student might say: “I get comments on my papers telling me to work harder or give more effort, but I am working hard. I don’t know what to do to get better grades.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. One of the characteristics of effective feedback is that the feedback needs to be about the learning and NOT the learner. This evaluative feedback does not provide useful information for the student to use to move his learning forward.
5. A teacher might say: “I reteach learning targets often. It is up to students, however, to practice on their own before being assessed again.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. A key part of the formative process is practice. Planned practice needs to be included as part of focused reteaching, as part of focused revision, and part of focused enrichment. Teachers and students alike should know that further learning has resulted prior to assessing again.
6. A teacher might say: “When we come together to analyze assessment information in our building, we are collectively responsible for the results. This means that we have a school-wide plan for how to intervene with struggling students and how to enrich for students who are meeting the standards. All students have access to a rigorous curriculum regardless of their room assignment.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. In a formative learning system, all educators have a shared responsibility for the learning of all members of the learning community. At the building level, teachers plan formative events in their classrooms, and often entire teams or grade levels plan a formative event, known as a common formative assessment. Especially with these common formative events, a collective response to the information they produce is critical. The entire team needs to know what happens when learners master the learning targets. Likewise, when students don’t master learning targets, they have a plan for what THEY need to do to move learning forward.
A group of teachers is working with an instructional coach to advance its understanding and use of formative instructional practices—specifically, it is spending time studying clear learning targets and effective feedback. The instructional coach has formally documented evidence of each teacher’s learning below, organized by learning target for each topic.
With a partner, examine the evidence recorded in the chart below. Then, answer the discussion questions.
Clear Learning TargetsTarget #1: Know how to deconstruct standards.
Target #2: Know how to create student-friendly versions of learning targets and organize them into logical progressions for learning.
Effective FeedbackTarget #1: Understand the characteristics of effective feedback.
Target #2: Know how to prepare and provide effective feedback.
Clear Learning Targets Effective Feedback
Learning Target(s) 1 1 1 and 2 1 and 2 1 and 2 1 1 and 2 1 and 2 1 and 2 1 and 2
1. Overall, what is the pattern in teacher progress from early in the learning to later in the learning of the same learning targets?
The overall pattern is that teachers improve. For example, with knowing how to deconstruct standards, all of the teachers except Dwayne and Becca improve from the first formative assessment event to the next. By the time the gallery walk of learning targets occurs, most teachers have demonstrated mastery; only Oscar’s work is still displaying minimal errors. The same pattern holds true when looking at teacher progress in effective feedback.
2. If grades were to be assigned, are there any formative uses where the assessment information could have been used summatively for individual or groups of teachers?
Absolutely. For both clear learning targets and effective feedback, several teachers demonstrated mastery prior to the planned summative event.
What, however, is the advantage of relying on more than one assessment event prior to making a “judgment” about student learning?
Depending on the sampling of targets within each event, a second or even third event can validate the information.
3. Revisiting what you learned in Module 3, what are the advantages of documenting formative and summative data together (for both students and adult learners)?
Advantages include:
•Able to track progress towards mastery and beyond
•Provide a view of which learning targets are areas of strength or areas of challenge
Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback
DIRECTIONS:
Mark, Jessica, and Sarah are teachers working with their instructional coach to practice classifying learning targets. Their instructional coach collected and documented evidence of their learning in the chart below. With a partner, complete the exercises by pretending you are the instructional coach. How would you provide effective feedback to each teacher? (Hint: Use the Success and Intervention Feedback Options table on the next page for ideas.)
TEACHER LEARNING TARGET #1: Classification and Justification
LEARNING TARGET #2: Classification and Justification
LEARNING TARGET #3: Classification and Justification
Mark Product; because the student is making something.
Skill; because the student is doing something.
Skill; because the student is doing something.
Jessica Product; because an artifact is the heart of the learning.
Knowledge; because the student needs to know how to measure.
Skill; because the key word is “use.”
Sarah Skill; because the student must physically make the timeline.
Skill; because the word “using” tells me that I could only measure the learning by having the student do something.
Reasoning; because this learning target is about making an inference.
Learning Targets:
1. Create a timeline to show the order of early explorations and settlements. 2. Measure properties of objects using balances and thermometers. 3. Uses data from a random sample to draw inferences about a population with an unknown characteristic of interest.
EXERCISE ICorrect Answer: Learning Target #1 is a product target.
Possible feedback options are below:
Mark (Success): Correct. A product target calls for something to be made—it is the learning.
Jessica (Success): Yes, Jessica. The timeline is the artifact—the learning.
Sarah (Success and Intervention): Yes, students must physically make the timeline, but this is not a skill target. Refer back to the definitions of skill and product targets.
EXERCISE IICorrect Answer: Learning Target #2 is a skill target.
EXERCISE IIILearning Target #3 is a reasoning target.
Possible feedback options are below:
Mark (Success and Intervention): Yes, Mark, this is a skill target. However, what is the definition of a skill target? Is it more than “doing something?”
Jessica (Success and Intervention): A knowledge target does underpin this target, but it is not “the” target. Refer back to the definitions of the other target types.
Sarah (Success): Yes, it is a skill target, and your explanation is accurate. Doing the physical demonstration is the only strong assessment match for this learning target.
Possible feedback options are below:
Mark (Success and Intervention): Yes, you are doing something. However, pay attention to the word “inference.”
Jessica (Intervention): “Use” is not the key word in this target. What target would “to draw inferences” be?
Sarah (Success): Correct. This target is about making an inference, which makes it a reasoning target.
SUCCESS INTERVENTION
• Identify what is done correctly.
• Describe a feature of quality present in the work.
• Point out an effective use of strategy or process.
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute: A Powerful Partnership
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute (ATI) partnered to create the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. The modules are based on the work of Rick Stiggins, Jan Chappuis, Steve Chappuis, and Judith Arter, leading experts in the field. Specifically, the module content draws heavily from two Pearson ATI publications:
•Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right—using it well (2nd edition)
•Seven strategies of assessment for learning
These materials are designed to correspond with the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. Therefore, the following icons are used to indicate text that is a quote or paraphrase from Pearson ATI publications:
List of references:
Module 4 Participant Handout: Section I, Activity 2 Formative and Summative Assessment Data Recorded Together. J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., p. 308). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 4 Participant Handout: Section I, Activity 3 Record Keeping: Tracking Student Learning. J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed., chapter 9). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 4 Participant Handout: Section I, Activity 3 Success and Intervention Feedback. Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning (p. 57-68). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 4 Participant Handout: Section II, Activity 2 Characteristics of Effective Feedback. Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning (p. 56). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 4 Participant Handout: Section III, Activity 1 Goal Setting Form. R. Stiggins, J. Arter, J. Chappuis, and S. Chappuis, (2004). Classroom assessment for student learning (p. 369). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 4 Participant Handout: Section III, Activity 1 Goal Setting Form. R. Stiggins, J. Arter, J. Chappuis, and S. Chappuis, (2004). Classroom assessment for student learning (p. 369). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
1. A teacher might say: “When analyzing student work samples, I put them in order—the best one on the top. This way I compare the others against it.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. What defines high-quality work should not be determined by the best of what students produce. As assessment expert Rick Stiggins says, “Students can hit any target that holds still for them.” What defines high-quality needs to be determined, shared, and understood by both teachers and students at the outset of learning.
2. A student might say: “My teachers put lots of comments on assignments, but by the time we get them back, we are already studying something else.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. A characteristic of effective feedback is that it needs to be timely so that the student has time to act upon the feedback during the learning and not after it has occurred. Because students see the learning as over, the teacher spends time providing feedback that students often dismiss.
3. A teacher might say: “I believe that my students should have lots of descriptive feedback about their work, but I don’t always give it because writing it all out takes too long.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice.
DIRECTIONS: With a partner, read what some teachers and students might say about analyzing evidence and providing effective feedback. Based on what you’ve learned so far, do you agree or disagree that each statement aligns with formative instructional practices? Be prepared to defend your choice. Feel free to return to Module 4 as needed.
What Teachers and Students Might Say About Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback
4. A student might say: “I get comments on my papers telling me to work harder or give more effort, but I am working hard. I don’t know what to do to get better grades.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. One of the characteristics of effective feedback is that the feedback needs to be about the learning and NOT the learner. This evaluative feedback does not provide useful information for the student to use to move his learning forward.
5. A teacher might say: “I reteach learning targets often. It is up to students, however, to practice on their own before being assessed again.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. A key part of the formative process is practice. Planned practice needs to be included as part of focused reteaching, as part of focused revision, and part of focused enrichment. Teachers and students alike should know that further learning has resulted prior to assessing again.
6. A teacher might say: “When we come together to analyze assessment information in our building, we are collectively responsible for the results. This means that we have a school-wide plan for how to intervene with struggling students and how to enrich for students who are meeting the standards. All students have access to a rigorous curriculum regardless of their room assignment.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. In a formative learning system, all educators have a shared responsibility for the learning of all members of the learning community. At the building level, teachers plan formative events in their classrooms, and often entire teams or grade levels plan a formative event, known as a common formative assessment. Especially with these common formative events, a collective response to the information they produce is critical. The entire team needs to know what happens when learners master the learning targets. Likewise, when students don’t master learning targets, they have a plan for what THEY need to do to move learning forward.
A group of teachers is working with an instructional coach to advance its understanding and use of formative instructional practices—specifically, it is spending time studying clear learning targets and effective feedback. The instructional coach has formally documented evidence of each teacher’s learning below, organized by learning target for each topic.
With a partner, examine the evidence recorded in the chart below. Then, answer the discussion questions.
1. Overall, what is the pattern in teacher progress from early in the learning to later in the learning of the same learning targets?
2. If grades were to be assigned, are there any formative uses where the assessment information could have been used summatively for individual or groups of teachers?
What, however, is the advantage of relying on more than one assessment event prior to making a “judgment” about student learning?
3. Revisiting what you learned in Module 3, what are the advantages of documenting formative and summative data together (for both students and adult learners)?
Analyzing Evidence and Providing Effective Feedback
DIRECTIONS:
Mark, Jessica, and Sarah are teachers working with their instructional coach to practice classifying learning targets. Their instructional coach collected and documented evidence of their learning in the chart below. With a partner, complete the exercises by pretending you are the instructional coach. How would you provide effective feedback to each teacher? (Hint: Use the Success and Intervention Feedback Options table on the next page for ideas.)
TEACHER LEARNING TARGET #1: Classification and Justification
LEARNING TARGET #2: Classification and Justification
LEARNING TARGET #3: Classification and Justification
Mark Product; because the student is making something.
Skill; because the student is doing something.
Skill; because the student is doing something.
Jessica Product; because an artifact is the heart of the learning.
Knowledge; because the student needs to know how to measure.
Skill; because the key word is “use.”
Sarah Skill; because the student must physically make the timeline.
Skill; because the word “using” tells me that I could only measure the learning by having the student do something.
Reasoning; because this learning target is about making an inference.
Learning Targets:
1. Create a timeline to show the order of early explorations and settlements. 2. Measure properties of objects using balances and thermometers. 3. Uses data from a random sample to draw inferences about a population with an unknown characteristic of interest.
EXERCISE ICorrect Answer: Learning Target #1 is a ______________________________ target.
Provide each learner with success or intervention feedback.
On your own, pick a few students and examine the marks and comments that you put on their papers. Using the characteristics of effective feedback as a guide, determine if the feedback you provided was effective feedback or something else. Two examples are done for you.
Student Name and describe the feedback given. Check the characteristics of effective feedback that are present.
Ania Perelli Put forth more effort. Directs attention to the intended learning, pointing out strengths and offering specific information to guide improvement
Occurs during the learning, while there is still time to act on it. (Note: While it’s unclear if this feedback occurred during the learning or not, this characteristic is not checked because this feedback is not specific enough for a student to act upon.)
Addresses partial understanding
Does not do the thinking for the student
Limits corrective information to the amount of advice the student can act on
Dakota Stevenson Nice job having your timeline display equal intervals of time. Use your checklist to see the key feature of a timeline that is missing from your work.
Directs attention to the intended learning, pointing out strengths and offering specific information to guide improvement
Occurs during the learning, while there is still time to act on it
Addresses partial understanding
Does not do the thinking for the student
Limits corrective information to the amount of advice the student can act on
Directs attention to the intended learning, pointing out strengths and offering specific information to guide improvement
Occurs during the learning, while there is still time to act on it
Addresses partial understanding
Does not do the thinking for the student
Limits corrective information to the amount of advice the student can act on
Understanding and Acting On Feedback “Effective feedback relates directly to the learning, pointing out strengths and offering specific
guidance for improvement. If students don’t understand what the learning targets are, they won’t be likely to understand or act on the feedback intended to help them improve.”
- Rick Stiggins, Judith A. Arter, Jan Chappuis, and Stephen Chappuis in Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, 2nd edition, 2012 (p. 78)
NAME: DATE:
Goal(s):
Current level of achievement:
Evidence:
What I/we need to learn:
Plan of action:
Support needed:
Time frame:
Evidence of achieving goal(s):
Setting Goals for Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning
DIRECTIONS: Write one or two specific and challenging goals that you have for collecting and documenting evidence of student learning in your classroom. Feeling stuck? Check out the example.
NAME: Jessica Greenbaum (and team) DATE: November 21st
Goal(s) or learning target(s): 1. Align classroom questioning to the level of the learning targets. 2. Audit our rubrics for quality (so they can be good tools for effective feedback).
Current level of achievement:When we shared the types of assessment we use, we felt as a team that the level of questioning in our classrooms is mostly at the knowledge level, not really matching our learning targets. Many of us also shared that what we are calling rubrics are really just evaluative scoring guides and not useful for providing effective feedback.
Evidence:In our team meeting, we documented as a group that our questioning techniques and rubrics need improvement. In fact, no one really wanted to put one of their rubrics out there for critique!
What I/we need to learn: We need to learn how to ask better questions to engage students in high-level thinking. We also need to learn how to create high-quality rubrics, or revise the ones we have.
Plan of action: Each of my team members is going to plan a set of questions to be used orally with a set of learning targets. We have asked a student to track the question stems we use for feedback we can share with each other. As for rubrics, we are going to begin by creating a rubric together that defines high-quality group work, as this is an expectation in all of our classes.
Support needed: We need the following downloads from Module 4: Download D: Verbs and Question Stems that Elicit Different types of Thinking and Download B: Rubric for Rubrics
Time frame: Three weeks
Evidence of achieving goal(s): 1. Students tracking that the majority of questions posed are high-level questions 2. Producing a rubric that passes the Rubric for Rubrics test!
Segment One: Student Ownership Overview and Peer Feedback Examine classrooms where students own the learning along with teachers, and consider your own practices related to student ownership. Learn how to cultivate a culture of collaborative feedback in the classroom and prepare students to give each other effective feedback.
Segment Two: Student Self-Assessment and Goal Setting Learn how to include students as decision-makers in the learning process. Prepare them to self-assess and create specific, challenging goals.
Segment Three: Tracking, Reflecting On, and Sharing Learning with Others Learn how to include students as decision-makers in the learning process. Prepare them to self-assess and create specific, challenging goals.
SUMMARY
As you’ve learned, Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam made recommendations based on their key research supporting formative instructional practices as a powerful way to improve student learning. Two of those recommendations are:
• Increase opportunities for students to communicate their evolving learning during instruction.
• Increase self- and peer-assessment.
This module discusses how you can prepare students to implement these recommendations in your classroom. You will learn about preparation and environment that students need to be able to provide each other with effective feedback, self-assess accurately, set specific and challenging goals, and reflect on and share their learning with others.
What Comes Next in Our Learning?Preview of Module 5: Student Ownership of Learning: Peer Feedback, Self-Assessment, and More
LEARNING TARGETS: 1. Know how to prepare students to give each other effective feedback.
2. Know how to prepare students to self-assess with a focus on learning targets.
3. Know how to prepare students to create specific and challenging goals.
4. Know how to prepare students to track, reflect on, and share their learning with others.
• Know how to prepare students to give each other effective feedback.
• Know how to prepare students to self-assess with a focus on learning targets.
• Know how to prepare students to create specific and challenging goals.
• Know how to prepare students to track, reflect on, and share their learning with others.
2
Reference Information
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute: A Powerful Partnership
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute (ATI) partnered to create the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. The modules are based on the work of Rick Stiggins, Jan Chappuis, Steve Chappuis, and Judith Arter, leading experts in the field. Specifically, the module content draws heavily from two Pearson ATI publications:
•Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right—using it well (2nd edition)
•Seven strategies of assessment for learning
These materials are designed to correspond with the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. Therefore, the following icons are used to indicate text that is a quote or paraphrase from Pearson ATI publications:
List of references:
Module 5 Facilitation Guide: Section II, Activity 2 Students Sharing Their Learning With Others. Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning (pp. 167-173). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
MODULE 5: Student Ownership of Learning: Peer Feedback, Self-Assessment, and More
TOTAL TIME: 3 hours
MODULE 5 LEARNING TARGETS:
• Know how to prepare students to give each other effective feedback.• Know how to prepare students to self-assess with a focus on
learning targets.• Know how to prepare students to create specific and challenging goals.• Know how to prepare students to track, reflect on, and share their learning
with others.
Section I: Confirming Our Learning Activity 1: What Teachers and Students Might Say About Student Ownership of Learning
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to clarify common educator misconceptions or pitfalls about student ownership of learning by critiquing what teachers and students might say. Time: 30 minutes
Activity 2: Preparing Students for Peer Feedback
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to critique a peer feedback rubric. Time: 30 minutes
Activity 3: Preparing Students to Set Specific and Challenging Goals
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to determine if goals are specific and challenging or something else. Time: 30 minutes
Section II: Confirming Our PracticeActivity 1: My Students as Assessors of Learning
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is for teachers to determine the success of student self- and peer-assessment events in their classrooms Time: 30 minutes
Activity 2: My Students: Tracking, Reflecting On, and Sharing Their Learning with Others
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is for teachers to determine how successful their students are with tracking, reflecting on, and sharing their learning with others. Time: 30 minutes
Section III: Confirming Our CommitmentActivity 1: Setting Goals for Student Ownership of Learning
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is for the team to establish some specific and challenging individual or team goals around student ownership of learning. Time: 20 minutes
Activity 2: Reflecting On My Learning Journey
Purpose: The purpose of the activity is for the all members of the team to reflect on their learning journey. Time: 10 minutes
Prior to Facilitating Discussion about Module 5: Student Ownership of Learning: Peer Feedback, Self-Assessment, and More
READY TO GO
NEED TO DO THIS
Ensure that all teachers have access to the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices modules.
Ensure that all teachers have completed Module 5.
Review Module 5. This includes reviewing reflection questions and video that might be incorporated into meetings.
Review the Module 5 facilitation materials.
Determine an agenda based on the available time you have to meet. You may need to adapt the provided agenda based on the time available to you. Note that each section may take more than one meeting to get through.
Notify teachers of the meeting time and place. Remind them to bring any notes they recorded when they took Module 5 and to bring the handouts they downloaded.
One week before the scheduled meeting, send copies of the agenda to colleagues.
Make copies of participant resources as needed.
Arrange internet access if you want to be able to refer to Module 5. The activities in this guide do not require internet access.
The following checklist can help you plan for a successful meeting about Module 5: Student Ownership of Learning: Peer Feedback, Self-Assessment, and More.
SECTION I CONFIRMINGOUR LEARNINGACTIVITIES 1-3This section includes three activities designed to ensure that teachers have met
the learning targets of Module 5: Student Ownership of Learning.
Total Section I Time: 90 minutes
Activity 1: 30 minutes
Activity 2: 30 minutes
Activity 3: 30 minutes
6
What Teachers and Students Might Say About Student Ownership of Learning
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Review the learning targets of Module 5: Student Ownership of Learning: Peer Feedback, Self-Assessment, and More.
2. Provide each teacher a copy of the handout What Teachers and Students Might Say about Student Ownership of Learning and share the purpose of the activity.
3. Working in pairs, have the teachers follow the directions on the handout, deciding whether they agree or disagree with what teachers and students might say about student ownership of learning. They must also provide a justification for their choice.
4. After the pairs have selected their answers, ask each pair to share its responses along with justification of its choices.
5. Use the handout What Teachers and Students Might Say About Student Ownership of Learning Answer Key to help facilitate the conversation as needed.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
• Remember to listen to make sure the groups support their choices with sound and sufficient reasoning.
• Because this is a blended learning experience, feel free to go back into Module 5 as needed.
MODULE 5 - SECTION I - ACTIVITY 1
FIP TIPS
APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to clarify common misconceptions or pitfalls about student ownership of learning by critiquing what teachers and students might say.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Facilitator Resources: Handout: What Teachers and Students Might Say about Student Ownership of Learning Answer Key
Participant Resources: Handout: What Teachers and Students Might Say about Student Ownership of Learning
Review learning targets and connect them to prior learning. Students and adult learners need to understand each learning target and how it connects to what they already know. Just posting a learning target doesn’t ensure students and adult learners know where they are going.
Remind teachers that too often students don’t take ownership of their learning because they don’t know how. This is why the learning targets of Module 5 are about preparing students to do so.
7
Preparing Students for Peer Feedback
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Provide each teacher a copy of the handout Preparing Students for Peer Feedback and share the purpose of the activity.
2. Working with a partner or as a group, have the teachers follow the directions on the handout, examining the peer feedback rubric and fixing the two weak cells.
3. Ask teachers to share their suggestions for improving the rubric.
4. Use the handout Preparing Students for Peer Feedback Answer Key to help facilitate the conversation as needed.
5. Wrap up the activity by asking teachers to share how a rubric such as this would be helpful as they prepare their own students to successfully engage in peer feedback.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
• This activity is about preparing students to engage in peer feedback. Students need similar preparation in order to self-assess accurately. The preparation student self-assessment includes:
• Clear Learning Targets — Provide clear learning targets so students can assess their work.
• Time — Provide time for students to assess their own work.
• Instruction — Teach students how to self-assess.
• Tools that guide — Provide students the tools they need to guide their self-assessment.
• Opportunities to adjust — Give students opportunities to adjust their learning based on their self-assessment.
MODULE 5 - SECTION I - ACTIVITY 2
FIP TIPS
APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: This purpose of this activity is to critique a peer feedback rubric.
Point out how this activity demonstrates the value of fixing weak work. Notice how only two of the cells of the rubric require improvement.
Point out that peer feedback is supported in the research as a high impact formative instructional practice. In other words, taking the time to prepare students to engage in peer feedback is time well spent.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Facilitator Resources: Handout: Preparing Students for Peer Feedback Answer Key
Participant Resources: Handout: Preparing Students for Peer Feedback
8
Preparing Students to Set Specific and Challenging Goals
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Revisit the learning targets as needed.
2. Provide each teacher a copy of the handout Preparing Students to Set Specific and Challenging Goals and share the purpose of the activity.
3. Working with a partner or as a group, have the teachers follow the directions on the handout, examining the goals set by various students and determining if they are specific and challenging or not.
4. Ask teachers to share their work with the group.
5. Use the handout Preparing Students to Set Specific and Challenging Goals Answer Key to help facilitate the conversation as needed.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
• Remind teachers that we have been setting specific and challenging goals throughout this learning experience. In fact, we have been using one of the goal-setting templates from Module 5 to set our own goals.
• Ask teachers: how often do you have your students set specific and challenging goals? Have you prepared them to do so successfully?
• In lieu of a fourth activity for Confirming Our Learning, we will address the fourth learning target of Module 5 in the next section of this guide.
MODULE 5 - SECTION I - ACTIVITY 3
FIP TIPS
APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to determine if goals are specific and challenging or something else.
SECTION II CONFIRMINGOUR PRACTICEACTIVITIES 1-2This section includes two activities designed to facilitate reflection and discussion
about teacher practice related to preparing students to take ownership of their learning.
Total Section II Time: 60 minutes
Activity 1: 30 minutes
Activity 2: 30 minutes
10
My Students as Assessors of Learning
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Review how the teacher in the module prepared her students to assess each other. Have the following steps displayed on a flip chart or screen.
• Share the learning targets with the students.
• Give students very specific things to look for in their peer’s work.
• Ask students to do specific tasks, such as write one positive comment and offer one comment about areas of challenge.
• Model the process.
• Review examples of strong and weak work together.
• Either create a rubric with the students or provide one for them to use as they peer assess.
2. Ask teachers to talk in pairs to discuss specific examples of times that their students assess their own work and that of their peers.
3. Distribute the handout My Students as Assessors of Learning. Teachers will record a few times in recent weeks where they had their own students self- or peer-assess. Teachers will describe the events, how they went, the results, and reflect on the preparation they provided.
4. After teachers have had time to record their thinking, ask them to share with the group.
5. Summarize the overall strengths and areas of improvement for the team. (The areas for improvement would make great goals for the team to work on together.)
MODULE 5 - SECTION II - ACTIVITY 1
In order to engage students in self- or peer-assessment, we need to teach them to be critical assessors.
Effective feedback requires trust. Teachers need to build a trusting environment in their classrooms, so students feel safe to share their work and offer constructive criticism to their peers.
Remind teachers that students can self-assess before, during, and after learning.
FIP TIPS
APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is for teachers to determine the success of student self- and peer-assessment events in their classrooms.
Participant Resources: Handout: My Students As Assessors of Learning
11
My Students: Tracking, Reflecting On, and Sharing Their Learning with Others
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Review learning target number four: Know how to prepare students to track, reflect on, and share their learning with others.
2. Ask teachers to talk in pairs to discuss specific times that their students track, reflect on, and share their learning with others.
3. Distribute the handout My Students: Tracking, Reflecting On, and Sharing Their Learning with Others. Teachers will record a few times in the past few weeks where they had their own students track, reflect on, and share their learning with others. Teachers will describe the events, how they went, the results, as well as reflect on the preparation they provided.
4. After teachers have had time to record their thinking, ask them to share with the group.
5. Summarize the overall strengths and areas of improvement for the team. (The areas for improvement would make great goals for the team to work on together.)
MODULE 5 - SECTION II - ACTIVITY 2
Remind teachers of all of the examples of students tracking their learning/progress that are available in Module 5.
Kinds of Conferences (Download N from
Module 5) is a chart that lists examples of how students can share their learning with others, organized by the purpose of the sharing, including feedback, goal setting, progress, showcase, and intervention.
FIP TIPS
APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is for teachers to determine how successful their students are with tracking, reflecting on, and sharing their learning with others.
SECTION III CONFIRMINGOUR COMMITMENTACTIVITIES 1-2This section includes two activities designed to help teachers set goals and take action
based on what they’ve learned about preparing students to take ownership of their learning.
Total Section III Time: 30 minutes
Activity 1: 20 minutes
Activity 2: 10 minutes
13
Setting Goals for Student Ownership of Learning
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Ask teachers to complete the Setting Goals for Student Ownership of Learning handout.
2. Ask teachers to share their goals with the group.
MODULE 5 - SECTION III - ACTIVITY 1
Have teachers set specific and challenging goals.
FIP TIP
APPROXIMATE TIME: 20 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of the activity is for the team to establish some specific and challenging individual or team goals around collecting and documenting evidence of student learning.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Participant Resources: Handout: Setting Goals for Student Ownership of Learning
1. Ask teachers to complete the Reflecting on My Learning Journey handout.
2. Ask teachers to share one of their reflections with the group.
3. Invite any closing remarks. Recognize the good work they have done and your eagerness to continue with them on their journey to intentionally weave formative instructional practices into their daily teaching.
MODULE 5 - SECTION III - ACTIVITY 2
Remind teachers that we can reflect on achievement, growth/progress, a specific process, or ourselves as learners. These are the very same things we can have students reflect on, too.
FIP TIP
APPROXIMATE TIME: 10 MINUTES
PURPOSE: The purpose of the activity is for the all members of the team to reflect on their learning journey.
1. A teacher might say: “At the end of each grading period, I have students set learning goals. Most choose to work harder or make better grades.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice.
Goal setting often goes hand in hand with student self-assessment. Where am I? Based on where I am, what would be a specific and challenging learning goal for me? Setting learning goals also can occur before, during, or after an assessment event. Students need to be prepared to set specific and challenging goals—goals that are likely to lead to further learning. This kind of preparation includes:
• Short-term goal setting – Students need to set short-term goals because they work best for taking action now.
• Evidence examination – Students need to examine evidence to determine an area in which they need to focus.
• Guidance – Students need guidance on how to formulate goal statements relative to the intended learning that are based on their assessment of strengths and areas needing work.
• Plan of action – Students need to make an action plan that includes how they will get help if they need it.
• Realistic timeframe – Students need to set a realistic time frame and state what they will use as evidence of achieving their goal.
• Targeted instruction – Teachers need to plan instruction as needed to help students attain their goals.
What Teachers and Students Might Say About Student Ownership of Learning
DIRECTIONS: With a partner, read what some teachers and students might say about student ownership of learning. Based on what you’ve learned so far, do you agree or disagree that each statement aligns with formative instructional practices? Be prepared to defend your choice. Return to Module 5 as needed.
2. A student might say: “My teacher wants me to assess my own work, but I don’t know how.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. Students need to be taught how to self-assess accurately. You can do this by modeling self-assessment for students. Student preparation also includes:
• Clear learning targets – Provide clear learning targets so students can assess their work.
• Time – Provide time for students to assess their own work.
• Instruction – Teach students how to self-assess.
• Tools that guide – Give students the tools they need to guide their self-assessment.
• Opportunities to adjust – Give students opportunities to adjust their learning based on their self-assessment.
3. A teacher might say: “Some of my students are not capable of self-reflection.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. Self-reflection means taking a second look. All students can reflect on their learning, but they need to be taught how to do so. Student preparation includes:
• Clear learning targets – Students need to understand the intended learning.
• Matching assignments/assessments to learning targets – Students need to know which learning target is represented by each piece of assignment or assessment information.
• Use of evidence – Students need to know whether each piece of evidence will be used formatively or summatively.
• Documenting evidence – Students need to be taught how to document evidence as this can be done many ways.
• Time and instruction – Students need to be taught how to self-reflect and be provided time to do so.
4. A student might say: “When I get an assignment back to make it better, I’m not sure what to work on first.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. This statement is most likely the result of unfocused feedback. A characteristic of effective feedback is that the feedback is given in an amount that a student can handle. Only when that occurs can students be taught how to engage in focused revision of their work. Another characteristic of effective feedback is that the student receiving it demonstrates at least a partial understanding of the intended learning. If that is not the case, the teacher and student are better served by starting again.
5. A teacher might say: “Contrary to how they are often referred to, self-assessment and self-reflection are not the same thing.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. Self-assessment centers on reviewing individual pieces of evidence to identify specific strengths and areas for further work. It can occur before, during and after learning. Self-reflection refers to a process of looking back over a collection of evidence. It involves students in drawing conclusions about what they have learned, how they have learned it, what worked and didn’t work, what they would do differently, or how far they have come.
6. A teacher might say: “If I show my colleagues a few rubric generators on the Internet, they will have the tools they need for better feedback in their classrooms.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. With any commercially-developed product or tool, educators still need to be the ultimate experts of any resource used with students, and rubrics are no exception. Only assessment-literate educators can create and/or adapt rubrics to ensure that the wording, symbols and/or levels of quality meet the standards. Moreover, only assessment-literate educators can adapt the language of rubrics to meet the needs of the students doing the learning.
DIRECTIONS: With a partner, examine the following rubric used by a teacher to help his students prepare to engage in peer feedback. How would you “fix” the highlighted boxes so they are descriptive like the others? (If you work with primary students, you may choose to convert some of the language.)
Ready to Go Getting There Getting Started
Trust The students trust each other. They feel comfortable sharing their work with each other on paper and out loud. The teacher can pair anyone together.
Students are getting comfortable sharing their work with each other, but a few students complain about working with certain classmates. Some pairs of students just don’t work.
The teacher is trying to get students to trust each other. There are still students who make others not want to make their work public.
Clear Learning Targets
Before students engage in peer feedback, the teacher shares the learning targets and makes sure students understand them by using examples and models of strong and weak work.
Before students engage in peer feedback, the teacher shares the learning targets, but does not consistently ensure that students understand them.
Poor use of learning targets.
Learning targets are not shared before students engage in peer feedback OR they are shared after students have started without the needed clarity around the intended learning.
Effective Feedback
Students know the characteristics of effective feedback and can independently provide it in the form of both success and intervention feedback.
Students know the characteristics of effective feedback, but require teacher guidance to provide it.
Students know what feedback is and that it is important.
Using Tools and Conducting Conferences
Students are able to provide effective feedback using tools like rubrics. They also are able to independently conduct a peer conference.
Students are able to provide effective feedback using tools like rubrics with teacher support. They also are able to have a peer conference with teacher guidance.
Students know what rubrics are but are not sure how to use them as feedback tools. Students also struggle with keeping on task when conducting peer conferences.
Focus of Feedback
The feedback students provide each other focuses on specific learning targets—not the learner.
Good job keeping feedback focused.
The students provide feedback about intended learning, but the feedback is not focused on specific learning targets.
Students tend to give feedback that is about the learner, not the learning OR they tend to provide feedback on everything.
Preparing Students to Set Specific and Challenging Goals
DIRECTIONS: With a partner, examine the following goals set by students of various ages. You decide: Did the student set a specific and challenging goal or not? What feedback would you provide the students who did not set specific and challenging goals to help get them on track?
Hint: Keep in mind the preparation students need to set specific and challenging goals likely to lead to further learning:
• Short-term goal setting — Students need to set short-term goals because they work best for taking action now.
• Evidence examination — Students need to examine evidence to determine an area in which they need to focus.
• Guidance — Students need guidance on how to formulate goal statements relative to the intended learning that are based on their assessment of strengths and areas needing work.
• Plan of action — Students need to make an action plan that includes how they will get help if they need it.
• Realistic time frame — Students need to set a realistic time frame and state what they will use as evidence of achieving their goal.
• Targeted instruction —Teachers need to plan instruction as needed to help students attain their goals.
Student Goal
Is this a specific and challenging goal?
If no, why not? If yes, how so?
If not, what feedback would you provide the
student?
Mark, 6th grader To get better grades this year. I want my grades to be better. My plan of action is to work hard.
No. Why not?
• Doesnotrelatetotheintended learning
• Isnotashort-termgoal
• Evidenceisunclear
• Planofactiondoesnotsay how the student will seek help
Let’s start by looking through your math portfolio. Which learning targets do you need some more work on this week?
Sophie, 1st grader To put a capital letter at the start of every sentence. I had trouble with this last week. I am going to use my writing buddy for help tomorrow during writing time.
Mario, 10th grader To finish college. I want to be the first person in my family to finish. I will accomplish my goal by being a good student.
No. Why not?
• Isnotrelatedtotheintended learning
• Isnotashort-termgoal
• Evidenceisunclear
• Planisnotspecificenough
Answers will vary.Going to college is an important long-term goal. What is a short-term goal in this HS Biology class that would help you improve this week?
Nathan, 5th grader To understand the roles of organisms in an ecosystem. I tried to just memorize, but was not successful. Tonight, I am going to draw a food web so I can see the roles clearly.
Yes. How so?
• Relatestotheintendedlearning
• Isbasedonevidence—hetried to memorize and recognized that he was not successful
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute: A Powerful Partnership
Battelle for Kids and Pearson Assessment Training Institute (ATI) partnered to create the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. The modules are based on the work of Rick Stiggins, Jan Chappuis, Steve Chappuis, and Judith Arter, leading experts in the field. Specifically, the module content draws heavily from two Pearson ATI publications:
•Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right—using it well (2nd edition)
•Seven strategies of assessment for learning
These materials are designed to correspond with the Foundations of Formative Instructional Practices online learning modules. Therefore, the following icons are used to indicate text that is a quote or paraphrase from Pearson ATI publications:
List of references:
Module 5 Participant Handout: Section III, Activity 1 Goal Setting Form. R. Stiggins, J. Arter, J. Chappuis, and S. Chappuis, (2004) Classroom assessment for student learning (p. 369). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 5 Participant Handout: Section III, Activity 1 Goal Setting Form. R. Stiggins, J. Arter, J. Chappuis, and S. Chappuis, (2004) Classroom assessment for student learning (p. 369). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Module 5 Participant Handout: Section III, Activity 2 Reflecting on Learning. Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning (pp. 159-165). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
This icon indicates that the text is a quote or paraphrase taken from Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven strategies of assessment for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
1. A teacher might say: “At the end of each grading period, I have students set learning goals. Most choose to work harder or make better grades.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice.
2. A student might say: “My teacher wants me to assess my own work, but I don’t know how.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. Students need to be taught how to self-assess accurately. You can do this by modeling self-assessment for students. Student preparation also includes:
• Clear learning targets – Provide clear learning targets so students can assess their work.
• Time – Provide time for students to assess their own work
Opportunities to adjust – Give students opportunities to adjust their learning based on their self-assessmen
3. A teacher might say: “Some of my students are not capable of self-reflection.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice.
What Teachers and Students Might Say About Student Ownership of Learning
DIRECTIONS: With a partner, read what some teachers and students might say about student ownership of learning. Based on what you’ve learned so far, do you agree or disagree that each statement aligns with formative instructional practices? Be prepared to defend your choice. Return to Module 5 as needed.
4. A student might say: “When I get an assignment back to make it better, I’m not sure what to work on first.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. This statement is most likely the result of unfocused feedback. A characteristic of effective feedback is that the feedback is given in an amount that a student can handle. Only when that occurs, can students be taught how to engage in focused revision of their work. Another characteristic of effective feedback is that the student receiving it demonstrates at least a partial understanding of the intended learning. If that is not the case, the teacher and student are better served by starting again.
5. A teacher might say: “Contrary to how they are often referred to, self-assessment and self-reflection are not the same thing.”
Agree
Disagree
Defend your choice. Self-assessment centers on reviewing individual pieces of evidence to identify specific strengths and areas for further work. It can occur before, during and after learning. Self-reflection refers to a process of looking back over a collection of evidence. It involves students in drawing conclusions about what they have learned, how they have learned it, what worked and didn’t work, what they would do differently, or how far they have come.
6. A teacher might say: “If I show my colleagues a few rubric generators on the Internet, they will have the tools they need for better feedback in their classrooms.”
DIRECTIONS: With a partner, examine the following rubric used by a teacher to help his students prepare to engage in peer feedback. How would you “fix” the highlighted boxes so they are descriptive like the others? (If you work with primary students, you may choose to convert some of the language.)
Ready to Go Getting There Getting Started
Trust The students trust each other. They feel comfortable sharing their work with each other on paper and out loud. The teacher can pair anyone together.
Students are getting comfortable sharing their work with each other, but a few students complain about working with certain classmates. Some pairs of students just don’t work.
The teacher is trying to get students to trust each other. There are still students who make others not want to make their work public.
Clear Learning Targets
Before students engage in peer feedback, the teacher shares the learning targets and makes sure students understand them by using examples and models of strong and weak work.
Before students engage in peer feedback, the teacher shares the learning targets, but does not consistently ensure that students understand them.
Poor use of learning targets.
Effective Feedback
Students know the characteristics of effective feedback and can independently provide it in the form of both success and intervention feedback.
Students know the characteristics of effective feedback, but require teacher guidance to provide it.
Students know what feedback is and that it is important.
Using Tools and Conducting Conferences
Students are able to provide effective feedback using tools like rubrics. They also are able to independently conduct a peer conference.
Students are able to provide effective feedback using tools like rubrics with teacher support. They also are able to have a peer conference with teacher guidance.
Students know what rubrics are but are not sure how to use them as feedback tools. Students also struggle with keeping on task when conducting peer conferences.
Focus of Feedback
The feedback students provide each other focuses on specific learning targets—not the learner.
Good job keeping feedback focused.
Students tend to give feedback that is about the learner, not the learning OR they tend to provide feedback on everything.
Preparing Students to Set Specific and Challenging Goals
DIRECTIONS: With a partner, examine the following goals set by students of various ages. You decide: Did the student set a specific and challenging goal or not? What feedback would you provide the students who did not set specific and challenging goals to help get them on track?
Hint: Keep in mind the preparation students need to set specific and challenging goals likely to lead to further learning:
• Short-term goal setting — Students need to set short-term goals because they work best for taking action now.
• Evidence examination — Students need to examine evidence to determine an area in which they need to focus.
• Guidance — Students need guidance on how to formulate goal statements relative to the intended learning that are based on their assessment of strengths and areas needing work.
• Plan of action — Students need to make an action plan that includes how they will get help if they need it.
• Realistic time frame — Students need to set a realistic time frame and state what they will use as evidence of achieving their goal.
• Targeted instruction —Teachers need to plan instruction as needed to help students attain their goals.
Student Goal
Is this a specific and challenging goal?
If no, why not? If yes, how so?
If not, what feedback would you provide the
student?
Mark, 6th grader To get better grades this year. I want my grades to be better. My plan of action is to work hard.
No. Why not?
• Doesnotrelatetotheintended learning
• Isnotashort-termgoal
• Evidenceisunclear
• Planofactiondoesnotsay how the student will seek help
Let’s start by looking through your math portfolio. Which learning targets do you need some more work on this week?
Sophie, 1st grader To put a capital letter at the start of every sentence. I had trouble with this last week. I am going to use my writing buddy for help tomorrow during writing time.
Mario, 10th grader To finish college. I want to be the first person in my family to finish. I will accomplish my goal by being a good student.
Nathan, 5th grader To understand the roles of organisms in an ecosystem. I tried to just memorize, but was not successful. Tonight, I am going to draw a food web so I can see the roles clearly.
DIRECTIONS: On your own, record a few times in the past several weeks where you had your students self- or peer-assess in order to advance their learning. How did it go? Did the process result in further learning? Do you feel as if they were adequately prepared to be successful?
Preparing Students to Self- and Peer-Assess
My Strengths:
My Areas for Improvement:
Describe the self- or peer-assessment
(peer feedback) event.How it went … The result … Reflection on
preparation...
Students critiqued their own two-tiered timelines in social studies.
I seemed to have the same students at my desk asking what exactly they should be doing.
The students who already knew how to create two-tiered timelines did well, and the other students’ results were mixed.
Even though I shared the learning target with the students, they were not equipped with the tools and knowledge about timelines they needed in order to be successful. I should have shared several examples of timelines with them first.
My Students: Tracking, Reflecting On, and Sharing Their Learning with Others
DIRECTIONS: On your own, record a few times in the past several weeks where you had your students track, reflect on, or share their learning with others. How did it go? Did the process result in further learning? Do you feel as if they were adequately prepared to be successful?
Preparing Students to Track, Reflect on, and Share Their Learning with Others
My Strengths:
My Areas for Improvement:
Describe the event. How it went … The result … Reflection on preparation...
Students used one of the tracking sheets I had downloaded from Module 5. They tracked their learning by learning target.
Students marked their tracking sheets daily with formative and summative evidence collected.
Students were able to use their tracking sheet to identify strengths and areas for improvement and proceed to set specific and challenging goals.
Keeping a model tracking sheet was helpful. In the future I need to better monitor the students’ tracking sheets from the beginning to make sure what they are recording is accurate.
The Importance of Student Ownership or Involvement “Student involvement is the central shift needed in our traditional view of assessment’s role in teaching and
learning. The decisions that contribute the most to student learning success are made, not by adults working in the system, but by students themselves. Students decide whether the learning is worth the effort required to
attain it. Students decide whether they believe they are capable of reaching the learning targets. Students decide whether to keep learning or to quit working. It is only when students make these decisions in the affirmative that
our instruction can benefit their learning.”
Jan Chappuis, Rick Stiggins, Stephen Chappuis, and Judith A. Arter in Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, 2nd edition, 2012 (p. 8)
NAME: DATE:
Goal(s):
Current level of achievement:
Evidence:
What I/we need to learn:
Plan of action:
Support needed:
Time frame:
Evidence of achieving goal(s):
Setting Goals for Student Ownership of Learning
DIRECTIONS: Write one or two specific and challenging goals that you have for student ownership practices in your classroom. Feeling stuck? Check out the example.
Goal(s) or learning target(s): 1. Prepare students to engage in peer feedback. 2. Prepare students to track their own learning.
Current level of achievement:When we explored our student ownership practices, peer feedback and students tracking their own learning were both areas that our team identified for improvement.
Evidence:In our team meeting, we documented as a group that these two areas either 1) Need more preparation or 2) Are not really happening in our classrooms.
What I/we need to learn: We need to learn how to better prepare our students to engage in peer feedback and track their own learning.
Plan of action: Each of my team members is going to use the peer feedback rubric we fixed to guide how we prepare our students to engage in successful peer feedback. Each of us is also going to have our students track their progress by learning targets.
Support needed: We need the Peer Feedback Rubric we fixed. We also need the following download from Module 4: Download J: Students Tracking Progress by Learning Target.
Time frame: Three weeks
Evidence of achieving goal(s): 1. Evidence of students improving their learning as the result of a peer feedback conference 2. Our students’ tracking sheets successfully organized by learning targets