04.530 Assessment in Science

(Web-enhanced) Thursdays, 4 - 6:30 p.m. and weekly online discussions

Spring 2009

Dr. Michelle Scribner-MacLean, Instructor Michelle_ScribnerMacLean@uml.edu O’Leary Library, South Campus, Room 531 Office phone: (978) 934-4672 Office Hours: Thursdays 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. and by appointment

Overview For decades teacher-produced tests, publishing company tests, and state-mandated tests have been the primary means of determining student achievement in science. End-of-unit tests provide some information about what students know and can do in science. However, research on learning and the current assessment reform movement have also emphasized the importance of formative assessment which is on-going and provides constant feedback to students. This course will

focus on the differences and uses of both types of assessment. The purpose of this course is to help teachers to: • Understand how students learn in science • Articulate their goals for students’ learning in science • Employ appropriate formative assessment tools to assist students as they learn and; • Employ appropriate evaluation/summative assessment tools to record what students have learned. Processes:

The class will be structured to model the use of both formative and summative assessment as they might be employed in a K-12 classroom. A variety of assessment and feedback tools will be used during the class.

Required Texts: • McTighe, J. and Wiggins, G. (2005). Understanding by design, 2ndEdition. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. [UBD] •Doran, R. Science educator's guide to laboratory assessment. [LAB] •Lantz, H.B. Rubrics for assessing student achievement in science Grades K-12. [RUB] •Keeley, P. Eberle, F., and Ferrin, L. Uncovering student ideas in science Vol. 1. [USI] Recommended Texts • McTighe, J. and Wiggins, G. (2005). Understanding by design handbook, 2nd Edition. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.[UBD]. • Gould, S. Mismeasure of Man.

Education for Transformation The mission of the University of Massachusetts Lowell is to promote and sustain regional economic development. The Graduate School of Education (GSE) contributes to this mission by developing professionals who help transform the region through leadership roles in education. The GSE’s commitment to “Education for Transformation” produces graduates who: • demonstrate excellent knowledge, judgment, and skills in their professional fields; • promote equity of educational opportunity for all learners; collaborate with other educators, parents, and community representatives to support

educational excellence; • use inquiry and research to address educational challenges. What this looks like in this course…you will use current research and learn about best practice to build foundational understanding of the way that assessment and learning are connected to help build science literacy for all students.

Learning Outcomes for this Course

What you should know

What you should be able to do

Goal 1. Understand how students learn

• Become fluent in the definitions of learning terms: developmental stages, social learning, zone of proximal development, concrete, abstract, operations, schema, cognitive dissonance, assimilation, accommodation. The Psychological Foundations of learning theories from Piaget and Vygotsky. • Use these terms correctly and as the basis for making instructional decisions.

Goal 2. Employ appropriate assessment to make instructional decisions

• Use diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment tools to make instructional decisions • Become fluent in the definitions of assessment terms: formative, summative, evaluation, informal, formal, authentic, performance, outcome-based, self-assessment. • Research on the effectiveness of various assessment tools. • When, why, and how to use concept maps, portfolios, observations, interviews, posters, and other assessment tools.

Goal 3. Articulate goals for student learning

• Develop learning goals and outcomes which closely match assessment tools for a lesson • Become fluent in national and state standards

for student learning in science • Explain clearly what you expect students’ learning outcomes to be as a result of science teaching

Goal 4. Employ appropriate assessment tools to record what student have learned

• Develop a range of tools to help find out what students understand and can do before instruction and as a result of instruction • Decide how to match assessment tool to learning goals .

Goal 5. Develop a tool to assess student understanding of the nature of science

• Develop an assessment tool to assess student understanding of the nature of science.

Course Grade

Course Assignments

Assignment

Point Value

Due*

1. Learning Theories paper and presentation

15

Session 3

2. Learning Theories Quiz

5

Session 5

3. Assessment Terms Quiz

10

Session 4

4. Online Discussion

20

Session 2 - 11, 2 points each week

5. Science Process Skill Tool and Presentation

20

Final draft due: Session 7

6. Science Content Knowledge Tool

10

Session 13

7. Using Technology for Assessment

10

Session 9

8. Nature of Science Tool

5

Last session

9. Class Participation

5

Feedback Session 7,

Evaluation at the end of course

* Due dates subject to change depending on class progress.

Learning Goal

Assignments Which Align With This Goal

(Note: Numbers indicate

Assignment Number, some assignments are listed multiple

times)

Type of

Assessment

1. Understand how students learn about science

Learning theories paper Learning theories quiz Assessment terms quiz Online Discussion

Summative Summative Summative Summative Formative

2. Employ appropriate formative assessment tools and use for feedback

Science process skill tool

Formative

3. Articulate student learning goals

Online Discussion Science content knowledge tool

Formative Summative

4. Employ appropriate evaluative and summative tools to record and analyze student learning

Science content knowledge tool Technology assessment tool

Summative Formative

5. Devise ways to collect data about student understanding about the Nature of Science

Nature of Science tool

Formative

6. Plan, discuss, and critique peers' ideas

Class participation

Formative

Grading Criteria

Course Grading System ALL ASSIGNMENTS AND REQUIRED HOMEWORK MUST BE SUBMITTED. If assignments are late or not submitted, the student may be advised to withdraw or run the risk of gaining a “below graduate standard” grade. INCOMPLETES will only be given if the student has documented evidence of illness or exceptional circumstances. Inability to keep-up with course work is not grounds for requesting an incomplete. Late work: You are expected to complete work on time, unless prior arrangements have been made with the instructor. Two points per day will be subtracted for late work. Although specific rubrics will be provided for assignments, the overall grading system for the course is based on the system below. Please note that the UMass system uses the A+ to B system for graduate standard work.

Grade

GPA

Point structure

Comment

A+ 4.0 99-100 Work of the highest professional standard demonstrating independent and exemplary performance

A 4.0 96-98 Excellent work demonstrating independent and high quality performance.

A- 3.7 91-95 Very good work, carefully executed, but requiring some areas of improvement.

B+ 3.3 86-90 Good work, indicating careful thought and attention to the task, yet requiring several areas of improvement.

B 3.0 80-85 Work of graduate standard, but omissions exist or careful analysis is not in evidence.

Below Graduate Standard

B- 2.7 76-79 Effort is evident, but work indicates lack of

understanding of the demands of the task

C+ 2.3 70-75 Poor quality work with little attention to detail and the demands of the task.

C 2.0 65-69 Work of very poor quality, indicating no understanding of the depth of analysis required.

F 0.0 Below 65 Serious neglect or evidence of cheating.

Absent Policy: Attendance is required for all sessions. If you have an emergency and need to miss a session, please contact the instructor beforehand (if possible). You will have to make up all the assignments and activities from the day of the class you missed.

A Walk Through This Course…

This course will contain three components 1. In-class Time

What is expected

of you

What you can expect

from the instructor

Estimated Amount of Work Time Per Week

• Arrive on time • Come prepared with materials ready • Have your reading done for the week • Hand in assignments (when appropriate) • Ask questions of the instructor • Interact with your peers in a positive manner • Actively engage in the group activities and conversations • Do not make appointments during class time. • Do not leave early.

• Modeling effective use of creating effective assessment tools. • I'll return your assessments in a timely manner • I'll give you feedback if I feel you're not doing what is expected of you.

4 - 6:30 each week with one 10 minute break.

2. Online Discussions and Meetings

What is expected

of you

What you can expect

from the instructor

Estimated Amount of Work Time Per Week

• Get logged on during the first week of class. • Participate in discussion 2-3 times each week on online discussions. Your posts should be meaningful, well thought-out, and articulate. • Post your first response by Saturday of

• Online components will be up and ready at appropriate time • I'll post weekly questions to reflect upon each week. These will be tied directly to our course topic for that week. • All course materials will be posted on

30 min. - 1 hour for most weeks.

each week. • Post your follow up responses (if appropriate) by Tuesday • Read all the postings of your peers • Use the site as a resource. • Share resources with your peers. • Ask questions of the instructor • Interact with your peers in a positive manner

the course site. • I'll add additional resources (when possible). • I'll check into the site several times during the week to check your progress.

3. Out of class time: Weekly Assignments and Readings

What is expected

of you

What you can expect

from the instructor

Estimated Amount of Work Time Per Week

• Consult the syllabus weekly to see what is due and what is expected of you. • Read weekly reading assignments. • Complete course assignments and turn in on time. • Ask questions about assignments (if necessary).

• Clear assignment criteria. (If you don't understand what is required of you, please ask) • Help with assignments -- just ask • Prompt, clear, and detailed feedback about your assignments

2-3 hours/week

IMPORTANT Email: All students enroll in courses receive an UML email address. You should use that for all email correspondence for this course. Emailing Assignments: You may email me assignments in this course. If possible, please use MS Word to do your assignments and save in the following format: YOURLastname Assignment Title, Semester (For example: GalileoLearningTheoriesSp09)

Please send by attaching your file to an email. Make sure your name is on all pages of your document (you can add this in the Header/Footer menu).

Course Schedule

Date Class Topics To Do Session 1 January 29

• Course overview • How students learn • Assessment Toolbox • Assessment terms • Using concept maps to think about various assessment terms

• READ: Ch. 1-2 in LAB • START: Assignment 1 • DO: Log in to course discussion and introduce yourself

Session 2 February 5

• What are the goals of science education? • Assessing science process skills • Introduction to Assignment 5

• READ: Ch. 3-4 in LAB • PREPARE: Assignment 3: Assessment Terms Quiz • DO: Assignment 4: Online Discussion #1.

Session 3 February 12

• Introduction to Assignment 7: Handheld Assessment Tool • Assignment 1 presentation of learning theorists

• READ: Browse through RUB • DUE: Assignment 1 • CONTINUE: Assignment 5 • DO: Assignment 4: Online Discussion #2.

Session 4 February 19 ONLINE

• Assignment 3: Assessment Terms Quiz ONLINE

• READ: Ch. 3-4 in UBD • CONTINUE: Assignment 5 • DO: Assignment 4: Online Discussion #3. • PREPARE: Assignment

2: Learning Theories Quiz Session 5 February 26

• Introduction to Rubrics • Assignment 2: Learning Theories Quiz • Bring in draft of Assignment 5: Science Process Skill. • Peer critique of Assignment 5 • Assignment 1 presentation of learning theorists

• READ: Class handouts • CONTINUE: Assignment 5 • DO: Assignment 4: Online Discussion #4.

Session 6 March 5

• 2nd Peer critique of Assignment • Backwards Design

• READ: Ch. 6-8 in UBD • DUE: Assignment 2: Learning Theories Questions • DO: Assignment 4: Online Discussion #5.

Session 7 March 12

• Assignment 5 Present • Class Participation: Self-Evaluation

• READ: Ch. 8 in UBD • DUE: Assignment 5 • DO: Assignment 4: Online Discussion #6.

March 19

No class today University Spring Break

Session 8 March 26

• Using Assessment to Inform Practice • Traditional Tests to Evaluation Learning

• READ: UBD Ch. 10 • DO: Assignment 4: Online Discussion #7.

Session 9 April 2

• Assessing Content Knowledge • How do you assess a students' ability to conduct investigations

• READ: USI Intro • DO: Assignment 4: Online Discussion #8. • DUE: Assignment 7: Handheld Assessment Tool

Session 10 April 9

• National and International Assessments

• READ: USI Assessment probes for your content

• Content-area assessment tasks

area • DO: Assignment 4: Online Discussion #9.

Session 11 April 16

• Portfolio Assessments • Share technology assessment tools

• READ: Class handouts • DO: Assignment 4: Online Discussion #10.

Session 12 April 23 ONLINE

• Time to work on content tools

Session 13 April 30

• Small Group Feedback • Science journals as assessment tools

•DUE: Assignment 6: Science Content Tools

Session 14 May 7

• Assessing the Nature of Science • Assignment 8: Nature of Science Tool (in class assignment)

• DUE: Assignment 8: Science Content Knowledge Tool

Session 15 May 14

• Revisit Initial Concept Maps • Course Wrap Up

Assignment #1

Learning Theorist Paper and Presentation (10 points for the paper, 5 points for developing two test questions)

DUE: Session 3 Goal 1: Understanding of how your students learn

Assignment 1: Learning Theories: Scoring Rubric EX GD ACC NI You included an page in which 1 0 you introduce your own ideas about learning science. This overview should be no longer than 300 words and should be a personal statement. You accurately described your learning theorist and 3 2 1 0 their theory. All relevant parts of the theory are described, citations were included to support the claims made in the paper. Reference list given in APA format. (You should provide three reliable references beyond classroom materials. Wikipedia does not count as a reliable resource). Logical structure to the paper, not just a 2 1 0 ‘laundry list’ of everything about the theory. There should be connections between one idea and the next. You clearly described what your what your 2 1 0 learning theorist taught you about science assessment. Spell-checked, grammatically correct, typed, 2 1 0 name, title, and correct use of APA*. You've included two potential quiz questions 5 4 3 about your learning theorist. You questions clearly relate to your paper, are not trivial bits of info, and are reasonably difficult for graduate level work.

* APA Style: all courses at the Graduate School of Education require that students use the

formatting criteria of the American Psychological Society (APA). The APA style manual is available for publication, but there are many online sites available which can be used as references, as well. The APA site is: http://www.apastyle.org/previoustips.html An assessment tool for the presentation will be developed by the class.

Assessment in Science

Assignment 9: Class Participation: 5 points possible

If you…

You will earn…

• Participate in whole-class discussions on a regular basis. • Participate in group discussions and activities on a regular basis. • Give your opinion without being prompted by the instructor. • Frequently use what you’ve learned from class readings and/or your teaching experiences as evidence to support your argument. • Critique the ideas of other students in a kind and respectful manner.

5, 4 points

• Sometimes participate in whole-class discussions. • Participate in group discussions and activities on a regular basis. • Give your opinion but sometimes must be prompted by the instructor. • Use what you’ve learned from class readings and/or your teaching experiences as evidence to support your argument. • Critique the ideas of other students in a kind and respectful manner.

3, 2

• Do not in whole-class discussions on a regular basis. • Sometimes in group discussions and activities. • Do not give your opinion unless prompted by the instructor. • Usually do not use what you’ve learned from class readings and/or your teaching experiences as evidence to support your argument.

1, 0

• Do not critique the ideas of other students in a kind and respectful manner.