Week 4 Discussion 1 Muddiest Point

As we have learned so far in this course, assessments should always be part of instruction. In other words, educators should always be assessing for learning (formative). One way to formatively assess learners is using the “muddiest point.” The “muddiest point” refers to the ideas that are still messy or unclear to the learner. This phrase can be used as an exit ticket that you would use at the end of a lesson to determine what concepts learners may still be struggling with so that you know what you may have to reinforce the next day.

Prepare

Prior to beginning work on this discussion,

• Review      the learning objectives thus far in the course.
• Review      the discussions and assignments you have completed thus far.
• Review      your instructor feedback on discussions and assignments.

Reflect

Examine what you have learned so far in this course. Consider what learning objectives you have mastered and those that need further developing.

Write

Complete the following:

• Respond      to the following question: What has been the “muddiest” point so far in      this course? In other words, what topic remains the least clear to you?      Explain your reasoning so that your instructor can provide guidance.
• Select      one quote from your course text that you found particularly meaningful      about assessments, perhaps something new you learned. Explain how it has      altered or enhanced your perspective about assessments. Be sure to      properly cite and reference your quote using proper APA formatting. For      further assistance, refer to Introduction to APA (Links to an external site.).

Please see files attached, thanks.

Week 4 Discussion 1 Muddiest Point

 

As we have learned so far in this course, assessments should always be part of instruction. In other words, educators should always be assessing for learning (formative). One way to formatively assess learners is using the “muddiest point.” The “muddiest point” refers to the ideas that are still messy or unclear to the learner. This phrase can be used as an exit ticket that you would use at the end of a lesson to determine what concepts learners may still be struggling with so that you know what you may have to reinforce the next day.

Prepare

Prior to beginning work on this discussion,

· Review the learning objectives thus far in the course.

· Review the discussions and assignments you have completed thus far.

· Review your instructor feedback on discussions and assignments.

Reflect

Examine what you have learned so far in this course. Consider what learning objectives you have mastered and those that need further developing.

Write

Complete the following:

· Respond to the following question: What has been the “muddiest” point so far in this course? In other words, what topic remains the least clear to you? Explain your reasoning so that your instructor can provide guidance.

· Select one quote from your course text that you found particularly meaningful about assessments, perhaps something new you learned. Explain how it has altered or enhanced your perspective about assessments. Be sure to properly cite and reference your quote using proper APA formatting. For further assistance, refer to Introduction to APA (Links to an external site.) .

Guided Response (Due Monday, Day 7): Post replies to at least two peers by the close date of this discussion. Examine what topics your classmates are still finding a bit “muddy.” Provide any clarification that may support their learning.

Though two replies are the basic expectation, for deeper engagement and learning, you are encouraged to provide responses to any comments or questions others have given to you. Remember, continuing to engage with peers and the instructor will further the conversation and provide you with opportunities to demonstrate your content expertise, critical thinking, and real-world experiences with this topic.

EDU645: ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING

Weekly Lesson

Week 4

Welcome to Week 4 of EDU645:  Assessment for Learning. Please be sure to review the week four homepage for this course to see:

· the specific learning outcomes for the week

· the schedule overview

· the required and recommended resources

· the introduction to the week

· a listing of the assessments

Next, be sure to read this entire Weekly Lesson including any videos or articles shared.

 

Introduction

In Week 3, you explored the issue of high-stakes standardized testing and your own experiences with these types of tests in both your educational and professional experiences. Last week, you tackled the development of your summative assessment based on your standard and learning objective/outcomes/targets and developed a variety of test items to assess learner knowledge. This week, your focus is on determining how you can interpret and use the data results from your assessments to support the academic success of your learners. First, you will have the opportunity to reflect on your learning thus far in the course and share concepts that may still be a bit “muddy” for you.

 

Week 4 Learning Activities

This section includes additional specific assistance for exceling in the assessments (learning activities) for Week 4 as a supplement to the instructions and grading rubrics. If you have questions about what is expected on any assessment for Week 4, or any other week, contact your instructor before the due date.

Discussion: Muddiest Point

 

Prodigy.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.prodigygame.com/blog/active-learning-strategies-examples/ (Links to an external site.)

In the spirit of assessments, you will have the opportunity to complete an exit ticket called the “muddiest point” that you might use in your own instruction that allows you to reflect on your learning so far in this course. Consider what topics still seem a bit “muddy” or unclear to you. This will give the instructor and even your peers a chance to clarify any content that you still may be struggling with. Additionally, you will find a specific quote from the text that has had a significant impact on your learning. Once you select it, be sure to copy and paste with proper APA citations and explain how it has influenced your thinking about assessments. Respond to two of your classmates at a minimum. Consider providing further clarity for topics your peers might find a bit “muddy” that you feel confident in mastering.

Assignment:  Data, Data Everywhere

In this assignment, you get to use your math skills to find the mean, median and mode. If your math skills are a bit rusty, be sure to read Chapter 9 and here is a quick video from Khan Academy on how to find the mean, median and mode (Links to an external site.) .

Whether you like it or not, math is a requirement of teaching; in particular, statistics. Educators use statistics when analyzing the data from test results to determine how learners performed and what may need to be done to better support learner success. For example, if your entire class missed the fourth question on the test, this may be a clear indication that either the content was not taught related to issues of misalignment impacting its validity or the test question was not clearly written.  Whatever the case may be, these data results provide the educator with greater insight on student performance.

You will be given hypothetical data that represent how your learners performed on the ten questions you developed for your summative assessment in Week 3. Using the Week 4 Data, Data Everywhere Assignment Template and the Week 4 Data Chart and Bar Graphs document found in the assignment instructions, you will analyze the hypothetical data results from your summative assessment to determine ways you might differentiate your instruction to support learners and how you might present this data to your learners or parents of your learners.

 

Week 4 Lesson

 

Aside. (2012, July 22). The bigfoot of big data – Education myth vs. reality [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://theasideblog.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-bigfoot-of-big-data-educational.html (Links to an external site.)

For those who are not huge fans of math, the word “statistics” brings forth anxiety, but it is a necessary skill needed in the teaching profession. We live in a world where many decisions are based on statistics, which allow educators to analyze and examine the results from assessments.  Statistical analysis of test results help educators to examine their own practice, help learners to reflect on their own progress and help drive instructional decisions. Considering reviewing the following sources to help you better understand the importance of educators using data in their practice:

Why Teachers Must be Data Experts (Links to an external site.)

Data Carousels (Links to an external site.)

Classroom Strategies: Using Data to Differentiate (Links to an external site.)

 

References

Dyer. K. (2014, August 20). Classroom strategies: Using data to differentiate [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.nwea.org/blog/2014/classroom-strategies-using-data-differentiate/ (Links to an external site.)

Khan Academy. Mean, median, & mode example [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/math/ap-statistics/summarizing-quantitative-data-ap/measuring-center-quantitative/v/mean-median-and-mode (Links to an external site.)

Morrison, J. (2009, January). Why teachers must be data experts. Educational Leadership, 66(4). Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec08/vol66/num04/Why-Teachers-Must-Be-Data-Experts.aspx (Links to an external site.)

Teaching Channel. (2018). Data carousels [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.teachingchannel.org/video/data-carousels-improve-instruction (Links to an external site.)

 

Tips for Success

Proofing and Editing Strategies (From Ashford’s Writing Center)

Many students do not realize that proofreading and editing is the final stage of the writing process. Every assignment–a discussion board post, essay, proposal, etc.–should be proofread and edited before submitting it to the instructor. Moreover, it is best to proofread and edit the final draft of an assignment.

To guide you in this process, here are some proofreading and editing strategies that work well:

Be Prepared for Proofing.

Proofread and edit your assignment when you are most alert and are without distractions. Know the best time and place for you to concentrate. Also, print out a hard copy, have a pen or pencil in hand, and keep any necessary materials within reach–dictionary, style guide, writing handbook, notes, assignment description, old drafts.

Break the Task Down into Small Steps.

Avoid proofreading and editing every aspect of the draft all at once. Instead, focus on one component at a time with each read. For example, you might have three proofreading and editing sessions in which you concentrate on the following separately: organization, mechanics (grammar & punctuation), and formatting style.

Proofread Backwards.

This means to read from the last sentence of the paragraph to its first sentence (bottom to top) or from the end of the sentence to its beginning (left to right). Proofreading backwards will help you “slow down” and consider each sentence or word separately. This strategy works best for isolating typos, misspellings, or missing words.

Read Out Loud.

Reading what you wrote out loud to yourself can help you catch both grammatical errors and awkward organization or development of ideas. A variation on this strategy is having someone else read your paper out loud to you. By putting yourself in the role of the audience, you can hear what does not “flow” or make sense. Or, have this “second pair of eyes” read your draft to her or himself.

Know Your Computer.

Learn to use the tools most word-processing software have. (Note: Refer to “A Basic Guide for Using Microsoft Word” in Writing Resources).

· Spell check – This does not mean, however, that you should not reread your paper on your own or have a friend, relative, or spouse look at it. Have a dictionary on hand to double–check your word choice vs. the spell check’s corrections or suggestions.

· The “Find” feature – This helps you to identify words and phrases you overuse, such as “they,” “it is,” and “it has been said that.”

· Thesaurus – Use it with care: bigger words are not always better.

· Grammarly – Add this free resource to Microsoft Word as an additional resource to proof your writing.

Let Your Eyes Rest.

Take a break for a few minutes or hours. Working closely with your own writing for stretches of time can affect the way that you read the paper. You will overlook typos and simple mistakes if you do not allow your eyes to rest. Set small goals. Allow yourself enough time for proofreading and editing to avoid feeling overwhelmed or rushed.

 

 

Required Resources

Texts

Brookhart, S. M. (2013). How to create and use rubrics for formative assessment and grading . Alexandria,VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com

· Chapter 1: What are Rubrics & why are they Important?

· Chapter 2: Common Misconceptions About Rubrics

· Chapter 3: Writing or Selecting Effective Rubrics

Lefrançois, G. R. (2013). Of learning and assessment . Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/

· Chapter 2: Purposes and Characteristics of Educational Assessment

Article

Cook, L. (2007). When in Rome…: Influences on special education student-teachers’ teaching (Links to an external site.) . International Journal of Special Education, 22 (3), 118-130. Retrieved from ERIC Digest.

Exemplars. (2010). Formative assessment (Links to an external site.) . Retrieved from http://www.exemplars.com/resources/formative-assessment

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2009). Assessment: A 21st century skills implementation guide (Links to an external site.) . Retrieved from p21.org/storage/documents/p21-stateimp_assessment.pdf

Wylie, C. (2008). Formative assessment: Examples of practice (Links to an external site.) . Council of Chief State School Officers. Retrieved from http://www.ccsso.org/Documents/2008/Formative_Assessment_Examples_2008.pdf

Recommended Resource

Article

Saluda County Schools. (2012). Common core curriculum exemplars (Links to an external site.) . Retrieved from http://saluda.schooldesk.net/Departments/CurriculumandInstruction/CommonCore/tabid/66663/Default.aspx