EDUC 403

I. Course Title: Assessment of Student Learning Grades 6-12 (WI)

II. Course Number: EDUC 403

III. Credit Hours: 3 credits

IV. Prerequisites: Admission to the teacher preparation program.

V. Course Description: 

This lecture-based course is designed to help middle school or secondary teacher candidates learn fundamental skills associated with evaluating the potential effectiveness of existing assessment instruments, designing new educational assessments, and interpreting data associated with educational assessment implementation. In the process of designing and evaluating assessments, students will acquire skills related to understanding the relationships among assessment, instruction, and monitoring student progress; understanding state assessment programs and accountability systems; and recognizing important legal and ethical aspects of assessment.

VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:

This course is designed to support teacher preparation efforts by providing a foundation in the skills needed to evaluate existing and develop new assessment instruments to measure educational variables of interest, including student achievement and attitudes. Important concepts associated with standardized testing and assessment expecations for teachers are also addressed, in addition to the use of assessments to provide important formative evaluation data.

The following topic areas define the content of the course:

1. Why teachers need to know about evaluation and assessment
2. Reliability of assessment
3. Validity 
4. Fairness
5. Strategies for effective selected-response and constructed-response tests
6. Performance assessments and effective rubrics
7. Portfolio assessment
8. Adapting assessments to meet the needs of individual learners
9. Formative assessment practices
10. State assessment programs
11. Legal & ethical considerations
12. Improving teacher-developed assessments
13. Making sense  of standardized test scores

VI. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course:

This course includes a number of important projects that define the learning contexts for all course lectures, notes, and other instructional experiences. The first project involves evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of existing teacher-made assessment instruments. The second project involves developing and administering an assessment that includes only selected-response items. Data from this assessment’s implementation is evaluated, and assessment item critiques are generated based on the data collected. Finally, the students must develop additional assessment instruments of different varieties to evaluate complex learner performances, as well as attitudes and dispositions. 

Lectures, readings, and written exams related to the course content and projects constitute a large part of weekly course activities.

VII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:

By the end of the course, all students should be able to perform the following:

1. Compare and contrast evaluation, assessment, instruction, and monitoring student progress.
2. Create, select, and implement valid and reliable classroom-based assessments of student learning, including formative and summative assessments. 
3. Adapt assessments to meet the needs of diverse learners.
4. Apply analytical skills to inform ongoing planning and instruction, as well as to understand and help students understand their own progress and growth.
5. Identify and describe state assessment programs and accountability systems, including assessments used for student achievement goal-setting as related to teacher evaluation and determining student academic progress.
6. Explain relevant legal and ethical aspects of assessments, including diagnostic, college admission exams, industry certifications, and placement assessments.

VIII. Assessment Measures:

The course projects and written exams will be used to measure the learning of most course objectives. Additionally, responses and reflections over course readings will be used to gauge levels of comprehension and analytical skills underlying some of the more complex course outcomes.

Review and Approval

August 2020

March 01, 2021