AUTHENTIC LEARNING AND

ASSESSMENT

Project-based Learning for the Core Classes

WHAT IS AUTHENTIC LEARNING? Write your definition on your

paper. Discuss your definition with your

tablemates. Make a list of the common ideas.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRxAuqBfRNQ

Breaking Free pg 30 by Allison Zmuda

NINE MYTHS FROM BREAKING FREE The rules of this classroom

and subject area determined by each teacher.

What the teacher wants me to say is more important than what I want to say.

The point of an assignment is to get it done so that it’s off the to-do list.

If I make a mistake, my job is only to replace it with the right answer.

I feel proud of myself only if I receive a good grade.

Speed is synonymous with intelligence

If I get too far behind, I will never catch up.

The way I want to be seen by my classmates affects the way I conduct myself as a learner.

What I’m learning in school doesn’t have much to do with my life, but it isn’t supposed to ---it’s school.

ENGAGEMENT IS THE KEY!

• Math Video– Sample

Video

Thinking Big About Engagement

Facts Rules

Discipline-RelatedConcept

Principles

UniversalTheme GeneralizationLevels of

Understanding

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FACTS• Memorization• Knowledge level of Bloom’s• Assessed mainly with multiple choice• Often found in Science and Social Studies

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Rules• Ability to transfer fact/knowledge to a new situation with many similarities to the exemplar * Rule: Put an exclamation at the end of an exclamatory sentence.• May include giving students steps to think through to make the application: * Look at the sentence * Search for emotion words * Decide whether to put an exclamation mark or a period• Mostly ELA and math but can cross into all subject areas• Assessed mostly with multiple choice and constructed response Region 10

Concepts

• Ideas, broad and abstract

• Taught through examples, used to classify

• Span multiple grades

• Higher rigor (application, analysis, and evaluation levels)

• Multiple assessment measures

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Principles• Principles are always true and have significant roles within a discipline.• Cornerstones for understanding and applying the knowledge of a discipline.• Example: Newton’s Laws (F= ma); 1=1 or 1= 2/2

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Universal Themes

• Translates out of a single discipline and across disciplines• May be used for interdisciplinary studies• Could apply anywhere at anytime• Examples: Systems, Interdependence, Change

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Generalization

• Essential understandings because they are the deeper, transferable ideas that arise from fact-based studies.• Statements of the relationships between concepts• Transfer across time and singular examples• Suggests and ability to synthesize information from two or more conceptual studies

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ELA EXAMPLE

Facts Rules

Discipline-RelatedConcept

Principles

UniversalTheme Generalization

Communication can be verbal or written. Communication can be enhanced through use of conventional rules.CommunicationExclamations are usually expressed in times of high stress, high joy, surprise, etc.Exclamation or SentencesPut an exclamation mark at the end of a sentence showing excitementThis is an exclamation mark - !

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YOU TRY A S.S. EXAMPLE

Facts Rules

Discipline-RelatedConcept

Principles

UniversalTheme Generalization

1. Human migration2. Great Migration of the 1980’s3. Change4. People moved south for jobs and weather5. People migrate in response to either a

push or pull factor6. Change is constant but humans have control over their reaction to change.

Place the # abovethe correct categoryof learning.

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YOU TRY A S.S. EXAMPLE

Facts Rules

Discipline-RelatedConcept

Principles

UniversalTheme Generalization

1. Human migration2. Great Migration of the 1980’s3. Change4. People moved south for jobs and weather5. People migrate in response to either a

push or pull factor6. Change is constant but humans have control over their reaction to change.

Place the # abovethe correct categoryof learning.2 4

1

3

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5

6

COMMON VOCABULARYWhat do the following terms mean to you?What are the minute differences?

Assessment Performances Assessment Performance Task Constructed Response Selected Responses Observation

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PERFORMANCE ASSESMENTS Performance assessment tasks involve

students in construction various types of products for diverse audiences. Students also are involved in developing the process that leads to the finished products.

Performance assessment measures what students can do with what they know, rather than how much they know. Performance assessment tasks are based on what is most essential in the curriculum and what is interesting to a student.

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AUTHENTIC PERFORMANCE TASKSIPI• Integrated• Performance-based• Instructional

Integrated- most than one subject assessed through the task

Performance-based- view process and assess product

Instructional- no instructional time lost because student continues to acquire information as he/she demonstrates control of given process skills

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COMMON ISSUES FOUND IN PERFORMANCE TASK ACROSS SUBJECTS

Too vague: teacher does not know specifically what he/she should have the students do- the performance or the product

To many SEs- “the kitchen sink” mentality- keep it focused on the competencies that are important

Not grade-level appropriate – in effort to get the performance in, asking students to do something beyond their developmental level

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MORE ISSUES

Lacks authenticity- does not include a real life connection, role, or product

Too long- task takes more than 2-3 days to complete

Too low level- task does not require higher levels of thinking and understanding, cannot be assessed with a rubric

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PRACTICE

Try to identify a small number of TEKS that would lend themselves to authentic assessment

Once you have identified an SE, write a performance task

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DESIGN STEPS: AUTHENTIC PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS (REGION 10)

*Real or Simulated Role You are a…

*Situation During or involved in…who is being asked to…

*Resources allowed Using…

*possible problems In which you are faced with

Product And produce a…

Audience For…

Timeframe By…

Stage 1 – The Standards, EUs and EQs• TEKS, CCRS, NETS, Local Objectives, Graduate Expectations, 21st Century Learning Skills, Authentic Design Elements

Stage 2 – Assessment Design• Designing assessment that is authentic in practice and that measures student mastery of the TEKS

Stage 3 – Lesson and Activity Design• The lessons and activities designed in this stage should be based on the desired results from Stage 1 and 2.

DESIGNING THE UNIT OF STUDY

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• Setting the Stage UNIT TEMPLATE

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MAKING THE CONNECTION

Big Idea

Enduring Understandi

ng

Essential Question

Topic or Content

Standard

What is the issue, challenge, investigation, scenario, or problem?

What overarching conceptual understanding do I want students to perceive by the end of this unit?

What broad or topical conceptual question do I want students to be able to answer at the end of this unit?

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DISCUSS THE DEFINITION OF AN ENDURING UNDERSTANDING

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DEFINITION OF ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS

Enduring understandings:• are statements summarizing important ideas and core processes that are central to a discipline and have lasting value beyond the classroom.

• synthesize what students should understand—not just know or do—as a result of studying a particular content area.

• articulate what students should “revisit” over the course of their lifetimes in relationship to the content area.

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DISCUSS THE DEFINITION OF AN ESSENTIAL

QUESTION

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DEFINITION OF AN ESSENTIAL QUESTION

One that lies at the heart of a subject or a curriculum and promotes inquiry and uncoverage of a subject.

Have no simple “right” answer Provoke & sustain inquiry Address conceptual or philosophical foundations Raise other important questions Naturally & appropriately recur

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Unit TemplateThe Standards

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http://olc.region10.org/21