STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES (SLOs)

Orientation Module

© Pennsylvania Department of Education

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Goal:Design ● Build ● Review student learning objectives (SLOs) for use in guiding instruction and determining student mastery and/or growth as part of

Pennsylvania’s teacher effectiveness system.

Participants will: 1. Review each component used in the SLO process,

including the role of high-quality performance measures.

2. Examine tools and techniques available to teachers and principals.

Goal & Objectives

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Training• Describe the procedures within each of the three phases

(i.e., Design, Build, & Review) • Provide examples and information about a process

Templates• Assist in developing customized material

Resources• Supplements the core training materials

Tool Organization

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Tool Organization (cont.)

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SLO Design Coherency

GOAL STATEMENT

RATING

PERFORMANCE MEASUREPERFORMANCE INDICATOR

ALL STUDENTS FOCUSED STUDENTS

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Training Resources

SAS is the PDE website (www.pdesas.org) containing:• Pennsylvania content standards and other helpful PDE developed

material• a downloadable SLO training “packet”, including SLO Models• links to Research in Action’s (RIA) training platform, Homeroom

Homeroom is RIA’s web-based learning platform (http://www.ria2001.org) containing: • on-line training materials, including the SLO Process Template• downloadable SLO training files• links to the SAS portal

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Assessment Literacy Series vs. Student Learning Objectives

I need to… SLO Process Series-PA

Assessment Literacy Series

Start from scratch X XOnly build a performance measure

X

Only complete the SLO Process Template

X

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Outline of the Orientation Module

Orientation

Build

Design

SLO Process Phases

Review

ALS Techniques

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PDE’s Definition: A process to document a measure of educator effectiveness based on student achievement of content standards.

Student Learning Objective

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Assessment Literacy• The skills, knowledge, and concepts associated with sound

assessment practices, including the critical review of quality evidence.

Goal Statement• Narrative articulating the “Big Idea” upon which the SLO is

based.

Standards• Targeted content standards used in developing SLOs, which

are the foundation of performance measures.

Terminology

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Rationale Statement• Narrative providing reasons why the Goal Statement and the

targeted content standards address important learning.

Blueprint• Visual depiction of the relationship among key SLO

components.

Performance Measure• An assessment tool used to measure the knowledge and

skills acquired by students.

Terminology (cont.)

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Performance Indicator• Statement of the expected level of achievement on each

performance measure.

Elective Rating• Comprise four levels of performance:

• DISTINGUISHED, PROFICIENT, NEEDS IMPROVEMENT, and FAILING.

• Reflect an “expectations continuum” established by the educator prior to the evaluation period and then examined at the end of the evaluation period.

Terminology (cont.)

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SLO Process Phases

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Guiding Principles

SLOs should:1. Represent student performance in a specific course/content

area taught by the educator. 2. Align to a targeted set of content standards that represent

the depth and breadth of the goal statement.3. Contain results from only high-quality performance measures

collected in an equitable, verifiable, and standardized manner.

4. Use metrics based on two time-bound events/data collection periods and/or summative performance with defined levels of achievement.

5. Include performance indicators linked to performance measures.

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The SLO process contains three (3) phases:

I. Design (ing): thinking, conceptualizing, organizing, discussing, researching

II. Build (ing): selecting, developing, sharing, completing

III. Review (ing): refining, checking, updating, editing, testing, finalizing

SLO Process Phases

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SLO Process Phases DESIGN

• Thinking about what content standards to measure

• Organizing standards and measures• Discussing collective goals with

colleagues• Researching what is needed for a high

quality SLO

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SLO Process Phases BUILD

• Selecting the performance measure(s) • Developing targets and expectations• Completing the template• Sharing the draft materials with other

colleagues

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SLO Process Phases REVIEW

• Checking the drafted SLO (including the performance measures) for quality

• Refining measures and targets• Editing text and preparing discussion

points/highlights for principal• Finalizing materials• Updating completed SLO with

performance data

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The Orientation Module-• Shared the conceptual framework,

resources, and tools associated with the SLO process.

• Discussed the phases and guiding principles used in creating student learning objectives.

Summary