the why, what and how of building competencies and competency assessments for high school courses...
TRANSCRIPT
The Why, What and How of Building Competencies and Competency Assessments for High School Courses Tom WelchSeptember 20, 2006
Developing High School Competencies
and Competency Assessments
I’m the Woodsman
Or maybe Lewis
Or Clark
But YOU. . .You are the true pioneers!
WHY?
In New Hampshire . . .
the train is ready to leave the station!
Ed 306 ~ Standards for School Approval
Roll Out Of New Approved Standards November 21, 2005
New Hampshire is shifting
from a focus on school and teaching
to a focus on each student learning.
Let’s take a moment to review . . .
Education 1.0
Formal education for a select fewNo set curriculum
Education 2.0
Public Schools
Education for “all”
No defined standards
Curriculum determined and assessed locally
Education 3.0Focus on learning
Education for each and every childDefined standardsAssessments as quality indicators
New Hampshire is getting ready for“The Tsunami”
Identified StandardsCommon AssessmentsTechnology for learning
24/7/7
The State of New Hampshire clearly “Gets It!”
Do you?
Inquiring Minds want to know
Who is inquiring about what students know?
1.0 parents students2.0 students parents
colleges and other post-secondary partners
3.0parentsstudentspost-secondary partnersthe Federal Government (NCLB)the State of NH
districtsthe newspapers. . .
You used to be able to “just” worry about what was being taught
Individual coursesHigh School graduation
requirements(did a student accumulate
enough credits?)
By the way . . .
Would someone tell me what a credit is??
A credit is a unit . . .but
What’s its value?
A credit is a unit of . . .
The unarticulated suspicion is that some units of learning don’t mean as much as they should
Would you prefer one Australian dollar, or one American dollar?
“In an American education system full of plans for better high schools, more and more courses have impressive labels, such as "honors," "advanced," "college prep" and "Advanced Placement." But many researchers and educators say the teaching often does not match the title.”
ASCD September 19, 2006
Currently in New Hampshire (2.0), the school year is measured in TIME
Ed 306.18 School Year ~ pp. 17-18
(a) Pursuant to RSA 189:1 and 189:24 each school shall maintain a school year option as provided in either (b) or (c) below.
(b) Each school with a school year option based on hours…
(c) Each school with a school year option based on days…
Option (b) ~ School Year measured in Hours ~
(b) Each school with a school year option based on hours shall be subject to the following requirements:(1) The school shall maintain in each elementary school, a school year of at
least 945 hours of instructional time; (2) The school shall maintain in each middle and senior high school, a school
year of at least 990 hours of instructional time; (3) The school day of an individual student shall not exceed 8 hours of
instructional time; and(4) The school shall have in its school year an additional 10 days of at least
6 hours in duration to provide for instructional time lost due to inclement weather or unexpected circumstances, staff development, and parent-teacher conferences;
(5) A school may close before its scheduled closing time when an emergency condition exists which might adversely affect the health and safety of students, provided that the number of hours of instructional time originally planned for the day shall be credited to the number of hours of instructional time in the school year, if:
a. On that day, the school would normally have had at least 5.25 hours of instructional time; and
b. The school remained open for at least 3.5 hours of instructional time.
School Year based on days
(c) Each school with a school year option based on days shall be subject to the following requirements:(1) The school shall maintain a standard
school year of at least 180 days of instructional time;
(2) The school shall have in its school year an additional 10 days of at least 6 hours in duration to provide for instructional time lost due to inclement weather or unexpected circumstances, staff development, and parent-teacher conferences;
And in NH 2.0, high school graduation requirements are still expressed in terms of time units.
Ed 306.27 (f) Credit Requirements ~ p. 31
(f) There shall be a minimum of 20 credits for a regular high school diploma, unless the local school board has set a requirement of more than 20 credits for a regular high school diploma, in which case the local credit requirement shall apply. The local school board shall require that each high school offers courses or learning opportunities as specified in (c) above.
Table 306-2 Required Subjects and Credits for High School Graduation ~ pp. 33-34Required Subjects Credit(s)
Arts education ½ credit
Information and communications technologies
½ credit or demonstrate proficiency
English 4 credits
Mathematics 3 credits, including algebra credit that can be earned through a sequential, integrated, or applied program
Physical sciences 1 credit
Biological sciences 1 credit
US and NH history 1 credit
US and NH government/civics
½ credit
Economics ½ credit
World history, global studies, or geography
½ credit
Health education ½ credit
Physical education 1 credits
Open electives 6 credits
Totals 20 credits
If time is more critical than learning, then NH better watch out . . .
Wouldn’t states that require more time units have smarter students?
Several states already have more than 20 credits required for graduation
(a) Language arts - four (4) credits (b) Social studies - three (3) credits (c) Mathematics - three (3) credits 2. Required courses shall include: Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra
II. (d) Science - three (3) credits (e) Health - one-half (1/2) credit (f) Physical education - one-half (1/2) credit (g) History and appreciation of visual and performing arts (or
another arts course which incorporates this content) - one (1) credit (h) Academic and career interest standards-based learning
experiences - seven (7) credits including four (4) standards-based learning experiences in an academic or career interest based on the student’s individual learning plan; and
(i) Demonstrated performance-based competency in technology
Total 22 credits
And that state always used to say
“TGFM”,
But . . .
Subject RequirementsEnglish 4 ENG I, II, III, IVMathematics 3 Algebra I, Geometry, 1 additional mathematicsScience 3 Biology & Physical Science and 1 additional scienceSocial Studies 4 1/2 MS Studies, 1/2 Social Studies elective, World History, U.S. History, 1/2
AmericanGovt. & 1/2 Economics*Business &Technology1 1/2 Computer Applications, 1/2 Keyboarding or Computer DiscoveryComputer Discovery taken in the 8th grade will count for Computer App. & Keyboarding
requirement.Health 1/2 Comprehensive Health and Family/Individual HealthFine Arts 1 Any fine arts courseAdvancedSeminar **1 Unit for twelfth grade studentsElectives 7 1/2 Any courses that are not required
TOTAL 25
But don’t worry, NH, those are all (for the moment at least)
Time-based credits like your 2.0 credits
In 2.0 languageThose are all based on inputs. . .
Not outcomes
Or in 3.0 languageDownloads. . .
NotUploads
In Education 2.0 NH defined instructional time that was required for schools
And even placed limits on the instructional time in a day that a student could be subjected to.
Option (b) ~ School Year measured in Hours ~
(b) Each school with a school year option based on hours shall be subject to the following requirements:(1) The school shall maintain in each elementary school, a school year of at
least 945 hours of instructional time; (2) The school shall maintain in each middle and senior high school, a school
year of at least 990 hours of instructional time; (3) The school day of an individual student shall not exceed 8 hours of
instructional time; and(4) The school shall have in its school year an additional 10 days of at least
6 hours in duration to provide for instructional time lost due to inclement weather or unexpected circumstances, staff development, and parent-teacher conferences;
(5) A school may close before its scheduled closing time when an emergency condition exists which might adversely affect the health and safety of students, provided that the number of hours of instructional time originally planned for the day shall be credited to the number of hours of instructional time in the school year, if:
a. On that day, the school would normally have had at least 5.25 hours of instructional time; and
b. The school remained open for at least 3.5 hours of instructional time.
What’s the limit on the time a student can be learning in New Hampshire?
What’s the limit on how long a student needs to take to learn in New Hampshire?
In the New Hampshire of the 3.0 era, the important measure is not
instructional timeBut
learning results
WHY High School Competencies?
New Hampshire can’t afford to stay on the Education 2.0 train
Ed 306 ~ Standards for School Approval
Roll Out Of New Approved Standards November 21, 2005
Ed 306.04 Local School Board Policies:
(1) Absenteeism and attendance;(2) Promoting school safety;(3) Discipline;(4) Records retention, including electronic files;(5) Character and citizenship; (6) Meeting the instructional needs of each student with different
talents;(7) Student hazing;(8) Student harassment, including bullying;(9) Sexual harassment, as detailed in Ed 303.01(j) and (k);(10) Reporting of suspected abuse or neglect; (11) Promotion of a school environment that is conducive to learning and
supports strong family and community partnerships;(12) Distance education, if the district chooses to offer distance
education as provided in Ed 306.22;(13) Extended learning opportunities, if the district chooses to offer
extended learning opportunities as provided in Ed 306.26(f) or Ed 306.27(b)(4)
(14) How a credit can be earned, as provided in Ed 306.27(d);(15) Recommending developmentally appropriate daily physical activity and
exercise;(16) Behavior management and intervention for students; and(17) Homeless students.
Ed 306.21 Off-Site Program ~ p. 20
(a) “Off-site program” means the regular delivery of the majority of a student’s instruction at a facility not located in the school building(s).
(b) An off-site program shall be:(1) Designed to address the personalized needs to students, including, but not limited to, dropout prevention; and(2) Approved by the local school board in a plan that:
a. States the goals of the program; b. Specifies the procedures for assessing and implementing
its program plan consistent with RSA 193-C:3, III; andc. Specifies when the program would be offered, which may
be at a time other than during the regular school day.(c) Off-site programs for students with disabilities shall meet the
requirements of Ed 1119.(d) Prior to implementing an off-site program, a school administrative
unit shall submit to the department the following:(1) A copy of the local school board’s approval, including the plan submitted; and(2) The location of the off-site program.
(e) Each student participating in an off-site program shall participate in the state assessment exam, when applicable.
Department Comment ~ Off-Site Programs
The reference in (b)(2)(b) to RSA 193-C:3, III sets out the requirement that the content of off-site programs must conform to the grade level expectations required of a traditional course of the same grade and subject.
(c) clarifies that SpEd Off-site Programs are required to meet SpEd Rules ~ Ed 1119
(e) makes it clear that students in off-site programs are required to participate in the statewide assessment test.
Ed 306.22 Distance Education ~ p. 21
(b) If a district chooses to offer distance education, the provisions of (c) - (f) below shall apply.
(c) The local school board shall be responsible for:(1) The approval, coordination, and supervision of distance education courses offered for
instructional purposes or high school credit, or both, in the district; and(2) Granting student credit for completion of distance education courses.
(d) School districts may cooperate to share delivery of distance education courses.
(e) The local school board shall adopt policies relative to all distance education courses offered by the school district to require that:(1) The courses comply with all federal and state statutes pertaining to student privacy and to
public broadcasting of audio and video;(2) Credit courses require students to meet similar academic standards as required by the school
for students enrolled in credit courses offered by the school;(3) Only students approved by the school principal or designee shall be eligible to receive credit for
distance education courses; and(4) Students earning credit for distance education courses shall participate in all assessments
required by the statewide education improvement and assessment program.
(f) The local school board shall adopt policies relative to all distance education courses offered by the school district relative to:(1) The number of students a teacher may be required to supervise;(2) Monitoring of student progress, grading of assignments, and testing;(3) Security of individual student records, provided that no individual student records obtained
through participation in distance education courses shall be used for any purposes other than those that support the instruction of the individual student; and
(4) Gathering and disseminating of district-level aggregated data obtained through participation in distance education courses.
Ed 306.26 (f) pp. 26-27; Ed 306.27(b)(4) pp. 28-29 Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO)
(f) If a district chooses to offer extended learning opportunities in a middle school, the extended learning opportunities shall:
(1) Consist of activities designed to:a. Provide credit or supplement regular academic courses; andb. Promote the schools and individual students’ educational goals and
objectives;(2) Be governed by a policy adopted by the local school board that:
a. Provides for the administration and supervision of the program;b. Encourages that certified school personnel oversee an individual student’s
program;c. Requires that each extended learning proposal meet rigorous measurable
standards, and be approved by the school prior to its beginning; d. Specifies whether or not credit can be granted for extended learning
activities, including, but not limited to, independent study, private instruction, team sports, performing groups, internships, community service, and work study; and
e. Requires that credit for an extended learning activity can only be approved by certified educators;
(3) Incorporate student participation in selecting, organizing, and carrying out extended learning activities;
(4) Provide opportunities for students to acquire knowledge and skill development comparable to knowledge and skill development in courses offered at the high school; and
(5) Be available to all students.
Department Comment ~ ELO
The local school board is required to adopt and implement written policies and procedures relative to extended learning if the district plans to offer extended learning opportunities, as per Ed 306.04.
It is strongly recommended that local school boards adopt policies that indicate which, if any, of these opportunities the district is prepared to offer.
The local district’s policy may define whether extended learning opportunities are offered in wide variety, in limited options, or not at all.
Without such a policy, individual petitions may be granted if the school board has a policy or process addressing such petitions. A written policy should indicate date of implementation.
If a district chooses to provide extended learning opportunities, to some degree, there must be opportunities that are available to all students, not just a select group, such as honor students.
306.27 High School Curriculum, Credits, Graduation Requirement, and Co curricular Program ~ p. 28
(a) The local school board shall require that the required curriculum content developed for each high school is consistent with RSA 193-C:3, III.
(b) The required curriculum content shall comply with the following:(1) The program of studies shall include those courses for which
credit is awarded as well as other educational experiences and instructional activities required by Ed 306;
(2) Credit courses shall be planned for the attainment of specific educational objectives leading to the high school diploma;
(3) The instructional program shall include:a. Procedures for diagnosing learner needs;b. Methods and strategies for teaching that incorporate learner needs;c. Resource-based learning opportunities;d. Techniques for the evaluation of student outcomes; and e. The provision of remedial instruction as needed;
(4) If a district chooses to offer extended learning opportunities, the extended learning opportunities shall…
Department Comment ~ 306.27
The elements found in Ed 306.27(b)(3), and the various terms included:a. Procedures for diagnosing learner needs;b. Methods and strategies for teaching that incorporate learner
needs;c. Resource-based learning opportunities;d. Techniques for the evaluation of student outcomes; and e. The provision of remedial instruction as needed;
are meant to reflect good educational practice in common use. The department recommends that districts provide a section in their local program to describe how each of the elements of a high school instructional program that are required by this rule will be met in order to demonstrate compliance. While there seems to be general consensus on the meaning of elements a, b, d, and e, c. resource-based learning opportunities refers to the tools and experiences that enhance learning.
“Demonstration of competencies” for the purposes of this section will be further defined in a future advisory.
306.27 (d) Instructional Time and Competencies ~ p. 30
(d) By the 2008-2009 school year, the local school board shall require that a high school credit can be earned by demonstrating mastery of required competencies for the course, as approved by certified school personnel. Until the 2008-2009 school year, the local school board shall require that a high school credit can be earned as provided in (1) or (2) below, or both:(1) Attendance at a course scheduled to meet for no less
than 135 clock hours of instructional time if the school operates on an 8-period schedule or for no less than 150 clock hours of instructional time if the school operates on a 7-period schedule; or
(2) If a competency assessment is in place as provided in (i) below, by demonstrating mastery of required competencies for the course, as approved by certified school personnel.
Ed 306.27 (q) Distance Learning and HS Credit ~ p. 35
(q) If a local school board adopts policies relative to the awarding of credit for distance education as described in Ed 306.22, the policies shall require that:(1) Students may earn credit toward the number of
units required for graduation through the successful completion of such courses; and
(2) Credit shall be granted only if the high school principal determines that the distance learning course meets the academic standards required by the high school for students enrolled in a credit course offered by the high school.
What is a Competency Assessement?
Humpty Dumpty: When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less.
Some descriptions of Competency Assessments
End of Course AssessmentsGateway AssessmentsPerformance-Based
Assessments
The Definition of Performance AssessmentPerformance assessment is a measure of assessment based on
authentic tasks such as activities, exercises, or problems that require students to show what they can do.
Some performance tasks are designed to have students demonstrate their understanding by applying their knowledge to a particular situation. For example, students might be given a current political map of Africa showing the names and locations of countries and a similar map from 1945 and be asked to identify and explain differences and similarities. To be more authentic (more like what someone might be expected to do in the adult world), the task might be to prepare a newspaper article explaining the changes.
Performance tasks often have more than one acceptable solution; they may call for a student to create a response to a problem and then explain or defend it. The process involves the use of higher-order thinking skills (e.g., cause and effect analysis, deductive or inductive reasoning, experimentation, and problem solving). Performance tasks may be used primarily for assessment at the end of a period of instruction, but are frequently used for learning as well as assessment.
Source: Adapted from The Language of Learning: A Guide to Education Terms, by J. L. McBrien & R. S. Brandt, pp. 77-78, 1997, Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
HOW?
“OK, then how do we do this?”
. . . the path is made by walking it.
This will NOT be a straight line, linear process
September 20, 2006 ?
Use a “3.0” mentality
Lessons from flickrgimpYouTube (more uploads than
downloads)Wikipedia
Follow Fibonacci0112358
13213455
It’s a long way from
To
Think about . . . on-line bankinge-bayGoogling for informationonline lesson plansSkypeNH DOE website
Think about the fact that the Web is only
4000 days old.
The class of 2008 was already in school before the Web was born.
EJHS lesson
The long progressionFinal exams required
Final exams comprehensive EOCAEOCAs mirror the state tests
Common EOCACredits depend on EOCA
increasing base score
Key components1. Communication
FacultyStudentsParents
Avoid the mine fields that you will encounter if you don’t communicate!
2. CollaborationThe N2 factor
The other mine fields
MINE!
MINE!
MINE!
MINE!MINE!
MINE!
MIN
E!
MINE!
The N2 factorThe value of a network is the
value of the square of the number of members of the network.
2 networks of 10 < 1 network of 202
2 x 10=20 1 x 400 = 400
3 networks of 10 < 1 network of 302
3 x 10 1 x 900 30 900
20 networks of 102 < 1 network of 2002
20 x 10 1 x 40,000 200 40,000
3. Commitment to the process
Make each decision from a 3.0 mindset focused on LEARNING
NOTA 2.0 mindset focused on TEACHING
and SCHOOLING
Make decisions on what constitutes rigorous learning for each course on the transcript.
What should each student know and be able to do?
How can they demonstrate the learning?
Do NOT attempt this on your own!!!
Later, if you really decide to get brave . . .
Think of the lessons from Wikipedia
It doesn’t work in theoryIt only works in practice