National StandardsDr. C. Weiner – EDCS 482 Course Syllabus Central Washington University 1 Department of Education 1. Course Title & Schedule: EDCS 482 – Assessment for the Middle Level: Grades 5th – 8th (3 Credits) Class Schedule: January 3, 2007 to March 16, 2007 Tuesday & Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 4:50 p.m. in Black Hall 136 2. Faculty Information: Instructor: Dr. Connie Weiner Office Hours: M & W 12:30 to 1:30 Office: Black Hall 214-17 or by appointment Phone: 509-963-1662 Fax: 509-963-1162 E-mail: [email protected] 3. Catalog Description: Assessment for the Middle Level: Grades 5th – 8th (3 credits). Prerequisite: EDF 301 & PSY 314. This course provides the future middle level educator with comprehensive skills in instructional methods, curriculum alignment and assessment methodology within the middle school environment. Course Description: Assessment for the Middle Level: Grades 5th – 8th employs the constructivist model of learning in which students interact with their physical and social environments to create knowledge. This course provides pre-service teachers the opportunity to investigate and evaluate the theory of middle level assessment; as well as research, create, and evaluate methods of assessment and evaluation in the middle level classroom. The students will use national standards and Washington State essential learning standards to develop effective, research based content lesson plans and develop appropriate middle level assessment strategies. The goal of this course is to develop mastery of a comprehensive system that addresses the synergy process. This encompasses the students’ mastery of the global instructional process, from standards to assessment in developing daily instructional plans. Students will develop a comprehensive knowledge of the major principles, theories, concepts, and research that is related to middle level assessment. The course is consistent with the following institutional missions and themes: • Central Washington University's mission, "Docendo Discimus" (by teaching we learn); • College of Education & Professional Studies' mission, "to prepare enlightened leaders;" • Center for Teaching and Learning theme, "facilitators of l earning in a diverse world;" • Department of Teacher Education Programs' mission, "ensuring...outstanding educational leaders and facilitators of learning within a diverse school population;" • National Middle School Association mission of a quality education for every child: • Consistent with these all-encompassing purposes and consistent with #4 of WAC 180-79-348, this course will provide an opportunity to acquire knowledge derived from theoretical bases pertinent to instructional methods in mathematics. Course Topics: • National Content Standards, Washington State Essential Learning Skills and Grade Level Expectations • Standards based Assessment • Standardized Testing - WASL • Develop and implement a wide variety of formal and informal assessments that are developmentally responsive and involve young adolescents in self-assessment. • Student Led Conferences • Portfolio Assessment • Authentic AssessmentDr. C. Weiner – EDCS 482 Course Syllabus Central Washington University 2• Task Rotation • Performance Tasks • Differentiated Assessment • Rubrics • Curriculum Alignment • Building assessment into instruction • Assessment Types to include formal, informal, norm and criterion referenced, performance and product assessment, objective and subjective. • Measuring Learning Outcomes • Reflect and discuss the interdependence of school culture and assessment • Reflect and discuss the essential role of assessment in the instructional process • Reflect, review, and evaluate formal, informal, and performance based assessment techniques based on its advantages and disadvantages • Reading and interpretation of assessment data Special Out-Of-Class Requirements: All students must have access to a middle level classroom and access to school curriculum and assessment standards. 4. Instructional Methods and Activities: EDCS 482 requires that you become confident in your ability to effectively facilitate student learning in accordance with the established standards and to appropriately assess students’ progress through the various content areas. You will be actively engaged in reviewing curriculum materials, designing assessment tools and rubrics for use with middle level students. You will also learn how to interpret student progress as measured by standardized assessment tools. You are expected to complete the assigned readings before each class session and bring the appropriate materials to each class meeting so you can be a contributing member of each instructional class period. We will begin each class with a question and exploration session that focuses on the reading content assigned from the text. Then the content discussed in the text will be explored through a variety of activities. It is vital to your development that you fully participate in the classroom activities. This class is not designed to be a regurgitation of the textbooks. You are competent professional students that can and will utilize the text material for building a foundation prior to entering the classroom. 5. Standards and Outcomes National Standards NMSA-INIT.5 Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Assessment: The program prepares professionals who design and employ teaching and learning approaches appropriate for young adolescents NMSA-INIT.5.1 Honor individual differences among learners by utilizing multiple approaches to thinking and learning NMSA-INIT.5.5 Cultivate skills in recognizing and solving problems NMSA-INIT.5.8 Include multiple strategies for evaluation and assessment NMSA-MAST.3.3 Theories, research, and exemplary practice of program assessment and evaluation applied to middle level settings NMSA-MAST.4.1 Theories, research, and exemplary practice focusing on middle level curriculum NMSA-MAST.4.2 Pedagogical theory, research, and exemplary practice appropriate to young adolescents NMSA-MAST.4.3 Theories, research, and exemplary practice regarding multiple approaches to the assessment and evaluation of learning NMSA-SPEC.3.3 Theories, research, and exemplary practice of program assessment and evaluation applied to middle level settingsDr. C. Weiner – EDCS 482 Course