Assignments+2

On this page you will find the assignments for this section. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page to see all of the assignments. What are the different types and purposes of assessment?
 * = Section 2: Assessment Principle and Practices = ||

How can teachers use assessment methods and practices in ways that support learning? Why is it important to align learning goals with assessment?

Positive Assessment Experiences
When policymakers place a heavy emphasis on assessment it is easy to lose sight of the positive aspects of assessment as a learning tool. When done well, assessment can prove to be motivational for the learner and informative for the teacher. Reflect on your own learning as a child or as an adult. What positive experiences did you have with assessment in school, sports, or another area of your life? **Using the Assignment Organizer, submit the following**:
 * Write 2 or 3 paragraphs that describe an assessment opportunity that motivated you as a learner and enhanced your achievement in that area.
 * Explain how you can apply those principles to your own teaching.

Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on Assessment
The Learning Resources for this section highlight assessment’s evolution from the ranking systems of the past to a more dynamic system of feedback and growth. Reflect on the ideas presented in the course text reading, “From the Bell Curve to the Mountain: A New Vision for Achievement, Assessment, and Equity.”

**Using the Assignment Organizer, submit the following**:

Write a short statement analyzing your assessment methods in relation to these ideas. Include a response to the following: Refer to Positive Assessment Experiences and Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on Assessment rubrics for specific expectations.
 * How well do your assessment methods reflect contemporary notions of assessment?

Aligning Learning Goals With Assessment
As a designer of curriculum and assessment, you know that //designing backward//means identifying desired results first and then determining acceptable evidence of progress toward or achievement of those results. Only then are you ready to design instruction and specific learning experiences. This way of planning ensures that everything that happens in a classroom (the curriculum, instruction, and assessment) is in the interest of helping all students achieve high levels of learning.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Learning Resources in Section 2 guided you in thinking about the different areas you can assess (i.e., knowledge, reasoning, skills, performance). They also gave examples of types of assessments that align with these learning areas. In this assignment, you will review and revise the assessments in the unit you are using for your Course Project to ensure that there is an appropriate match between the learning goals of the unit and the assessments. If you find that your learning goals and assessment methods already align, you will explain why; if you find one or more misalignments, you will revise your assessments and provide a rationale for doing so.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Complete the Matching Learning Goals With Assessment Methods worksheet (provided below and in this week's Learning Resources) to help you determine the appropriate assessment method(s) for each of the learning goals in the unit. Be sure to look at your learning goals for proper alignment between each learning goal and assessment.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Click here to download the Matching Learning Goals With Assessment Methods worksheet. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Using your Assignment Organizer****, submit the following:** <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Note:** The learning goals and assessments in your unit may change as you progress through this course and increase your understanding of assessment. It is acceptable to revisit your alignment worksheet and revise as necessary.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A completed “Matching Learning Goals With Assessment Methods” worksheet
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A 2- to 3-paragraph summary of how the learning goals of your unit aligned with the assessment methods. Be sure to use resources to support your conclusions. Address the following in your summary:
 * Learning goals of your unit
 * Category for each learning goal (i.e., Knowledge, Reasoning, Skills, Product/Performance)
 * Brief description of what the assessment might consist of or look like for each learning goal
 * Explanation of why this option would be a good match with the learning goal and the students you teach
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A list of the essential questions you would like students to be able to answer by the end of the unit
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A list of the enduring understandings you want students to have as a result of the unit