EDLD634 Measurement and Assessment
Instructor: Christopher I. Cobitz, Ph.D.
336-260-9087 (cell)
Web address: www.cobitz.com/wu634
Class meetings: 5pm-9pm
7/7 and 9 7/14 and 16 7/21 and 23
7/28 and 30 8/4 and 6
Office hours: daily by appointment
Email checked daily and frequently
Required Text: Picciano, A.G. (2006) Data-Driven Decision Making for Effective School Leadership Pearson Merill/Prentice Hall ISBN 0-13-118722-8.
Suggested Text: American Psychology Association (APA) (2001) Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th Edition) Washington DC.
Course description:
This course focuses on the collection, analysis, interpretation, and use of quantitative data for research purposes. Specifically, students will look at aggregated and disaggregated standardized test score data, survey data, and other quantitative data for the purposes of program evaluation and developing school improvement strategies.
Upon completion of the course students will:
Have knowledge of educational test and measurement in the context of instructional and organizational decision making.
Apply appropriate sources of student performance information to educational settings to make programmatic decisions.
Communicate clearly and coherently about assessments in correct technical language.
Apply leadership skills in acquiring meaningful information about student performance.
Conceptual framework:
Modern testing still relates its outcomes to the outcomes of Stand Binet intelligence tests. The current state of the art assessments yield results based around multi-faceted constructs that often measure student knowledge without discerning differences in instructional effectiveness. This is a backdrop to a school situation where effective educators relay on intangible senses of student needs and many educators treat demographic information as instruction need. Using some straightforward approaches we can do better as a discipline.
This course will rely heavily on the student’s previous experience as a starting point to build coherent philosophical foundations for applying measurement to influence instructional decision making. Using the NC ABCs and the federal AYP measures as common experiences, we will move beyond compliance into the practice of diagnosing learning needs.
State Standards Addressed:
1: Strategic Leadership
Utilizes data from NC Teacher Working Conditions Survey in developing the framework for continual improvement in the School Improvement Plan
Creates processes that provide for the periodic review and revision of the school’s vision, mission, and strategic goals by all school stakeholders
Facilitates the collaborative development of the annual school improvement plans to realize strategic goals and objectives
2: Instructional Leadership
Focuses his or her own and others’ attention persistently and publicly on learning and teaching by initiating and guiding conversations about instruction and student learning that are oriented towards high expectations and concrete goals
Demonstrates knowledge of 21st century curriculum, instruction, and assessment by leading or participating in meetings with teachers and parents where these topics are discussed, and/or holding frequent formal or informal conversations with students, staff and parents around these topics
Ensures that there is an appropriate and logical alignment between the curriculum of the school and the state’s accountability program
Creates processes and schedules that facilitate the collaborative (team) design, sharing, evaluation, and archiving of rigorous, relevant, and engaging instructional lessons that ensure students acquire essential knowledge
Creates processes for collecting and using student test data and other formative data from other sources for the improvement of instruction
Creates processes for identifying, benchmarking and providing students access to a variety of 21st century instructional tools (e.g., technology) and best practices for meeting diverse student needs
Creates processes that ensure the strategic allocation and use of resources to meet instructional goals and support teacher needs
Creates processes to provide formal feedback to teachers concerning the effectiveness of their classroom instruction
4: Human Resource Leadership
Provides structures for the development of effective professional learning communities aligned with the school improvement plan, focused on results, and characterized by collective responsibility for instructional planning and for 21st century student learning
Evaluates teachers and other staff in a fair and equitable manner and utilizes the results of evaluations to improve performance
Provides for results-oriented professional development that is aligned with identified 21st century curricular, instructional, and assessment needs, is connected to school improvement goals and is differentiated based on staff needs
Continuously searches for the best placement and utilization of staff to fully benefit from their strengths
5: Managerial Leadership
Develops a master schedule for the school to maximize student learning by providing for individual and on-going collaborative planning for every teacher
Collaboratively develops and enforces clear expectations, structures, rules and procedures for students and staff
6: External Development Leadership
Implements processes that empower parents and other stakeholders to make significant decisions
Creates systems that engage all community stakeholders in a shared responsibility for student and school success
Designs protocols and processes that ensures compliance with state and district mandates
Creates opportunities to advocate for the school in the community and with parents
Communicates the school’s accomplishments to the district office and public media in accordance with LEA policies
Garners fiscal, intellectual and human resources from the community that support the 21st century learning agenda of the school
Builds relationships with individuals and groups to support specific aspects of the learning improvement agenda and also as a source of general good will
7: Micropolitical Leadership
Designs transparent systems to equitably manage human and financial resources
Uses performance as the primary criterion for reward and advancement
National Standards Addressed:
1: An education leader promotes the success of every student by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by all stakeholders.
Functions:
A. Collaboratively develop and implement a shared vision and mission
B. Collect and use data to identify goals, assess organizational effectiveness, and promote organizational learning
C. Create and implement plans to achieve goals
D. Promote continuous and sustainable improvement
E. Monitor and evaluate progress and revise plans
2: An education leader promotes the success of every student by advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.
Functions:
A. Nurture and sustain a culture of collaboration, trust, learning, and high expectations
B. Create a comprehensive, rigorous, and coherent curricular program
D. Supervise instruction
E. Develop assessment and accountability systems to monitor student progress
G. Maximize time spent on quality instruction
H. Promote the use of the most effective and appropriate technologies to support teaching and learning
I. Monitor and evaluate the impact of the instructional program
3: An education leader promotes the success of every student by ensuring management of the organization, operation, and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.
Functions:
A. Monitor and evaluate the management and operational systems
B. Obtain, allocate, align, and efficiently utilize human, fiscal, and technological resources
D. Develop the capacity for distributed leadership
E. Ensure teacher and organizational time is focused to support quality instruction and student learning
4: An education leader promotes the success of every student by collaborating with faculty and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources.
Functions:
A. Collect and analyze data and information pertinent to the educational environment
D. Build and sustain productive relationships with community partners
5: An education leader promotes the success of every student by acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner.
Functions:
A. Ensure a system of accountability for every student’s academic and social success
E. Promote social justice and ensure that individual student needs inform all aspects of schooling
6: An education leader promotes the success of every student by understanding, responding to, and influencing the political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.
Functions:
A. Advocate for children, families, and caregivers
B. Act to influence local, district, state, and national decisions affecting student learning
C. Assess, analyze, and anticipate emerging trends and initiatives in order to adapt leadership strategies
Class meetings:
Come comfortable and packed with appropriate nourishment. The first 30 minutes of class are designed for meaningful discussion of the readings due that evening.
Attendance policy:
If you knew everything we are covering in class, you would not need the course. Therefore, attendance is mandatory, emergencies do happen and with prior notification of the instructor, we can work through the issue to get the student what they need to be successful in the course.
Diversity Statement:
The education programs at Wingate University are designed to develop Effective Facilitators of Learning who appreciate and advocate diversity in schools and society; master a broad general and professional knowledge base including knowledge of diverse cultures and characteristics and needs of diverse learners; and effectively design and deliver curriculum and create effective learning environments to address the needs of all children. In this course, we will incorporate the concepts of diverse backgrounds, individual differences, accessibility, integration, cultural relevance and mutual respect, where appropriate, as they are important concepts essential to all avenues of learning.
Accommodations:
Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable disabilities. Please inform the instructor of any needs in this area.
Technology Statement:
The education programs at Wingate University are designed to develop Effective Facilitators of Learning by demonstrating a sound understanding of technology operations, concepts, and resources and of the social, ethical, legal, and human issues surrounding them; apply technological knowledge and skills to plan, design, and assess effective learning environments including those supported by technology; and to increase productivity and professional practice.
Standards:
All papers must be submitted electronically in Microsoft Word 2003 or higher free of grammatical and spelling errors and in APA format. Grading criteria will be made clear as the assignment is discussed in class, however the assignments should use citations as appropriate to support assertions and present a clear framework developed by the student in reviewing the material form class and carrying out any associated activity. Since most assignments will be discussed with the class, they must be emailed by midnight prior to the class meeting when they are to be discussed.
Review the data projects:
Each of 9 assignments will require the student to use a dataset sent by the instructor to attempt to discern meaning about the program and schools associated with the data. Importance is placed on using the right analysis method (using Microsoft Excel) and drawing tenable conclusions from the data set and the program descriptions.
Portfolio Project:
Due at the last class to be shared among your classmates:
For your school or your area within the district, acquire the test data on your students. Attempt to identify the learning needs of the students that are not being addressed by the current instructional practices. Discern the gaps in the data collected. Develop a plan to acquire and analyze the data to lead to proposed methods of improvement or use the data appropriately to identify the unmet needs of the students describe how these needs will be addressed.
Grading system:
Class activities 20
Review the data projects (x9) 5
Portfolio project 35
Points letter grade
90-100 A
80-89.4 B
70-79.4 C
60-69.4 D
You know the rest
Honor Code:
All Students will abide by Wingate’s honor code which applies to written and electronic communications. Assignments should reflect student’s work and should include appropriate citations. Any violation of the honor code will result in a grade of F for the assignment and/or the course.
Schedule of class activities:
7/7 Introduction to the instructor and the course content
Class activity
Discuss and become familiar with content and expectations
Discuss the instructor and his limitations
Welcome to Excel
How do you do the assignment?
Readings to be covered in class
None
What is due?
Nothing
Homework for next time
Read and write questions about the readings in chapters 2
Review the data 1
7/9
Class activity
What is up in chapter 2?
How to look at data
Some simple analyses
Readings to be covered in class
Chapter 2
What is due?
Know what you read
3 questions on chapter 2
Review the data 1
Homework for next time
Read and write questions about the readings in chapters 3
Review the data 2
7/14
Class activity
What is up in chapter 3?
Tests and how they are made
Readings to be covered in class
Chapter 3
What is due?
Know what you read
3 questions on chapter 3
Review the data 2
Homework for next time
Read and write questions about the readings in chapter 4
Review the data 3
7/16
Class activity
What is up in chapter 4?
What does the data not say?
The difference between descriptive and inferential statistics
Readings to be covered in class
Chapter 4
What is due?
Know what you read
3 questions on chapter 4
Review the data 3
Homework for next time
Read and write questions about the readings in chapter 5
Review the data 4
7/21
Class activity
Field trip!!!
Real life data in the public world
What is up in chapter 5?
Readings to be covered in class
Chapter 5
What is due?
Know what you read
3 questions on chapter 5
Review the data 4
Homework for next time
Read and write questions about the readings in chapter 6
Review the data 5
7/23
Class activity
What is up in chapter 6?
What do people say with data?
Readings to be covered in class
Chapter 6
What is due?
Know what you read
3 questions on chapter 6
Review the data 5
Homework for next time
Read and write questions about the readings in chapter 7
Review the data 6
7/28
Class activity
What is up in chapter 7?
Becoming a smart consumer of data
Readings to be covered in class
Chapter 7
What is due?
Know what you read
3 questions on chapter 7
Review the data 6
Homework for next time
Read and write questions about the readings in chapter 8
Review the data 7
7/30
Class activity
What is up in chapter 8?
How to make a good test
Readings to be covered in class
Chapter 8
What is due?
Know what you read
3 questions on chapter 8
Review the data 7