This course will emphasize how teachers use assessment as they create learning outcomes and make data-driven decisions for all learners. The course will also emphasize how to evaluate student academic progress with formal and informal tests, attend or conduct IEP meetings, and interpret, analyze, and synthesize data. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)]

Course Overview

Assessment for Learning and Data Driven Decisions for Special Education is a course centered on two essential and related skills for professional educators: assessment, along with data analysis and decision-making. The relationship between these two skills may already be clear to students from the outset; by generating evidence of students’ understanding or learning (assessment), professional educators can use their developing understanding of students’ learning to make instructional (and other) choices.

We will approach assessment and data driven decision-making through the curriculum development process as well. Working together in teams, we will map out 9 weeks of instruction, then develop assessments from our emerging plan.

Additionally, we will work through topics related to assessment and data driven decision-making through the structure of a professional learning community (or “PLCs”). A PLC is a form of collaboration between professional educators that focuses on learning rather than teaching; in other words, the PLC’s key questions are “What are students learning?” and “What are the barriers or challenges to learning?” The PLC engages these questions in a systematic manner, seeking to develop interventions and changes to curriculum and teaching rather than reactively remediate particular skills.

Tomlinson, C.A., & Moon, T.R. Assessment and student success in a differentiated classroom. ASCD. This text is available to all students in Canvas.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Students will practice using the Utah Core Teaching Standards by breaking the standards down into component content knowledge and/or skills and interpreting the meaning of the standards.
2. Students will collaboratively evaluate the demands and complexity of teaching standards.
3. Students will contribute to curriculum mapping across a 9-week period.
4. Students will develop both summative and ongoing assessments for a unit of instruction.
5. Students will plan out a unit of instruction using a unit planning template.
6. Students will collaboratively develop modification proposals for a focus student by using child study.
7. Students will modify summative and ongoing assessments using the proposed modifications for the focus student.
8. Students will actively participate and contribute to a professional learning community.

Assignment Outline

Collaborative Discussions: During the semester, there will be absolute deadlines for four collaborative discussions. These discussions will be conducted by students but recorded through a video platform like Zoom; the link to this conversation will then be shared with the instructor. The instructor will share prompts to guide these discussions, which will align with other assignments in the course.

Curriculum Organization: These assignments are meant to help students organize curriculum documents that are created throughout the semester. Curriculum organization assignments will ask students to share links to a Google Drive folder with their organized materials saved.

Standard Breakdown: For the Standard Breakdown, you will be assigned several teaching standards for your group’s planning responsibilities. You will “break down” these standards in three ways: 1) you will interpret the standard, or try to explain what it is asking students to do; 2) you will identify the relevant content necessary to provide this demonstration of learning; and 3) you will identify the skills necessary to provide this demonstration of learning.

Unit Summative Assessment: Once we map out the standards that have been assigned across the 9-week period, you will identify a unit for your assigned area and begin developing a summative assessment for the unit.

Partial Unit Plan I: The Partial Unit Plan will consist of a rough plan for your individual unit, along with a lesson plan, assessment, and rubric for the first lesson of the unit. In other words, you won’t produce a complete unit with all lessons, assessments, rubrics, and other resources, but you map out a plan. Your Partial Unit Plan will utilize the SUU Unit Planner and SUU Daily Lesson Plan templates.

Modified Unit Assessment: Based on the later team discussions, you will modify some/all of the assessments for your unit. This modification will result in a second version of the assessments, which will still enable the focus student to meet the unit objectives.

Partial Unit Plan II: For Partial Unit Plan II, you will build out more of your Partial Unit Plan. This will include an additional lesson from Days 2, 3, or 4, along with a pre/post assessment, rubric, and modified assessments for all lessons. You won't plan each lesson and every assessment for the unit, but what you do include will follow from your unit plan. Note: this is a cumulative assignment, and your lesson plan/assessments will be scored again here!

Grading

Grading: Grading in this course will be completed by the instructor and/or teaching assistants (if applicable). My/Our goal is to return assignments with feedback within one week from the original deadline. 

• Introduction and Types of Assessment

• Curriculum, Assessment and Standards

• Curriculum Mapping, Pacing Guides, and Scope & Sequence

• Designing and Writing Assessment Items

• Standards Based and Summative Assessments

• Developing a Unit Summative Assessment

• Contextual Factors and Ongoing Assessments

• Developing Unit and Lesson Plans

• Assessment Data Analysis and Child Study

• Assessment Data Analysis Continued

• Using UDL to Modify Assessments

• Arraying and Analyzing Group Data Points

• Analyzing Class Data and Curriculum Integration

• Integration, Pre-Post Assessments, and Modifying Assessments for Groups

Technology: You should have access to a personal computer for this course. Should you encounter difficulties with technology knowledge/skills, it is your responsibility to consult with the instructor and/or assistants in the student technology center. Plan to heavily utilize Canvas and Google Docs in this course.

Communication: Communication between instructors and students is a vital component in every course, regardless of modality. Students will be asked to communicate with the instructor through email (in Canvas or otherwise); the instructor may (or may not) see or respond to comments left on assignments, and in other places in Canvas.

Based on previous experiences, a few expectations for email communication need to be outlined. At a minimum, an email with an instructor and fellow professional consists of:

1. A greeting, usually accompanied by a title (e.g., “Professor” when unsure; possibly “Doctor” for an instructor holding a PhD, EdD, MD, JD or other comparable degree).
2. A body that identifies who the student is, what section of the class the student is enrolled in, and what the concern(s) or question(s) might be.
3. A signature that includes the student’s full name and section (if the section hasn’t been provided already).

Most importantly, professional communication should be conducted in a polite and respectful manner. Such communication is a transaction—a process of “give and take.” A college-level instructor provides a service; he/she/they are not your servants.

Deadlines & Late Work: Assignments are due on the assigned day, and possibly at a particular time if specified. Generally, the default due date and time in Canvas will be utilized. Canvas will be used to determine if assignments are on-time or late. If assignments are not submitted, Canvas will automatically place a “0” grade in the gradebook.

Late work will be accepted for up to 5 days. All late assignments will be penalized automatically by Canvas. Assignments more than 5 days late will receive a “0” grade in the gradebook.

IF YOU SUBMIT ANYTHING—A BLANK ASSIGNMENT, EVEN—YOU WILL RECEIVE A ZERO BUT CAN RESUBMIT ANY TIME WITHOUT PENALTY BEFORE THE “AVAILABLE UNTIL” DATE, WHICH WILL BE 5 DAYS AFTER THE INITIAL DEADLINE. What you are telling me by submitted a blank assignment is that something is going on or you are behind, and you know this assignment is due and will work to submit it. If the assignment is not turned in by the “available until” date in Canvas, the grade will be changed to a zero.

Submission Requirements: All assignments must be submitted according to the directions in the assignment. There will be several default requirements for all assignments: 1) All assignments must use the provided template, without changing the format of the template; 2) Any assignment requiring multiple documents must be submitted with the documents separated (e.g., a rubric should be in a separate document from the lesson plan); 3) if required, the documents must then be combined into a single file, with the documents in the correct order. Failure to follow submission requirements will result in a 0 and a request to resubmit.

Revision: Assignments may be revised in this course. Quizzes may be taken twice only. All other assignments except the CCT Paper Essay may be revised. ALL REVISIONS MUST BE HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW. A revision without bolding or highlighting will be returned to the student with no change in grade or additional feedback.

Student Hours: Also referred to as “office hours” by some instructors, student hours are times set aside to talk and work with students. This time could be used for procedural questions (e.g., grades) as well as general questions about assignments and activities in class. In addition, students should feel free to use student hours to discuss their interest in teaching and education careers, including any questions or concerns they have that are not addressed in the course.

Student hours are available to all students, whether they are full-time, part-time, online, face-to-face, or any other registration or attendance status.

Participation: The methods of instruction for this course will vary. Regardless, you are expected to read assigned materials and to complete assignments prior to the deadline or class meeting. While in class, you are expected to engage in the class’s activities at a level commensurate with a university student and aspiring professional educator. Failure to contribute to class discussions or actively participate in class activities, through unexcused absences, apathy, or otherwise, may result in a lower grade than anticipated.