Accountability | Teacher Leaders Network

Assessment for Understanding

Resource Keywords:
Accountability

Publication Type:

Web Article

Authors:

Roberta Furger

Year of Publication:

2002

URL:

http://www.edutopia.org/assessment-for-understanding-taking-deeper-look

Abstract:

After watching a week of high stakes testing up close, says teacher and TLN member Brenda Dyck, "it was a breath of fresh air to view an inspiring eight-minute online video from the George Lucas Educational Foundation about performance based assessment." The video illustrates "a kinder, less hectic way of assessing what kids know," Dyck says. "It shows schools that are making inroads in performance-based testing -- true pioneers. I'm wondering whether this 'other way' of testing will continue to be the pie in the sky or whether a time will come when we ask ourselves how could we have ever done it any other way?" A thoughtful article accompanies the video.

Furger, R. (2002). Assessment for understanding. Edutopia (Jan. 21 2002). Retrieved from Edutopia 13 May 2008. http://www.edutopia.org/assessment-for-understanding-taking-deeper-look

The Visitors: By Invitation Only

Resource Keywords:
Accountability
Working Conditions

Publication Type:

Web Article

Authors:

Jennifer Corn

Year of Publication:

2005

URL:

http://www.edutopia.org/visitors

Abstract:

"When the two strangers walked into my classroom, I tensed up. No one had told me I would have company," writes teacher Jennifer Corn in this Edutopia magazine essay. Corn is describing "a surprise visit" by evaluators to see if she's following the curriculum. Although the feedback turned out to be positive, the disrespectful attitude of the visitors still left Corn angry. "I believe these administrators' refusal to speak to me is emblematic of a common bureaucratic view of teachers: We are not thinking professionals with creative ideas, but, rather, problems in the making, to be kept in line through control and coercion." Corn was looking for another job.

Corn, J. (2005). The visitors: By invitation only. Edutopia (June 2005). Retrieved from Edutopia 13 May 2008. http://www.edutopia.org/visitors

Healthier Testing Made Easy: The Idea of Authenic Assessment

Resource Keywords:
Accountability

Publication Type:

Web Article

Authors:

Grant Wiggins

Year of Publication:

2006

URL:

http://www.edutopia.org/healthier-testing-made-easy

Abstract:

Curriculum design expert Grant Wiggins makes this heretical statement in a recent Edutopia magazine article -- and we think you'll agree! He writes: "Seem crazy? Substitute *feedback* for *assessment*, and you'll better understand what I mean. The point of assessment in education is to advance learning, not to merely audit absorption of facts." Wiggins highlights the work of two British researchers who found that improving the quality of classroom feedback offers the greatest performance gains of any single instructional approach. "This just makes sense. The more you teach without finding out who understands the information and who doesn't, the greater the likelihood that only already-proficient students will succeed."

Wiggins, G. (2006). Healthier testing made easy: The idea of authentic assessment. Edutopia (April 2006). Retrieved from the Teacher Leaders Network 13 May 2008. http://www.edutopia.org/healthier-testing-made-easy

Unconditional Teaching

Resource Keywords:
Accountability
Student Achievement

Publication Type:

Web Article

Authors:

Alfie Kohn

Year of Publication:

2005

URL:

http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/uncondtchg.htm

Abstract:

Public policies that pressure schools to raise test scores, says Alfie Kohn, have the negative effect of encouraging teachers to value some students--the high performers--more than others. In this article from Educational Leadership (September 2005), Kohn offers examples of how teachers may send the message that they value students only if they behave well and meet high academic standards. "If the sole goal is to raise achievement (in the narrowest sense of that word), then we may end up ignoring other kinds of learning beyond the academic. It's exceedingly difficult to teach the whole child when people are held accountable only for raising reading and math scores."

Kohn, A. (2005). Unconditional teaching [originally printed in Educational leadership Sept. 2005]. Retrieved from Alfie Kohn's website 12 May 2008. http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/uncondtchg.htm

From Formative Assessment to Assessment FOR Learning: A Path to Success in Standards-Based Schools

Resource Keywords:
Accountability

Publication Type:

Web Article

Authors:

Rick Stiggins

Year of Publication:

2005

URL:

http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/k_v87/k0512sti.htm

Abstract:

As schools move beyond the urge to "merely sort and rank students," says assessment expert Rick Stiggins, the opportunity presents itself to use performance-based standards as a tool to resurrect educators' interest in formative assessment -- those assessments "conducted during learning to promote, not merely judge or grade, student success." In this article from Phi Delta KAPPAN, Stiggins makes a case on behalf of what he calls "assessment FOR learning" -- a strategy that can tap into the "immense potential" of formative thinking by using "many different assessment methods to provide students, teachers, and parents with a continuing stream of evidence of student progress in mastering the knowledge and skills that underpin or lead up to state standards." Stiggins has also co-authored a more practitioner-oriented version of his ideas for the Journal of Staff Development (Winter 2006).

Stiggins, R. (2005). From formative assessment to assessment for learning: A path to success in standards-based schools. Phi delta kappan (Vol. No. 4 Dec. 2005). Retrieved from PDK International 12 May 2008. http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/k_v87/k0512sti.htm

Teamwork on Assessments Creates Powerful Professional Development

Publication Type:

Web Article

Authors:

Jay McTighe; Marcella Emberger

Year of Publication:

2006

URL:

http://www.nsdc.org/members/jsd/mctighe271.pdf

Abstract:

Teacher collaboration is a powerful form of professional learning, says Jay McTighe, co-author of the best-selling "Understanding By Design" books. In this article from the Journal of Staff Development, McTighe and Marcella Emberger propose that "one focus for collaborative efforts is designing assessments. When teachers design assessments, give each other feedback through peer reviews, evaluate student work, and plan together for improvement, they are engaged in highly effective professional development." The authors emphasize assessments FOR learning that "are diagnostic rather than summative. They give both teachers and students feedback to help guide their actions -- revising, reteaching, focusing practice." McTighe and Emberger describe, in detail, three strategies that teachers can use to collaborate on the development of performance tasks and assessments. (250k PDF file)

Mctighe, J. & Emberger, M. (2006). Teamwork on asessments creates powerful professional development. Journal of staff development (Vol. 27 No. 1, Winter 2006). Retrieved from the National Staff Development Council 12 May 2008. http://www.nsdc.org/members/jsd/mctighe271.pdf

Educating a Democracy

Resource Keywords:
Accountability

Publication Type:

Web Article

Authors:

Deborah Meier

Year of Publication:

2000

URL:

http://www.bostonreview.net/BR24.6/meier.html

Abstract:

Meier writes:

"Our hope lies in schools that are more personal, compelling, and attractive than the internet or TV, where youngsters can keep company with interesting and powerful adults, who are in turn in alliance with the students’ families and local institutions. We need to surround kids with adults who know and care for our children, who have opinions and are accustomed to expressing them publicly, and who know how to reach reasonable collective decisions in the face of disagreement. That means increasing local decision-making, and simultaneously decreasing the size and bureaucratic complexity of schools. Correspondingly, the worst thing we can do is to turn teachers and schools into the vehicles for implementing externally-imposed standards."

You can access the whole article at the Boston Review.

Meier, D. (2000). Educating a democracy. The Boston Review (Feb./Mar. 2000). Retrieved from the Boston Review 5 Mar 2008.

Learning Research and Development Center

Resource Keywords:
Accountability
Data
Education Policy

Publication Type:

Web Article

Authors:

Various

Year of Publication:

2007

URL:

http://www.lrdc.pitt.edu/

Abstract:

The LRDC states, "Our mission is both to perform world-class research on teaching and learning and to apply what we learn, in collaboration with education practitioners, business and government enterprises, and non-profit organizations, to the reform and improvement of instruction and learning in schools, museums, universities and workplaces" Part of the work includes developing instruments to rate instructional quality, classrom practice, and teacher assignments

The Learning Research and Development Center (2007). Retrieved from the University of Pittsburgh 5 May 2008. http://www.lrdc.pitt.edu/

Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing

Resource Keywords:
Accountability

Publication Type:

Web Article

Authors:

Various

Year of Publication:

2008

URL:

http://www.cse.ucla.edu/

Abstract:

CRESST, housed at UCLA, researches evaluation methods for schools. Visit the website for recent papers and other information.

The National Center for Research on Evaluations, Standards, and Student Testing. Retrieved from UCLA 5 May 2008. http://www.cse.ucla.edu/

Urban Academy: Where Testing is Anything but Standard

Publication Type:

Web Article

Authors:

Roberta Furger

Year of Publication:

2002

URL:

http://www.edutopia.org/urban-academy-testing-anything-standard

Abstract:

This 2002 Edutopia tells the story of a New York City high school, part of the Julia Richman Education Complex, a "second chance" school where students who have struggled or dropped out learn and are graded with flexible, innovative methods.

Furger, R. (2002). Urban academy: Where testing is anything but standard. Edutopia (11 Feb 2002). Retrieved from Edutopia 5 May 2008. http://www.edutopia.org/urban-academy-testing-anything-standard