RSA 2: Maximizing the Power of Formative Assessments

Link:

http://web.ebscohost.com.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=992f56b5-36a5-4397-9468-d72b9b925741%40sessionmgr114&vid=5&hid=123

Discussion:

The current learning module continues to focus on the elements of a professional learning community to ensure student learning at high levels.  The focus during this module is assessment.  Learning by Doing (2006) encourages teachers to create assessments to determine student ability levels and to also use data accumulated from assessments to modify instruction and measure student performance.  Accumulating data is not enough though, according to DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, and Many (2006), teachers need to not only just assess students, but give students “(1) feedback – the more timely, frequent, and precise the better – and (2) ongoing support as they attempt to implement new practices” (p. 184).  Essentially, visiting, revisiting, and creating collaborative clear goals and assessments make for an effective professional learning community as well as a classroom conducive to student learning.

In the article “Maximizing the Power of Formative Assessments,” Stiggins and DuFour (2009) completely reinforce the ideas of the module.  This is an article written, in part, by one of the co-authors of the textbook, so clearly he is not challenging what he wrote earlier.  The article offers an excellent explanation of the three types of formative assessments needed to promote student and teacher success: “To be truly productive, a local district assessment system must provide different kinds of information to various decision makers in different forms and at different times” (p. 641).  According to Stiggins and DuFour (2009), classroom assessments provide teachers and students with information regarding the progress of a student towards proficiency (p. 641).  School-level assessments allow the teachers and administration to note how teaching can improve as well as the program itself and the level of particular students in relation to the school (p. 641).   Institutional-level assessments, such as the ACT, PSAE, and various standardized testing, reveal the efficacy of particular schools (p. 642).  The article concludes that through collaboration among educators in addition to abiding by several essential conditions for the assessments, common formative assessments can be indispensable tools for teaching, instruction, and assuring student progress.

The article completely agrees and reinforces the ideas stated in the module.  Establishing specific standards, creating measurable goals, using assessments for instruction, and re-evaluating the skills taught are key components to professional learning communities.  Formative and common assessments clearly promote student achievement when written, used and shared for the right purposes.

References:

DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Many, T. (2010).  Learning by doing: A handbook for
professional learning communities at work (2nd ed., pp. 59-154). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

Stiggins, R. (2009). Maximizing the Power of Formative Assessments. Phi Delta Kappan, 90(9), 640.

RSA1: Creating Professional Learning Communitites

http://www.informaworld.com.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/openurl?genre=article&id=doi:10.1080/00405840802329276

This learning module focuses on what a professional learning community works to establish and the need to have a community of individuals committed to the learning of each student no matter what ability level exists in every classroom.  The team of professionals must agree that learning is the fundamental purpose of any PLC and, essentially, the school and district.

The article “Creating Professional Learning Communities: The Work of Professional Development School” argues that to create effective partnerships and successful communities significant time needs to be allowed and set aside initially in order to “establish ground rules, clarify the tasks to be undertaken, identify supports required for successful implantation, and ensure that a shared vision and mission exists between partners” (Doolittle, Sudeck, &Rattigan, 2008, p. 303).  The partnership referenced in the article is not just a community within a school but a partnership with a university that works with different schools to maintain focus and keep the groups on task with the emphasis on student learning.  While the article clearly elaborates on the process of initiating and sustaining PLCs, there is the different element of bringing in university professionals as unbiased listeners and maintenance staff for a school’s PLC.  Doolittle, Sudeck, and Rattigan (2008) acknowledge the difficulty with maintaining on task, successful learning communities due to numerous other mandates from the government, state, and districts which drain the time and energy of staff to keep attention on student learning (p.306).  Many schools resist change and struggle with PLCs due to established privacy and isolation in many educational environments.  By creating a Professional Development School partnership with a university in addition to the staff members of a school, the group can be sure that all members have equal say and ownership, rather than allowing a top-down mandate (p. 306).  In a sense, the university professionals act as mediators. 

While the article provides many similar definitions and examples as to how PLCs can be effective and a lasting necessity to instill change and learning for all students, the major contrast is the recommendation of creating Professional Development School partnerships rather than keeping the focus within the school.  A clear argument for such an affiliation is established, but too many opinions may require more time to reach decisions within a group. The major positive of such a combined effort would be to maintain all individuals as equal members with a clear goal, rather than an administrator’s decision acted upon by the teaching staff.

Doolittle, G., Sudeck, M., & Rattigan, P. (2008). Creating Professional Learning Communities: The Work of Professional Development Schools. Theory Into Practice, 47(4), 303-310.

No snow tomorrow, please!

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