Creating Personalized Outcomes Based Assessments in ELA 10 & 20

 Why?  The Background  Concerns & Questions  The Research

* Discussions * Essential Questions * Challenge and Focus * Assessment Design

* Framework for Final Assessment: - we will need to create and differentiate for -1 and -2 students. * Students focus on a text that resonates with them from the course of the semester. * Students choose and develop an essential question (EQ) to explore within the context of the text. * That EQ should connect to the overall thematic focus of the course and the themes of the text. * Students think about the literature and how that question is answered/ explored within the text. * Students need to find textual evidence/ supporting examples from the literature in order to support their understanding of the EQ. * Students develop/ create/ organize a representation of their learning and knowledge of the text and the EQ and how it is explored within the text to help students understand life and the literature. * Students write a rationale that offers their personal connection with the literature that they have chosen, the methods that they have undertaken in order to develop their understanding. The rationale should also include explanations of the way that they chose their textual support and other choices that they have made. * Students orally present and share their project to their teacher. (no more than 15 minutes)

* When did students receive this? * Time to prepare? * Time to present? * Troubleshooting

* Areas of focus * Descriptors * Overlap...

* Rubric Design * I see this as having the following components: (Pulled from various rubrics that are used within the program) * thought and understanding – students’ ideas * exploration of text – how students understand the literature * selection and use of supporting textual support * form and structure – organization of the ideas within the representation * voice and choices – quality of the writing/ oral presentation * ideas & impressions – rationale

* Enables multiple responses * Integrative (combines different skills) * Enables problem-solving * Requires time to complete * Requires examination, investigation, inquiry * Requires pupils to practice, refine and revise in order to demonstrate their learning * Builds on background knowledge * Enables collaborative learning (pair/group) * Enables self-assessment and reflection * Has personal significance for pupils * Challenging and attractive

* One of the most interesting aspects of evaluating this assignment was the wide variety of texts used. The projects were not strictly based on one or two texts – but every text we discussed was used. * Students feel that this was an opportunity to share what they really know * Students preferred this to traditional formats * Students liked the freedom of developing their own EQ * Students did reflect on this and felt that this was a chance to think about what they’ve learned and come out of their comfort zone in a safe environment. * Students said this was the first time that they’d thought back on the course and found it meaningful * It was a challenge for them because it’s not as easy as regurgitating an in class essay they just did * Felt a bit limited in how they could show their knowledge – felt that they needed something tangible

* Show what they know beyond the two main writing/ reading outcomes * Choose a text that resonated, develop an idea around that that students can speak to * Tried to create rich task design, but it didn't cater to all – lazy/ faint-hearted * Time for teachers to hear all of these was intensive * Highlight the importance of the assessment – final exam setting * Occurred over the course of time * No joy for teachers – three straight days (fifteen minutes/ five days) * Final assessment – have students keep notes/ EQ/ ideas/ on each text to help students keep ideas on track * Students are more verbal than proficient in writing * Felt confident about the content of this assessment, as opposed to the traditional exam * Generate a more complete list of creative options to represent their ideas * Rubrics needs re-tweaking * Time for follow up questions

* * reviewing-basics-patricia-hilliard reviewing-basics-patricia-hilliard * heather-wolpert-gawron heather-wolpert-gawron * Dougherty, Eleanor. (2012). Assignments Matter – Making the Connections that Help Students Meet Standards. Virginia: ASCD. * McTighe, Jay & Grant Wiggins. (2013). Essential Questions – Opening Doors to Student Understanding. Virginia: ASCD. * Ritchhart, Ron, Mark Church & Karin Morrison. (2011). Making Thinking Visible – How to Promote Engagement, Understanding and Independence for All Learners. San Francisco: Jossey –Bass. * Vatterott, Cathy. (2015). Rethinking Grading. Virginia: ASCD.