Return-Path: <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id f4IGR0f04132; Fri, 18 May 2001 12:27:00 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 12:27:00 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20010518122138.00b0c2c0@pop.utk.edu> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Brenda Bell <bsbell@utk.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:1597] EFF Assessment Framework Development X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Light Version 3.0.6 (32) Status: O Content-Length: 10080 Lines: 180 Back in April, I said that the EFF Assessment Team would post additional messages about the assessment development work currently underway. In this posting, I'd like to discuss the current field work in a little more detail and give you an idea of some of the things that EFF field researchers (teachers and administrators) are learning as they develop and use performance tasks describe student performance of the EFF standards, using the four dimensions of performance as the guide. Please note that this is a long posting -- you may wish to print it out to read later. It includes a description of an EFF performance task as an example of the way that teacher-researchers in this phase of field development are collecting detailed information about performance of EFF standards. This is not meant to be seen as an example of how teachers in general are or ought to be teaching with the EFF standards, rather as a 'window' into our process. BACKGROUND For those who are not familiar with the work underway through the EFF/NRS Data Collection Project, I refer you to the latest issue of the EFF Voice (www.nifl.gov/lincs/collections/eff/eff_voice) and my earlier message [NIFL-4EFF:1509] Apr 19 2001. At this point in our current phase of field work, teacher-researchers (80 in all) have turned in two rounds of reports on two standards each, in which they describe in detail a 'performance task' that they have constructed and analyzed, and for which they have documented student performance. As described elsewhere, this data will be used to build a continuum of performance for each standard, with descriptors drawn from real application of the standard. WHAT IS A PERFORMANCE TASK? Equipped for the Future defines a performance task as a meaningful, real-world learning activity that includes all of the components of performance for a standard and provides opportunities for development of all four dimensions of performance. As part of the EFF/NRS research process, teachers analyze the task according to the components of performance for the standard (the bullet points, as they are affectionately called) and the dimensions of performance: building knowledge base; increasing fluency, independence, and range. Teachers also identify the tools they will use to collect evidence of 'how well' students use the standard in carrying out the task. As an example, here is a performance task for the standard Read with Understanding, developed by a ESOL teacher in response to students' expressed concerns about being able to find safe, affordable housing. Please keep in mind that this teacher is writing as a classroom researcher, intentionally giving a lot of detail as asked for in our research protocol. The task: " Students' performance on the standard "Read with Understanding" will be assessed in the context of reading newspaper classified ads advertising apartments for rent in their community. They will identify the necessary information to answer questions they have previously formulated in class." HOW DOES THE TASK ADDRESS THE STANDARD? The teacher's description of how the task incorporates all of the components of performance for the standard Read with Understanding: "*Determine the reading purpose: Students will need to determine the purpose for reading in class discussions where they will address questions such as "What are the classified ads? How can they help me find housing?" They will also need to identify what information would be important to know when looking for rental housing, and to formulate questions to find out this information. *Select reading strategies appropriate to the purpose: When reading the classified ads for rental housing, students will need to select reading strategies such as scanning and reading for details to be able to find the information to answer the questions (i.e. scanning - when looking at classified ads section titles, reading for details - looking for specific information such as amount of deposit and services included in the rent). *Monitor comprehension and adjust reading strategies: Students will search for the necessary information to answer the questions and record their answers on a student-generated worksheet. Students will adjust their reading strategies until they are able to find the answers to these questions. Such adjustments may include using a dictionary, asking another student or the instructor for help, determining meaning from context, etc. *Analyze the information and reflect on its underlying meaning: Students will record the answers to the questions on a student-generated worksheet. By doing this they will determine what important information is given in the ad, and also what important information is missing. *Integrate it with prior knowledge to address reading purpose: The student-generated questions are evidence of the students' prior knowledge regarding rental housing classified ads. Students will need to integrate prior knowledge with new knowledge by finding the answers to the questions, and determining what important information is missing from the ads. " HOW DOES THE TASK ADDRESS THE COMPONENTS OF PERFORMANCE? Next the teacher thinks carefully about the task in terms of knowledge required for the task "1. Knowledge Base a. What is the vocabulary that is required by this task? For the skill, it will include 1) Vocabulary related to asking and answering questions (i.e. how, what, how much, where, etc.) 2) Vocabulary related to reading strategies (i.e. pre-reading, scanning, detail, etc.) 3) Vocabulary related to analyzing (i.e. information, relevant, important, missing, etc.) For the subject area (rental housing): 1) General vocabulary related to housing (i.e. rent, apartment, house, contract, amenities, etc.) 2)Vocabulary specific to a newspaper (i.e. classified ads, sections, etc.) 3) Vocabulary specific to rental housing classified ads. This also includes abbreviations (i.e. deposit, amenities, services included in rent, W/S/G, W/D, etc.) 4) Vocabulary specific to housing assistance programs in their community (i.e. Housing Authority, Section 8, Public Housing, voucher, EHO, etc.) b. What is the content knowledge required by this task? For the skill: Ability to read in English; intermediate level of English comprehension; understanding of different reading strategies; ability to formulate and answer questions; understanding of the concept of abbreviations; ability to determine important/relevant information; and ability to think abstractly when determining what important/relevant information is missing. For the subject area: General understanding of the rental housing process in the United States; understanding of a newspaper and where to locate the classified ads; understanding of how to use the classified ads (i.e. classification of different ads, responding to want ads, etc.); and understanding of the vocabulary, language, and abbreviations associated with rental housing classified ads. c. What are the strategies that students may use for organizing and applying the content knowledge? Ability to determine what is important/relevant information, classify and categorize information, think abstractly (to determine what information is missing), understand the "intended" meaning in addition to the literal meaning (inferences), record and restate information, link new knowledge to previous knowledge, and understand cultural protocols and ability to implement them." In the research process, the teacher also thinks about the complexity and context of the task, two factors that are important when helping students increase their range of performance. " This is a multi-stepped task (including asking questions, reading, writing (recording answers), and analyzing), with some teacher guidance and structure (though the students themselves must formulate and answer the questions), that is performed in a familiar context (the classroom)." She also identifies the evidence that she and her students will collect to show how well the standard was used in carrying out the task. These include Student-Generated Questions, Completed Student-Generated Worksheets and a Teacher Observation Form. IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING I will stop at this point in describing am EFF performance task. I think you can see how the ground is being laid for the teaching that will take place to prepare students for this task and for the documentation of student performance of the task. In a later posting, we can share this teacher's description of her teaching activities and some excerpts from descriptions of student performance. In the most recent round of reports from one state alone, practitioners at EFF field development sites say that this close examination of the standards and the four dimensions, through an EFF performance task, is influencing what happens in the classroom. Administrators and teachers tell us that teachers are: · thinking more about students' prior knowledge - what they bring to the learning environment from their previous experience - and planning in ways that builds on this prior knowledge · engaging students in thinking about their own learning processes - thinking about thinking --or metacognition. · discussing cognitive and metacognitive strategies and their (teachers') need for more professional development in this area · thinking ahead in their lesson planning: what evidence of student performance do I expect to see from this activity? How will it be documented? What is the role of my students in helping develop the criteria for the evidence? · continually asking: Is this activity transferable? Does it have real-life meaning? · focusing on the teaching process rather than on the product -or, put another way by another administrator, facilitating student learning rather than teaching the 'right answers.' Brenda Bell, Associate Director Center for Literacy Studies, University of Tennessee Coordinator, EFF Field Research and Development office/voice mail 865-974-6654 fax 865-974-3857 bsbell@utk.edu
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