Better testing, better teaching
Better testing, better teaching
October 23, 2014
Categories:
Assessment
Last week, the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) released a statement supporting the use of high-quality and meaningful assessments that fit together within a coherent program [...]
To scaffold or not to scaffold? The first big misconception about rigor
To scaffold or not to scaffold? The first big misconception about rigor
October 16, 2014
Categories:
Math,
Reading
Think back to the last really rigorous and complex task that you worked on. Did you develop and complete it from start to finish all on your own? Or did you perhaps talk with colleagues, look at models, or seek [...]
Learning progressions: Deeper and more enduring than any set of standards
Learning progressions: Deeper and more enduring than any set of standards
October 2, 2014
Categories:
Assessment,
Math,
Reading
Many of us can remember the advent of standards-based education, but few of us envisioned how politicized educational standards would become. Every day brings a new challenge, founded or not, to the Common Core, and educators in states that have suddenly [...]
Learnalytics®: The promise of learning analytics
Learnalytics®: The promise of learning analytics
September 18, 2014
Categories:
Assessment,
Math,
Reading
This month we’re launching the first phase of Learnalytics®, a website designed to leverage Renaissance’s massive databases and to provide insights into what students know, what they like, and how they learn. We are so pleased [...]
The over-testing dilemma and a vision of efficiency
The over-testing dilemma and a vision of efficiency
September 11, 2014
Categories:
Assessment,
Math,
Reading
| Products:
Star 360
Today’s students are the most tested in history. Teachers feel the pain of over-testing more than most, because they directly witness its effects on their students. They see firsthand the stress many students experience when they sit down to a [...]
Classroom-based assessments: a recipe for success in a time of change
Classroom-based assessments: a recipe for success in a time of change
September 4, 2014
Categories:
Assessment
Lately, I’ve been hosting Thanksgiving at my house. I’ve found that family members frequently request a favorite side dish, want to try a new recipe, or even offer to help out in the kitchen. I’m open to trying something new, [...]
The basics of test score reliability for educators
The basics of test score reliability for educators
August 21, 2014
Categories:
Assessment,
Math,
Reading
Reliability is a broad topic, broad enough to be thesis worthy. So, when I set out to summarize “all things reliability”—in two pages, no less—I didn’t know where to start. Naturally, I procrastinated. When my problem didn’t magically go away [...]
Toward a culture that values data and protects student privacy
Toward a culture that values data and protects student privacy
July 31, 2014
Which kids do you worry about? I worry about all the kids, each and every one of them. Why do I ask this question? Because without data, without knowing how well each child is doing, we can’t help them. We [...]
Understanding the reliability and validity of test scores
Understanding the reliability and validity of test scores
July 10, 2014
Categories:
Assessment,
Math,
Reading
Toward the end of my master’s degree program, I called my parents and excitedly announced that I was entering a doctoral program in psychometrics. A few uncomfortable moments later, my father responded, “That sounds…interesting.” Encouraged, I explained that a big [...]
From possibility to probability
From possibility to probability
June 19, 2014
Categories:
Assessment,
Math,
Reading
A question that I constantly wonder about is this: What does it look like when teachers are truly making a difference in the lives of each and every one of their students? Improving learning starts with knowing the academic and [...]
