Introduction to Smarter Balanced Item and Performance Task Development Presenter Presentation Notes Welcome to the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium’s Item and Task Development Training Module. This module will introduce educators to the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium’s training series and procedures for developing items and performance tasks for its next generation assessment system. Purpose • Introduction to Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium • Learn about: – Common Core State Standards – Item and content specifications – Item and task types • Introduction to other learning modules Presenter Presentation Notes In this module, educators will become familiar with several terms and concepts that are commonly used when discussing the development of items and performance tasks. �{+} �Educators will be introduced to the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, �{+} �and learn more about the Common Core State Standards, item and content specifications, and the various item and task types that will be developed for the Smarter Balanced assessment system. �{+} �Educators will also be introduced to the other modules that are available to help them prepare to develop and review items and tasks. Overview of Modules • Core Concepts – Introduction – Evidence-Centered Design – Universal Design, Accessibility, Sensitivity, and Bias • Content and Item Specifications – English Language Arts – Mathematics • Item and Task Types – Selected Response, Constructed Response, and Technology-Enhanced Items – Extended Response and Performance Tasks • Grade Level Considerations – Elementary – Middle – High School • Stimulus Considerations • Item Review Presenter Presentation Notes Let’s begin by providing an overview of the modules that have been developed to help prepare educators to design and review items and tasks. {+} Three modules will be presented to all item writers and reviewers, namely the Introduction module currently being viewed, a module on Evidence-Centered Design, and a module on Universal Design, Accessibility, Sensitivity, and Bias. {+} �Another set of modules focuses on the Content and Item specifications that item writers will use to guide the development and review of items and performance tasks. Separate modules exist for English Language Arts and for Mathematics. {+} �Within each content area, there are also modules that focus on the various item and task types that will be developed to measure student learning. {+} �Within each content area, there are also modules that focus on specific considerations that should be made when developing or reviewing items and performance tasks for elementary, middle, and high school grade levels.�{+} �Again, within each content area, there is also a module that focuses on considerations that should be made when developing or selecting stimuli for items and performance tasks.� {+} �Finally, there are modules that focus on the review of it.

1. Introduction to Smarter Balanced
Item and Performance
Task Development
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Welcome to the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium’s
Item and Task Development Training Module. This module will
introduce educators to the Smarter Balanced Assessment
Consortium’s training series and procedures for developing
items and performance tasks for its next generation assessment
system.
Purpose
• Introduction to Smarter Balanced
Assessment Consortium
• Learn about:
– Common Core State Standards
– Item and content specifications
– Item and task types
• Introduction to other learning modules
Presenter
Presentation Notes
In this module, educators will become familiar with several

2. terms and concepts that are commonly used when discussing the
development of items and performance tasks. �{+} �Educators
will be introduced to the Smarter Balanced Assessment
Consortium, �{+} �and learn more about the Common Core
State Standards, item and content specifications, and the various
item and task types that will be developed for the Smarter
Balanced assessment system. �{+} �Educators will also be
introduced to the other modules that are available to help them
prepare to develop and review items and tasks.
Overview of Modules
• Core Concepts
– Introduction
– Evidence-Centered Design
– Universal Design, Accessibility, Sensitivity, and Bias
• Content and Item Specifications
– English Language Arts
– Mathematics
• Item and Task Types
– Selected Response, Constructed Response, and Technology-
Enhanced Items
– Extended Response and Performance Tasks
• Grade Level Considerations
– Elementary
– Middle
– High School
• Stimulus Considerations
• Item Review

3. Presenter
Presentation Notes
Let’s begin by providing an overview of the modules that have
been developed to help prepare educators to design and review
items and tasks.
{+}
Three modules will be presented to all item writers and
reviewers, namely the Introduction module currently being
viewed, a module on Evidence-Centered Design, and a module
on Universal Design, Accessibility, Sensitivity, and Bias.
{+} �Another set of modules focuses on the Content and Item
specifications that item writers will use to guide the
development and review of items and performance tasks.
Separate modules exist for English Language Arts and for
Mathematics.
{+} �Within each content area, there are also modules that
focus on the various item and task types that will be developed
to measure student learning.
{+} �Within each content area, there are also modules that
focus on specific considerations that should be made when
developing or reviewing items and performance tasks for
elementary, middle, and high school grade levels.�{+}
�Again, within each content area, there is also a module that
focuses on considerations that should be made when developing
or selecting stimuli for items and performance tasks.� {+}
�Finally, there are modules that focus on the review of items.
Collectively, these modules are designed to both prepare
educators to develop the many items and tasks that will form the
Smarter Balanced next generation assessment system, as well as
support educators in developing higher quality assessments in
the classroom. Throughout this and other modules, it will be
indicated when a separate module contains more detailed
information about a topic or concept.�Now, let’s turn the focus
to the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and the

4. assessment system that is in development.
Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium
Next Generation
Assessment
System
Governing State
Advisory State
Membership status as of March 6, 2012
Presenter
Presentation Notes
The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium is a state-led
consortium working to develop �{+}�a next-generation
assessment system aligned to the Common Core State
Standards. The goal of the Consortium is to ensure that all
students—regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, economic status
or background—leave high school prepared for postsecondary
success in college or careers.
The work of the Consortium is guided by the belief that a high-
quality assessment system can provide resources and tools for
teachers and schools to improve instruction and help students
succeed. The Consortium will build upon experiences of
member states to create a high-quality, balanced, multistate
assessment system ensuring comparability across all states.
Smarter Balanced is a federally funded initiative that is
designed to develop an assessment system that can be used
across states to inform important decisions about student
learning and school quality.

5. Key Features of
Smarter Balanced Assessment System
• Interim, summative,
and formative
assessment practices
and tools
• Variety of item types
– Selected Response
– Constructed Response
– Extended Response
– Performance Tasks
• Technology
• Adaptive testing
• More powerful
reporting
• Digital library of
resources and tools
for educators
Presenter
Presentation Notes
There are several key features of the Smarter Balanced
assessment system. �{+} �Among these features are: inclusion
of interim and summative assessments, as well as formative
assessment practices and tools, that are designed to measure the
Common Core State Standards; �{+} �use of a variety of item
types including selected response, constructed response,
extended response, and performance tasks designed to measure
the full breadth and depth of the Common Core State Standards;

6. {+} �utilization of technology to enable the use of multimedia,
rich interactions, and new types of responses to collect more
valid evidence of student learning; �{+} �the use of adaptive
testing to more accurately and efficiently measure student
learning; �{+}�incorporation of more powerful ways of
reporting information; �{+} �and a digital library of resources
and tools for educators.
Important Activities
• Designing and developing new item types
and new ways of scoring
• Developing technologies to deliver, score
and present results
• Piloting and field testing
• Active involvement of educators in
development
Presenter
Presentation Notes
To develop its next generation assessment system, Smarter
Balanced is engaged in a variety of activities, some of which
include: �{+} �Designing and developing new item types and
new ways of scoring student responses; �{+} �developing
technologies that will be used to deliver, score and present
results from assessments; �{+} �and piloting and field testing
these items, tasks, and technologies. �{+} �An important
feature of Smarter Balanced is the active involvement of
educators in the development and piloting of items and tasks.
The goal is that, together, Smarter Balanced and educators can
create assessments that are both more accurate and more

7. efficient.
Common Core State Standards
Presenter
Presentation Notes
The Smarter Balanced next generation assessment system is
designed to measure students’ learning of the important
concepts, knowledge, and skills that form the Common Core
State Standards. �{+}�The Common Core State Standards for
English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies,
Science, and Technical Subjects �{+}�and the Common Core
State Standards for Mathematics represent a set of expectations
for student knowledge and skills that high school graduates
need to master to succeed in college and careers. Throughout
the training modules, the Common Core State Standards are
sometimes referred to as “the standards”.
Common Core State Standards
Adopted
Adopted English
Language Arts
Standards
Not Yet Adopted
As of November 4, 2011
Presenter
Presentation Notes

8. The Common Core State Standards were developed by experts
and educators from across the country and have been adopted by
nearly every state in the US. The Common Core State
Standards focus on core conceptual understandings and
procedures starting in the early grades, thus enabling teachers to
take the time needed to teach core concepts and procedures
well—and to give students the opportunity to master them.
One goal of the Common Core State Standards is to establish
the same high expectations for all students across the country
that, when achieved, will ensure that students are college and
career ready.
The purpose of the Smarter Balanced assessment system is to
provide tools that will help educators both formatively assess
students’ progress towards meeting the Common Core State
Standards, as well as develop summative tools that measure
student achievement of the standards at key points during each
student’s development.
Smarter Balanced Item Development Process
Item and
Task
Specification
1
Item and Task
Development
2
Item and
Task Review
and Revision

9. 3
Pilot Test
5
Field Test
6
Item
Analysis
7
Addition of
Accessibility
Information
4
Presenter
Presentation Notes
The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium places strong
value on educator participation in the design of the items and
tasks that will form the assessment system. The Smarter
Balanced item development process can be divided into seven
main components. �{+}�The first step focuses on developing
specifications for the items and tasks that are to be created. The
specifications define what knowledge, skills, and abilities are to
be measured. These specifications also describe the evidence
that will be collected when measuring these knowledge, skills,
and abilities, and they identify the characteristics of the items
and tasks that are to be designed in a way to accurately collect
that evidence. There will be more about the specifications, the
concept of evidence, and the descriptions of items and tasks in

10. the module that focuses on Content and Item Specifications.
{+}�The second step of the item development process focuses
on developing the items and tasks described in the
specifications. For the Smarter Balanced assessment system,
more than 40,000 items and performance tasks will be
developed, many by educators.
{+}�The third step is reviewing and revising items and tasks.
Each item and task will be reviewed for its content, its
accessibility, its sensitivity to cultural, religious, and ethnic
issues, and potential bias. Content reviews will be performed by
educators. Specialists in accessibility, sensitivity and bias will
perform reviews for these additional features. Based on the
reviews, revisions to items and tasks may be made.
{+}�The fourth step focuses on adding information to further
enhance the accessibility of items. In this step, information is
added to each item that specifies how to support the
accessibility needs of students, including how content is to be
read-aloud, or how to present content in braille or American
Sign Language. Accessibility information is added by
specialists with knowledge of specific access needs. This work
will be described in greater detail in the module that focuses on
Universal Design and accessibility.
{+}�The fifth and sixth steps involve piloting and field testing.
During piloting, students will perform the items and tasks, and
the results will be analyzed to be sure that the items and tasks
work as intended. Items that do not function as intended will be
reviewed to help determine whether or not an item is eligible
for future use and revised as needed. During field testing, the
assessment system will be tried out to make sure it is working
as intended. Modifications will be made based on findings
during the field test.
{+}�The seventh and final step involves the actual use of an
item or task to assess students. Some items and tasks will be
assembled into resources or tools that will be used for formative
purposes, or used in the interim assessment item bank. The
majority of items will be kept secure and will be used as part of

11. the summative test.
Collectively, these seven steps will produce the Smarter
Balanced assessment system.
Evidence-Centered Design
• Item
development
approach
that defines
claims about
students and
their learning
• Evidence
needed
to support
claims
• Types of items
and tasks
needed to
collect evidence
Observation Interpretation
Cognition
“Assessment
Triangle”
Presenter
Presentation Notes

12. A key concept that guides each of these steps is Evidence-
Centered Design. As is described in greater detail in a separate
module, Evidence-Centered Design �{+} �provides a
framework that helps clearly define the interpretations or claims
Smarter Balanced wants to make about students and their
cognition, �{+} �the observations that provide evidence
needed to support those claims, and �{+} �the types of items
and tasks needed to collect that evidence. The use of Evidence-
Centered Design is a unique and important feature of the
Smarter Balanced assessment system.
Smarter Balanced and Evidence-Centered Design
Common Core State
Standards
Smarter Balanced
Content Specifications
Smarter Balanced Item
and Task Specifications
Items and
Performance Tasks
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Smarter Balanced is applying Evidence-Centered Design in
many ways. As is described in greater detail in the module that
focuses on Evidence-Centered Design,
{+}
Smarter Balanced has employed Evidence-Centered Design to
analyze the Common Core State Standards to identify the
important skills, knowledge and abilities that students must

13. develop to be college and career ready.
{+}
This analysis informed the development of the Smarter
Balanced Content Specifications which define the claims to be
made about students and their learning and define the specific
knowledge, skills, and abilities that will be measured by the
assessment system.
{+}
Information contained in the Content Specifications was then
used to develop the Item and Task Specifications which provide
information about the items and tasks that will be developed to
collect evidence about student learning.
{+}
Already, the Item Specifications have been used to develop a
large sample of items and tasks. Item and task writers and
reviewers will rely heavily on these documents to guide their
work going forward and it is important to become familiar with
these documents.
Content Specifications
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Content specifications are an important tool that will inform the
development of all items and tasks. Content Specifications
provide detailed information about the content that will be
measured by the Smarter Balanced assessment system.
Discussed in greater detail in the Content and Item
Specifications module, content specifications provide important
information about �{+}�the claims educators will make in
assessing the achievement of �{+}�the Common Core State
Standards. Content specifications also define �{+}�the specific
knowledge, skills, and abilities that will be the target of the
assessment and�{+}�the type of evidence that will be collected

14. through student responses. Finally, content specifications
provide the foundation for the item specifications educators will
depend on to guide the development and review of items and
tasks.
Item Specifications
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Item Specifications build on content specifications, and provide
detailed information about the items and tasks that will be
developed to measure each assessment target. As shown in this
image, there are several parts to an item specification table. All
of the information contained in the item specification table is
designed to help an item or task developer understand what
evidence is to be collected about which assessment target and
through which types of items or tasks.
{+}�The first few sections of an item specification table restate
information contained in the content specifications. Shown here
are the claim and assessment targets, as well as the standards to
be assessed by the item.
{+}�The next section describes the evidence that is required in
order to support the claim about one or more assessment targets.
�{+}�Next, task models describe the characteristics of items
and tasks that may be used to collect evidence. There will be
more about task models in a later module.
{+}�Also shown here is information about potential
accessibility concerns that a task model may raise. For example,
a task model that asks students to use a line drawing tool to
create a precise line of symmetry may create an accessibility
challenge for students who have difficulty manipulating a
mouse. It is important to consider these concerns and try to
minimize them to the extent possible when developing actual
items. In some cases, however, an accessibility concern cannot

15. be eliminated and the item must be marked as inaccessible for
students with a specific access need.
There will be more about Item Specifications in a separate
module. For now, it is important to know that the Item
Specifications will be the key tool used to guide the work of
developing and reviewing items and tasks.
Six Item Types
• Selected Response
• Constructed Response
• Extended Response
• Performance Tasks
• Technology-Enabled
• Technology-Enhanced
Presenter
Presentation Notes
To collect evidence about the wide range of assessment targets,
Smarter Balanced will use a variety of item and task types.
These item and task types fall into six broad categories and
include
{+}
Selected Response items,
{+}
Constructed Response items,
{+}
Extended Response items, and
{+}
Performance Tasks.
{+}
In addition, there are two categories of technology-rich items
and tasks known as Technology-Enabled
{+}

16. And Technology-Enhanced. Each of these item and task types
will be explored in greater detail in the item and task type
modules. But let’s take a brief look at each category now.
Selected Response
Single Response – Multiple Choice
Many experts will tell you that television is bad for you. Yet
this is an
exaggeration. Many television programs today are specifically
geared
towards improving physical fitness, making people smarter, or
teaching them important things about the world. The days of
limited
programming with little interaction are gone. Public television
and
other stations have shows about science, history, and technical
topics.
Which sentence should be added to the paragraph to state the
author’s main claim?
A. Watching television makes a person healthy.
B. Watching television can be a sign of intelligence.
C. Television can be a positive influence on people.
D. Television has more varied programs than ever before.
Presenter

17. Presentation Notes
Selected Response items prompt students to select one or more
responses for a set of options. As an example, this item asks
students to select the single best response.
This type of selected response item is referred to as a multiple-
choice item.
Selected Response
Multiple Correct Options
Which of the following statements is a property of a rectangle?
Select all that apply.
☐ Contains three sides
☐ Contains four sides
☐ Contains eight sides
☐ Contains two sets of parallel lines
☐ Contains at least one interior angle that is acute
☐ Contains at least one interior angle that is obtuse
☐ All interior angles are right angles
☐ All sides have the same length
☐ All sides are of different length
Presenter
Presentation Notes

18. Other selected response items may ask students to select more
than one option. As an example, this item asks students to
identify all of the properties of a rectangle.
Constructed Response
The table below shows the number of students in each third-
grade class
at Lincoln School.
There are 105 fourth-grade students at Lincoln School. How
many more
fourth-grade students than third-grade students are at Lincoln
School?
Show or explain how you found your answer.
Students in Third-Grade
Class Number of Students
Mrs. Roy 24
Mr. Grant 21
Mr. Harrison 22
Ms. Mack 25

19. Presenter
Presentation Notes
Constructed response items prompt students to produce a text or
numerical response in order to collect evidence about their
knowledge or understanding of a given assessment target. As an
example, this item asks students to produce a response that
provides evidence about their ability to add and subtract.
Constructed Response
Extended Response
Ms. McCrary wants to make a rabbit pen in a section of her
lawn.
Her plan for the rabbit pen includes the following:
• It will be in the shape of a rectangle.
• It will take 24 feet of fence material to make.
• Each side will be longer than 1 foot.
• The length and width will measure whole feet.
Part A
Draw 3 different rectangles that can each represent Ms.
McCrary’s
rabbit pen. Be sure to use all 24 feet of fence material for each
pen.
Use the grid below. Click the places where you want the corners
of
your rectangle to be. Draw one rectangle at a time. If you make
a
mistake, click on your rectangle to delete it. Continue as many
times

20. as necessary.
Use your keyboard to type the length and width of each rabbit
pen
you draw. Then type the area of each rabbit pen. Be sure to
select
the correct unit for each answer.
[Students will input length, width, and area for each rabbit pen.
Students will choose unit from drop down menu.]
Pen 1:
Length: (feet, square feet)
Width: (feet, square feet)
Area: (feet, square feet)
Part B
Ms. McCrary wants her rabbit to have more than 60 square feet
of ground area
inside the pen. She finds that if she uses the side of her house as
one of the sides
of the rabbit pen, she can make the rabbit pen larger.
• Draw another rectangular rabbit pen.
• Use all 24 feet of fencing for 3 sides of the pen.
• Use one side of the house for the other side of the pen.
• Make sure the ground area inside the pen is greater than 60
square feet.
Use the grid below. Click the places where you want the corners
of your rectangle
to be. If you make a mistake, click on your rectangle to delete
it.
Pen 2:
Length: (feet, square feet)

21. Width: (feet, square feet)
Area: (feet, square feet)
Pen 3:
Length: (feet, square feet)
Width: (feet, square feet)
Area: (feet, square feet)
Use your keyboard to type the length
and width of each rabbit pen you
draw. Then type the area of each
rabbit pen. Be sure to select the
correct unit for each answer.
Length: (feet, square feet)
Width: (feet, square feet)
Area: (feet, square feet)
Presenter
Presentation Notes
In some cases, the evidence required to support a claim about a
given assessment target necessitates a more extended response.
As an example, this item prompts students to provide evidence
about their understanding of perimeter and area by producing an
extended response.
Performance Task
Student Directions:
Part 1 (35 minutes)
Your assignment:
You will read a short story and article,
watch a video, review research statistics,
and then write an argumentative essay

22. about your opinion on virtual schools.
Steps you will be following:
In order to plan and compose your essay,
you will do all of the following:
1. Read a short story and article, watch a
video, and review research statistics.
2. Answer three questions about the
sources.
3. Plan and write your essay.
Directions for beginning:
You will now read the sources and watch
a video. Take notes, because you may
want to refer back to your notes while
writing your essay. You can refer back to
any of the sources as often as you like.
• (short story)
• (article 1)
• (video)
• (research statistics)
Questions
Use your remaining time to answer the
questions below. Your answers to these
questions will be scored. Also, they will
help you think about the sources you’ve
read and viewed, which should help
you write your essay. You may click on
the appropriate buttons to refer back to
the sources when you think it would be
helpful. You may also refer to your notes.

23. Answer the questions in the spaces
provided below them.
1. Analyze the different opinions
expressed in “The Fun They Had” and
the “Virtual High School Interview”
video. Use details from the story and
the video to support your answer.
2. What do the statistics from “Keeping
Pace with K–12 Online Learning”
suggest about the current trends of
virtual schools in the U.S.? Use details
from the charts to support your answer.
3. Explain how the information presented
in the “Virtual High School Interview”
video and the article “Virtual Schools
Not for Everyone” differs from the
information in the research statistics?
Support your answers with details from
the video and the articles.
Part 2 (85 minutes)
You will now have 85 minutes to review your
notes and sources, and to plan, draft, and
revise your essay. You may also refer to the
answers you wrote to the questions in part 1,
but you cannot change those answers. Now
read your assignment and the information

24. about how your essay will be scored, then
begin your work.
Your Assignment
Your parents are considering having you attend
a virtual high school. Write an argumentative
essay explaining why you agree or disagree
with this idea. Support your claim with
evidence from what you have read and viewed.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
In still other cases, the evidence required to support a claim
must be collected through a task for which a student performs
multiple actions. For each action, a response is provided. The
set of responses are then used to support a claim about student
understanding or ability. In these cases, a Performance Task is
necessary. A Performance Task is used to assess a set of
assessment targets as opposed to a narrow focus on just one or
two targets, as is typically the case with selected and
constructed response items. As an example, this performance
task contains multiple parts, each designed to collect specific
types of evidence that are combined to make a claim about
student ability to read, synthesize, and communicate in writing.
There will be more about each type of item and task in separate
modules.
Technology-Enabled
Brianna is running for class president. She needs to give a
speech to the 4th grade class.
Listen to the draft of her speech and then answer the questions
that follow.

25. (Test-takers listen to an audio version of the following speech.)
“Hi, My name is Brianna. I am running for class president, and
I hope you will vote for me. You know
many of my friends said they would. I am involved in many
activities, including track and theater. If I
am elected, I will hold several fundraisers so that all students in
the 4th grade can go on a trip at the
end of the year. Also, we can donate a portion of the money to a
charity of our choice. If you want a
class president who will work hard for you and listen to your
needs, please vote for me next week!”
This speech needs to be revised before the student presents it.
Which sentence should be omitted to improve the speech.
A. I am running for class president, and I hope you will vote
for me.
B. You know many of my friends said they would.
C. If I am elected, I will hold several fundraisers so that all
students in the 4th grade can go on
a trip at the end of the year.
D. If you want a class president who will work hard for you
and listen to your needs, please
vote for me next week!”
Selected or Constructed Responses that include Multimedia
Presenter
Presentation Notes
The Smarter Balanced assessment system is designed to be
administered on computers. For this reason, the assessment
system aims to capitalize on the power of computers by
employing technology rich items. Technology rich items fall
into two broad categories, Technology-Enabled and

26. Technology-Enhanced.
{+} �Technology-Enabled items make use of multimedia and
interactive elements to stimulate the assessment target measured
by an item. Technology-Enabled items either collect responses
from students by requiring them to select one or more responses
or by producing text or numerals. �{+} �As an example, this
item plays a speech for students�{+}� and asks them to select
an option in response to the prompt.
Similarly, other items ask students to experiment with
interactive tools, like a random sample generator, and then
prompt them to produce text-based responses.�In these
examples, the technology enables the use of a media rich
stimulus, but does not produce a new way of providing a
response.
Technology-Enhanced
Below is a poem, a sonnet, in which the speaker discusses her
feelings about a relationship.
Read the poem and answer the question that follows.
Remember
by Christina Rossetti
Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day 5
You tell me of our future that you plann'd:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve: 10
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige* of the thoughts that once I had,

27. Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.
In the sonnet “Remember,” which two lines reveals a change
in the speaker’s message to her subject?
Collects Evidence through a Non-Traditional Response
Presenter
Presentation Notes
In contrast,�{+}�a Technology-Enhanced item capitalizes on
technology to collect evidence through a non-traditional
response type. As an example,�{+} �this item presents a
sonnet and prompts students to highlight evidence in the poem
that reveal a change in the speaker’s message.
The value of y is proportional the the value of x. The constant
of proportionality for
this relationship is 1. On the grid below, graph this proportional
relationship.
Technology-Enhanced
Collects Evidence through a Non-Traditional Response
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Similarly, this item asks students to produce a line to collect
evidence about their understanding of proportional geometric
relationships.
In both cases, the response provided by the student is something
different than selecting from a limited set of options or
producing text or numbers.�Smarter Balanced is committed to
the use of technology to improve the quality of assessment.

28. However, a Technology-Enabled or -Enhanced item will only be
developed when it is the only way to access students’
understanding. More details about Technology-Enhanced items
are provided in a separate module.
Key Concepts
• Evidence
• Universal Design
• Accessibility
• Sensitivity
• Bias
Presenter
Presentation Notes
As mentioned already, there are several terms and concepts that
are key to understanding the Smarter Balanced assessment
system. Among these terms are �{+}�Evidence,
�{+}�Universal Design, �{+}�Accessibility,
�{+}�Sensitivity, �{+} �and Bias. These terms are explored
in greater detail in other modules.
Key Concepts
• Bias
– Use of names, topics, or contexts that may be
unfamiliar to a sub-group of students
• Universal Design
– Designing items and tasks so that they function as intended
for as many students as possible

29. • Accessibility
– Additional information or presenting items and tasks in a
different
way in order to meet the specific needs of some students
• Sensitivity
– Content contained in an item that may be distracting or
upsetting for some students
• Evidence
– Information that students provide through their responses
about their knowledge, skills, and abilities
Presenter
Presentation Notes
For now, it is important to know that Evidence focuses on the
information that students provide about their knowledge, skills,
and abilities through the items and tasks educators will help
develop and review. Collecting evidence to support claims
about student learning is the primary goal of the Smarter
Balanced next generation assessment system.
Key Concepts
• Bias
– Use of names, topics, or contexts that may be
unfamiliar to a sub-group of students
• Universal Design

30. – Designing items and tasks so that they function as intended
for as many students as possible
• Accessibility
– Additional information or presenting items and tasks in a
different
way in order to meet the specific needs of some students
• Sensitivity
– Content contained in an item that may be distracting or
upsetting for some students
• Evidence
– Information that students provide through their responses
about their knowledge, skills, and abilities
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Universal Design is a concept that focuses on designing items
and tasks so that they function as intended for as many students
as possible. Universal Design is a key concept that will guide
your development of all items and tasks.
Key Concepts
• Bias
– Use of names, topics, or contexts that may be
unfamiliar to a sub-group of students

31. • Universal Design
– Designing items and tasks so that they function as intended
for as many students as possible
• Accessibility
– Additional information or presenting items and tasks in a
different
way in order to meet the specific needs of some students
• Sensitivity
– Content contained in an item that may be distracting or
upsetting for some students
• Evidence
– Information that students provide through their responses
about their knowledge, skills, and abilities
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Accessibility focuses on including additional information or
presenting items and tasks in a different way in order to meet
the specific needs of some students. Among these needs are
accessing content in braille, audio or signed form. While item
writers will not be responsible for providing this additional
information, it is important to think carefully about designing
items that do not contain features that make it difficult to add
this supplemental accessibility information.
Key Concepts

32. • Bias
– Use of names, topics, or contexts that may be
unfamiliar to a sub-group of students
• Universal Design
– Designing items and tasks so that they function as intended
for as many students as possible
• Accessibility
– Additional information or presenting items and tasks in a
different
way in order to meet the specific needs of some students
• Sensitivity
– Content contained in an item that may be distracting or
upsetting for some students
• Evidence
– Information that students provide through their responses
about their knowledge, skills, and abilities
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Sensitivity focuses on content contained in an item that may be
distracting or upsetting for some students. As an example,
references to religious practices or political beliefs can shift
some students’ focus from the problem at hand and instead
place unintended attention toward the religious or political
topic. Considering sensitivity is one component of Universal
Design.

33. Key Concepts
• Bias
– Use of names, topics, or contexts that may be
unfamiliar to a sub-group of students
• Universal Design
– Designing items and tasks so that they function as intended
for as many students as possible
• Accessibility
– Additional information or presenting items and tasks in a
different
way in order to meet the specific needs of some students
• Sensitivity
– Content contained in an item that may be distracting or
upsetting for some students
• Evidence
– Information that students provide through their responses
about their knowledge, skills, and abilities
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Bias focuses on the use of names, topics, or contexts that may
be unfamiliar to a sub-group of students and which may
unintentionally increase the difficulty of an item or task. As an

34. example, asking students to write about what they did during a
snow day might create an unintended challenge for students who
have never experienced a snow day and may alter what is being
measured from writing informational text to writing fiction.
Bias is another important component of Universal Design.
Upcoming of Modules
• Core Concepts
– Introduction
– Evidence-Centered Design
– Universal Design, Accessibility, Sensitivity, and Bias
• Content and Item Specifications
– English Language Arts
– Mathematics
• Item and Task Types
– Selected Response, Constructed Response, and Technology-
Enhanced Items
– Extended Response and Performance Tasks
• Grade Level Considerations
– Elementary
– Middle
– High School
• Stimulus Considerations
• Item Review
Presenter
Presentation Notes
This module has provided an overview of the Smarter Balanced
Assessment Consortium and has introduced several terms and

35. concepts that are central to the Consortium’s development of its
next generation assessment system. These and other ideas will
be explored in greater detail in the many upcoming
modules.Introduction to Smarter Balanced Item and
Performance �Task DevelopmentPurposeOverview of
ModulesSmarter Balanced Assessment ConsortiumKey Features
of�Smarter Balanced Assessment SystemImportant
ActivitiesCommon Core State StandardsCommon Core State
StandardsSmarter Balanced Item Development
ProcessEvidence-Centered DesignSmarter Balanced and
Evidence-Centered DesignContent SpecificationsItem
SpecificationsSix Item TypesSelected Response�Single
Response – Multiple ChoiceSelected Response�Multiple
Correct OptionsConstructed ResponseConstructed
Response�Extended ResponsePerformance TaskTechnology-
Enabled�Technology-EnhancedTechnology-EnhancedKey
ConceptsKey ConceptsKey ConceptsKey ConceptsKey
ConceptsKey ConceptsUpcoming of Modules