This document discusses assessment for 21st century learning. It defines assessment and explores different aspects of 21st century learning, including types of learning (understandings, skills, dispositions, and content knowledge), examples of 21st century skills, and potential shifts needed in assessment. The document examines how to best assess understandings, skills, dispositions, and content knowledge. It provides rubrics to assess middle school students' development of complex problem solving skills and dispositions.

1. BRITISH SCHOOL - ASSESSMENT FOR 21st CENTURY
9:45 – 11:15am
REQUEST: Assessment for 21st Century Learning
Talking points:
 Define assessment
 Define our meaning of 21st century
 Examine types of learning
 Explore which aspects of assessment we need the most work on
DEFINING ASSESSMENT
ASSESSMENT IS…
Fundamentally…
DEFINING ‘21st CENTURY’: Does it mean:
1. New types of learning?
2. Greater emphasis on particular
skills/content/understandings?
3. New models of gathering evidence?
4. New models for evaluating?
5. New models for feedback to
learners?
6. New models for recording evidence?
7. New models for reporting?
st
SFS British School Oct. 2012 1 Assessment for 21 Century Learning

2. TYPES of LEARNING
‘UNDERSTANDINGS’
An understanding is:
TRANS-DISCIPLINARY UNDERSTANDINGS SUBJECT-SPECIFIC UNDERSTANDINGS
 Knowledge of the past and its trends can help  Manipulation of rhythm creates musical patterns.
explain current events.  Numbers represent quantities.
 Human beings have important traits in common  Societies have formal processes to make laws and to
yet differ from one another reforms laws.
 Critical readers question the text, consider various  Scientists construct and use models to generate
perspectives and look for author’s bias in order to knowledge and to advance understanding.
think, live and act differently.
SKILLS
A skill is:
TRANS-DISCIPLINARY SKILLS SUBJECT-SPECIFIC SKILLS
 Work effectively with others  Sing music written in two parts
 Solve problems  Use a microscope
 Conduct research  Analyze literature
 Listen actively  Pass a ball
 Write for a purpose  Read a geographical map
 Access and analyze information
 Lead
 Think critically
DISPOSITIONS
A disposition is….
EXAMPLES
Trustworthy Kind Polite Responsible
Independent Concerned for others A risk-taker adaptable Adaptable
Curious A initiator Entrepreneurial Imaginative
CONTENT KNOWLEDGE/FACTS
Knowledge/facts are
EXAMPLES
 Describe patterns of trade from ancient times to present
 List the basic needs of living organisms and describe
 Know the relative location of, size of, and distances between places.
st
SFS British School Oct. 2012 2 Assessment for 21 Century Learning

3. 21st CENTURY LEARNING…AS DEFINED BY THINK TANKS
Examples….
1. Solve a problem in a team
2. Persevere
3. Access and Analyze information
4. Engage in ‘systems-thinking
5. Be adaptable, flexible
6. Innovate
HOW DO WE BEST ASSESS THESE?
SOME POTENTIAL ‘SHIFTS’
 Shift the value re high stakes ( e.g. do we care enough about these to value
them as highly as academic outcomes?
 Accept that evidence collected formatively (during learning) will form the
largest body of evidence.
 Ongoing training for all teachers/leaders to learn how to better TEACH these
so we do not run the risk of only judging without teaching
 Better utilize technology in the whole assessment process
HOW DO WE BEST ASSESS DISPOSITIONS?
Select a disposition that is valued at your school. Select an age group to work with.
Make a list of the habitual behaviors associated with that disposition.
st
SFS British School Oct. 2012 3 Assessment for 21 Century Learning

4. MIDDLE SCHOOL COPING WITH COMPLEXITY RUBRIC (INTEL)
4 3 2 1
Seeking I seek out challenging I usually like to work I can work on I get frustrated and
Challenges problems because I learn on challenging challenging problems if want to quit when I
from them. problems because I I have a lot of direction work on challenging
feel good when I solve and help. problems.
Working on difficult them.
tasks gives me pleasure
and satisfaction.
Using When I have to solve a When I have to solve a Usually when I have to I will not try to solve a
Strategies really confusing really confusing solve a really confusing problem if I do not
problem, I know some problem, I know how problem, I do not have directions on how
strategies that will help to start. know what to do, and I to do it.
me start and keep going. have to ask someone
to tell me how to start
and how to keep
going.
Analysis On my own, I can break a I can break a big With help, I can break I am usually
big problem into smaller problem into smaller a problem into smaller overwhelmed by
parts and work on the parts and work on the parts and work on the complex problems and
pieces in the best order pieces in a logical pieces. cannot figure out
to complete the task order. where to start.
efficiently and well.
Persistence If I do not get an answer I keep working when I With encouragement, I If I do not get an
right away, I just try a do not get an answer can continue working answer right away, I
different strategy. right away. if I do not get an get frustrated and
I continue to work I work hard on answer right away. often quit working.
enthusiastically on meaningful problems I have difficulty
meaningful problems even when I know that I will not work on
working on meaningful
even when I know that they may not have meaningful problems
problems unless I
they may not have simple, correct that do not have a
know they have a right
simple, correct answers. answers. right answer.
answer.
Concentration I can quickly and easily I can switch back and I get confused if I have I cannot work on more
switch from doing one forth between doing to work on more than than one thing at a
kind of a thing to two different things one thing at a time. time.
another without losing without losing track of
track of what I am doing. what I am doing. I get distracted when I can only work when it
I can concentrate on one there are lots of things is really quiet and I
I can concentrate on going on, and it is hard have no distractions.
thing even if there are a one thing when there
lot of other things going for me to concentrate.
are other things going
on around me. on.
st
SFS British School Oct. 2012 4 Assessment for 21 Century Learning

5. DISPOSITIONS RUBRIC
Needs Attention Approaching Habitual Exemplary Need Attention Approaching Habitual Exemplary
You usually ask the You do some You often think You think You have You need to be You are You are
Thinkers teacher instead of thinking before independently, carefully before Principled difficulty being reminded to be generally consistently
thinking asking the sometimes speaking or honest, fair and honest, fair and honest, fair and honest, fair and
independently teacher needing teacher acting true to yourself true to yourself true to your self true to self and
direction and others and others and others others
You seldom ask You hesitate to You frequently You ask logical You seldom You are You You consistently
questions to initiate ask questions ask questions and thought Caring thinks about beginning to be acknowledges show empathy
Inquirers your own learning and questions that are usually provoking how others feels aware of how the feelings of towards others
are not always relevant to questions others feel others and
specific to topic topic relevant to express concern
topic
You have difficulty You are You You You You are You sometimes You consistently
Communicators with basic beginning to communicate communicate Well- demonstrates a increasing your initiate and initiate and
communication communicate well ideas creatively balanced limited range of range of participate to participate in
ideas interests interests with increase variety various new
adult of interests experiences
encouragement
You are reluctant to You hesitate You You are You usually You reflects on You are You cognitively
try new experiences before demonstrate enthusiastic Reflective focuses only on major topics or beginning to think and self
Risk Takers without teacher beginning new positive about new task completion skills only recognise evaluate daily
encouragement experiences attitude when experiences importance of situations and
independently trying new and challenges details and self experiences
experiences or assesses
activities
You show a limited You show You are You are You focus on With You You
knowledge base and knowledge on knowledgeable enthusiastic your own ideas encouragement acknowledge independently
Knowledgeable prior experiences only selected about a variety and Open- and opinions begins to the rights and see a situation
interests of interests knowledgeable minded understand opinions of from another
about a wide another person’s others view point
range of perspective
interests
st
SFS British School Oct. 2012 5 Assessment for 21 Century Learning

6. CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION
Excerpted from Assessing Outcomes and Improving Achievement: Tips & tools for Using Rubrics, edited by Terrel L. Rhodes. Copyright 2010 Association of American Colleges and Universities
SELF- DIRECTION Catalina Foothills School
Trait Novice Basic Proficient Advanced
You lack strategies to set personal goals You have difficulty using strategies in the You apply strategies to set meaningful You independently utilize strategies to
Goal Setting and rarely participate in goal setting. goal-setting process without on-going goals, seeking minimal assistance. set quality goals which are above
Teacher usually sets goals for You. teacher assistance. expectations.
You are unfocused and consistently off You require frequent redirection to focus You occasionally need redirection to You independently maintain focus and
Focus task during the learning process. on the learning process. focus on the learning process. persevere during the learning process.
You lack strategies to learn, rarely You applies strategies and problem- You applies strategies and problem- You apply strategies independently for
Self-Instruction engage in problem solving or seeking solves with frequent teacher assistance, solves with occasional self-instruction, solving problems and
help. sometimes seeking inappropriate help. teacher/appropriate assistance. seeking appropriate help only if
necessary.
You rarely monitor learning progress and You monitor learning progress with You monitor learning progress and self- You monitor learning progress, self-
Self-monitoring consistently require teacher guidance. frequent teacher intervention. corrects with occasional teacher correcting as needed.
guidance.
Effective Use of You rarely use resources effectively and You frequently require teacher guidance You select and use resources with You independently identify and
Resources needs consistent teacher guidance. to select and use resources effectively. minimal teacher guidance. effectively use relevant resources.
Self-Evaluation You rarely reflect upon learning without You frequently requires teacher You occasionally reflect upon learning You independently reflect upon learning,
and Reflection teacher prompting to identify strengths prompting to reflect upon learning, independently, identifying strengths and identifying strengths and weaknesses,
and weaknesses, use feedback, and identify strengths and weaknesses, use weaknesses, using feedback, and using feedback and modifying work
modify work. feedback, and modify work. modifying work. accordingly.
st
SFS British School Oct. 2012 6 Assessment for 21 Century Learning

7. EXAMPLES OF ASSESSMENT PRACTICES CONSISTENT WITH 21st CENTURY LEARNING
Home work never an assessment.
On-going ( formative assessment)
st
SFS British School Oct. 2012 7 Assessment for 21 Century Learning