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Developed by Carla Evans & Jeri Thompson
National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment
Welcome to the Introduction to Micro-Course 3. This module will provide you with the information you will need to understand the intended audience, guiding questions, organization, and proposed uses of the four modules in Micro-Course 3 as well as how Micro-Course 3 relates to the modules in Micro-Course 1 and 2. This micro-course focuses on providing school leaders with strategies to support teachers focused on learning acceleration using formative assessment processes in the classroom. These micro-courses were created by the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence and the Center for Assessment.
Micro-Course 3 is specifically designed for K-12 school leaders and instructional coaches. Micro-Courses 1-2 are designed for K-12 classroom teachers who want training on concepts and practical strategies related to formative assessment processes.
Micro-Course 3 is designed around guiding questions that are often asked by school leaders such as:
– How do I support the use of high-quality formative assessments in the classroom?
– How do I engage in high-quality discussions with teachers about formative assessment processes?
– How do I support teachers as they create or select formative assessments during or after instruction?
– How do I support teachers as they involve students and their peers in the formative assessment processes?
The micro-course includes four modules. The first module begins with an overview of the formative assessment process and serves as an advanced introduction to supporting high-quality formative assessment processes in the classrooms. Module 2 addresses how school leaders can support teachers in understanding and using formative assessment processes. Module 3 focuses on how to support teachers’ selection or creation of formative assessments. Module 4 provides suggestions for supporting teachers in engaging students and their peers in the formative assessment process.
Each of the four modules has a pre-recorded video presentation that is between 15-25 minutes long, as well as hyperlinks within the presentation handouts to additional resources and materials. Because the modules are intended to support school leader reflection and changes to formative instructional/assessment practices in schools, each module includes interactive elements such as:
– A warm up question;
– Embedded pause and reflect (or discuss) questions;
– And final reflection questions and/or application activities.
The modules were created to be used in a couple of different ways. Individual school leaders can listen and watch the pre-recorded video presentations to build their professional knowledge and skills around classroom assessment literacy. School leaders could select the modules of most interest to them and complete them in any order, or complete all modules in order. The modules are stand alone, meaning they were not designed such that you have to do them in order or complete all of them. However, there is a coherent sequence of learning developed across the modules in each strand and some modules depend on understanding concepts from a previous module.
Second, and more ideal in terms of fostering discussion and learning from others, the modules were created to be 15-25 minutes in length so they could be viewed by groups of school leaders within/across schools during professional learning communities or other leadership meetings. We know school leaders are busy; consequently, the modules were created so that they could be watched and then discussed within approximately 40-45 minutes. Groups may decide to pause and discuss the video content at any point during the video. We believe it is crucial that school leaders have time to process, discuss, and apply the material reviewed in each module in collaborative and collegial environments. Individual school leaders can then respond to the reflection questions and perhaps share their applications and lingering questions at the beginning of the next leadership meeting.
Micro-Course 3 is designed to provide school leaders with strategies to support classroom teachers’ understanding and use of formative assessment processes. As such, Micro-Course 3 addresses topics from Micro-Courses 1 and 2, but from a leadership perspective. Micro-Course 1 in the blue boxes is specifically designed for K-12 classroom educators, particularly those new to the profession or who have less background knowledge and experiences in assessment purposes and uses, as well as experienced K-12 classroom educators. Micro-Course 2 is specifically designed for more experienced K-12 classroom educators or for those who have completed Micro-Course 1 and want additional training or to go deeper into concepts related to formative assessment processes.
Accompanying Materials & Resources
- Click to download the slides for this presentation
- Click to download the slides for this presentation (PDF)
- Click to download presentation handouts (PDF)