Download or read book Opportunity to Learn Curriculum Alignment and Test Preparation written by Jaap Scheerens and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-08-30 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a review of the effectiveness of Opportunity to Learn (OTL) operationalized as the association between OTL and student achievement. In addition, it presents an elaborate conceptual map in which OTL is regarded as part of a larger concept of curriculum alignment. Major components of this framework are national goals and standards, school curricula, formative tests, textbooks, actual delivery of content as part of teaching, and summative tests and examinations.Alignment between educational goals, intended and implemented curricula, and educational outcomes is considered an important prerequisite for effective education. The expectation is that better alignment leads to better student performance. The concept of OTL is commonly used to compare content covered, as part of the implemented curriculum, with student achievement. As such it is to be seen as a facet of the broader concept of “alignment”. As it comes to enhancing OTL in educational policy and practice, proactive curriculum development is compared to a more retroactive orientation. Legitimate forms of test and examination preparation belong to this retroactive orientation, and are seen as favorable conditions for optimizing OTL. This book reviews the research evidence on the effects of OTL on student achievement by means of detailed descriptions of key-empirical studies, a review of meta-analyses, a “vote count” syntheses of 51 empirical studies, conducted between 1995 and 2015, and a secondary analysis based on TIMSS 2011, and PISA 2012 data. It concludes that the effect size of OTL, at about .30, is modest, but comparable in size to other effectiveness-enhancing conditions in schooling. The final chapter of the book provides suggestions for educational policy and practice to further optimize OTL. /div

Download or read book Deep Curriculum Alignment written by Fenwick W. English and published by Scarecrow Press. This book was released on 2001 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why do testing and accountability efforts in today's schools fail? In Deep Curriculum Alignment, English and Steffy explore the flaws in state mandated testing, advocating a more comprehensive approach to teaching and testing. This highly practical book will guide you into a deeply aligned curriculum that produces academic results and a level playing field. Each chapter covers principles of testing and curriculum building, and concludes with a summary of the key concepts presented. The authors survey various studies, present the ethical dilemmas involved in testing, and present a step-by-step guide to pedagogical parallelism and alignment.

Download or read book Understanding by Design written by Grant P. Wiggins and published by ASCD. This book was released on 2005 with total page 383 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is understanding and how does it differ from knowledge? How can we determine the big ideas worth understanding? Why is understanding an important teaching goal, and how do we know when students have attained it? How can we create a rigorous and engaging curriculum that focuses on understanding and leads to improved student performance in today's high-stakes, standards-based environment? Authors Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe answer these and many other questions in this second edition of Understanding by Design. Drawing on feedback from thousands of educators around the world who have used the UbD framework since its introduction in 1998, the authors have greatly revised and expanded their original work to guide educators across the K-16 spectrum in the design of curriculum, assessment, and instruction. With an improved UbD Template at its core, the book explains the rationale of backward design and explores in greater depth the meaning of such key ideas as essential questions and transfer tasks. Readers will learn why the familiar coverage- and activity-based approaches to curriculum design fall short, and how a focus on the six facets of understanding can enrich student learning. With an expanded array of practical strategies, tools, and examples from all subject areas, the book demonstrates how the research-based principles of Understanding by Design apply to district frameworks as well as to individual units of curriculum. Combining provocative ideas, thoughtful analysis, and tested approaches, this new edition of Understanding by Design offers teacher-designers a clear path to the creation of curriculum that ensures better learning and a more stimulating experience for students and teachers alike.

Download or read book Educating One and All written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1997-06-27 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the movement toward standards-based education, an important question stands out: How will this reform affect the 10% of school-aged children who have disabilities and thus qualify for special education? In Educating One and All, an expert committee addresses how to reconcile common learning for all students with individualized education for "one"â€"the unique student. The book makes recommendations to states and communities that have adopted standards-based reform and that seek policies and practices to make reform consistent with the requirements of special education. The committee explores the ideas, implementation issues, and legislative initiatives behind the tradition of special education for people with disabilities. It investigates the policy and practice implications of the current reform movement toward high educational standards for all students. Educating One and All examines the curricula and expected outcomes of standards-based education and the educational experience of students with disabilitiesâ€"and identifies points of alignment between the two areas. The volume documents the diverse population of students with disabilities and their school experiences. Because approaches to assessment and accountability are key to standards-based reforms, the committee analyzes how assessment systems currently address students with disabilities, including testing accommodations. The book addresses legal and resource implications, as well as parental participation in children's education.

Download or read book Curriculum Alignment written by David A. Squires and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2009 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides information for school administrators and curriculum specialists on ways to align the curriculum to state standards to improve student achievement and teacher effectiveness.

Download or read book Effective and Equitable Teacher Practice in Mathematics and Science Education written by Nani Teig and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Vertical Alignment written by Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 10 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In response to requirements in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), state policymakers have made concerted efforts to align state standards with state accountability assessments. When strongly aligned and articulated, state standards and assessments can provide a clear and coherent set of expectations for students and educators. How do districts ensure that what is taught and tested in classrooms aligns with the state standards and assessment? One approach is through vertical alignment of the district's written curriculum with state standards and assessments. Vertical alignment articulates the logical, consistent order for teaching the standards-based content in a subject area from one grade level or course to the next. There are different approaches to undertaking vertical curriculum alignment in a district. Regardless of the approach taken, districts will most likely face similar implementation issues. This brief explores some of the issues that districts may face when implementing vertical alignment of the written curriculum across grade levels. It is organized as follows: (1) Brief overview of vertical curriculum alignment; (2) Common issues that successful districts have addressed when implementing vertical alignment as part of districtwide curriculum development; and (3) Vignettes that highlight selected aspects of vertical alignment activities.

Download or read book Creating Significant Learning Experiences written by L. Dee Fink and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2003-06-17 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dee Fink poses a fundamental question for all teachers: "How can I create courses that will provide significant learning experiences for my students?" In the process of addressing this question, he urges teachers to shift from a content-centered approach to a learning-centered approach that asks "What kinds of learning will be significant for students, and how can I create a course that will result in that kind of learning?" Fink provides several conceptual and procedural tools that will be invaluable for all teachers when designing instruction. He takes important existing ideas in the literature on college teaching (active learning, educative assessment), adds some new ideas (a taxonomy of significant learning, the concept of a teaching strategy), and shows how to systematically combine these in a way that results in powerful learning experiences for students. Acquiring a deeper understanding of the design process will empower teachers to creatively design courses for significant learning in a variety of situations.

Download or read book Curriculum Alignment written by Betty E. Steffy and published by Corwin Publishers. This book was released on 1999 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This workbook provides school administrators a structured process to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to facilitate curriculum alignment. Based on the text "Deciding What to Teach and Test," the book outlines specific steps a facilitator can take to translate ideas into action. It is organized into a series of chapters that were written with the assumption that the work can be completed during a 3- to 4-month period. Each chapter contains a set of activities designed to build on the work accomplished in previous sessions, and the level, purpose, materials, estimated time of completion, and participants are outlined at the beginning of each activity. The first chapter focuses on understanding the concept of alignment and addresses such issues as becoming familiar with videotape, focus and connectivity, site-based decision making, and quality control. Chapter 2 presents ways to prepare for curriculum alignment by focusing on trend analysis. Topics discussed include the curriculum-development cycle, schools as sorting mechanisms, and gap analysis. The third chapter discusses the concepts of frontloading and backloading, outlining the advantages and disadvantages of these strategies. The last chapter looks at the curriculum audit and explores ways to increase understanding of the audit and its assumptions. (RJM)

Download or read book More Courageous Conversations About Race written by Glenn E. Singleton and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2013 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Since the highly acclaimed Courageous Conversations About Race offered educators a frame work and tools for promoting racial equity, many schools have implemented the Courageous Conversations Protocol. Now ... in a book that's rich with anecdote, Singleton celebrates the successes, outlines the difficulties, and provides specific strategies for moving Courageous Conversations from racial equity theory to practice at every level, from the classroom to the school superintendent's office"--Back cover.

Download or read book Aligning Standards and Curriculum for Classroom Success written by Daniel M. Perna and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2006-08-04 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The authors have designed a process that respects the teacher′s professionalism and works to collaborate with stakeholders in a discussion about standards and possible educational outcomes without becoming mechanical." -From the Foreword by Fenwick W. English Create a standards-based instructional plan that works! In recent years, educational reform has required standards-based instruction and high levels of accountability from schools. To cope with an overcrowded and often overwhelming curriculum, educators need a way to meet the challenge of translating standards into effective teaching and learning. Aligning Standards and Curriculum for Classroom Success provides teachers with the tools and strategies they need to plan instruction that meets state and national standards. This updated, revised edition includes the latest research about standards and curriculum design, expanded coverage of the development of criterion standards, increased attention to assessment, and new sample instructional plans. It also features: A structured dialogue process to help stakeholders reach consensus about what students should learn Step-by-step directions for developing criterion standards Guidelines for designing instructional plans based on standards Strategies for using standards to integrate the curriculum Examples of standards-based instructional plans for different content areas, courses, and grade levels A framework for ensuring that teachers evaluate students consistently and with continuity throughout a school or district Providing high-quality instruction and ensuring student achievement in a standards-driven system is a challenge for all educators. This guide offers all the tools needed to successfully align standards to lesson planning.

Download or read book Aligning and Balancing the Standards Based Curriculum written by David A. Squires and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2004-09-22 with total page 345 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What the experts say about how the Balanced Curriculum process can tip the scales in favor of your students! "The work that Dr. Squires has done in moving the curriculum development process onto the Web has removed some of the tedium involved in crafting curriculum, making it ′user friendly′ and open to the kinds of ongoing changes that make the promise of continual renewal of curriculum a reality." From the Foreword by Fenwick W. English --R. Wendell Eaves Distinguished Professor of Educational Leadership University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill "A coherent approach to curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the age of standards-driven education.... It will be an excellent contribution." --H. Lynn Erickson Author, Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction "I′m happy with the Balanced Curriculum process, my Board is happy, and my students are benefiting by it." --Philomena T. Pezzano, District Superintendent Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey Public Schools "The book builds a bridge of confidence that will convince readers of both the ideas and of their own ability to succeed." --David W. Champagne, Professor Emeritus University of Pittsburgh "A wonderful and thorough explanation of the Balanced Curriculum." --Michelle Barnea, Educational Consultant Milburn, New Jersey Aligning and Balancing the Standards-Based Curriculum highlights the research, theory, method, practice, and implementation guidelines from a successful 15-year track record of schools already using the BalancedCurriculum.com Web site and its curriculum balancing process. Benefit from the invaluable insights, experience, and expertise of author David A. Squires, as he outlines curriculum innovations that include: Web-based solutions to simplify curriculum development and writing Professional development opportunities designed to achieve school and districtwide consensus on curriculum development Practical methods for ensuring that the curriculum is consistently reviewed, evaluated, enhanced, aligned, and rebalanced Full of field-tested practices, clear-sighted diagrams, sample lessons, assessments, and case studies, this comprehensive handbook shows how schools and districts all across the nation can use the Balanced Curriculum process to put their schools on the track to success.

Download or read book Toward a Coherent Curriculum written by James A. Beane and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Taxonomy of Educational Objectives written by Benjamin Samuel Bloom and published by . This book was released on 1984 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Knowing What Students Know written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2001-10-27 with total page 383 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Education is a hot topic. From the stage of presidential debates to tonight's dinner table, it is an issue that most Americans are deeply concerned about. While there are many strategies for improving the educational process, we need a way to find out what works and what doesn't work as well. Educational assessment seeks to determine just how well students are learning and is an integral part of our quest for improved education. The nation is pinning greater expectations on educational assessment than ever before. We look to these assessment tools when documenting whether students and institutions are truly meeting education goals. But we must stop and ask a crucial question: What kind of assessment is most effective? At a time when traditional testing is subject to increasing criticism, research suggests that new, exciting approaches to assessment may be on the horizon. Advances in the sciences of how people learn and how to measure such learning offer the hope of developing new kinds of assessments-assessments that help students succeed in school by making as clear as possible the nature of their accomplishments and the progress of their learning. Knowing What Students Know essentially explains how expanding knowledge in the scientific fields of human learning and educational measurement can form the foundations of an improved approach to assessment. These advances suggest ways that the targets of assessment-what students know and how well they know it-as well as the methods used to make inferences about student learning can be made more valid and instructionally useful. Principles for designing and using these new kinds of assessments are presented, and examples are used to illustrate the principles. Implications for policy, practice, and research are also explored. With the promise of a productive research-based approach to assessment of student learning, Knowing What Students Know will be important to education administrators, assessment designers, teachers and teacher educators, and education advocates.

Download or read book Aligning Your Curriculum to the Common Core State Standards written by Joe Crawford and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2012 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Avoid "analysis paralysis" and just get started! Now that most states have adopted the new Common Core State Standards, the next major challenge is to simplify and implement them by 2014. That is why it is important to begin this work now. Joe Crawford, Milken Award-winning educator and author of Using Power Standards to Build an Aligned Curriculum, shares his proven process for building a viable local curriculum based on the CCSS. Readers will find: A system for creating local standards from the CCSS Methods for connecting the common, formative assessments to quarterly instructional objectives Ways to scaffold learning expectations Examples taken from districts where CCSS is currently implemented Included are helpful charts and graphs plus access to Internet-based software for mapping the CCSS to curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Schools cannot continue to do what they have always done and expect a different result. This book explains how to facilitate learning for all students while taking advantage of the new culture, technology, and norms of today′s learning environment.

Download or read book International Perspectives on Literacies Diversities and Opportunities for Learning written by Cynthia Brock and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2023-07-11 with total page 323 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the conceptual framework, opportunities for learning, as a transaction between literacy learners, mediating agents, and the literacy content to be learned within social, cultural, and historical contexts. With contributions from top scholars from around the world, the chapters in this book provide a window into the varied ways learners, their families, educators, and researchers have co-constructed opportunities for learning in a range of PK-12 classrooms, community settings, and university classrooms across the globe. Building on decades of existing scholarship, contributors conceptualize literacy as social practice and discuss a variety of literacies—including engineering literacies, community literacies, and bilingual and multicultural literacies and more—through real-world and insightful examples. By situating literacy learning in the complex social, cultural, and historical contexts in which students, teachers, and families live and work, chapter authors provide nuanced, qualitative, and deeply profound views of literacy learning. Critical and informative, with a myriad of examples on co-constructed opportunities for learning, this volume is an essential text for graduate courses on literacy education, and for literacy researchers, teacher educators, and teachers.