Syllabus for
MAT 605--Alternative Assessment
3 credit hours – Spring 2004
Dr.
Gordon R. Sutherlin
Office:
American Studies 206A; HU
E-mail:
sutherlin@harding.edu............................................ Home:
gsutherlin@sbcglobal.net
WebPage:
www.harding.edu/~sutherlin/index.html
WebCT:
webct.harding.edu
Office
Hours: As posted on Web and door.......................... Class:
4-6:30 Tu
Course
Description: Creation and use of alternative
assessments of student achievement which involve examination of the processes
as well as the products of learning.
Variants of performance assessments that require students to generate
rather than choose a response. Exhibition, investigations, demonstrations,
written or oral responses, journals and portfolios are examples of
alternatives.
Required
Texts:
Coil,
C. & Merritt, D. (2001). Solving the assessment puzzle piece by piece.
Lewin, L. & Shoemaker, B. (1998). Great performances: creating
classroom-based tasks.
Purpose: The purpose of the class is to examine the
use, design and scoring of alternative assessments to increase student
learning. The class will review the need
for changes in assessment and the importance of integrating assessment and
instruction. The course will be project
based with emphasis given to the development of alternative assessments
applicable to the educator’s needs.
Goals: Upon
completion of this class the learners will be able to:
1. Describe the assessment movement in
2. Describe the purposes and uses of the
different types of assessment.
3. Describe relationship between curriculum,
instruction, and assessment.
4. Create
and score a variety of alternative assessments.
LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND ASSESSMENT:
1. Read
the texts as assigned and participate in classroom activities and discussions. A
reading quiz may be given on any reading assignment. The quiz(zes) will be
learning tools as well as adding to the points for tests.
2. There
will be two exams over textbook, notes, outside readings,
activities and discussions.
3. Each
student will create three different alternative assessment tools to be used in
his/her classroom.
4.
Each student
will create an assessment plan for his/her classroom that involves a
variety of assessments; paper and pencil, projects, activities, performance
assessment, and standardized tests.
Include your philosophy of assessment, a rationale for each form of
assessment, and the scoring procedures or rubrics. At least one complete alternative assessment
tool will be included. It will be in the form of a typed, double-spaced paper
and the alternative assessment tool will be in form ready to use.
5.
The class will create assessment tools for
activities presented in class.
6. Each
student will be involved in a presentation of a current issue on
assessment either in
7. Students
will access WebCT for class information, quiz(zes), and discussion. Five points will be given for participation
in the WebCT discussion area each week assigned by answering at lest one of the
discussion questions and commenting on someone else’s comment at least twice
which means you will need to sign on at least three times during the weeks
there are discussion questions. At least three of the responses must occur on
different calendar days to receive full points.
3x on 2 days = 4pts. 3x on one day or twice on different days = 3pts.
Twice on one day = 2pts. Once = 1 point.
8. For
the assigned class periods, each student will present a summary of an
article or website about a current assessment topic.
The
schedule, assignments, or grading rubrics may need to be adjusted due to
unforeseen circumstances and will be done at the discretion of the instructor.
Evaluation
and Grading: The final grade will be determined the
weights for each category. Each category
will be determined by the points scored divided by the total points for the
category.
Formal Evaluation.................................................................... ................ 40%
Quizzes total ........................................................................... 30 90% or better ....... = A
Midterm exam........................................................................ 100 80% - 89% .......... = B
Final Exam............................................................................. 100 70% - 79% .......... = C
65%
- 69% .......... = D
Major Projects......................................................................................... 30% Below 65% ........... = F
Presentation............................................................................. 50
3 - Alternative Assessment Tools.............................................. 50
Assessment Plan.................................................................... 100
Activity projects....................................................................................... 15%
Assessment of activities total..................................................... ??
WebCT discussion participation (5pts per week
assign)............ 65
Participation/class activities/attendance...................................................... 15%
Participation (2pts/period, 15*2 + subjective
rubric, 20)........... 50
Presentation of article summary (5 pts per
summary)................. 25
Each late assignment will have the grade
reduced by 10% per class period that it is late.
Class
Policies:
Absence Policy:
Approved excuses for absences would include illness, death in the
family, official representation of the University or other reasons approved by
the instructor. Unexcused absences are
not permitted. Students should notify
the instructor personally, by telephone or email prior to being absent from
class regardless of the reason for the absence.
If you are tardy to class, please check with the instructor to be sure
you have not been marked absent. Three
unexcused tardys will result in one unexcused absence. If a student has two unexcused absences,
he/she will be dropped from the class.
If the student is permitted to re-enroll, he will be dropped permanently
if he misses one more time. Absences may
require the completion of additional work.
The Student Handbook will be followed including the dress code.
Academic Honesty: Please maintain personal integrity on all
assignments. Violations including
cheating or plagiarism will result in the affected tests and/or assignments not
being graded. Any make up work may be
different and more challenging than the original assignment.
STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES: It is
the policy for