Summary of Syllabus for MAT 605--Alternative Assessment

3 credit hours – Spring 2004

Dr. Gordon R. Sutherlin

Office: American Studies 206A; HU Box 12254

E-mail: sutherlin@harding.edu............................................... Home: gsutherlin@sbcglobal.net

WebPage: www.harding.edu/~sutherlin/index.html

WebCT: webct.harding.edu

Telephone: Office 279-4490..................................................... Home: 882-7104                      

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.  Marion, IL: Pieces of Learning.

        Lewin, L. & Shoemaker, B. (1998). Great performances: creating classroom-based tasks.  Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

 

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.     A presentation of both sides of a current issue on assessment either in Arkansas or in the nation in groups of up to four (4) people. This information may be on the final exam.

7.     Students will access WebCT for class information, quiz(zes), and discussion 3 times on 3 different calendar days.

8.     Present a summary of an article or website about a current assessment topic.

 

Evaluation and Grading: 

Formal Evaluation

40%

 

Activity projects

15%

 

        Quizzes total

30

Weekly

        activities

??

As done in class

        Midterm exam

100

3/2

        WebCT

60

NOT 1/27, 3/2 or 4/4

        Final Exam

100

4/11

Participation

15%

 

Major Projects

30%

 

        Participation

50

Every class period

        Presentation

50

4/20 or 27

        article summary

25

1/27-2/24

        Assessment Tools

50

4/6

 

 

 

        Assessment Plan

100

4/4

 

 

 

Each late assignment will have the grade reduced by 10% per class period that it is late.