Syllabus

Master of Science in Education

EDU 741: Literacy Assessments as Teaching Tools

Credits - 3

Description

This course focuses on the use of assessments to determine a learner’s reading and/or writing skills. Students in this course will examine, create, evaluate, and reflect on a variety of literacy assessments as they are directly connected to data-driven instruction and literacy achievement. Each course module will engage students in a range of literacy assessments and how to use resulting data to inform instruction of subject area content as well as develop and deepen literacy skills. Course participants will be engaged in the research around assessment types as well as how to modify assessments and instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners.

Materials

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

For each course in this program, there are overall course outcomes. In each module, there are weekly learning outcomes. These are specified at the beginning of each week’s introduction.

Course Outcomes	INTASC STANDARDS	IRA STANDARDS
Students examine literacy assessments readily available for the classroom and implement the assessments to determine student literacy skills.	Standard 6 (a,g, j,k)	Standard 3: Assessment and Evaluation
Students read and analyze current research by reading professional journals.	Standard 10 (f,h) Standard 9 (b,d, e)	Standard 6: Professional Learning and Leadership
Students develop a literacy assessment plan for an individual student.	Standard 6 (a,b,g,h,j,k,o,p, v) Standard 7 (d)	Standard 3: Assessment and Evaluation
Students explain assessment principles and justify the use of various assessments within a variety of contexts.	Standard 6 (a,b,g,h,j,k,l,m,o,p, q, t, v)	Standard 1: Foundational Knowledge
Students analyze and use assessment data to guide literacy instruction.	Standard 6 (g,l,m,o,r, t, v) Standard 7 (d, e,k,l)	Standard 2: Curriculum and Instruction Standard 3: Assessment and Evaluation
Students are active and contributing members of a collaborative learning community to learn new content and further understanding about the foundation of literacy for all students.	Standard 10 (a,b,e,f,g,h, n, o, r, s, t)	Standard 6: Professional Learning and Leadership

Assignments

Whole Class Discussion Board: Introduction

Engage with your classmates in an initial discussion about literacy assessment while also introducing yourself. Once you post your response to the prompt you are to respond to posts made by at least two classmates.

Assessment Glossary Entry and Reflection

It is important to understand the various types and uses of literacy assessments in order to take a more thoughtful and effective approach to using these assessments in classrooms. In Weeks 2 and 3 you will contribute an overview of a literacy assessment to the class Assessment Glossary Wiki. In addition to your glossary entry, you will write a short reflective essay on an assessment you learned about.

Student Assessment Administration, Small Group Work – Assessment Discussion, and Reflection on Student Assessment Administration

In Weeks 4, 5, and 6 you will choose from a selection of literacy assessments to implement with a student (or students) that week. You will then work with a small group to examine the assessment you administered, analyze the results, and make recommendations for instruction based on the data shared. At the end of each week, you will write a reflective narrative in which you consider your professional growth as it relates to administering and analyzing the week’s assessment.

Comprehensive Assessment Plan and Rationale

For the culminating assignment, you are to consider how the assessments you have learned about in this course shape your current assessment practices. Using new learning, the independent research you conducted, course readings, and resources cited in class discussions, complete this two-part assignment. You will develop a Comprehensive Assessment Plan for a classroom of your choice and write a research-based rationale in which you justify the choices you made in your plan.

Whole Class Discussion Board: Comprehensive Assessment Plan Presentation

Using the presentation tool of your choosing, you will prepare a 5-minute narrated briefing of your assessment plan. You will share your presentation with classmates and engage in a discussion about one another’s findings and insights.

NOTE:

Please keep in mind as you complete assignments for this course that you should save samples of your work for future use in EDU 750 Reading Instructional Intervention: Clinical Practice II. The culminating activity requires you to create an e-Portfolio. The e-portfolio will showcase at least THREE assignments that you feel best reflect your growth as a reading specialist. You will provide the selected assignments and include a very brief paragraph or two explaining why you chose each particular assignment. 

Grading Policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Assignment	100 Total Points
Whole Class Discussion Board: Introduction	3 points
Two Assessment Glossary Wiki Entries	12 points (for both)
Two Assessment Glossary Entry Reflections	12 (6 points each)
Three Small Group Work - Assessment Discussions	30 (10 points each)
Three Reflections on Student Assessment Administration	15 (5 points each)
Comprehensive Assessment Plan and Rationale	19
Whole Class Discussion Board: Comprehensive Assessment Plan Presentation	9

Grade Scale

Grade	Points Grade	Point Average (GPA)
A	94 – 100%	4.00
A-	90 – 93%	3.75
B+	87 – 89%	3.50
B	84 – 86%	3.00
B-	80 – 83%	2.75
C+	77 – 79%	2.50
C	74 – 76%	2.00
C-	70 – 73%	1.75
D	64 – 69%	1.00
F	00 – 63%	0.00