6/20/2013

1

Formative Assessment Professional Development o ess o a e e op e t

Via Learning Teams

Sara Bryant Sara Bryant –– Measured ProgressMeasured ProgressEd Roeber Ed Roeber –– Representing Michigan State UniversityRepresenting Michigan State University

National Conference on Student Assessment  National Conference on Student Assessment  National Harbor, MDNational Harbor, MDJune 19June 19‐‐22, 201322, 2013

P id d i ti f th F ti

Session Targets

O Provide a description of the Formative Assessment for Michigan Educators (FAME) professional development model

O Share continuing steps to scale project across Michigan

O Highlight related research efforts to guide implementation

6/20/2013

2

How does FAME define the formative assessment 

process?

See Margaret’s Slides!

FAME Project Goal

“Working collaboratively, educators will learn, implement, and reflect on the

formative assessment process in order to guide student learning and teachers’

instructional practices ”instructional practices.

4

6/20/2013

3

O Learning Teams (LTs): 6 8 members

FAME Project Model

O Learning Teams (LTs): 6-8 membersO Led by a coach–facilitator of PLC-style meetingsO Meetings throughout the year over multiple yearsO Materials and supports provided by MDE and

Measured ProgressO Coaches & LTs chose monthly topics following a y g

one day overview of formative assessment

FAME: Project Numbers

School Year 08‐09 09‐10 10‐11 11‐12 12‐13 13‐14*

Leads N/A N/A N/A 5 10 10

New New/Ret New Ret New Ret New Ret New Ret

Coaches 35 100 65 32 61 61 64 86 96 105

L i

6

Learning 

Teams23 65 62 32 60 55 63 83 96 105

*2013‐2014: Projected data as of 6/19/13.

6/20/2013

4

O Face to Face Session “Launching into Learning”

Training Resources

O Face to Face Session– Launching into LearningO Formative Assessment Learning GuideO Access to Online ResourcesO Cognitive Coaching Seminars®

O Adaptive Schools Foundation SeminarO FAME Leadership ProgramO FAME Leadership Program

FAME Representation

8

6/20/2013

5

FAME’s Scalable Features

Participants are Volunteers

Learning Teams

Coaches

Leads

BAA

6/20/2013

6

Online Resources and Coach Support

Formative Assessment Strategy Toolboxes

6/20/2013

7

FAME Leadership ProgramLearning Objectives

O Understand & conceptualize the components of the FAME project

O Conduct the Face to Face PD (Launch)O Understand the theory and research behind

formative assessment (readings, project)R fl t k l d ith d i li tO Reflect on knowledge with peers and specialist

O Facilitate and coach a group of coaches who are supporting LTs

Face to Face PD

6/20/2013

8

Michigan is part of the broader Formative Assessment Process conversation.

Smarter Balanced Assessment ConsortiumSmarter Balanced Assessment ConsortiumFormative Assessment Work Group

Formative Assessment for Student & Teachers FAST SCASS Member

Research on FAMEResearch on FAME

6/20/2013

9

Key FAME Research Goals

O Help to determine the effectiveness of the FAME activities and materials - which are most potent in changing teacher practices and student learning and student learning

O Study the growth and changes in a select number of FAME learning team as they meet periodically during the school year

O Study the use of formative-assessment practices by select classroom teachers who are members of the learning teams selected for intense study

O Document instances of change in teacher practices and student learning

O Determine whether the FAME program has changed student achievement

6/20/2013

10

EvidenceO Perception data from Fall and Spring surveys

O CoachesO Coaches

O Learning Team members

O Interviews with selected teachers and students

O Qualitative data collection from Coaches attending FAME events

O Team activities

O Needed assistance and resources

O Research on FAME Leads – preparation and work with Coaches

EvidenceO Video of learning teams

O 2010/11: 6 learning teamsO 2010/11: 6 learning teams

O 2011/12: 6 learning teams (1 x 2nd year team)

O 2012/13: 7 learning teams (1 3rd year, 4 2nd year, and 2 1st year teams)

O Video of classrooms

O 2010/11: One learning team, 5 teachers

2011/12 All 6 l i t 2 5 t h /tO 2011/12: All 6 learning teams, 2‐5 teachers/team

O 2012/13: All 7 learning teams, 2‐5 teachers/team, taped on several consecutive days multiple times across the school year

6/20/2013

11

Learning Team Coding Categories

L i TO Learning TeamsO Activities engaged in by the LT during the meeting O Content/Focus of the LT discussionO Depth of Content of LT discussionO Depth of Discussion of the LTO Participation Structure of the LTO Types of questioning O Feedback/Conversation among LT members

Teacher Coding CategoriesO Segment Codes:

O Learning Target Use – Teacher & StudentO Learning Target Use – Teacher & StudentO Type of Question/Information ElicitedO Teacher Questioning StrategiesO Opportunities for Students to Engage Teacher QuestionsO Student Self-Assessment OpportunitiesO Self-Assessment from Student PerspectiveO Student QuestioningO Feedback from Teachers in the MomentO Peer AssessmentO Adjustments to Teaching and Learning

6/20/2013

12

Teacher Coding CategoriesO Whole Class Codes:

O Learning TargetsO Learning TargetsO CriterionO ConditionsO Appropriateness

O Eliciting Student UnderstandingO Use of Questioning

O Instructional DecisionsO Instructional DecisionsO Use of EvidenceO Activating Prior KnowledgeO Student Lens

O

Teacher Coding CategoriesO Whole Class Codes:

O FeedbackO FeedbackO Student Involvement

O Teacher-Centered versus Student-CenteredO CollaborationO Goal Setting

6/20/2013

13

Student Achievement

O State AssessmentO Comparison of growth in achievement of students of LT

teachers versus comparable non-LT teachersO Comparison of growth in achievement of student of LT

teachers versus district and state growth

O Local AssessmentO Locally-developed common assessmentsO Commercially-available interim and summative

assessmentsO Comparison of growth in achievement of students of LT

teachers versus comparable non-LT teachers

Overall Learning Team Meetings

Focus areas Areas perceived as

beneficialbeneficialPlanning 57% 36%

Reflecting 67% 63%

Problem Solving 28% 32%

Sharing 79% 79%

Formative Assessment Tools and Strategies 87% 60%

Resources 45% 35%

Other

Meetings: 78% of LTMs reported meeting at least 5 times over the year and 43% of meetings took between 2-3 hours

Other 5% 12%

Focus areas for learning team meetings and perception of benefits for these areas(Data based on LTMs’ Winter and Spring Surveys)

6/20/2013

14

Overall Learning Team Meetings

Content of One LT’s Discussions 

6/20/2013

15

Questioning in LT Meetings

LTMs’ Use of FA strategiesHow often do you currently use each the following strategies?

100

150

200

250

300

350

Daily

3-4 times a week

1-2 times a week

Monthly

Never

Not applicable

0

50

Goal setting with students

Using learning targets

Activating student prior knowledge

Providing descriptive feedback to

students

Facilitating student peer assessment

Helping students self-assess

6/20/2013

16

Learning Targets of LT Members

Fall 2012 Spring 2013

Learning Targets of CoachFall 2012 Spring 2013

6/20/2013

17

Degree of Success in Enacting FA

Perceptions of FAME modelO 79% LT members reported that the FAME model

was “effective” or “very effective”O 85% LT members reported the meetings p g

impacted their use of formative-assessment practices

O 82% LT members used new strategies or tools with their students: O learning targetsO Assessing prior knowledgeO Descriptive feedbackO Exit slipsO Learning logs

Winter Survey, N=150

6/20/2013

18

Impact of FAME Model on TeachersO It's really great to have a think-tank of positive and

motivated individuals to share positive examples with and to think through plans that didn't work as g pexpected. It makes it easier to think about formative assessment specifically when we meet each month for that purpose.

O It is encouraging to meet with other teachers who are implementing formative assessments: we challenge each other to continue on the path we have chosen there is an accountability to the grouphave chosen, there is an accountability to the group piece, as we share what we are doing the focus becomes clearer to the individual and the group, and we support each other in our research and practice.

ImplicationsMulti-level and multiple-subject team structures are

more likely to encourage parallel sharing about classroom experiences not deeper FA conversationsclassroom experiences, not deeper FA conversations

Shared content expertise influences teacher interactions, allowing for deeper discussions

Shared experience with the same students allowed for connections among teachers about promoting individual student success

Shared content expertise and shared experience with the same students promote both deeper content discussions and connections to promote student success

6/20/2013

19

ImplicationsBased on our research, we suggest the following for professional development:Each group has its own particularities and needs, so provide a range of g p p , p gdiverse activities to better fit each team’s needs and characteristics.Challenge for LTs: moving from activities mainly based on sharing practices or increasing formative assessment knowledge to activities that engage teachers in authentic problems of improving professional practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Webster-Wright, 2009; Wilson & Berne, 1999)LTs can accomplish planned activities, from sharing practices to a deeper discussion of the “whys” of the formative assessment practices and toolsA future challenge is to guide and provide support for teams to accomplish these goalsthese goalsNo less important, the coach role also needs support and enhancement Increased support is needed to help coaches guide LTs to a culture of learning

(Sadler, 1989, Black & Wiliam, 1998, Shepard, 2000) Provide periodic encouragement as well as information and ideas to coaches

Some suggestions for moving forward

There is a need for more coach and LT resources and guidance from MDE and leads: Require an annual LT learning plan completed initially for three Require an annual LT learning plan, completed initially for three

years, in which the coach indicates when different topics will be discussed over the three years

The annual plan should indicate the resources to be used or needed and the steps to be take in LT learning

At the end of each school year, the coach and LT should reflect on their accomplishments in the learning plan

The plan should be updated at the start of years 2 and 3

Strive to get LT members to actually try different FA strategies in their classrooms, with peer observation or self-videotaping to guide LT discussion and improvement strategizing

6/20/2013

20

Some suggestions for moving forward

Provide more on-going support for Coaches: Support and encouragement via the Leads Periodic online seminars for coaches about various aspects of

formative assessment, both informational and motivational A variety of print and video resources that coaches can use in

their LT meetings (as well as to prepare for the meetings by enhancing their knowledge about formative-assessment practices)

Resources that Coaches can use with LT members to illustrate some of the more difficult concepts, such as using student peer assessment and student self assessment

Resources LT members can use with students in their classrooms to better prepare students to be active participants in their own learning and assessment (e.g., showing students how to self-assess)

Summary By suggesting that added resources, supports, and

encouragement are needed and should be provided, we are not e cou age e t a e eeded a d s ou d be p o ded, e a e otsuggesting a top-down, rigid model for learning about formative-assessment practice

Each learning team, under the guidance of their coach and with support of their regional lead, should continue to make the choices about what to study, learn, try out, and improve upon

With a broader array of supports, along with periodic encouragement from MDE, the leads and others, our goal is to encourage deeper learning by the learning teams

The coaches and learning teams have expressed a desire for these g presources and supports

It is hoped that through deeper learning and work to improve instructional practices, the promise of formative-assessment practice will be achieved, resulting in improved student learning and achievement