Learner-Centered Assessment Systems
Click the button on the left to see a range of resources related to assessing proficiency during continuous learning.
Personalized, learner-centered education is predicated on making learning visible.
Often districts' first steps to visible learning include making the transition to proficiency-based learning systems.
Standards-based assessment and reporting (SBAR) in Iowa includes K-12 standards in literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, and fine arts as the minimum of what all students should know, understand, and be able to do.
Additional learner-centered assessment practices include performance tasks/assessments, portfolio defenses, learning exhibitions, demonstrations of competency, and supporting students in developing assessment and data literacy through scaled assessments, data notebooks, learning trajectory trackers, and more.
Additionally, the Iowa Core includes 21st century skills:
civic literacy
employability skills
financial literacy
health literacy
technology literacy
and the Universal Constructs
collaboration
complex communication
critical thinking
creativity
productivity and accountability
flexibility and adaptability
Click on the button on the left to learn how students can be agents of their own learning by developing assessment and data literacy.
Introduction to an Exemplar Resource
Roadmap for Implementing Mastery Learning (reDesign).pdfNavigating the Shift
Are you curious about the "roadmap" from traditional to a personalized, learner-centered, competency-based system? We think reDesign has the best roadmap we've seen (on the left), and are using their framework to support individual, building, and systems change.
Keep in mind that in a personalized system there isn't really a "Step 1" followed by "Step 2" and so on until the system has "arrived." Even though the reDesign framework has a sequence, each person, building, district, and system will need to conduct a self-assessment to determine appropriate (and natural) access points.
Need help? Contact us today to get started.
Student-centered Assessment: Next Practices
Authentic Assessment
A portfolio defense is a defense of the learning within a unit, demonstration of competency, or even term wherein the student co-designs how s/he will show evidence of learning and growth over time. This method can be used at all ages and developmental levels, and is a powerful way to support learners as they become agents of their own learning.
Performance Assessment (Assessment AS Learning): A task that provides opportunity for a student to engage in the process of gaining knowledge and skills and becoming more proficient at the Universal Constructs, which results in the demonstration of that learning. The assessment task design assures that the student has engaged in critical thinking to develop a product of learning. In a competency-based system, the teacher and the student work together to determine what process, product, and/or presentation will both guide learning and become the natural outcome to demonstrate the learning. Performance assessments allow students to use their knowledge and skills as well as the Universal Constructs and personal work habits to engage in learning connected to their interests and passions and even to extend their influence beyond the classroom. (Iowa Department of Education Guidelines for CBE)
Click on the button to the left to navigate to our page on portfolio assessment.
Click the button to the left to see additional examples of portfolios in action as students become leaders of their learning. Portfolios are excellent ways to evidence learning in content areas, in social-emotional competencies, in the Universal Constructs, and during learning conferences with adults who are important in learners' lives.
Introduction to an Exemplar Resource
iNACOL Issue Brief: Redesigning Systems of Assessments for Student-Centered Learning
Patrick, S., Worthen, M. & Frost, D. Redesigning Systems of Assessments for Student-Centered Learning, iNACOL, 2017.
Balanced assessment systems include adaptive, formative, interim, summative, and performance assessments. Click on the white paper to read more.
Crowdsourcing Resources for Learner-centered Assessment: Formative Assessment Tools
Assessing Social-emotional Learning
Introduction to Exemplar Resources
SEL Learner Self-assessments
The Center is developing tools for schools to use to track SEL development with students. Contact us to find out how to use a Google survey based on Transforming Education's research on measuring mindsets, emotional skills, and habits (MESH) to get started.
The research base and administration guides are in the white paper on the right.
In the News
Assessing Learning without a Test
Introduction to an Exemplar Resource
English teacher Jessica Smith discusses how she taps the Critical Skills Classroom philosophy and methodology to put her students at the center of their own learning. By allowing students to develop quality criteria for their learning outcomes, Smith empowers students to utilize collaborative learning, experiential learning, problem-based learning, and standards-driven learning in service of authentic inquiry and knowledge construction.
Resources
Dr. Matt Townsley, Curriculum Director in Solon, Iowa, compiled an interactive list of districts on their SBAR journey. Click here to explore the map.