NCSLA Announces Seminar Series on AssessmentAs an organization with responsibility to the science leaders in North Carolina, NCSLA has created a seminar series on classroom assessment for several reasons. NCSLA is piloting the idea of developing and sponsoring seminars as a mechanism for providing useful information and skill building opportunities to the science leadership community of North Carolina. This inaugural seminar series explores the natural connection between assessment and inquiry. As teachers begin to implement new approaches to instruction, related changes must occur in assessment.
Although the Assessment Seminar series is over check out these Assessment Resources
NCSLA Seminar Series I: Assessment and Inquiry: Whassup?!
April 2001 - April 2002
Perhaps Jimmy Buffett said it best when he urged us to consider the implications of "changes in attitudes, changes in latitudes." The emergence of national and oft-related state documents describing science standards and how they can best be achieved has fueled an ongoing conversation about the roles of teachers and students in inquiry-based classrooms. The anticipated shift to more hands-on classroom experiences, more innovative instructional strategies, and more student-focused lessons is occurring. What are not often examined fully by enthusiastic teachers leading this shift are the implications for changes in assessment practices related to new instructional practices. What kind of domino-like changes should be anticipated once an initial change is made? What new classroom assessment skills do we need to develop to support changes in instructional practice called for by the move to inquiry? How can "attitudinal" changes support "latitudinal" changes?
As a new addition to NCSLA's ever expanding offerings to members, this inaugural seminar series on assessment and inquiry is designed for a cohort that would be interested in full participation in the proposed series of sessions. Participants will be recruited at the April membership dinner meeting and through an application form (online soon). Because NCSLA plans to offer 1.8 CEUs for the seminars, applicants should plan to commit to all three 6-hour sessions that follow the spring membership meeting.
The content of all seminar sessions reflects NCSLA's commitment to inquiry-based classroom practices and assumes a natural connection between changes in instruction and changes in assessment. It is the overall goal of the assessment seminar to explore this connection through a series of sessions designed to examine inquiry and assessment, to provide skill building opportunities for improved classroom practice, and to stimulate conversation around the need to align instruction and assessment practices in inquiry-based classrooms
Dates Site Topic April 26, 2001
1 hourSpring Membership Meeting
Chapel HillThe Way You Do the Things You Do!
November 14-15, 2001
6 hoursFall Membership Meeting
GreensboroNew Wine in Old Wine Skins? January 25, 2002
6 hoursUNC-Greensboro A Stitch in Time Saves Nine April 25, 2002 Spring Membership Meeting
UNC-GreensboroThe Road Less Traveled Assessment That Informs Practice - an issue of the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse Focus Magazine
Assessment, Accountability and Standards - from SERVE
National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing - includes a database of alternative assessments
National Research Council Report on Assessment - an article from Education Week
ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation WWW Home Page - includes sources for locating and evaluating tests and Practical Assessment, Research and Evaluation (PARE) - an electronic journal.
Pathways to School Improvement - addresses critical issues identified by educators including assessment.
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Updated 2/28/08