McRel Content Knowledge Standards - Review of Process

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McRelContent Knowledge Standards- Review of
Process

• Mid-continent Research for Education Learning
• http//www.mcrel.org/standards2Dbenchmarks/

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Task

• Develop consistent description of content

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Five Problems

• Multiple documents
• Varying definitions of standards
• Different types of content description
• Differing grade ranges
• Varying levels of generality

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(1) Multiple Documents

• Principles and Standards for School Mathematics
  (2000)
• Benchmarks for Science Literacy (AAAS)
• Mathematics Framework for the 1996 national
  Assessment of Educational Progress Mathematics
  Assessment (NAEP)
• Standards for Excellence in Education
• And others

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(2) Varying Definitions of Standards

• Students use estimation to check the
  reasonableness of results.
• Students recognize appreciate geometry in their
  world
• Students use mathematics in other curriculum
  areas.

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Varying Definitions of Standards

• Students use estimation to check the
  reasonableness of results.
• Describes a skill/knowledge or an ability to
  solve a real-life problem.
• ex gas pump

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Varying Definitions of Standards

• b. Students recognize appreciate geometry in
  their world
• Goal of the curriculum
• Perspective that a student might acquire as a
  result of successful completion of studies in
  mathematics

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Varying Definitions of Standards

• c. Students use mathematics in other curriculum
  areas.
• Recommendation of how to design other areas of
  curriculum to work in
• ex NCTM S4 Mathematics Connections
• Designed as principles not standards
• Process vs content standards

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Content Curriculum Standards

• Content Standards
• Describe the knowledge and skills that students
  should attain
• Curriculum Standards
• Describe overarching goals
• Ways the curriculum should be designed to achieve
  a desired result

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(3) Types of Content Description

• Straight Forward
• Activity or Performance Indicator
• Performance Task

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Types of Content Description

• Straight Forward
• All organisms are composed of cells the
  fundamental unit of life. Most organism are
  single cells other organisms, including
  humans, are multicellular. (p. 156)
• Activity or Performance Indicator
• As a result of health instruction in Grades 5-8,
  students will explain how health is influenced by
  the interaction of body systems. (p. 17)
• Presumes student has acquired information/skills

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• Performance Task
• Provides greater detail and specificity
• In both context of task and information/skill
  required
• Analyze pictures of hunter-gathers sites in
  places such as Danube fishing villages, ..
  Contrast these with agricultural sites such as
  found in .. How do hunter-gather sites differ
  from agricultural sites? (p.480)

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Task Develop consistent description of content

• Information and Skills format
• Other formats require inferences of successful
  completion of activity or task
• Other formats are too narrow
• how to demonstrate the knowledge
• Can lead to confusion about the skill required
• Other formats appropriate for
• Guiding instruction
• assessment

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Types of Knowledge

• Procedural Knowledge (processes)
• The learner is able to ...
• Declarative Knowledge (information)
• The learner understands ..
• Contextual Knowledge (unique context)
• The learner

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• When We Truly Understand,
• We.
• Can Explain
• Can Interpret
• Can Apply
• Have Perspective
• Can Empathize
• Have Self-knowledge

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When we truly understand, we

1. Can Explain
2. Can Interpret
3. Can Apply
4. Have Perspective
5. Can Empathize
6. Have Self-knowledge

Understanding by Design (Wiggins McTighe, 1998)
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(4) Differing Grade Ranges

• Benchmark varies by developmental level
• Primary, Upper Elementary, Middle High
• Ideally at all grades
• Benchmark Understands basic concepts about the
  structure and properties of matter
• 12th grade Knows that physical properties of a
  compound are determined by its molecular
  structure..
• 8th grade Know that atoms often combine to
  forma molecule (or crystal), the smallest
  particle of a substance that retains its
  properties

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(5) Levels of Generality

• Standard
• How broad?
• What range?
• Standards
• Broad enough for K-12 articulation
• Benchmark
• Goals
• Objectives

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McREL Format

• Standard
• Benchmark
• Knowledge/skill statements
• Cross referenced with topics

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Backward Design Stages
Identify Student Learning Expectations/ Targets
Determine acceptable Evidence of student
learning.
Plan Learning Experiences Instruction.
Understanding by Design by Grant Wiggins Jay
McTighe
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Identify Desired Results

• What should students know, understand, and be
  able to do?
• What big ideas are worthy of understanding and
  implied in the established goals?
• What enduring understandings are desired?
• What questions are worth pursuing to guide
  student inquiry into these big ideas?

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Determine Acceptable Evidence

• How will we know if students have achieved the
  desired results and met the content standards?
• How will we know that students really understand
  the identified big ideas?
• What will we accept as evidence of proficiency?

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Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

• What will be taught and coached?
• How should it best be taught, in light of the
  performance goals?
• What sequence of activity best suits the desired
  results?