"In Curriculum-based Assessment for Instructional Design, Burns and Parker described a number of "authentic" (research-based) strategies and tools for assessing the student's prior knowledge, existing skill-level, and preferred mode of learning in order to maximize the instructional process. Indeed, in this book, Burns and Parker have developed a natural and practical extension of a conceptual format that was originally called, simply, curriculum-based assessment. The book provides much-needed clarification of the several terms that have been used over the past three decades, and it provides hands-on application of the instructional principles involved"--

What is understanding and how does it differ from knowledge? How can we determine the big ideas worth understanding? Why is understanding an important teaching goal, and how do we know when students have attained it? How can we create a rigorous and engaging curriculum that focuses on understanding and leads to improved student performance in today's high-stakes, standards-based environment? Authors Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe answer these and many other questions in this second edition of Understanding by Design. Drawing on feedback from thousands of educators around the world who have used the UbD framework since its introduction in 1998, the authors have greatly revised and expanded their original work to guide educators across the K-16 spectrum in the design of curriculum, assessment, and instruction. With an improved UbD Template at its core, the book explains the rationale of backward design and explores in greater depth the meaning of such key ideas as essential questions and transfer tasks. Readers will learn why the familiar coverage- and activity-based approaches to curriculum design fall short, and how a focus on the six facets of understanding can enrich student learning. With an expanded array of practical strategies, tools, and examples from all subject areas, the book demonstrates how the research-based principles of Understanding by Design apply to district frameworks as well as to individual units of curriculum. Combining provocative ideas, thoughtful analysis, and tested approaches, this new edition of Understanding by Design offers teacher-designers a clear path to the creation of curriculum that ensures better learning and a more stimulating experience for students and teachers alike.

Although curriculum-based assessment (CBA) has been on the horizon for a number of years, there has been a need for a practical, classroom-based approach for its implementation. This second edition is a major revision and update that offers practical and specific methods for developing and using CBAs in an educational setting. It gives educators a highly specific, step-by-step approach to building CBAs in the area of reading word recognition, reading comprehension, content reading, mathematics, and written expression. Each chapter offers detailed, easy-to-read, and easy-to-follow instructions for the assessment construction process. To further clarify the process, extensive examples are given in table format. A unique feature of the text is the manner in which the author illustrates the principles of CBA by providing a case study on one student which is referred to in each chapter. Its formative assessment approach gives the teacher additional, detailed information about studentsOCO performance, which, in turn, should guide the type of instruction designed and implemented, ultimately leading to higher performance on summative outcome measures. Addition-ally, detailed information is provided on subject area CBA construction, the creation and implementation of a district-wide CBA system for response-to-intervention, and how to use IDEA'S response-to-intervention in student evaluation."

The need for a cohesive and comprehensive curriculum that intentionally connects standards, instruction, and assessment has never been more pressing. For educators to meet the challenging learning needs of students they must have a clear road map to follow throughout the school year. Rigorous Curriculum Design presents a carefully sequenced, hands-on model that curriculum designers and educators in every school system can follow to create a progression of units of study that keeps all areas tightly focused and connected.

As teaching strategies continue to change and evolve, and technology use in classrooms continues to increase, it is imperative that their impact on student learning is monitored and assessed. New practices are being developed to enhance students’ participation, especially in their own assessment, be it through peer-review, reflective assessment, the introduction of new technologies, or other novel solutions. Educators must remain up-to-date on the latest methods of evaluation and performance measurement techniques to ensure that their students excel. Learning and Performance Assessment: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications is a vital reference source that examines emerging perspectives on the theoretical and practical aspects of learning and performance-based assessment techniques and applications within educational settings. Highlighting a range of topics such as learning outcomes, assessment design, and peer assessment, this multi-volume book is ideally designed for educators, administrative officials, principals, deans, instructional designers, school boards, academicians, researchers, and education students seeking coverage on an educator’s role in evaluation design and analyses of evaluation methods and outcomes.

Thoroughly updated and expanded, this fourth edition focuses on the use of curriculum-based assessment to ensure learning disabled and low-achieving students adequate educational opportunities. The text explores ways of providing detail and explanation in the context of current and emerging issues in educational assessment and standards. The point that educational success is more than just avoiding failure is emphasized, and throughout the book, precise definitions and examples of various instructional situations are presented. Shifting emphasis from identifying deficit areas to finding and inventorying skills and abilities, CBA requires an intimate relationship between teaching and testing. To help the instructor achieve this balance, the author offers examples and methods of implementation through reading and arithmetic activities and discusses at length the issues involved in test validity and grading. The primary objective of curriculum-based assessment is the success of students, and much of the book is devoted to its two primary steps: finding the level on the curriculum where the student can succeed and then incorporating assessment practices in the daily teaching activities so that success is an ongoing affair. To further update this edition, two additional new chapters have been added: “The Paradox of Setting Standards by Grade Level” and “Assessing Writing.” The book’s simple format, readability, and detailed descriptions of instructional methodology make it a significant resource. Designed to assist instructors, curriculum persons, special educators, and administrators, the book will also be helpful to researchers, counselors, social workers, and other professionals in human service organizations.

Instructional designers hold the responsibility of selecting, sequencing, synthesizing, and summarizing unfamiliar content to subject matter experts. To successfully achieve legitimate participation in communities of practice, instructional designers need to utilize a number of communication strategies to optimize the interaction with the subject matter expert. Instructional Design: Case Studies in Communities of Practice documents real-world experiences of instructional designers and staff developers who work in communities of practice. Instructional Design: Case Studies in Communities of Practice explains the strategies and heuristics used by instructional designers when working in different settings, articulates the sophistication of communication strategies when working with subject matter experts, and provides insight into the range of knowledge, skills, and personal characteristics required to complete the tasks expected ofthem.