Connecting Next Generation Assessments to the Standards

College and Career Readiness

Based on the work you've been doing in your school to implement College and Career Readiness Standards, along with what you learned in Module 1 of this course, you should have a solid understanding of the CCRS.  As you've learned in this Module, the Next Generation Assessments are aligned to the CCRS.  

Next, we're going to look at some of the major shifts in instruction that will be required in delivering content to meet the standards.  After that, we'll take a look at some sample assessment items.  As you look at the sample items, try to make connections betwen the standards, shifts, and how the assessment items will measure students' ability to demonstrate understanding of the standards.

Closing thought:  Your focus in the classroom should not be "teaching to the test."  Rather, if you are effectively teaching the standards for your grade level and content area to all students, they will perform well on the assessments.  How can you design lessons that will teach the standards and create a level of comfort in the online environment?

Major Shifts in Literacy

Curriculum experts have identified the major shifts that the new standards will include.  Below are findings from two sources regarding the major shifts in ELA. 

1.  From the Indiana Department of Education:

ACTIVITY:  Visit Indiana DOE Website for an overview of the four major shifts listed in the graphic above.  While at the page, be sure to click on the video linked within each "Major Shift".  The videos provide examples of sources you can use with your students to enhance your lesson plans to address the shifts in expectations.

_______________________________________________________________________

2.  From the Partnership for Assessment of College and Career Readiness:

Common Core Shifts for ELA/Literacy*

1. Complexity: The standards require regular practice with complex text and its academic language
2. Evidence: The standards emphasize reading and writing grounded in evidence from text, both literary and informational
3. Knowledge: The standards require building knowledge through content rich non-fiction

*Source: http://www.parcconline.org/samples/item-task-prototypes#2

Major shifts in Mathematics

From the Partnership for Assessment of College and Career Readiness:

Common Core Shifts for Mathematics*

1. Focus: The standards focus in on the key content, skills and practices at each grade level
2. Coherence: Content in the standards builds across the grades, and major topics are linked within grades
3. Rigor: In major topics, the standards highlight conceptual understanding, procedural skill and fluency, and application

*Source: http://www.parcconline.org/samples/item-task-prototypes#2

The achievethecore.org Website includes a brief video explanation of the 3 shifts listed above. Click here to access the page, then look for the section shown in the image below.  When you find that section on the page, click "watch video".

You are now ready to move on to the next activity: A Look at Sample Next Generation Assessment Items