Course Description

This advanced-level course, offered by StanfordOnline, is an innovative and comprehensive program designed to equip educators with the skills and knowledge necessary to develop multidimensional rubrics for science performance assessments. The course focuses on the SNAP (Stanford NGSS Assessment Project) process, which aims to create educative rubrics that support equitable instructional practices and foster 3-dimensional learning in science classrooms.

What Students Will Learn

• Understanding the key elements of quality rubrics for NGSS performance assessments
• Developing 3-dimensional rubrics
• Using rubrics to provide effective feedback and grades to students
• Utilizing rubrics to inform instructional decisions and improve 3-dimensional learning
• Leveraging rubrics to cultivate a positive classroom culture around assessment
• Analyzing trends from student work to inform collaborative school or district-wide planning for improved 3D learning

Prerequisites

To fully benefit from this advanced course, participants should have completed the following prerequisite courses:

1. Performance Assessment in the NGSS Classroom: Course 1
2. Developing Instructionally-Embedded Performance Assessments for the NGSS Classroom: Course 2
3. Using Student Work To Strengthen Performance Assessments for NGSS: Course 3

Course Coverage

• SNAP process for developing multidimensional rubrics
• Creation of educative rubrics for equitable instructional practices
• Strategies for integrating assessments into instructional sequences
• Shifting from punitive assessment approaches to meaningful performance tasks
• Improving students' 3D reasoning and engagement
• Empowering students as agents of their own learning
• Collaborative teamwork and peer feedback
• Reflection on patterns across classes and grades
• Improving 3D learning across schools and districts

Target Audience

This course is ideal for teams of educators, including teachers, curriculum developers, and school administrators, who are committed to enhancing science education through effective assessment practices. It is particularly suited for those working with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and seeking to implement innovative, student-centered approaches to assessment and instruction.

Real-World Applications

The skills acquired in this course have immediate and practical applications in the classroom and beyond. Educators will be able to:

• Design more effective and meaningful science performance assessments
• Provide clearer, more constructive feedback to students
• Make data-driven instructional decisions to improve student learning
• Foster a more positive and engaging classroom environment
• Collaborate more effectively with colleagues to improve science education across grade levels and schools
• Align assessment practices with NGSS standards and 3-dimensional learning principles
• Contribute to school-wide or district-wide initiatives to enhance science education