Catawba College

Department of Teacher Education-Birth to Kindergarten

“Preparing Teachers as Reflective Practitioners”

EDUC 2280 Educational Assessment

Course Syllabus: Spring 2017
Professor: Dr. Donna James
Office: Ketner 206-Catawba College
Telephone: 704-637-4772
Email: dcjames@catawba.edu
Location and Time: Block 3 (March 15-April 11) CPCC- Zeiss 4108

Catalog Description:
The development, evaluation and application of tests and procedures in the measurement
of intelligence, aptitude and behavior. Prerequisite: MATH 1132.

A. Student Learning Outcomes: The purpose of this course is to enable the student to:
1. demonstrate an understanding of the major principles and guidelines involved in the
development of standardized tests (how and why tests are developed);
2. describe the goals, benefits and uses of the assessment process.
3. describe the types of psychological tests available and the major sources of information
about these tests;
4. make informed and critical evaluations of tests and other assessment methods;
5. explain how test results should be used in making decisions which will best serve the
interests and needs of the individual;
6. demonstrate an understanding of the ethical and social implications in the use of
psychological tests; and
7. demonstrate competency in the selection, development, administration, scoring and
interpretation of psychological tests.

The course is designed to assist students in developing a knowledge base of what

teachers should know and be able to do in relation to educational assessment.
Instructional methods and activities will include lecture/discussion, small group
problem-solving discussions, blackboard discussions and assignments, assessment of
children in classrooms, evaluation of standardized assessment tools, and individual
presentations. The readings, discussions, and activities are aligned with the mission
statement of Catawba College Department of Teacher Education, which states, “to
prepare reflective practitioners who possess the professional knowledge, skills and
dispositions necessary for effectively teaching students in a diverse society.” This
course will prepare teacher candidates by addressing knowledge and dispositions found
in the Catawba College Department of Teacher Education’s Teacher as Reflective
Practitioner: Conceptual Framework.

B. B-K Learning Outcomes: The purpose of this course is to enable Birth-Kindergarten

professionals to:
 Standard I: Apply comprehensive knowledge of typical as well as atypical patterns
of child development.
  Standard II: Foster relationships with families that support children’s development
and learning
 Standard III: Build community partnerships in support of children and families
 Standard IV: Use authentic, ongoing assessment of children’s abilities to plan,
implement, and evaluate programs that build upon each child’s unique strengths
 Standard V: Create and adapt environments and intentionally plan and implement an
integrated curriculum

C. Materials
 Text: Nilsen, B.A. Week by Week: Plans for Documenting Children’s Development. (6th
ed.). Cengage Learning.
 Three-Ring Notebook to collect assessment data

D. Academic Dishonesty: Anyone caught cheating in any form is subject to an "F" in the
course, and/or disciplinary action by the college. This pertains to all coursework, including
tests, projects, in-class activities, online activities and presentations.

E. Policy for Professor Absence or Inclement Weather: In the event that Catawba’s classes
are cancelled or the instructor is not able to make it to class due to weather, illness or a
personal emergency, whatever was scheduled on the cancelled day (course content, test, an
assignment, etc.) will occur during the next scheduled class or assignments will be due on
Blackboard. Announcements about class changes will be posted and/or assignments will be
available on Blackboard by 3pm the day of class to keep everyone informed and on
schedule. Students are responsible to check Blackboard after 3pm on class days.

F. Participation/Professionalism/Attendance:
Students earn points in the course by participating in online discussions; in-class activities;
adhering to high levels of professionalism; attending class regularly (face-to-face and
online) and conducting classroom observations.
 Participation (In Class Activities): In response to reading assignments, students will
participate in group discussions dealing with course-related topics with other students.
Some discussions will take place online utilizing blackboard and some discussions will
be in class. All pre-assigned reading should be completed prior to class. There will also
be in-class assignments that cannot be made up outside of class. Full participation in class
during learning activities is required. Absence or tardiness does not excuse students from
participating. Lack of participation in any area will result in a deduction of points.
Points vary according to the activity.
 Professionalism: Professionalism is a required component of all coursework and field
experiences. Professionalism is displayed through being prepared for class, reading all
course documents, being able to locate resources independently, turning in assignments
on time, communicating appropriately in person and online with others (students,
instructors, community contacts), giving full attention in class, completing your own
work and handling conflicts appropriately. Students are required to display high levels of
professionalism. Any student not adhering to professional standards will be asked to
leave class or will be removed from the field experience with an automatic reduction in
the course grade and possible failure.
  Attendance: Attending class is imperative to your success in this course due to the
limited timeframe and level of assignments. Absences, excused or unexcused, will
result in a deduction of points to the next letter grade. Absences deemed excessive by
the instructor (more than 1) will result in a suggestion to withdraw from the course or will
result in the student automatically failing the course due to missed time in class (even if
the student would be able to make up the course work). Class begins at 6:00pm.
Excessive tardiness will hinder students from earning full participation points. Students
who miss class will need to make arrangements with another student to find out what was
missed. This is a hybrid format course, which means the course is web-enhanced and
students will have some activities in Blackboard. The timely submission of these
activities is counted as the attendance in class for that session. Dates that will be solely
online are indicated in the syllabus.
Field Experience Attendance: Students will be required to have access to preschool
environments for some of the assignments. There is a minimum of at least 5 hours in the
classroom, but students will most likely spend more than the required amount to complete
the children and classroom assessments. Students who are not currently in a child care
setting will need to make arrangements through the instructor to observe in an approved
classroom. Students should not contact facilities without receiving prior approval from
the instructor. Professional dress, communication and attitude are required components of
the field experiences. Students are required to have a current background clearance
for all field experiences. Students should present their criminal background clearance to
the instructor and site administrator prior to entering a classroom during the initial visit.
Any student not having a current criminal background clearance letter should contact the
program coordinator for instructions on how to obtain a current background check (Dr.
Donna James- dcjames@catawba.edu)

G. Assignments:

Activity Assessment: Students will create an original assessment based on an approved

physical domain goal identified in the NC Foundations for Early Learning and Development
document (page 66). Students will be assigned a particular age group and will create a
measurable objective for the physical domain activity based on research of developmentally
appropriate practices for that age group. The newly created assessment will become part of a
later assignment (the assessment portfolio) under the physical domain. 100 Points
 Typed-Double-Spaced in Microsoft Word
 12-Font- Times New Roman
 Complete assignment will include research on physical development, description of a
developmentally appropriate activity (physical domain focus), and an assessment that
fully measures student progress in the physical domain.

Self-Assessment Project: Students will have the opportunity to rate their own teaching
effectiveness through the evaluation system utilized for North Carolina teachers. The rubric
will be provided online. Students will need to provide partial “evidence” (2 artifacts) of
meeting each standard through teaching examples, pictures, etc. Self-assessments will be
submitted online through Blackboard. Details will be discussed in class. 100 Points
 Typed in Provided Evaluation Document
 12-Font- Times New Roman
 Supporting Documents/Descriptions/Pictures for Each Teaching Standard in Electronic
Format

Classroom Assessment and Action Plan: Utilizing an approved classroom assessment tool,
students will conduct a classroom assessment on a classroom other than their own. Students
will observe different parts of the day (group time, lunch, outdoor play, parent drop-off or
pick-up, etc.) Students will also complete a materials checklist. After the observation,
students will create an action plan for classroom improvements. The action plan will be
compiled in a professional manner with a cover page, a cover letter and recommendations
based on the observation and assessment tools. Each area of the assessment will be discussed
in the action plan, but areas scoring below a 5 should have a specific recommendation.
Regardless of the classroom score a minimum of 6 recommendations should be part of the
action plan. Sharing the assessment results with the classroom teacher and administration is
optional. (Approved classroom assessments: ECERS, SACERS, CLASS, or NAEYC
Classroom Assessments) 100 Points
 Typed-Double-Spaced in Microsoft Word
 12-Font-Times New Roman
 Classroom Assessment Type should be pre-approved
 Complete assignment will include a cover page, a professional cover letter, discussion of
each area listed in the classroom assessment and an action plan containing at least 6
recommendations for improvement.

Assessment Portfolio- Professional Presentation: Students will choose four children to

follow during the duration of this course. The children may be from the student’s own
classroom if the student works in a class with children ages 2 - 5. If students do not work in
an environment with the specified age children, then they will need to be officially placed by
the instructor in a learning environment due to the length and nature of observations. As we
cover each of the assessment strategies, students will assess each of the four children using
that particular type of assessment. Each assessment will be collected in an orderly manner in
a three-ring binder. Based on the information collected from ongoing assessment throughout
the course, an assessment analysis will be completed on the final data. A professional
presentation of the data results will be presented in Blackboard using Power Point. A
complete assignment will include (1) the binder of completed assessments, (2) an analysis of
each assessment, (3) a power point presentation of the analysis/planning implications, verbal
explanation of the portfolio during the final assessment conference with the instructor and
final reflection submitted in Blackboard. 200 Points

The power point presentation should include:

 Introduction of the four children (age 2 –5 years old)- initials or alternate names can be
used for confidentiality. All children need to be the same age for comparison purposes.
Photos of each child (with proper permission)
 Overall Summative Assessment that includes data for each child in an easy to read visual
(excel or other data collection format)- in a condensed and understandable format along
with a written explanation. The Summative Assessment should include teaching and
planning implications for each child based on all assessment data collected.

The assessment notebook should include:

 10 Dividers (Clearly Marked with Assessment Name)
 Checklist of all required assessments for the four children.
  Completed assessments for each of the four children.
*Students will sign up for individual conferences with the instructor to present their
assessment notebooks for a final grade.

H. Grading:

Class Participation/Professionalism/Blackboard/Attendance 100pts

Activity Assessment 100pts
Self-Assessment Project 100pts
Classroom Assessment and Action Plan 100pts
Child Assessment Portfolio (Professional Presentation) 200pts
600 Points
Grading Scale:

A 97-100 600-582 Points

A- 93-96 581-558 Points
B+ 91-92 557-546 Points
B 87-90 545-522 Points
B- 85-86 521-510 Points
C+ 83-84 509-498 Points
C 79-82 497-474 Points
C- 77-78 473-462 Points
D+ 75-76 461-450 Points
D 72-74 449-432 Points
D- 70-71 431-420 Points
F Below 70 419 Points or less

I. Communication Guidelines:

There are clear guidelines for communicating within the course.

 Online: Students are expected to use correct grammar in discussion boards and in online
assignments. Confidentiality is expected when discussing children or specific situations.
 In Class: Discussions should be limited to relevant topics covered in class. Talking
excessively or disrupting other students will not be tolerated. Professional
communication (verbal and non-verbal) is expected with instructor and other students.
 Contacting the Professor: Part of professionalism is demonstrating the ability to find
answers independently, but at times a student may have a specific question that needs to
be addressed. Students are encouraged to ask questions for clarification after they have
thoroughly read and reviewed all course materials. This course utilizes a “Question and
Answer” discussion board for posting general questions about assignments. Other
questions pertaining to advising or of a personal nature can be emailed. Questions for
this course should be emailed to dcjames@catawba.edu. Email is the preferred form of
communication. Texting is not an option. Phone conferences can be scheduled through
the Catawba email. Response time will be between 24-48 hours. Students are encouraged
not to wait until right before an assignment is due to ask important questions.

J. Academic Honor Code:

 Students are expected to adhere to the academic honor code.
  All students of Catawba College are expected to be familiar with the academic honor
code policies outlined in the college honor code. See excerpt from policy below:
As a member of the Catawba College community, I will practice academic honesty,
communicate truthfully, and show respect for the rights and property of others. I will also
encourage others in the community to behave honorably.

The Honor Code does not condone dishonorable actions within any sector of Catawba
College. Such actions include academic dishonesty as well as social disrespect and any
action harmful to the Catawba College community and its members. Violations of the law
are also violations of the Honor Code. The Honor Code applies to students, faculty,
administrators, and staff members. *The complete text of The Catawba College honor
Code and the operating procedures of the Student Conduct board are found in the student
handbook.

 All students are expected to complete their own work. Anyone caught cheating in any
form will receive an "F" in the course and disciplinary action by the college may be
taken. This pertains to all coursework, including projects, discussion boards, online work
and presentations.

K. Late Work and Errors Policy:

 Any assignment submitted past the due date time will have 10 points automatically
deducted. Any discussion board assignment posted late will only have the opportunity to
earn half credit if submitted by the extended deadline.
 Students should be submitting their best work that has been proofed and is free from
typographical or grammatical errors. If a project is submitted and has more than 3 errors
on the first page then the instructor will suspend grading and send back to the student for
correction. The student will have one day to resubmit the corrected work for an automatic
deduction of 10 points for late submission.
 TENTATIVE Course Outline and Schedule

Date Topic Reading Assignments

Thursday  Introduction Chapter 1 *Choose four
3/16/17  Overview of Ways to Chapter 2 children (aged 2-5)
*Overview Assess to observe for a 3-
posted on  Class List Log week period of time
Wednesday
3/15/17  Anecdotal Records
Monday  Checklists for Physical Chapter 3 Assessment Goal
3/20/17 Development Chapter 4 Approved for
ONLINE  Running Record for Activity
Social Development Assessment

Blackboard
Assignment
Thursday  Frequency Counts for Chapter 5 Activity
3/23/17 Emotional Development Chapter 9 Assessment Due in
 Rating Scales for Literacy Chapter 13 Blackboard
 Program and Classroom
Assessments (Materials Notebook Check
and Interactions)
Saturday  Self-Assessment EESLPD Materials Blackboard
3/25/17 Strategies Assignment
ONLINE
Monday  Standardized Test Chapter 8 Blackboard
3/27/17 Dilemma Chapter 14 Assignment
ONLINE  Portfolio for
Communicating with
Families
Thursday  Conversations for Chapter 6 Self-Assessment
3/30/17 Language Development Chapter 7 Project Due in
 Time Samples for Blackboard
Attention Span
Monday  Work Samples for Chapter 10 Classroom
4/3/17 Creativity Chapter 11 Assessment &
ONLINE  Utilizing Technology for Action Plan Due in
Assessment Blackboard
Thursday  Analyzing Data Collaborative Work
4/6/17 Session
Monday  Online Assessment Students will sign up for Professional
4/10/17 Presentations and individual conferences Presentation
Portfolio Conferences to present assessment (submitted in
portfolio to instructor. Blackboard –
4/9/17 by 11:59pm)
Tuesday  The Reflective Teacher *Follow-up
4/11/17 Reflection due in
ONLINE Blackboard
*Syllabus is subject to change