Constructive Alignment K12 Assessment Guidelines

CONSTRUCTIVE
ALIGNMENT K12
ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES
CONSTRUCTIVE ALIGNMENT
• Constructive alignment is an outcomes-based approach to teaching in which the learning
outcomes that students are intended to achieve are defined before teaching takes place.
Teaching and assessment methods are then designed to best achieve those outcomes and to
assess the standard at which they have been achieved (Biggs, 2014).”
• Outcomes based teaching and learning is based on meeting set standards of
teaching and learning to ensure students meet the requirements for a degree. Assessment is
marked against criteria referenced to the outcomes (Spady, 1994). In constructive alignment,
assessment is aligned to the intended learning outcomes and students construct knowledge
through teaching and learning experiences. Students show evidence of how they meet the
outcomes through assessment where they show construction of knowledge and skills.
Teaching provides the opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning.
CONSTRUCTIVE ALIGNMENT K12 ASSESSMENT
GUIDELINES
• The focus in constructive alignment is on what and how students learn, rather than on the
topic the teacher teaches. The action verb in a learning outcome describes to students what
they should perform to achieve the intended learning outcome (for example,
“apply procedures” or “compare theories”). Learning activities are what the student
undertakes to meet these learning outcomes and students construct knowledge and skills
based on the learning activities. Assessment shows how well they have learned from the
activities. Student-centred, active learning activities provide opportunities for students to
construct new knowledge.
WHY ALIGN ASSESSMENT, LEARNING
OBJECTIVES AND INSTRUCTIONAL
STRATEGIES
ALIGNMENT
• Assessments should reveal how well students have learned what we want them to learn
while instruction ensures that they learn it. For this to occur, assessments, learning
objectives, and instructional strategies need to be closely aligned so that they reinforce one
another.
• To ensure that these three components of your course are aligned, ask yourself the following
questions:
Learning objectives: What do I want students to know how to do when they leave this
course?
Assessments: What kinds of tasks will reveal whether students have achieved the learning
objectives I have identified?
Instructional strategies: What kinds of activities in and out of class will reinforce my
learning objectives and prepare students for assessments?
ALIGNMENT
What if the components of a course are misaligned?
• If assessments are misaligned with learning objectives or instructional strategies, it can
undermine both student motivation and learning. Consider these two scenarios:
• Your objective is for students to learn to apply analytical skills, but your assessment
measures only factual recall. Consequently, students hone their analytical skills and are
frustrated that the exam does not measure what they learned.
• Your assessment measures students’ ability to compare and critique the arguments of
different authors, but your instructional strategies focus entirely on summarizing the
arguments of different authors. Consequently, students do not learn or practice the skills of
comparison and evaluation that will be assessed.
ALIGNMENT
• Type of learning objectives Appropriate assessments
• Recall, recognize, identify Multiple choice, fill in the blanks,
matching, and labelling that require
students to recall, recognize facts
and concepts.
Interpret Activities such as papers, exams,
problem sets, class discussions
Exemplify and concept maps

Classify
Summarize
Infer
Compare
Explain
ALIGNMENT
• summarize readings, films, or speeches
• compare and contrast two or more theories, events, or processes
• classify or categorize cases, elements, or events using established criteria
• paraphrase documents or speeches
• find or identify examples or illustrations of a concept or principle
ALIGNMENT
• Analyze
Differentiate
Organize
Attribute
• Activities such as case studies, critiques, labs, papers, projects, debates, or concept maps that
require students to:
• discriminate or select relevant and irrelevant parts
• determine how elements function together
• determine bias, values, or underlying intent in presented material
ALIGNMENT
• Evaluate
Check
Critique
Assess
• Activities such as journals, diaries, critiques, problem sets, product reviews, or studies that
require students to:
• test, monitor, judge, or critique readings, performances, or products against established
criteria or standards
ALIGNMENT
• Create
Generate
Plan
Produce
Design
• Activities such as research projects, musical compositions, performances, essays, business
plans, website designs, or set designs that require students to:
• make, build, design or generate something new

Constructive Alignment K12 Assessment Guidelines

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Constructive Alignment K12 Assessment Guidelines

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Constructive Alignment K12 Assessment Guidelines

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

CONSTRUCTIVE

Exemplify and concept maps

You might also like