Personal Refelection PPT.

Assessment Project – Part 3

Overview

The white paper that you have developed on your selected K–12 assessment topic is now ready for you to present to the locally elected board of the school district. Create a presentation using Prezi or similar software in order to present your research to the task force. The information within your presentation will assist the task force in developing a district-wide professional development plan geared toward improving the overall test scores of the schools within the district.

Instructions

Recorded Presentation – Overall Presentation Style and Structure

● Present your findings in 10 slides using Prezi, PowerPoint, or a presentation software of your choice. (​Note:​ Notify the professor on Week 7 concerning the software you choose to use for the presentation.)

● Include a title slide and references section (These two slides are not part of the ten slide requirement.)

● Develop a coherent, organized presentation using your chosen tool for a professional audience, using clean design, readable text, and visuals that support the information presented.

● Provide audio narration of the presentation slides as if you were delivering the speech. (​Note: ​If you do not have access to a microphone, provide detailed speaker notes with your presentation.)

● Overview and recommendation section (first five slides) in which you: ○ Provide an overview of the white paper. The overview should include, at a minimum,

background on your topic and its relevance to K–12 assessment and the demographics of the district.

○ Discuss the significant recommendations that you have made within the white paper regarding changes to the district’s current assessment goals.

○ Provide three methods by which the task force might use the white paper in order to develop a district-wide professional development plan geared toward improving the overall test scores of the district.

● Personal reflection section (last five slides) in which you provide: ○ What you have learned from developing the white paper as well as what you have

learned during this course. ○ Your personal reflection on the new technologies that you researched in the Assessment

Project – Part 2 and the manner in which such technologies have changed your views on how to approach assessment in the classroom.

○ The manner in which you would implement the recommendations made in Assessment Project – Part 2 within your own school district or within your classroom practices. Provide specific examples of the changes that you have already made or would like to make.

Directions for Submitting Your Presentation

● Submit your presentation to the area designated by your professor. ● Review at least one other classmate's presentation and post a response indicating what you

learned by identifying two specific points that your classmate made in the presentation. ● This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards. For assistance and information, please

refer to the Strayer Writing Standards link in the left-hand menu of your course.

The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:

● Develop a presentation that provides an overview and recommendations reflective of a white paper.

MUST FOLLOW RUBRIC:

Unacceptable Needs Improvement

Competent Exemplary

Include a title slide and

references section.

Points:

0 ​(0.00%) Did not submit or incompletely included a title slide and references section.

Points:

14.25 ​(7.50%) Partially included a title slide and references section.

Points:

16.15 ​(8.50%) Satisfactorily included a title slide and references section.

Points:

19 ​(10.00%) Thoroughly included a title slide and references section.

Develop a coherent, organized

presentation for a professional

audience using your chosen tool.

Points:

0 ​(0.00%) Did not submit or incompletely developed a coherent, organized presentation for a professional audience using your chosen tool.

Points:

14.25 ​(7.50%) Did not submit or incompletely developed a coherent, organized presentation for a professional audience using your chosen tool.

Points:

16.15 ​(8.50%) Satisfactorily developed a coherent, organized presentation for a professional audience using your chosen tool.

Points:

19 ​(10.00%) Thoroughly developed a coherent, organized presentation for a professional audience using your chosen tool.

Provide audio narration of the

presentation slides as if you were delivering

the speech.

Points:

0 ​(0.00%) Did not submit or incompletely provided audio

Points:

14.25 ​(7.50%) Partially provided audio narration of the presentation

Points:

16.15 ​(8.50%) Satisfactorily provided audio narration of the

Points:

19 ​(10.00%) Thoroughly provided audio narration of the

narration of the presentation slides as if you were delivering the speech.

slides as if you were delivering the speech.

presentation slides as if you were delivering the speech.

presentation slides as if you were delivering the speech.

Provide an overview and

recommendation section.

Points:

0 ​(0.00%) Did not submit or incompletely provided an overview and recommendation section.

Points:

42.75 ​(22.50%) Partially provided an overview and recommendation section.

Points:

48.45 ​(25.50%) Satisfactorily provided an overview and recommendation section.

Points:

57 ​(30.00%) Thoroughly provided an overview and recommendation section.

Provide your personal

reflection section in which you

highlight what you have learned from developing the white paper as well as what

you have learned during this

course.

Points:

0 ​(0.00%) Did not submit or incompletely provided your personal reflection section in which you highlight what you have learned from developing the white paper as well as what you have learned during this course.

Points:

28.5 ​(15.00%) Partially provided your personal reflection section in which you highlight what you have learned from developing the white paper as well as what you have learned during this course.

Points:

32.3 ​(17.00%) Satisfactorily provided your personal reflection section in which you highlight what you have learned from developing the white paper as well as what you have learned during this course.

Points:

38 ​(20.00%) Thoroughly provided your personal reflection section in which you highlight what you have learned from developing the white paper as well as what you have learned during this course.

Writing mechanics,

grammar, and formatting.

Points:

0 ​(0.00%) Serious and persistent errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.

Points:

14.25 ​(7.50%) Partially free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.

Points:

16.15 ​(8.50%) Mostly free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.

Points:

19 ​(10.00%) Error free or almost error free grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.

Clarity and coherence of

writing.

Points:

0 ​(0.00%) Information is confusing to the

Points:

14.25 ​(7.50%) Information is partially clear, with

Points:

16.15 ​(8.50%) Information is mostly clear and

Points:

19 ​(10.00%) Information is provided in a clear,

PROJECT- PT. 2:

Introduction

Standardized and aptitude tests intend to measure the general knowledge and intelligence of

students. Standardized assessments and aptitude tests have played a primary role in providing

opportunities for students. The opportunities result in success in vital economic sectors and

competitive job markets. Despite that, culture and gender could result in assessment inaccuracy.

The tests are formed based on the majority group's values and knowledge, forming bias against

minority groups. Also, for female students, the tests have often barred their access to progress.

This paper will assess cultural and gender bias in standardized and aptitude tests in 12th grade

students of North Carolina school of science and mathematics, and present recommendations.

Aptitude and standardized tests are presumed impartial and fair academic performance measures.

BAZEMORE-JAMES, Shinaprayoon & Martin (2016) postulate that the tests have become the

most substantial educational program quality measures. However, performance gaps are evident

between non-minority groups and ethnic minority groups when standardized tests are performed,

despite efforts to minimize. Most grade 12 aptitude and standardized tests are normed from

majority group scores and male gender in a general perspective (BAZEMORE-JAMES,

Shinaprayoon & Martin, 2016). Therefore, it is inappropriate for individuals from other minority

cultures to be given the same assessments since they do not reflect those groups. When the

reader and fails to include reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.

minimal reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.

generally supported with reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.

coherent, and consistent manner with reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.

gender or cultural background of students being tested is inadequately represented, the

assessment's reliability and validity are questionable, mostly when used on the said persons.

Such groups are being denied access to career and advanced education opportunities because the

test does not reflect their ability and knowledge (Morgan, 2016). This necessitates the expansion

of current test practices to be inclusive and more uniform. For instance, creativity assessments

are normed for specific groups and produce uniform scores.

Kruse (2016) established a bias in the interpretation and meaning of words included in

assessments and tests. Gender and culture affect how students interpret and understand the

wording of test questions. The comprehension of questions can be impacted by communication

patterns, values, epistemologies, beliefs, learning and teaching styles, and students' societies and

cultures' experiences (Morgan, 2016). More so, the test question can influence the item's

interpretation, primarily when written in a language different from the test-takers (Kruse, 2016).

Therefore, it is integral to regard non-native English speakers' language proficiency before

assessing them in the native language or English.

Men and women have unequal grounds concerning higher education. Such includes the scores

received by male and female students in the North Carolina school of science and mathematics

on standardized tests for admission into universities and colleges. As noted by Saygin (2020),

male students are associated with significantly higher test scores than females in SATs. In

retrospect, this could develop a pool of unequal opportunities for both genders when seeking

scholarships and admission to higher learning institutions. Female students have consistently

scored below males in math and science tests (Saygin, 2020). The tests underpredict female

performance because while female students score lower on the standardized and aptitude tests,

they obtain higher grades than boys in all subjects for the same course in their first year in

university or college.

Key Related Political, Legal, and Current Issues

Proper standardized and aptitude tests are among the current concerns under debate to advance

education policies. Studies by Eble & Hu (2018) agree that policymakers and most elected

officials use standardized tests to influence local schools' operations. The tests have been used to

promote policy goals, impose sanctions, and bestow rewards, broadening educational

opportunity gaps for students from different cultural backgrounds and female and male students,

narrowing the curriculum, deprofessionalize education instructors, and centralized education

decision making. In this sense, policymakers use standardized test prodigy as policy strategies

(Eble & Hu, 2018). For instance, policymakers and elected officials face pressure to improve

schools using existing tests for neither adequately validated nor intended objectives (Saygin,

2020). As a result, the tests designed to provide valid performance measures are used to make

decisions about students only at the aggregate level, leading to unfair consequences to individual

students.

Policymakers often depend on available tests as it is an action opportunity. Reilly, Neumann &

Andrews (2019) agree that though it is an impacted test, it yields better than harm results.

Therefore, due to the correlation of policy and testing, it is critical to provide standards for

proper tests. For reliability of the tests, all assessments must consistently measure student

performance across tasks. The test scores meaning should not differ across settings, individuals,

or groups as a fairness measure (Morgan, 2016). The scores must reflect and draw meaning in

the measured domains for validity measure (Reilly, Neumann & Andrews, 2019). With testing

being utilized as a political strategy, individuals running political seats call for more substantial

test-based accountability, support testing for given aims, and take stands on different students'

type of tests. The politicians' focus on SAT has provided a strong support vein among citizens.

Standardized tests in schools have been used to enact legal proceedings. As part of public

schooling, standardized achievements have shaped several federal and state laws, regulations,

and policies to enhance school performance. In particular, (Scheiber, 2016) standardized test

scores are used as a practical measure, and educators and schools are held accountable for

student performance and educational results (Saygin, 2020)s. The scores are also used to

establish achievement gaps among several student groups such as students with learning or

physical disabilities, from low economic status households, not proficient in English, and color

(Eble & Hu, 2018). The achievement gaps highlight and exposure could be crucial for greater

public awareness in education programs and policies.

Teachers and schools append the curriculum to reflect the tests. In this context, teachers prepare

students for the test types and format with constructed responses (Scheiber, 2016). Taking a test

having an unfamiliar structure is difficult for students. Thus, teachers are inclined to help

students prepare for what will be in the test rather than the required comprehensive skill set

(BAZEMORE-JAMES, Shinaprayoon & Martin, 2016). Like in the North Carolina school of

science and mathematics, teachers spend more time on mathematics and less on other subjects.

As a result, instead of students being educated, they are prepared to do tests.

Specific Needs of Students in The School

Special needs and other students need instructional support and assistance to progress in their

assessments and classes (Scheiber, 2016). Education teachers help students understand presented

information and assignments, and modify work to support their needs. This could be provided in

a separate or general education classroom. Such students often join regular classes for select

subject areas (Reilly, Neumann & Andrews, 2019). Teachers collect information on students

requiring special needs and device strategies and initiatives to succeed in their education and

formal assessments (Eble & Hu, 2018). On the other hand, students need consultation services

from general education and special education teachers (Ok, Rao, Bryant & McDougall, 2017).

The instructors provide behavioral intervention and assessment adaptation, which facilitates

students with specific needs to benefit.

Students with a disability require appropriate modifications, adaptations, and accommodations to

the classroom activities for their success. According to Kruse (2016), such must be

individualized based on personal interests, needs, and learning styles (BAZEMORE-JAMES,

Shinaprayoon & Martin, 2016). This includes ensuring the student accesses the general

curriculum to meet education standards applying to all students. Hence, it requires adapting the

assessment to the content.

Applications to K-12 Assessment

Creativity assessment is a preferred creative accomplishment predictor for students. It leverages

intelligence and benefits minority groups and gender than standardized tests (Morgan, 2016).

This can facilitate student assessment based on their cognitive potential rather than the ability to

adopt the majority's culture, especially when the assessments reduce verbal aspects. It may

increase fairness in other learning institutions such as colleges and universities (Reilly, Neumann

& Andrews, 2019). Besides, alternative assessment models place the minority groups on the

same ground as the majority in ways standardized tests are incapable of doing. As a result, it will

minimize the gender and cultural disparity and distortions emerging from the given

disadvantages.

Reforms on standardized tests must ensure skills and content learned is aligned in the assessment

(Saygin, 2020). Therefore, local policymakers should formulate assessments that present useful

questions and information that triggers students' critical thinking capacity. This will enable

students to gain valuable experience (Eble & Hu, 2018). In this way, leaders can be decisive in

providing appropriate support and resources to local schools.

The local district can balance the need for high-quality assessment and instructional time. It will

ensure that student students exhaust the required time to undertake standardized assessments.

Worth noting, assessment of the tests would ensure each test serves a critical and distinct role in

facilitating students' progressive learning (Reilly, Neumann & Andrews, 2019). Fairness should

be exercised when using assessment to measure student learning, mainly for minority groups and

students with disabilities. Uniform and equal assessments can help leaders and educational

instructors identify additional interventions and support for student success.