The present publication was developed under grant 84.373X100001 from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. The views expressed herein are solely those of the author(s), and no official endorsement by the U.S. Department should be inferred.

Designing Validity into an Alternate Assessment

Neal Kingston, PhDAngela Broaddus, PhD, Meagan Karvonen, PhD

Center for Educational Testing and Evaluation, University of Kansas

Karen Erickson, PhDCenter for Literacy & Disability Studies,

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Moderator: Susan Weigert, PhD, OSEP

Designing Validity Into an Alternate Assessment

Overview of Evidence Centered Design

3

Five Layers of ECDDomain analysis

Domain modeling

Conceptual assessment framework

Assessment implementation

Assessment delivery

4

Domain Analysis• Descriptions of the knowledge

domain being assessed• Situations or activities that evoke

the relevant concepts and skills• Common misconceptions• Instructional strategies

5

Domain Modeling• Identify focal knowledge and skills• Identify potential tasks for

assessing focal knowledge and skills

• Describe characteristics and variable features of assessment tasks

6

Conceptual Assessment Framework

• Student models– proficiencies the assessment aims to

address• Task models– how students will respond in an

assessment situation to indicate their knowledge

• Evidence models– how observations collected from tasks

offer evidence about what students know

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Assessment Implementation• Task/testlet development • Scoring rules• Measurement models

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Assessment Delivery• Tests administered to students• Tests scored• Reports generated and

interpreted

Overview of the DLM Maps, Claims, Conceptual Areas, and Essential

Elements

Learning Map

Claims

Conceptual Areas

Essential Elements

Overview of the DLM Maps, Claims, Conceptual Areas, and Essential

Elements

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Learning Map

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Models need to specify claims… (Gong, 2012)

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DLM ClaimsEnglish Language Arts – Claim 1

Students will comprehend text in increasingly complex ways

Mathematics – Claim 1Students will demonstrate increasingly complex understanding of number sense.

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Conceptual Areas• Conceptual areas are comprised of

nodes that represent the development of related cognitive processes.

• Conceptual areas contain:– nodes that have been identified as

the targets for Essential Element, and– nodes preceding and extending

beyond the targets.

ELA.C1.1 Determine Critical Elements of Text

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ELA.C1.1 Determine Critical Elements of Text

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English Language Arts Claims and Conceptual

Areas

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English Language Arts Claims

ELA.C1 Students can comprehend text in increasingly complex ways.

ELA.C2 Students can produce writing for a range of purposes and audiences.

ELA.C3 Students can communicate for a range of purposes and audiences.

ELA.C4 Students can engage in research/inquiry to investigate topics and present information.

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ELA.C1 Students can comprehend text in increasingly complex ways. ELA.C1.1 Determine Critical Elements of

Text ELA.C1.2 Construct Understandings of

Text ELA.C1.3 Integrate Ideas and

Information from Text

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ELA.C2 Students can produce writing for a range of purposes and audiences.

ELA.C2.1 Use Writing to Communicate

ELA.C2.2 Integrate Ideas and Information in Writing

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ELA.C3 Students can communicate for a range of purposes and audiences.

ELA.C3.1 Use Language to Communicate with Others

ELA.C3.2 Clarify and Contribute in Discussion

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ELA.C4 Students can engage in research/inquiry to investigate topics and present information.ELA.C4.1 Use Sources and Information

ELA.C4.2 Collaborate and Present Ideas

Mathematics ClaimsM.C1

Number Sense: Students demonstrate increasingly complex understanding of number sense.

M.C2

Geometry: Students demonstrate increasingly complex spatial reasoning and understanding of geometric principles.

M.C3

Measurement, Data and Analysis: Students demonstrate increasingly complex understanding of measurement, data, and analytic procedures.

M.C4

Algebraic and functional reasoning: Students solve increasingly complex mathematical problems, making productive use of algebra and functions.

Claim M.C1 – Number SenseStudents demonstrate increasingly complex understanding of number sense. M.C1.1 Understand number structures

(counting, place value, fraction) M.C1.2 Compare, compose, and

decompose numbers and sets. M.C1.3 Calculate accurately and

efficiently using simple arithmetic operations

Claim M.C2 - GeometryStudents demonstrate increasingly complex spatial reasoning and understanding of geometric principles. M.C2.1 Understand and use geometric

properties of two- and three-dimensional shapes

M.C2.2 Solve problems involving area, perimeter, and volume.

M.C3 – Measurement, Data, and Analysis

Students demonstrate increasingly complex understanding of measurement, data, and analytic procedures. M.C3.1 Understand and use

measurement principles and units of measure

M.C3.2 Represent and interpret data displays

M.C4 – Algebraic and Functional Reasoning

Students solve increasingly complex mathematical problems, making productive use of algebra and functions.M.C4.1 Use operations and models to

solve problems M.C4.2 Understand patterns and

functional thinking

EE Concept Maps take content to assessment design

• Identify claim, conceptual area, CCSS, and Essential Element

• Identify key vocabulary• Describe and define a range of skill

development• Describe and define misconceptions• Identify prerequisite and requisite skills• Identify sensitivity and bias barriers• Identify accessibility issues

Essential Element Concept Map

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Feelings of CharactersELA.EE.RL.3.3 Identify the feelings of the characters in a story

Embedded and/or Conclusion

Both Embedded

Both Embedded

FractionsM.EE.3.NF1-3 Differentiate a fractional part from a whole

Dissecting the EECM

Framework• Claim• Conceptual Area• Common Core State Standard• Essential Element• Essential Question– “Does” versus “Can”

• Use “Does the student…?” when asking a comprehension question.

• Use “Can the student…?” when asking a performance question.

– Questions focus on EE, address linkage node

Vocabulary• Concepts • Words

Nodes• Initial (a)• Distal (b)• Proximal (c)• Target (d)• Successor (e)• Supporting Nodes

Questions/ Misconceptions• Questions to Ask–What additional skills does the

student need to reach the next node?

• Misconceptions and Errors–What is preventing the student from

reaching the next node?

Next EE/Accessibility/ Barriers

• Next EE• Accessibility• Barriers• Testlet Access

Instructionally Relevant Testlets

TESTLET DEVELOPMENT

Testlet Development Process

• Follows a rolling sequence in conceptual areas, driven by EECM development

• One item writer develops a set of testlets

Testlet Sets

InitialPrecursor

Target

Successors

Connect the map…

Behavior Testlet a

…to the items developed.

DistalPrecursor

ProximalPrecursor

Behavior

Behavior

Behavior

Behavior

Testlet b

Testlet c

Testlet d

Testlet e

DLM Testlet Development Process

Dynamic Learning Maps

Structure of a Testlet• Begins with engagement activity• ELA: Text presented in segments

with questions embedded and at conclusion

• Math: series of questions or problems related to single topic

SAMPLE TESTLETS

TESTLET ADMINISTRATION

DISCUSSION

Questions1. What features must be in place for

alternate assessments to be instructionally relevant and not just embedded?

2. What factors might support teachers in making full use of an assessment like DLM?

3. What are the important research questions to be asked about instructionally relevant alternate assessments?

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