Learning TargetsLearning Targets

January 21, 2008January 21, 2008

Londa Richter & Jo HartmannLonda Richter & Jo HartmannTIETIE

•Discuss the following Discuss the following question:question:

•WHY DO WE GIVE WHY DO WE GIVE GRADES? GRADES?

•Seriously, folks! Seriously, folks! Why DO we Why DO we give students grades?give students grades?

• Come up with two good reasonsCome up with two good reasons

• Write them on a piece of flip chart Write them on a piece of flip chart paper and post them around the paper and post them around the roomroom

• Appoint one person to present the Appoint one person to present the reasons you have come up with.reasons you have come up with.

• Now, in your same group, discuss the Now, in your same group, discuss the following question:following question:

•WHY DO WE GIVE WHY DO WE GIVE TESTS?TESTS?

• Each group should decide on ONE Each group should decide on ONE reason and be ready to report out.reason and be ready to report out.

• The starting point for effective The starting point for effective assessment is clarifying theassessment is clarifying the

•LEARNING TARGETLEARNING TARGET

• It’s hard to hit a target if you It’s hard to hit a target if you can’tcan’t

•See itSee it

•What is the intended What is the intended learning?learning?

•That’s the target!That’s the target!

• The learning targets may also be called:The learning targets may also be called:

• Content standardsContent standards

• BenchmarksBenchmarks

• Grade level indicatorsGrade level indicators

• Grade level Grade level

expectationsexpectations

• Learning outcomesLearning outcomes

• Lesson objectivesLesson objectives

• Learning statements andLearning statements and

• Essential learningsEssential learnings

• All the synonyms representAll the synonyms represent

Learning statementsLearning statements

oror

Statements of intended Statements of intended learninglearning

• The point is that if we don’t begin The point is that if we don’t begin with clear statements of intended with clear statements of intended learning, we won’t end with sound learning, we won’t end with sound assessmentsassessments

• It’s hard to know where you’re It’s hard to know where you’re

going if you don’t have a map.going if you don’t have a map.

Sample Learning TargetSample Learning Target

• Students will comprehend fictional, Students will comprehend fictional, informational, and task-oriented text.informational, and task-oriented text.

• In order to plan lessons, we would In order to plan lessons, we would need to define need to define “comprehend”“comprehend” and and pin down the kinds of fictional, pin down the kinds of fictional, informational, and task-oriented informational, and task-oriented texts we will work with this year. texts we will work with this year.

• The key to improving student The key to improving student achievement is not looking at how to achievement is not looking at how to assess, but focusing instead on assess, but focusing instead on WHAT to assess.WHAT to assess.

• We should examine whether or not We should examine whether or not our assessments reflect clear and our assessments reflect clear and important learning targets.important learning targets.

• If we further break down the learning If we further break down the learning target example into a set of sub-target example into a set of sub-targetstargets

• Such as Such as “comprehend”“comprehend” being defined being defined as as

• ““identifies main idea and supporting identifies main idea and supporting details, details,

• summarizes text, summarizes text,

• makes inferences and predictions, and makes inferences and predictions, and

• uses context clues to determine the uses context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words”meaning of unfamiliar words”

• Then it becomes clear that a project Then it becomes clear that a project such as “build a diorama” is NOT an such as “build a diorama” is NOT an appropriate measure of whether or appropriate measure of whether or not students have reached the not students have reached the learning target.learning target.

Intentional TeachingIntentional Teaching

• Once we determine our learning targets and Once we determine our learning targets and define how we should assess them,define how we should assess them,

• then we can plan clear instruction and then we can plan clear instruction and experiences experiences

• and can best combine them to prepare and can best combine them to prepare students to know what they need to know students to know what they need to know and demonstrate their learning. and demonstrate their learning.

• Intentional teaching then means that Intentional teaching then means that all instruction and classroom all instruction and classroom activities are aimed at specific activities are aimed at specific learning targets.learning targets.

Teaching by “mentioning it”Teaching by “mentioning it”

• With so much curriculum, we have to With so much curriculum, we have to make difficult choices about what to make difficult choices about what to teach and what to leave out.teach and what to leave out.

• We must learn to balance “in depth” We must learn to balance “in depth” with”coverage.”with”coverage.”

• When we begin with well-defined When we begin with well-defined targets, we are able to develop targets, we are able to develop assessments thatassessments that

1. reflect exactly what we teach and 1. reflect exactly what we teach and

2. what we expect students to learn.2. what we expect students to learn.

• Is there any reason NOT to include in Is there any reason NOT to include in our curriculum and teaching, learning our curriculum and teaching, learning targets that are tested for targets that are tested for accountability purposes?accountability purposes?

• There are many benefits based on There are many benefits based on the existence of learnings that arethe existence of learnings that are

CLEAR andCLEAR andUSABLEUSABLE

• In order to build clear learning In order to build clear learning targets we need to understand that targets we need to understand that there are actually there are actually FIVEFIVE kinds of kinds of learning targets.learning targets.

Knowledge targetsKnowledge targets

• Usually knowledge targets begin with Usually knowledge targets begin with words like:words like:

• Knows, lists, names, identifies, Knows, lists, names, identifies, recalls, recalls,

• Procedural knowledge targets call for Procedural knowledge targets call for knowing how to do something.knowing how to do something.

•Example: Example: Uses scientific notation Uses scientific notation to represent very large and very to represent very large and very small numbers.small numbers.

• If information were water we’d all be If information were water we’d all be drowning.drowning.

• Beyond knowing things outright, we Beyond knowing things outright, we can know things via reference.can know things via reference.

• There isn’t enough time to teach There isn’t enough time to teach everything students need to know.everything students need to know.

• Thus, we need to determine which Thus, we need to determine which knowledge students will be required knowledge students will be required to know outright to know outright

• and which they will be required and which they will be required

to learn via reference.to learn via reference.

Reasoning TargetsReasoning Targets

• Reasoning targets deal with the Reasoning targets deal with the skillful use or application of skillful use or application of knowledge.knowledge.

• Reasoning targets start out with Reasoning targets start out with mental processes like:mental processes like:

• Predicts, infers, classifies, Predicts, infers, classifies, hypothesizes, compares, concludes, hypothesizes, compares, concludes, summarizes, analyzes, evaluates, summarizes, analyzes, evaluates, generalizesgeneralizes

Types of reasoningTypes of reasoning

• 1. Inductive reasoning 1. Inductive reasoning uses specific uses specific facts or evidence to infer general facts or evidence to infer general conclusionsconclusions

• 2. Deductive reasoning2. Deductive reasoning begins with a begins with a general rule or principle to infer general rule or principle to infer specific conclusions or solutionsspecific conclusions or solutions

3. Analytical reasoning3. Analytical reasoning requires that we requires that we

examine components or structure of examine components or structure of

something. something.

It is used in almost every discipline It is used in almost every discipline

when we identify parts and describe when we identify parts and describe relationships among them.relationships among them.

4. Comparative reasoning 4. Comparative reasoning describes describes similarities and differences between similarities and differences between two or more items.two or more items.

Marzano’s research concludes that Marzano’s research concludes that identifying similarities and identifying similarities and differences is the most effective differences is the most effective learning technique for students.learning technique for students.

5. Classifying5. Classifying means sorting things means sorting things into categories based on specific into categories based on specific characteristics. The trick being to characteristics. The trick being to identify relevant categories.identify relevant categories.

6. Evaluative reasoning 6. Evaluative reasoning involves involves expressing and defending an opinion, expressing and defending an opinion, a point of view, a judgment or a a point of view, a judgment or a decision.decision.

This necessitates providing credible This necessitates providing credible evidence on which to base one’s evidence on which to base one’s conclusions.conclusions.

7. Synthesis 7. Synthesis is the process of is the process of combining several discrete elements combining several discrete elements to create something new.to create something new.

• There are many different “takes” on There are many different “takes” on reasoning, but Stiggins gives us the reasoning, but Stiggins gives us the preceding six (or seven) if you preceding six (or seven) if you differentiate between inductive and differentiate between inductive and deductive reasoning as I did.deductive reasoning as I did.

• Stiggins’ list contains the most Stiggins’ list contains the most common reasoning targets found in common reasoning targets found in standards documents.standards documents.

Performance skills Performance skills targetstargets• Performance skills Performance skills require the require the

students to demonstrate their students to demonstrate their mastery of a mastery of a

learning target and to be learning target and to be

observed.observed.

Product TargetsProduct Targets

• Product targetsProduct targets are not used as are not used as frequently as other types but are frequently as other types but are highly valued, calling for creation of highly valued, calling for creation of a product.a product.

• It may be difficult to differentiate It may be difficult to differentiate between “task” and “target.” between “task” and “target.”

• The key question is always “What is The key question is always “What is the intended learning?”the intended learning?”

Dispositional targetsDispositional targets

• Dispositional Dispositional targets rarely show up targets rarely show up on state standards but are important on state standards but are important because they reflect students’ because they reflect students’

attitudes about school attitudes about school

and learning.and learning.

• Examples of learning targets are Examples of learning targets are shown on Table 3.1 of Stiggins’ book, shown on Table 3.1 of Stiggins’ book, “Classroom Assessment for Student “Classroom Assessment for Student Learning.”Learning.”

• Now, we have a road map for Now, we have a road map for assessing our student work. assessing our student work.

• First, let’s think about whether or not First, let’s think about whether or not our learning targets are clear and our learning targets are clear and then go from there.then go from there.