WestEd’s content and assessment experts are available to conduct standards-to-standards alignment studies, which provide: findings to meet rigorous evidence requirements, such as federal peer review guidelines; and key feedback that contributes to quality content standards. This service is available for a range of grade levels and content areas.
WestEd’s Item‐to‐Standards Alignment Studies
WestEd’s content and assessment experts are available to conduct curriculum-to-standards alignment studies, which provide: findings to meet rigorous evidence requirements, such as federal peer review guidelines; and key feedback that contributes to quality assessments. This service is available for a range of grade levels and content areas.
WestEd’s Curriculum‐to‐Standards Alignment Studies
WestEd’s content and assessment experts are available to conduct curriculum-to-standards alignment studies, which provide: findings on the alignment between local curricula and state content standards, and key feedback that contributes to quality standards-based curricula. This service is available for a range of grade levels and content areas.
Quality Expectations and Development Considerations of Item Clusters Assessing Multidimensional Science Standards
A number of effective approaches and strategies related to the measurement of multidimensional science standards have emerged through early development efforts of large-scale assessments. This paper discusses several key considerations for designing and developing effective next generation science assessments, including an exploration of the quality expectations and development considerations that help support development.
Introduction to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) – Course Design, Organization and Implementation
From the abstract: The purpose of this paper is to provide readers the opportunity to see the planning, organization and delivery of an undergraduate course in the area of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). This course for is designed for students to thoughtfully engage in the interdisciplinary nature of STEAM. In the course students develop skills related to intersections between these content areas, and the construction and application of STEAM models for cross-disciplinary dialogue, inquiry, and problem solving. The discussion fits in the discipline of SCIENCE and contributes to the continued efforts in the science community to engage and create opportunities for interdisciplinary study for student work and research (p. 2).
Argumentation in History and Science
Boston College professor and scholar Katherine L. McNeill developed a series of resources to support middle school science and social studies teachers’ use of argumentation. The resources are organized in a course format and include a syllabus, slide decks and class materials for each session, and assignments. As teachers work through each session, they learn about the claim, evidence and reasoning (CER) framework, and how to use this framework to engage students in argumentation. The resources support teachers’ understanding of evidence and reasoning, as well as distinctions between science and history. The resources also support teachers’ instructional planning of lessons to support students’ development of argumentation.