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Question 6: How can I pilot test my proficiency language?

Conceptual Overview

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Presentation Audio Transcript

Text-based Reflection

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Examine the Calibration Protocol.
Watch the Center for Collaborative Education’s Teachers Conducting the Calibration Protocol for a 10-minute video showing what a Calibration Protocol looks like in action or read the audio transcript.
Answer the following questions: 

  • How can using a protocol like this help systems get feedback on proficiency language before full implementation?
  • What modifications can you make to the protocol questions to get to the heart of proficiency language in a pilot test?

Practice the Process

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Watch Delivering and Evaluating Persuasive Speeches. Pay close attention to when the student is presenting.
Answer the following questions:

  • What did you see?
  • What questions did the student presentation raise for you?

Review your proficiency language from Questions 3, 4, and 5.
Answer the below questions:

  • Thinking about the student presentation, how do you feel about the language used and the performance indicators you wrote?
  • Does the language reflect what you see and hear in the student work?
  • Will you change anything?

Find two more examples of students presenting information; it can even be from your own class.
Complete the exercise again for each example.

Case Study Analysis

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The Right Track School District decided to adopt and adapt the state's proficiency language. A committee consisting of curriculum leaders at each school participated. They used information from the Vision of the Graduate exercises Mr. Proficiency organized as well as their own professional experience to make the decision.

If you remember from Question 2, Mr. Proficiency was a little overwhelmed after Vision of the Graduate. After his experience collecting too much data for him to handle, he decided to be more thoughtful as he planned his pilot test. He also wanted to get some feedback on the plan before he deployed it.

Read the Pilot Test Plan:

Pilot Test Plan
Start Date: February 1, 2016
End Date: March 8, 2016
Who: K-8: Two teachers from every grade level; 9-12 one teacher from every subject level, one teacher from every level. Students of these teachers will also participate.
Feedback Collection: Feedback will be given through an online form that has two questions:

  • What language is confusing to you?
  • What other feedback do you have?

Pilot Organization:

At the February 1 faculty meeting, selected teachers are shown the proficiency language on which they will give feedback.

Curriculum Leaders at each school who worked on adapting some of the language explain in small groups how to read the documents and answer clarifying questions.

Mr. Proficiency reviews the process and answers any questions.

From February 2 to March 7, teachers complete the following process with their students once.

Review purpose, proficiency language, and feedback form, and answer clarifying questions.

Look at three pieces of student work together. The pieces of work will be selected by the teacher and will apply to the proficiency language and grade level.

High school teachers and students will each complete the feedback form. Elementary teachers will hold a class discussion and complete one feedback form. Middle school teachers can choose either approach.

On March 8, teachers get back together to look at the data, debrief the process, and discuss next steps.

Answer the questions:

  • What questions about the process do you have for Mr. Proficiency?
  • Do you think he is asking the right questions?
  • What problems do you anticipate as this process unfolds?
  • How does your school get feedback from teachers and students about curriculum?

More Resources

Read Christy Kingham's "Put Us In the Room Where It Happens: Teacher-Driven Shifts To Mastery" blog post for a teacher leader's perspective on the iterative process of developing and refining proficiency language.
Use the Center for Collaborative Education's Student Cognitive Labs protocol (adapted from Dr. Karin Hess), which includes a process for gathering student feedback on teacher work, such as proficiency language.

Evidence of Learning

Be sure to record your answers to the above questions in the Evidence of Learning Tool.

Continue this Self-Paced Course

Question 7: How are rubrics different in a proficiency-based assessment system?

Browse other questions: Developing and Applying Proficiencies