Discussion 1

In Week Two, you created a presentation on why linking assessments with report cards that reflect CCSS is imperative. In this discussion, you expand on your knowledge about CCSS and debate the idea of whether creating high-quality assessments is necessary. Note that some educators argue that it is not enough to just create a link between assessments and report cards, but that assessments need to be high level and should require students to synthesize their learning instead of only demonstrating mastery by rote memory. Alternatively, some educators argue that high-quality assessments cost more than lower quality assessments (Eisner, 2001; Matthews, 2006; Pulfrey, Buch, & Butera, 2011). One possible reason for this viewpoint is that higher-level assessments often include performance tasks and/or essays that require teacher scoring, and thus a great deal of time is spent on evaluating students’ work. Conversely, lower-level assessments measuring basic knowledge through multiple-choice and true/false responses; they can be measured using technology and take considerably less time and resources to measure. 

First, choose a side from the two opposing viewpoints described above and discuss one of these two points: 

1. Can the American education system afford assessments for deeper learning?
2. Can the American education system afford not to have such high-quality assessments? Next, discuss if it is necessary to share assessment items, rubrics and 21st-century practices with fellow colleagues. 

Discussion 2

Educators strive to create a classroom that instills creativity and innovation. In this discussion, you will think about the creative and innovative instructional approach known as the the flipped classroom while making direct connections to the Common Core State Standards and teacher decision making based on student assessments. Reflecting on your previous discussion on CCSS in Week Two as well as your previous discussions from EDU671: Fundamentals of Educational Research about the flipped classroom, you will complete the three parts of this discussion’s initial post.

There are three parts to this discussion, which are described below.
Part 1

• Discuss how the flipped classroom idea can be used in conjunction with CCSS (Math or English Language Arts)
• Describe ways you could incorporate technology used in the flipped classroom idea to support the Framework for 21st century learning in the classroom as it relates to decision making based on student assessments. 

Part 2
Now, think about assessments you have created or used in the past to address the following: 

• Discuss if a school or teacher should use a multimedia resource that is absolutely amazing in delivering both content and assessment, but is not accessible. 
• Evaluate whether the resource must be excluded from a course if there are no reasonably equivalent accessible alternatives.

Part 3

• Attach a link to your electronic portfolio.
• In one paragraph, reflect on your experience with the redesign in terms of challenges you encountered during the Week Two Assignment and how you overcame those challenges including any difficulties experienced in revising to meet the components of one ISTE-S standard and the CCSS (Math or English Language Arts) which are aligned with a minimum of one Core Subject and 21st Century Themes and a minimum of one  Learning and Innovation Skill, one  Information, Media, & Technology Skill, and evidence of at least one Life and Career Skill.