EDU 432 Assessing Learning in Urban Grades K-12
This course examines assessment as a critical tool for guiding the planning, development, and implementation of curriculum and instruction across K¿12 settings. Students learn to use formal and informal assessment strategies to maximize student learning and support standards-based instruction, differentiation, and collaboration for individual student success. Foundations of assessment theory and practice are explored, including principles of learning, motivation, multiple intelligences, validity, reliability, and bias, with attention to developmentally appropriate practices and diverse learning needs in urban and inclusive environments. Students gain practical experience designing short- and long-term learning outcomes and developing authentic assessment tools such as formative and summative assessments, standardized measures, rubrics, portfolios, and performance-based assessments. The course also addresses communicating assessment results with families and examines state and national standards and performance criteria for evaluating teaching. Clinical field experience hours are included as part of the course requirements.
Prerequisites
3 Undergraduate credits
Effective August 18, 2026 to present
Learning outcomes
General
- understand the varying types and multiple purposes of assessment;
- understand the positive impact of effective descriptive feedback for learners, engage students in understanding and identifying quality work, and use a variety of strategies for communicating this feedback;
- know how and when to engage students in analyzing their own assessment results and setting goals for their own learning;
- regularly assess individual and group performance in order to design and modify instruction to meet students' needs in each area of development, including cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical, and scaffolds the next level of development;
- independently and in collaboration with colleagues, use a variety of data, including data disaggregated by student race, ethnicity, and home language, to evaluate the outcomes of teaching and learning and to adapt planning and practice;
- use assessment strategies and devices that are nondiscriminatory, and take into consideration the impact of disabilities, methods of communication, cultural background, and primary language on measuring knowledge and performance of students; and
- use a variety of self-assessment and problem-solving strategies to analyze and reflect on their practice and to make adaptations and adjustments toward more equitable outcomes.
- Understand how to relate assessment data to students, families and colleagues.
- Understand the characteristics, use and limitations of various traditional and authentic forms of assessment, including criterion-referenced and norm-referenced tests, standardized tests, performance assessment, portfolio assessment, and affective assessment.
- Understand the differences between assessment, evaluation and testing.
- Understand the terminology of assessment such as reliability, validity and bias.