Assessing Deeper Learning

Performance assessment and deeper learning are twin themes in this book. Wren and Gareis describe what deeper learning is, why students and educators should aim for it, and how performance assessment can help. They describe how high-quality performance assessment tasks and rubrics can support student thinking, teacher understanding of student thinking, and further learning. They tell the story of the journey one district took to develop a formal system of performance assessments and, importantly, how lessons learned along the way can be leveraged to inform wider and higher-quality performance assessment as part of ongoing classroom learning. The result is a very readable and informative book that inspires as well as instructs, with learners as the ultimate beneficiaries. -- Susan M. Brookhart, Ph.D., author, consultant, and Professor Emerita, College of Education, Duquesne University
This book affirms the position that school districts must ensure all students are engaged in deeper learning experiences. Not only is the reader provided with a compelling case for deeper learning approaches to instruction but a critical rationale for the shift away from conventional systems of assessment which rely too heavily on standardized, multiple-choice tests. The authors provide a much-needed road map for designing authentic, valid, and reliable assessments that provide meaningful results and position school districts to ensure students are learning and being assessed on what matters. Policy makers, district leaders, building administrators, and classroom teachers stand to benefit from this text which masterfully outlines a way forward for creating a balanced system of assessment in which meaningful, authentic, engaging performance assessments are a focal point. -- Amy E. Cashwell, EdD, superintendent, Henrico County Public Schools, VA
Although our knowledge of how to assess student learning has grown immensely in recent decades, we still have a long way to go before we can identify truly ‘best practices.’ In tracing one school district’s journey to develop more authentic ways to measure deeper learning, however, Wren and Gareis show us how we can become much better. Every educator will find the examples they offer and the guidance they provide to be helpful in efforts to assess the complex reasoning and problem-solving skills that are so important for students’ success in today’s world. -- Thomas R. Guskey, PhD, author, consultant, and Professor Emeritus, College of Education, University of Kentucky
This book shares the story of one Virginia school division's [district’s] journey - and the implications that journey has for the rest of the nation. It not only inspires us to undertake a similar journey ourselves, but provides the background, information, and guidance needed to make the journey a successful one. If you have ever wondered, ‘what DO today's students need to be well prepared for the expectations of the 21st century?’, many of the answers are in this book. It is a must read for all who strive to build schools that provide instruction and assessments that serve the learning needs of today's students. -- Steven R. Staples, EdD, School of Education, William & Mary; state superintendent of public instruction, Commonwealth of Virginia, 2014-17