PRAISE FOR ASSESSING DEEPER LEARNING
“Giving the reader an opportunity to understand the uses of performance assessment set within an educational reform framework is a particular strength of this work. We need serious and thoughtful reform in education particularly in an era where other countries may understand and invest in the importance of integrated skill development. Thankfully, this book provides us with crystalline guidance.”
Distinguished Research Professor of Education
Director, Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST)
University of California, Los Angeles
”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.”
Professor Emeritus, College of Education
University of Kentucky
“Performance assessment and deeper learning are twin themes in this book. Wren and Gareis describe how high-quality performance 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 system of performance assessments and how lessons learned along the way can be leveraged 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.”
Professor Emerita, College of Education
Duquesne University
“This book shares the story of one Virginia school 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.”
School of Education, William & Mary
State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Commonwealth of Virginia, 2014-17
“This book affirms that school districts must ensure all students are engaged in deeper learning experiences. The authors provide a critical rationale for the shift away from conventional systems of assessment and a much-needed road map for designing authentic, valid, and reliable assessments that measure what really matters. Policy makers, district leaders, building administrators, and classroom teachers stand to benefit from this text which masterfully outlines a way forward in which meaningful, authentic, engaging performance assessments are a focal point.”
Superintendent, Henrico County Public Schools, VA