• Getting Started

    Before beginning the "main" portion of the course, participants will be asked to complete Module 0. The purpose of this introductory module is to:

    • orient the participant to the course,
    • establish an account,
    • meet his/her teammates
    • establish norms,
    • practice using the relevant technologies, and
    • register for course credit (if applicable)

    Teachers will have one week, beginning September 14th, to complete Module 0 prior to the launch of the course.

    Overview of Job-Embedded Activities

    Participants and instructional leaders can refer to the following map as a guide to the structured learning tasks we have designed to assist teachers in integrating formative assessment into their classrooms:

    Formative Assessment Insights - Course Map

    Verification of Course Completion

    Verification is required by many states for license renewal and by our participating institutions of higher education for those taking the course for graduate credit. Teachers can register for credit from Grand Canyon University during Module 0, September 14-20, 2015. For those teachers opting to earn graduate credit from Grand Canyon University, Renee Sweeden will be the designated district contact who will review and verify that the teacher has completed all requirements of the course for credit. Please contact Renee to review verification procedures if you plan on obtaining GCU credit.

    Graduate credit requirements include:

    • completion of five modules
    • log of applied learning in the classroom
    • a 1,500 word reflection paper at the end of the course

    WestEd's Insights team will provide instructions to CUSD on this task prior to course launch.

    Technology Support

    A variety of technologies (Canvas, Google Docs & Drive, NowComment, and Zaption) will be used in the course. WestEd will provide "Help Desk" support from 3:00 - 7:00 pm PST during the first month of the course to assist in the initial use of course technologies. The Help Desk email address and phone number will be posted within the course starting September 14.

    Course Start: What to Expect

    All participants, registered as an individual or in a group, will receive an invitation sent to their email address on the evening of September 13, 2015 (see the email example below).

    Formative Assessment Insights - Course Invitation Email

    Please note that the email will be from WestEd Canvas. By clicking one of the Get Started links/buttons, you will be guided through a simple registration process to create your Canvas account, then be taken to the course. If a course invitation is not received, please check your spam folder or contact the HELPDESK.

    Course Schedule

    Timeline Module
    Sept. 14 - 20, 2015 Module 0 - Getting Started
    Designed for participants to establish an account; get acquainted with the technologies; form teams; register for credit with the institution of choice, if applicable.
    Sept. 21 - Oct. 18, 2015 Module 1 - Fundamentals of Learning
    Sept. 29, 2015
    3:30-4:30pm PST     		Web Event 1
    (will be archived on course site)
    Oct. 19 - Nov. 15, 2015 Module 2 - Learning Goals and Success Criteria
    Nov. 18, 2015
    3:30 - 4:30pm PST     		Web Event 2
    (will be archived on course site)
    Nov. 21-29, 2015 Thanksgiving Break
    Nov. 16 - Dec. 20, 2015 Module 3 - Eliciting and Interpreting Evidence of Learning
    Dec. 20, 2015 - Jan. 4, 2016 Winter Holiday
    Jan. 4 - Feb. 7, 2016 Module 4 - Responding to Evidence, Including Feedback
    Feb. 8 - March 13, 2016 Module 5 - Student Involvement through Peer and Self-Assessment
    Feb. 16, 2016
    3:30-4:30pm PST     		Web Event 3 (will be archived on course site)

     

    adapted from http://fa-insights.wested.org/course-updates/