Volume 8, Number 1

In this issue:

From the Director:
Authenticity in Teacher Practice and Student Learning

Authentic Intellectual Work: What and Why?

Authentic Student Performance, Assessment Tasks, and Instruction

The Authentic Pedagogy in the Social Studies Project

Research/ Practice index

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CAREI > Research/Practice Newsletter

The Authentic Pedagogy in the Social Studies (APSS) Project¹

Patricia G. Avery, University of Minnesota
Elisabeth A. Palmer,² University of Minnesota

During the 1998-99 academic year, we were privileged to facilitate a series of professional development seminars on authentic pedagogy (instruction and assessment) and student performance.  Secondary social studies teachers from three school districts—LaCrescent-Hokah (rural), Minneapolis (urban), and West St. Paul (suburban)—participated in the Authentic Pedagogy in the Social Studies (APSS) Project funded by the Department of Children, Families, and Learning (DCFL). We purposely chose a rural, an urban, and a suburban school district because of the different student populations each serve and the differing resources available to each district. A high school and its "feeder" middle school were chosen to encourage dialogue among teachers across grade levels. As might be expected, the larger the district, the less likely the high school and middle school teachers knew one another prior to the project. Even in the smaller, rural district, contact prior to the seminars had been limited to one-day workshops together. In no case had teachers within a district worked together on pedagogical issues across schools.

The seminars focused on developing an in-depth understanding of "authentic pedagogy" and its significance for both assessment and instruction in relation to Minnesota's High Standards. Specifically, the goals were that teachers be able to:

• translate the theoretical framework that links the Minnesota High Standards, authentic assessment tasks, and authentic instruction into practice;
• create meaningful assessments and corresponding rubrics that address the High Standards; and
• evaluate the High Standards performance packages and teacher-designed assessment tasks, student work, and one's own teaching in terms of authenticity.

With only two exceptions, the day-long seminars were held monthly with individual districts. In December 1998 and March 1999, all of the teachers met together for two seminars facilitated by Professor Fred Newmann from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Teachers met for a full day during the school week at an off-campus location. Figure 1 shows the general format and structure of the seminars. The first three sessions were devoted to developing basic skills and knowledge. Teachers became familiar with the content (research on "authenticity", the Minnesota High Standards, and the national social studies content standards) and skills (developing rubrics, evaluating assessment tasks) necessary to support authentic pedagogy. The remaining six sessions were devoted to applying their knowledge and skills, and reflecting on their practice.

We made extensive use of the Center on Organization and Restructuring Schools (CORS) scales for rating authentic student work, assessment tasks, and instruction (sample questions from the scales are provided in the side-bar of the second article). We looked at samples of student work and rated the degree to which the work reflected the criteria for authentic student performance (e.g., Does the work reflect students' construction of knowledge?). Teachers shared assessment tasks they had developed to meet the Minnesota High Standards, received feedback from peers based on the criteria for task authenticity, then revised their work and often shared it again with the seminar participants. Teachers also videotaped themselves in their classrooms, shared their tapes with the seminar participants, and critiqued their instruction. Our discussion of these teaching videos focused on the criteria for authentic instruction (e.g., To what degree are students engaging in higher-order thinking?). The CORS rating scales often served as springboards for lengthy and intense discussions; they were not "check-off" lists to be quickly completed and discarded. The rating scales were especially important in helping faculty to develop a common language and reference point for thinking about connections across instruction, assessment, and student work. For example, as the year progressed, teachers talked more frequently about the degree to which class instruction and assessments encouraged students to construct knowledge or engage in disciplinary inquiry. When planning instruction, using the CORS scales reminded teachers to find connections between content and the "real world" outside the classroom. Teachers also reported using the scales to analyze with colleagues why a particular lesson didn't meet their goals.

It is worth noting that the authentic pedagogy framework represented by the CORS scales is respectful of teachers' professional judgment, creative abilities, and individual strengths. The framework does not specify a particular teaching method, nor does it prescribe a "teacher-proof" curriculum. Rather, it provides a common

language for teachers to begin talking about authentic intellectual work, as well as lenses for viewing instruction, assessment, and student performance.

The structure and format of the seminars was purposely designed to reflect the characteristics of high-quality professional development: adequate time for practice, reflection, and revision; a focus on improving student learning; collaboration among colleagues; and connections to outside support and current research. Teachers have traditionally met for professional development activities for one day or for a week during the summer with little or no opportunity to reflect on any changes in teaching practice with colleagues. Individual teachers may take graduate classes that extend over a longer period of time and build in time for application and reflection, but they return to a faculty that doesn't have similar working knowledge to support their efforts. By involving whole social studies departments, we were able to build collegiality and systems of on-going support among the teachers.

The evaluation of the project involved analyzing teachers' assessment tasks, samples of student work, and classroom observations. Each was assessed using the CORS scales for authenticity. Project evaluation results indicated the following:³

• Teachers involved in the project created more authentic assessment tasks at the end of the project compared to tasks developed at the beginning of the project.
• Assessment tasks created and submitted by participating teachers at the end of the project were also more authentic than those submitted by nonparticipating teachers.
• Samples of student work gathered in the spring—near the conclusion of the project—reflected a higher level of authenticity or "intellectual quality" compared to samples of student work collected the previous fall.

In interviews conducted at the conclusion of the seminars, teachers and administrators involved in the project were quite positive about the project. Teachers commented that the over-arching framework of authentic pedagogy and authentic achievement not only encompassed both state and national standards and thus helped them think about what they are asking their students to know and do, but it also helped them to see connections between their pedagogy and the intellectual quality of students' work. Being able to walk away with a solid set of tools and a common language for assessing the quality of their instruction, assessment tasks, and students' work, and for developing quality tasks was also identified as an important feature of the project. All administrators felt the benefits of the seminars far outweighed any logistical difficulties generated when an entire department works together for a day away from the classroom. Asked if they would participate in the project again, all of the administrators responded affirmatively. One principal said, "This project was outstanding, impressive, and it has long-lasting effects on teachers. I'd like to do this in all of my departments."

The professional development model we used is not specific to social studies education; the content, structure, and format of the seminars could be used with other subject areas. Indeed, we believe that departments can be powerful units for change. The faculty within a specific subject area has a common knowledge and language that can serve as a beginning point for building professional community. School or district-wide initiatives may be appropriate for teaching specific instructional techniques, such as cooperative learning or questioning strategies. But disciplinary concepts and methods of inquiry are a key part of authentic pedagogy; a social studies teacher can easily suggest to colleagues different social reform movements for study, just as an English literature teachers can quickly give examples of different genres of literature for comparison. One teacher believed that "something like the seminars almost ought to be institutionalized, so that every few years every department could have a chance to rejuvenate itself in this way. It did a lot to strengthen our department."

The over-arching CORS framework gave teachers a way to view Minnesota's High Standards. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the High Standards, teachers began to see them as part of an attempt to facilitate authentic student achievement. And because the CORS framework connects student performance, assessment tasks, and instruction, teachers could more readily see their role in developing instruction and day-to-day assessments. Understandings came neither quickly nor easily, but through spirited, lengthy, and sometimes riveting discussions. In the quest for standards-based learning and reform, we believe the APSS Project provides at least one model for professional development and renewal.

¹ Click here to learn more about the content, format and structure of the APSS Project (http://education.umn.edu/CAREI/Reports/pedagogy)

² Avery served as Project Director and Palmer as Project Evaluator.

³ Click here for the full evaluation report, Professional Development for Authentic Pedagogy in the Social Studies: An Evaluation. (http://education.umn.edu/CAREI/Reports/pedagogy)