Now that you reviewed the theory of the “design-down” model,
it is time to direct your attention to implementation. How might one go about
employing this “logic” to a Senior Social Science course?
One design strategy is to create a “Summative Assessment Plan” (or SAP) – which
is essentially a master plan that maps out the course enduring understandings,
unit structure, expectations, and major unit assessments. A traditional course
syllabus contains many of these elements, but a SAP places a more explicit
focus on designing a course around assessments that measure demonstrated
performances of enduring understandings (as per Wiggins & McTighe).
Assignment
You are required to engage with a group of your fellow
candidates to create a SAP for one of the courses under the Contemporary
Studies umbrella of courses. Now this could be a HUGE task – however, for our
present purposes, you are required to make use of the already prepared course
profiles which have done much of the work for you.
Please use the SAP Template.
NOTE: A completed SAP is one of the required elements of this course’s
culminating Unit Plan. This is an opportunity to rehearse the process – but it
does not commit you to a group, course or unit at this point. It is simply an
exercise in SAP creation.
STEPS TO FOLLOW TO
CO-CREATE A GROUP SAP
1. GROUP FORMATION AND COURSES – You will work in the following groups:
2. DETEMINE COURSE ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS – Each group member is to review the
- -Ministry expectations and course profiles, located at www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/curricul/curric1112.html
Individuals should propose 3-5 statements of enduring understanding for the
ENTIRE course.
Seek to obtain a degree of consensus to produce a list of NO MORE than 5
enduring understandings. Enter these into the SAP Template.
3. “LEACH OUT” UNIT STRUCTURE, MAJOR ASSESSMENTS & KEY FORMATIVE
ASSESSMENTS/SCAFFOLDING STRATEGIES – draw out & reduce the details of the
profile to fill in the SAP Template. Complete the required fields in the SAP
Template.
4. Post your completed SAP in a note with the SAP Template attached via the
“Shared Directory”.