Studyhive.com

A student/future teacher introduced me to Studyhive.com. The future teacher discovered it while looking for a more efficient and effective way to study for a biology test. The future teacher is motivated by the task of learning (see Daniel Pink's book, Drive) more than the grade. In the past this future teacher has been my “lab rat” when I wanted to test out new technology. This time I am the “lab rat” and I could not be happier.

The future teacher is teaching both students and teachers about Studyhive.com and I am building my first project. I use Flocabulary to teach vocabulary to my reading class. Using Studyhive.com, I am in the process of building stacks of vocabulary cards. The stacks can be used in the traditional way of flash cards, practice tests and assessments. If you want to check out my project, join Studyhive.com for free and look for the Broeg tag.

21st Century Skills Assessments

“Right below what a student cannot do is what they can do”. The preceding was stated by Barbara Guy, Transition Specialist with the Iowa Department of Education, at the 2011 Summer Iowa Transition Conference. I had just finished reading Sir Kenneth Robinson's The Element and had begun investigating the 21^st century skills outlined in the Iowa Core Curriculum. I typed in my macbook “21^st Century Skills Assessment”. Ms. Guy was talking about the importance of balancing the reporting of students weaknesses with their strengths in the Individual Education Plan. Robinson challenged me to find how students are intelligence and challenge the linearity of education. I have often told my students that their disability depended on environment and many have proven this correct by being more employable than their typical peers. The 21^st century skills provide a new playing field. Whether we like or not we are always comparing students in special education with their typical peers. Ms. Guy's statement motivated me to take the essential skills of all five areas (Civil Literacy, Employability, Financial Literacy, Health Literacy, and Technology Literacy) and turn them into assessments that with collaboration will lead to these skills being both addressed and elevated to the status of the traditional academic areas.

The assessments involved over one thousand items and I learned all about size limits and other technical issues with google docs. I made the decision to present the areas over the entire continuum ( except for Employability which at 422 items exceeded the size limit) as I wanted to find what students “can do” and I wanted to resist the traditional thought that education is linear. The Iowa Core indicates desired levels of performance which finally allows for a comparison of a student with typical peers in the areas of Living and Working.

The assessments are not without errors. I tried to find and fix as many as possible but I have decided to open the assessments up to collaboration. Please let me know of errors and suggestions and I will make corrections. To view and copy the forms, see examples of written summaries, resources and graphs, visit the 21st Century Skills Assessments page. Come back often as I plan to make revisions including shorter assessments by level.

Life Centered Career Education Assessment

The Life Centered Career Education Assessment was developed based on a paper I wrote advocating for the use of LCCE-M as standards and benchmarks for a life skills program. If you would like to read the paper please see Life Skills Assessment Sequence on the resource page of my google site. This assessment was created based on criteria from the Life Centered Career Education – Modified Curriculum (LCCE-M) developed by the University of Missouri and an Individual Responsibility Rubric developed by me. This assessment is not intended to replace the batteries available through (LCCE-M). It is intended as an informal tool to enhance dialogue amongst all IEP team members and as a tool to communicate with adult service providers. When you copy the spreadsheet, the form and chart will be attached. Formulas will need to be copied with each new student. Please share your edits with me and I will share the improvements on the google site.

The Arc's Self-Determination Scale

The purpose of converting this assessment is to increase use through efficiency. Michael L. Wehmeyer, PhD, from the University of Kansas granted permission to convert the assessment to a Google Doc Format. The Arc's Self-Determination Procedural Guideline by Wehmeyer is a must read for all who believe that self determination is as important if not more important than the traditional “core” academic disciplines such as reading. The guide not only describes how the scale should be used, it provides evidence that all people can be self-determined and stresses the importance of self determination for both productivity and happiness.

The scale was developed following a comprehensive evaluation of the self- determination of more than 400 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The scale is measure of self-determination designed for use by adolescents with disabilities, particularly students with mild intellectual and learning disabilities, therefore, it was designed to empower students to become more self- determined by providing a vehicle by which they can self-report with appropriate supports and accommodations. It is extremely important that their answers not be influenced and/or judged by the administrator of the assessment.

While the assessment produces a scores in comparison to a normed sample which is attractive for reporting in Individual Education Plans and justifying and/or guiding services, Dr. Wehmeyer emphasizes that “no assumption about a “normal” or “expected” amount of self- determination” should be made based on the results of the assessment. Wehmeyer touches on a theme that I have discussed in previous blogs that often the process of the assessment is as important as the results of the assessment. In the procedural guide he writes “students could work collaboratively with the teacher to score the assessment (because of the need to make the assessment usable as a research tool, its scoring is most likely too complex for self-scoring) and discuss the outcomes, both in comparison with data from the Scale norms and looking at individual student strengths and areas of need.”

You must make a copy of the following spreadsheets (the associated forms will follow) as you will need to be able to copy the formulas to the next row after the results for each student are entered.

Arc Self-Determination Scale Data

Scoring Steps 1-2 and Interpretation Data

ARC Scoring Steps 3-5 Data

The following steps should be followed in using the assessment:

Step 1: Read The Arc's Self-Determination Procedural Guideline

Step 2: Administer the Arc Self-Determination Scale. The guide states that depending on needed accommodations and supports it can be administered to up to fifteen students at one time. However, the flexibility of the google form will allow it to be delivered more frequently under more environments.

Step 3: Open the data associated with the Arc Self-Determination Scale and complete Scoring Steps 1-2 and Interpretation. You will need to copy and paste the formulas to the next row for each new student.

Step 4: Open the data associated with Scoring Steps 1-2 and Interpretation and complete ARC Scoring Steps 3-5. You will need to copy and paste the formulas to the next row for each new student.

Step 5: Download ARC Scoring Steps 3-5 data as a spreadsheet and create graphs for Norm Sample and Positive Scores. It appears that you can create graphs in google docs but I experienced difficulty and found it easier to download and create graphs in Open Office. Update 6/20/2011 - Using Google Chrome I was able to produce graphs that are attached to ARC Scoring Steps 3-5 .  The graphs will update as you add students.

If you find any errors or have suggestions for improvement please contact me at kurtis.broeg@gmail.com

Numeric Parents of Teenagers Survival Checklist

The Numeric Parents of Teenagers Survival Checklist produces an average score out of four in the following areas: prepare cooked meals, comparison shopping, geography, math, reading, home maintenance, appliances, health, personal grooming, sexuality, communication, and employment. The Parents of Teenagers Survival Checklist assesses the student in environments outside of school and is a great way to get the parent involved in the discussion on transition. The numeric version allows for comparison of scores over time and the ability to summarize for an area such as stating that a student with an average score of 2 performs, on average, the skills in the area some of the time. When an area has a low average score, the report on the IEP can list the specific skills that need to be addressed. To make a copy of the numeric version go to my google site and follow the directions. The formulas will need to be copied as new students are added.

Forced-Choice Reinforcement Menu

While using the Forced-Choice Reinforcement Menu to determine what rewards to offer my students for desired behavior I stumbled upon data which I felt was useful in assessing motivation. I have never been a fan of using external rewards and after reading Daniel Pink's book, Drive, I became convinced the the most effective motivation is the task itself. The students who were completing a higher percentage of homework and exhibiting more mature behavior had higher scores in task oriented reinforcements compared to students that scored high in external reinforcements. The Forced-Choice Reinforcement Menu produces scores for Adult Approval, Competitive Approval, Peer approval, Independent Rewards, and Consumable Rewards. The students that scored higher in Independent Rewards than Consumable Rewards also exhibit a higher positive discrepancy in performance versus ability. I am not sure how I will use and/or present this data in IEPs but I do plan to compare each individuals score across time to see if motivation is shifting more towards task and away from external rewards. If you would like to make a copy, visit my google site. After each entry, the formulas will need to be copied to the next row.

Quality of Life Assessment

Deana Colbert, English Valley High School (North English IA) Resource & Alternative Programs, shared the Quality of Life Assessment that was shared with her in a Drake University graduate class taught by Kim Davis, Principal of Walnut Creek Alternative School. In addition to providing data for the IEP, Deana states the assessment is great vehicle to promote discussion with outside service providers on a student's future past high school. The associated spreadsheet produces scores in seven categories (Location, Education, Medical Services, Professional Supports, Leisure, Career, and Family& Social) when the formulas from the example student are copied to the next row. For instructions on how to copy the assessment go to Broeg Google Doc Transition Assessments.