TRIG Teacher Technology Training (T3)

Evidence-Centered Design (ECD) is an approach to creating educational assessment items in terms of evidentiary arguments built upon intended constructs, with explicit attention paid to the potential influence of unintended constructs (On the Structure of Educational Assessments, Mislevy, Steinberg, & Almond, 2003). Basically, ECD ensures that the assessment item actually measures a student's knowledge, skill, or ability around a specific standard. In the video below, you will learn about the 6 steps used to create an evidence-centered design assessment item and use this information to begin designing your own assessment item.

While watching the video below, think about the following questions related to the assessment item you plan to develop:

• What standard are you assessing?
• What is the assessment target for your assessment item?
• What evidence is required given the assessment target I am measuring?
• What are the key features that must be included in the item?
• Will this item allow for the production of the evidence I am seeking?
• Is there anything about this item that may make it more difficult to collect evidence from some students?

As you will see, these questions are raised in the video. Thinking about them now will allow for greater understanding as the content is presented.

To begin, watch the video below:

Digital Portfolio Activity

Now that you have a better understanding of ECD, open the Item Specification Table in your Digital Portfolio and complete the following:

• Identify standard(s) you will assess. (Most items will only assess one standard.)
  • If your assessment item assesses multiple standards, identify which ones are primary standards.
    • Primary standards are the focus standards being assessed.
    • Secondary standards are standards that are incorporated in the assessment item, but are not the focus of the assessment target.

There is a "Notes for Assessment Item Development" section under the Item Specification Table in your Digital Portfolio. Please use this area to jot down notes for yourself as you are creating your assessment item. Some items you may want to add to your notes include:

• The assessment target for your assessment item.
• The student evidence required for the assessment target you are assessing.
• The key features that must be included in your assessment item.
• How your assessment item will allow for the production of the evidence you are seeking.
• Anything about your assessment item that may make it more difficult to collect evidence from some students.

After you have completed taking notes for this part of the lesson, click the "Next page" button below.