The affect of increased assessment focus through professional learning communities on instructional practice

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of utilizing a focused planning approach to test design and analysis within an assessment centered professional learning community (PLC) in one Local Education Agency in North Carolina. The data in this study was collected from one school in a rural county in eastern North Carolina. Five teachers were chosen from three separate academic departments and a mixed methods approach was used to gather data from a state standardized End of Course assessment in Biology, North Carolina Final Exam in American History II and Civics, and a state Career Technical assessment in Animal Science I. Classroom end of unit exams in Biology, American History II, Civics, and Animal Science I, were also used to calculate growth within the classroom during the study. Qualitative data was collected from within the PLC meetings themselves and with formal interviews with teachers to capture teacher perception and recommendations. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected from teachers as they utilized a logic model centered on design and analysis of test questions. Quantitative data was collected throughout the process from exams administered in Biology, American History II, Animal Science I, and Civics. Throughout the design and implementation process, teachers provided feedback and qualitative data to peers within the group. Peer data within the PLC was shared to improve the program itself throughout each stage of the logic model and research data given solely to the researcher was to answer each of the three study questions. A final review of data from participants in a PLC focused on assessment concludes that this process has a positive impact on student achievement and teacher instructional change. Growth on North Carolina End of Course exams and Final Exams in eighty percent of the participant group coupled with qualitative teacher perception data concludes that following participation in the assessment PLC, teachers collaborate with colleagues more with respect to building classroom assessments, believe a PLC approach to building classroom assessments will improve student achievement results, and have greater command of practical use for Bloom's Taxonomy.