Teaching for Authentic Intellectual Work: Standards and Scoring Criteria for Teachers' Tasks, Student Performance, and Instruction

(2018) Fred M. Newmann, M. Bruce King, and Dana L. Carmichael

They are intended to help teachers to collaboratively discuss, provide feedback, and improve their practice in ways that will build their common understanding and enhance student learning.

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Authentic Intellectual Work: Improving Teaching for Rigorous Learning

(2016) Fred M. Newmann, Dana L. Carmichael, and M. Bruce King

In spite of numerous reforms to improve rigor and relevance in the classroom, our schools have been slow to change. This work provides:

• A research-validated, field-tested framework that can be applied across grades and disciplines
• A powerful professional learning component that emphasizes teacher collaboration
• Detailed examples of lessons, assignments, assessment tasks, and student work

Backed by over 20 years of research, the Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) framework helps school-based teams improve the quality of instruction, assessment, and curriculum for higher and more equitable student learning.

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How Schools and Districts Meet Rigorous Standards Through Authentic Intellectual Work: Lessons From the Field

(2016). M. Bruce King, Editor

• Includes richly-detailed examples of AIW implementation at the state, district, building, and classroom levels.
• Guides readers in the design of professional learning that leads to effective transfer back to the classroom.
• Meant to serve as a companion piece to the core book on AIW, and includes an introductory chapter offering a concise description of the core principles of AIW.
• AIW has been validated by research conducted over more than two decades. Most recently, it has been the focus of a statewide initiative.

"Having teachers own the process of evaluation with the lens of AIW as a reflective tool has repeatedly demonstrated teacher learning and growth…The adoption of AIW gives teachers across disciplines a common language and a lens through which they can evaluate and discuss the tasks they ask students to do, the questioning and instructional strategies they use, and most importantly the results as seen in student work. AIW fosters schoolwide collaboration that motivates and pushes teachers to advance their lessons and assessments, which ultimately enhances student learning” (from Chapter 8, If It’s Right for Kids: Evaluations That Promote Teachers’ Learning and Implementation of AIW).

"Measures of student success go beyond standardized test scores to gather information about (AIW) professional development and its impact on instruction. Gathering implementation data, whether through the classroom implementation profiles, the innovation configuration maps, or task–student work correlations, can help leadership determine how professional development impacts instruction and what the gaps are between the two” (from Chapter 9, Transforming Professional Development and Student Learning: Evaluating Impact).

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Classroom Implementation Profile (CIP)

Log in: http://www.cipaiw.com

The purpose of the CIP is to collect evidence that teachers’ learning from Authentic Intellectual Work professional development is being implemented during the teaching and learning process. The CIP utilizes an electronic tool that allows observers to conduct short observations of classrooms to collect AIW implementation data, and compile reports to analyze and share with staff.

The first Profile provides baseline data and guides district, school, and/or staff in setting goals for increasing authentic instruction and learning. Subsequent profiles will reveal trends and determine strengths. These profiles will also identify additional professional development needs pertaining to the AIW standards and criteria.

Training is required for access to and use of the Classroom Implementation Profile (CIP). The process assists teams in developing inter-rater reliability and consistent data collection processes. The CIP training is three-fold: manipulation of the electronic tool, guided practice for gathering data, and methodology for analyzing data. Participants in CIP training should be personnel who have strong AIW backgrounds and who use data for decision-making.

Task-Student Work Correlation

Schools need to analyze student artifacts to show that student work is improving in authenticity every year. When a district collects revised Authentic Intellectual Work tasks and the representative, accompanying student work, the desired result is to show that high scoring authentic teacher tasks result in high scoring authentic student work. The data gathered when going through this process will be used to establish a correlation between teacher task and student work while measuring growth in authenticity on an annual basis for both tasks and student work.

The Task-Student Work Correlation provides another set of data for AIW implementation. To determine the correlation, teams of experienced AIW educators score multiple sets of tasks and corresponding student work. The resulting scores are reflected in a scatterplot that shows the correlation between the two. Annual correlations should be done at the same time every year to show one year's AIW impact on developing authentic tasks and how they affect student performance.

Innovation Configuration Maps

AIW innovation configuration maps (IC maps) are rubric-based templates that survey staff members and other members of the school community regarding degrees of implementation from “no implementation” to “full implementation.” IC maps enable participants to track individual and/or building/group progress toward understanding and implementing a program. Using IC maps gives stakeholders a clear picture of what full implementation will look like for Authentic Intellectual Work.

The maps are composed for a variety of AIW stakeholders— AIW coaches, administration, educators, students, school board, and parents. The maps cover basic categories that would affect each stakeholder group, including data analysis, self-reflection, AIW mastery, and professional development. Each stakeholder member fills out the appropriate IC map and compiles his or her individual and group scores.

The information gained from completing the IC maps provides an additional formative measurement tool that can help leadership teams as they analyze gaps in AIW understanding, plan for professional development, and assist all groups in reflecting on their AIW practice. While leadership can use the grouped data for program analysis, individual educators and students can use their own data to formulate goals for personal career plans, noting what they need to increase their AIW skills.

For questions, contact Tina Wahlert or Susie Peterson at tsedconsultants@gmail.com.