Pre-Conference Activities

Assessment and Measurement Pre-conference Institute

Come study with Dr. G. Gage Kingsbury!

Date: Monday and Tuesday, June 23 and 24, 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Location: Marriott Downtown Waterfront.

Price: $159 per person

Deadline: Register before June 15th

Download the Registration Form

Dr. G. Gage Kingsbury is a renowned expert on computer adaptive testing and measurement practices. This is an unprecented opportunity for professionals who are responsible for assuring student learning to study with him. This institute is a decisively practical opportunity featuring numerous interactive opportunities to equip professionals to fully utilize the information provided by NWEA assessments, state assessments and classroom assessments.

Topics will include:

• Principles of educational testing
• Assessment validity
• Assessment reliability
• Practical studies with data from the Growth Research Database
• Appropriate uses of different test item types in building assessments

Download the Registration Form

Registration is limited to the first 30 participants

Please watch for graduate credit opportunities associated with this Institute

Pre-Conference Workshops

"Stepping Stones to Using Data" & "Climbing the Data Ladder"

Date: Tuesday, June 24th

Location: NWEA Offices

Price: $300 per person

Register Online

Two of our most popular workshops will be offered in Oregon the day prior to the Members' Seminar. Register for either "Stepping Stones to Using Data" or "Climbing the Data Ladder". Get the most from your trip to Oregon by attending one of these informative sessions.

Stepping Stones to Using Data

This one-day workshop is designed to help teachers and building administrators understand and interpret assessment report data for the purpose of improving student learning. Understanding test data is essential for districts to be able to gauge the effectiveness of programs. With this understanding, educators can make better informed decisions related to school and classroom improvement programs. Districts are encouraged to have as many teachers as possible attend this training.

In this training participants will:

• Learn how to access, analyze, and interpret data.
• Learn how to use Instructional Resources reports.
• Preview NWEA resources.
• Plan together to use data in on-going work.

Register for Stepping Stones to Using Data

Climbing the Data Ladder

This one-day workshop is designed primarily for teachers. After developing the skills to understand and interpret data in the Stepping Stones to Using Data workshop, teachers are often challenged by how to best apply data directly to improve classroom instructional practices.

This workshop will focus on:

• Methods of differentiation
• Using state standards and DesCartes in lesson planning
• Creating instructional ladders
• Using Lexile reading scores

Participants will learn more about using tools such as DesCartes and the Lexile Framework® for Reading to differentiate instruction and improve learning.

Register for Climbing the Data Ladder

Item Writing Training

Item Writing

Date: Tuesday, June 24th, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Location: Marriott Downtown Waterfront.

Price: No cost

Register with Zohal Hummel at 503-624-1951

Deadline: Register before May 30th

NWEA is pleased to offer a training session prepared specifically for Members' Seminar Attendees and local teachers in Oregon and Washington interested in learning to write test items. If you have 2 or more years of teaching experience and are interested in a professional development opportunity to complement your Members' Seminar experience, consider arriving a day early to attend this training.

The training session will be held in the Marriot Hotel, one day before the Members' Seminar on June 24th. The reserved rooms and NWEA Conference rate from the Members' Seminar have been extended to include June 23rd and 24th.

This training session is offered at no cost to Members' Seminar attendees.

The 1-day test item writing training will cover these item writing principles & criteria:

• Writing items with appropriate cognitive complexity
• Constructing appropriate stems
• Increasing item validity with plausible distractors
• Ensuring one correct answer
• Ensuring grade-level appropriateness
• Understanding cultural sensitivity and avoiding potential bias

Participants will learn to develop classroom assessments and specifically what to keep in mind when creating test items. This training is potentially a stepping stone to a paid item writing contract with NWEA.

To register, please contact Zohal Hummel, Item Coordinator at 503-624-1951. The final date to register is May 30th, 2008.