Announcements

The ATLAST project (an MSP-RETA) invites MSPs to a pre-conference meeting on writing student assessm

Please save the dates: January 24-25, 2009. The ATLAST project will convene a meeting of interested MSPs immediately preceding the 2009 MSP Learning Network Conference. ATLAST invites three-person MSP teams to attend both days of this pre-conference meeting. The first day will orient teams to a process for developing student assessment items in science. Concurrent sessions on day two will include:

• further orientation to the item writing process, including conducting cognitive interviews with students;
• guidance on implementing an item writing workshop for teachers; and
• preparation to use ATLAST-developed measures of student and teacher content knowledge in the middle grades science content areas of force and motion, plate tectonics, and the flow of matter and energy in living systems.

The meeting will begin early Saturday morning, January 24, and end by noon on Sunday, January 25. Additional optional sessions will be offered Sunday afternoon, allowing new awardees to attend the pre-conference event and existing projects to attend other sessions that may be available. Lodging and meal costs associated with coming to the Learning Network Conference two days early will be paid by ATLAST; travel expenses will not be covered. Registration information, along with more details about this pre-conference meeting, will be coming soon. In the meantime, please direct inquiries to Sean Smith.