Presenter: Susan Van Gundy
The adoption of new common standards is enabling the development of common assessments that leverage innovations in pedagogy and technology to move beyond traditional bubble tests. Next generation assessments are being designed for more complex measures of what students know and can do, and their readiness for success beyond high school. This session will introduce the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), and explore implications and opportunities for STEM education and workforce.
About the Presenter:
Susan Van Gundy, Associate Director for Assessment Technology, Achieve
Susan Van Gundy is the associate director for assessment technology at Achieve. Her work focuses on the development of technology strategies and implementation systems for the multistate Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), including issues related to technical architecture, innovative technology-enhanced assessment items, and digital content to support instruction and teacher professional development. Van Gundy is the former director of education and strategic partnerships for the National Science Digital Library (NSDL), where she provided vision and project leadership for national-scale cyberinfrastructure initiatives, and brokered collaborations among national and state-level stakeholders. She originated the concept of Learning Resource Paradata, which became a foundational concept for the Learning Registry, a U.S. Department of Education and Department of Defense effort launched in collaboration with NSDL to build an exchange system that improves the distribution and accessibility of digital learning content. Susan’s early career emphasized informal and authentic learning, including the integration of hands-on pedagogies, citizen-science, and distance learning opportunities into science museum experiences with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. Susan is a frequent conference speaker and serves on numerous advisory boards and review committees for organizations focused on educational technology and science education. She holds a B.S. in Geology from Oberlin College and an M.S. in Geosciences from The Pennsylvania State University.
