Target Levels

An essential feature of the Learning Progression Model is the use of “target levels.” A target level is the benchmark that students are expected to reach by the end of the unit, usually identified as a specific step on the rubric. In addition to breaking complex skills into manageable chunks, target levels are an effective and flexible way to address differences in students’ rates of learning.

One of the most important aspects of the LPM is the notion of “growth over time”.

Progress simply means moving forward towards a destination. Like the tortoise and the hare, consistent and incremental motion will get you there as surely (or perhaps more so) than a rapid yet erratic approach. We want to encourage progress, or consistent, forward movement. Breaking down long-term goals into smaller, achievable steps is an effective way to guide students towards progress and growth over time (Schmeichel & Zell, 2007; Seifert & Sutton, 2009).  Therefore, we respectfully ask students to push one additional step forward at a time, without worrying about a deadline or comparing to other students. Using target levels, we can easily tailor it to the type of course as well as the individual needs.

What about the speed at which students acquire a particular skill?

Just as children vary in the timing and speed of their developmental milestones, students also progress through stages of learning at different rates.  This depends on a variety of factors such as prior knowledge, motivation, and learning style (Alexander, Schallert, & Hare, 1991). Some may move quickly through Beginning and Developing stages but experience a plateau before making a sudden breakthrough, while others may progress more gradually or experience setbacks before reaching the same level of proficiency (Dweck, 2006). By acknowledging and accommodating these differences in learning rates, we can create a more inclusive and effective learning environment that supports all students’ needs.

"By acknowledging and accommodating these differences in learning rates, we can create a more inclusive and effective learning environment that supports all students' needs." Elise Naramore of ReimaginedSchools.com

Two methods for planning learning targets

There are two methods: forwards planning and backwards planning.

With forwards planning, you start by assuming the students come into class already able to do certain skills easily. For myself, I think that students have all skills at the Beginning level. Then I decide how many Learning Progressions they can assimilate at one time.  The assumption is that the “higher” the class level, the more they are expected to be able to manage in terms of pace and sophistication of ideas.

Then I fill in the target levels for each unit, given the number of days I have with them and the amount of practice they will be able to do. For example, I can do a lab nearly every week, which enables me to progress consistently on the lab skills. However, we only do 1 project each unit, so they have much less practice on those skills. They will not be able to progress as rapidly or as far on those 2 practices. To give you a specific example, it is now March. Students are working on Proficient levels on all of the lab and checkpoint (quiz/test) practices, but still on Developing level for the two practices we assess using projects.

Backwards planning means you have a clear destination in mind by the end of the year. Before the start of the year, you would identify your goals for the class, and set targets for each learning progression for each unit, with a goal of getting all students to some estimated level of performance by the end of the year. For example, I envision that AP Physics should be working mostly at Expert levels, Honors Physics should master Advanced levels, regular (college prep) Physics should master Proficient levels, Conceptual Physics the Developing levels.

“Mastering” any particular level means, to me, comfortably achieving that level consistently and independently. Ideally, that leaves them practicing at the next level. For example, if students have mastered Proficient levels, then they should be attempting Advanced levels in one or more practices. The intent is that they are comfortably grounded in the foundations, and feel free to challenge themselves.

Setting Target Levels

No matter whether using forwards or backwards planning (or a combination), for each class, I lay out a path that will bring students to success in the 10 practices. The table below shows how I did it:  I wrote out the 10 practices across the top.  The units are down the left. The achievement levels required for success greatly depends on how much time it will take for that class to master the skills at each subsequent level. You can only push so hard… students need time to assimilate new skills before building on them. 

Whatever the final target levels are, the end-of-year goal that I set would earn them an A. Assuming that they are coming in with all skills at Beginning level, I decide how many Learning Progressions they can assimilate at one time.  The assumption is that the “higher” the class level, the more they are expected to be able to manage in terms of pace and sophistication of ideas. Then I fill in the target levels for each unit.

For regular Physics, I estimate that I can bring them through the practices in the following way:

Target Level Plan for regular Physics
  • Beg=Beginning
  • Dev=Developing
  • Prof=Proficient
  • Adv=Advanced
  • Exp=Expert

In the class shown in the table, I am showing the progress of an “ideal student” who is steadily working to achieve mastery in Physics.  If they meet the target levels in each unit over the course of the year, they will have had an A all year. But regardless of their personal path, if by the end of the year they acquire the 7 Proficients and 3 Advanced, that will earn them an A.

I think of this table as my own planning map, and I try not to overwhelm students with too much to focus on at once. In each unit, they maintain and solidify their progress in some practices, and push themselves to grow in others. The highlighted boxes show the practices that I am planning to teach to the whole class.

  • In Unit 1, they will work on Arguing a Claim, Creating Explanations, and Problem Solving at the Developing level.
  • In Unit 2, they will work on bringing Experimental Design, Data Analysis, and Graph Creation to Developing levels.
  • This continues in each unit, moving students up through subsequent levels on several practices, while maintaining the others.

It is important to note that it is much easier to move from Beginning to Developing than from Proficient to Advanced. (I talked about this in some detail in this blog about the design of the Learning Progression.) Also notice how much more time I allot for students to practice at the Proficient level before moving on to Advanced later in the year.

Even so, not all students will keep up. It isn’t reasonable to think that all students will be able to or will even want to do what is required to earn an A! Some students just have other priorities, and that’s completely understandable. But they can, if they are willing to do the practice and able to meet the targets for each unit.

Each course has its own unique target level plan.

The learning progressions don’t change from course to course, but the expected levels of performance do. As stated earlier, an Honors class generally moves at a faster pace and does more sophisticated work, at higher levels of thinking. Therefore they move through the target levels more quickly so we can get to those Advanced levels. In addition, due to their exposure to previous Honors courses, they may come in with skills at a Developing level already.

For Honors Physics, I estimate that I can bring them through the practices in the following way:

Target Level Plan for Honors Physics

How do you keep students focused on the assigned target level?

To encourage students to move gradually from one level to another, we literally block out higher levels of achievement earlier in the year. Instead of presenting students with the entire learning progression for Creating Explanations, we might show them only Not Enough Evidence and Beginning in September, as shown here:

We might open up Developing in mid-October:

Proficient might be revealed in December, if the class is ready:

In some courses, we might never open up Advanced for the class, although certain individuals who may be ready can be coached to do that. We will talk more about that a little later.

Why not just show students Expert level from September?

Breaking down learning into smaller, manageable chunks can reduce cognitive load and improve learning outcomes. In their book “Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning,” Brown, Roediger, and McDaniel (2014) argue that spaced repetition, interleaving, and retrieval practice are effective techniques for improving long-term retention of new skills and knowledge. These techniques involve breaking learning down into smaller, discrete chunks, and giving students time to assimilate new skills before moving on to more complexity.

We think of each target level as a stepping stone, and a jumping off point for the next level. If the student is fully grounded in Beginning level skills, then they are ready to work on the Developing level skills. By keeping each step attainable, educators can help reduce student anxiety and stress while promoting consistent forward movement.

What happens if individual students don’t meet a target level by the end of the unit?

The answer is simply “Nothing.” Because when someone asks that question, they mean “what happens to my grade?” Of course, if a student misses a target level, we are going to have a conversation, especially if they are frustrated, confused, or concerned about why they are struggling. Sometimes it’s a simple oversight, but other times we need to meet regularly to do some extra practice sessions. Students continue to practice throughout the next unit, and we will reassess that same skill between 5 and 8 weeks later, depending on the unit’s length. The new score REPLACES the earlier one, so all they have to do is continue progressing, step-by-incremental-step.

What happens if the whole class is not ready to progress as planned? 

That has happened, many times! The plan is just that… a plan. Teachers change their plans all the time to adapt to the needs of the class. Earlier this year, I had set the Unit 2 target levels at Developing on 9 of the practices, as shown in the middle column in the table below. When I examined the class results at the end of the unit, their performance on Arguing a Claim, Interpreting Graphs, Engaging with Content, and Engineering Design Cycle were significantly below expectations. So what were my choices? I could either reset my targets or plow ahead and attempt to build on a shaky foundation. The latter will cause anxiety, stress, and poor outcomes (for students and for me!) I chose to reset the Target Levels for Unit 3 from Proficient to Developing, as shown in rows 3, 7, 9  and 10 of column 3 of the table.

Setting Targets Unit 2 to 3

During Unit 3, I made sure to include a lot more overt practice on those areas where most of the class needed reinforcement. This targeted approach ensures that each student reaches their potential in physics and allows me to adjust to the class’s needs, always pushing them but also responding to the messages they are sending me. 

Another example from this year is in the Honors class. In Unit 3, my original plan called for maintaining Developing level on Experimental Design (LP1) and moving up to Proficient level with Engineering Design. However, I reversed that because most kids were already working at Proficient level for LP1, but still struggling to earn Developing on Engineering Design. Being responsive to the class results will allow you to keep them moving forward, with the appropriate support.

Individual vs. Class Targets

In the first half of the year, I primarily focus on providing whole-class feedback and targets. According to research by Hattie (2009), providing timely and specific feedback is one of the most effective strategies for improving student performance. 

This establishes a strong foundation of knowledge and skills, and brings all students to at least the Developing level. At the same time, I work with students who have met the targets individually, helping them progress to the next level as soon as they are ready.

This usually means offering them feedback tailored to that student’s needs. For example, Callie may have demonstrated Developing level and is ready to be shown things to add to get to Proficient level. But Anthony may be at the Beginning level and needs to be shown the one missing thing he needs to get to Developing level. Differentiation is very manageable when using target levels.

During the second semester, I tend to shift my tactics to build on the foundation laid in the first half of the year. By this point, most, if not all, students have reached the Developing level or higher, and it is appropriate to move toward more individualized instruction. Rather than expecting all students to achieve the same level of mastery, I recognize that learning is a process that unfolds at different rates for different individuals. As such, I set class targets that are ambitious yet realistic, and allow each student to progress at their own pace.  While I continue to use class-wide results to inform my teaching, I also provide more targeted feedback to individual students, helping them to overcome specific challenges and advance their understanding.

Translating Scores into Grades

Target levels also make translating scores into grades a breeze! Ideally, we would not have to give grades at all. However, many teachers using ungraded approaches must work within a traditional grades system. We certainly do. Whether required to enter a grade every week or every unit or every semester, unless you are fortunate enough to work in an ungraded school district, at some point you need to assign a grade. Target levels enable you to do this, easily. If students meet the target levels for each unit, they have earned an A, and it scales down from there. (See my blog post on grade translations for details.)

I am confident that by the end of the year, students in regular physics will have had enough time and support to achieve the proficient level in all standards. In honors physics, most students typically reach advanced level in all standards. That is the finish line! By way of analogy, I see my role as that of a cross-country coach who helps each athlete to reach their full potential.  By providing support and encouragement, I strive to ensure that every student has the opportunity to fully develop their skills and knowledge.

Realistically, however, some runners may fall behind early on, while others may surge ahead. I recognize that factors beyond my control, such as student motivation and maturity, can influence the outcomes of the race.  Some may choose not to do what is needed, skipping practice and ignoring coaching. All I can do is provide encouragement and support; I want them to reach their goals, but I cannot force them to. They have agency, and they do need to acknowledge their choices. 

Empowering Students to Succeed

As I continue to explore and refine my use of the Learning Progression Model, incorporating target levels into the curriculum has proved to be a valuable tool that enhances student learning and promotes academic growth. It allows for clear communication, focuses on incremental improvement, and reduces stress and anxiety for students. By setting challenging yet achievable goals, providing timely feedback, and addressing individual needs, teachers can help each student reach their potential. However, the use of target levels also raises some questions for further consideration. For example, what are some effective strategies for motivating students who struggle to reach their target levels? How can I ensure that the class as a whole is progressing at the intended pace? 

How have you balanced the need for individualized instruction with the demands of teaching a larger class? What tips do you have for managing both? Please share in the comments below!

"Incorporating target levels into the curriculum has proved to be a valuable tool that enhances student learning and promotes academic growth." Elise Naramore of ReimaginedSchools.com

References:

Alexander, P. A., Schallert, D. L., & Hare, V. C. (1991). Coming to terms: How researchers in learning and literacy talk about knowledge. Review of Educational Research, 61(3), 315-343.
Brown, P. C., Roediger, H. L., III, & McDaniel, M. A. (2014). Make it stick: The science of successful learning. Harvard University Press.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.
Hattie, J. (2009). Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement. Routledge.
Schmeichel, B. J., & Zell, A. (2007). Trait self-control predicts performance on behavioral tests of self-control. Journal of Personality, 75(4), 743-755.