Assessment FOR Learning:

Making it work in our classrooms

The Critical Questions

1. What is it that we want all students to learn?

2. How will we know when each student has acquired the learning?

3. How will we respond when a student is not learning?

Assessment OF Learning vs.

Assessment FOR Learning

How will we know when each student has acquired the

learning?

Participant Concerns

• What is the best thing to do when some students have mastered a topic/concept and are ready to move on while others still “don’t get it”?

• How do you grade fairly according to the criteria for each activity and create a rubric of expectations for each activity?

• How do I modify my instruction to meet the needs of all my students?

• ?

1. Participants will be able to implement Assessment FOR Learning strategies in their classrooms.

2. ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Expected Learning Outcomes

In what ways is assessing like gardening?

If we think of our children as plants …

Summative assessment would be simply measuring the plants. It might be interesting to analyze the data, but measuring does not affect the growth of the plants.

Formative assessment, on the other hand, would be monitoring the plants carefully, then feeding and watering them appropriate to their needs - directly affecting their growth.

Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand, http://www.tki.org.nz

“assess”

comes from the Latin verb assidere, meaning ‘to sit by’.

In assessment one is supposed to sit with the learner. This implies it is something we do with and for students and not to students (Green, 1998)

Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand, http://www.tki.org.nz

Self-assessment:

What is my current level of practice in assessing FOR learning?

What research tells us about Assessment FOR Learning:

1. Set clear but flexible learning objectives.

2. Give students a chance to personalize learning goals.

3. Provide exemplars and set criteria for success.

4. Build in informal assessment throughout the lesson.

5. Provide effective, timely feedback.

6. Teach students to assess their own learning.

The importance of feedback

John Hattie (1992) made the following comment after analyzing almost 8,000 studies:

The most powerful single modification that enhances achievement is feedback. The simplest prescription for improving education must be “dollops of feedback.”

Our paradigm shiftsFROM a teacher who…

• acts as an instructor/ teller/deliverer

• monitors/manages

• remains a bystander/observer/ cheerleader

• helps “as needed” in the classroom

TO a teacher who…

• acts as a leader of learners

• teaches to set the stage for thoughtful learning

• systematically and strategically leans in to confer (assess the learning) with individuals and small groups

• makes a move to coach or teach

Planning next steps:

Select three Assessment FOR Learning practices that you would like to implement or enhance in your classroom.

Take a few minutes to plan specific steps you might take, and how you will know the implementation has been successful.

References

Assessment Reform Group (ARG) (2002). Assessment for learning: Research-based principles to guide classroom practice. (accessed at http://arg.educ.cam.ac.uk/ )

Black, P. & Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the black box: Raising standards through classroom assessment. Phi Delta Kappan. 80(2), 139-148.

Hattie, J.A. (1992). Measuring the effects of schooling. Australian Journal of Education, 36(1), 5-13.

ReferencesStiggins, R.J. (1999). Evaluating classroom

assessment training in teacher education. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice. 18 (1), 23-27.

Green, J. M. (1998, February). Constructing the way forward for all students. A speech delivered at “Innovations for Effective Schools” OECD/New Zealand joint follow-up conference, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand (2000). Te Kete Ipurangi: The Online Learning Centre (website accessed at http://www.tki.org.nz/r/assessment/ )