MEDU100
Assessment for Learning Strategies: Recording Evidence and
Conversing about Learning
This module primarily aims to introduce assessment for learning to participants and to provide brief information about each strategy. It aims to inform participants about techniques that enhance thinking time, stimulate higher order thinking and encourage participation from all the students. It also emphasises on how to develop success criteria and to use reflective practices. This module also aims to inform participants about how to record evidence through the use of portfolios in the classroom. Portfolios give the possibility to document the process of learning over time. The evidence is collected from tasks that stimulate thinking and therefore these need to be well selected and carefully planned. This module also aims to provide comprehensive knowledge about how learners can take a lead role in conferencing and reporting by initiating conversations about learning. These can take the form of student-led conferences and three-way conferences where conversations between the student, their parents and their teacher are held. These approaches give learners an opportunity to share with their parents their growth as a learner. They accept accountability and responsibility for their progress and achievement, and demonstrate a growing understanding of their development as independent learners.
By the end of this programme, participants should be able to:
a. Formulate a variety of questions by using open-ended and closed questions in each and every lesson using Bloom’s taxonomy to encourage the learners to come up with their own questions;
b. Carry out classroom techniques to encourage more participation, engagement and thinking;
c. Formulate and write clear success criteria according to ability of learners and by considering the steps needed to show learners what they are meant to be doing and what they have achieved;
d. Provide feedback that contains: evidence on where the pupil is now, a definition of the desired goal; and practical strategies to close the gap;
e. Create a learning environment that incorporates peer learning and collaboration, and embraces conferencing and reporting;
f. Identify methods to enable the coaching and support of learners in the development of self and peer assessment abilities such as the modelling on how to give constructive feedback both verbally and through marking;
g. Ensure that the learner is involved in the assessment process by collecting their own evidence of learning;
h. Evaluate the potential impact of conferencing and reporting on learners’ ability to take responsibility for their own learning;
i. Ensure that proof of learning is shared between the teacher, parent and the learner.
a. Ensure that proof of learning is shared between the teacher, parent and the learner;
b. Identify and describe different techniques that can assist the teacher and the learners in
creating and maximising opportunities to think;
c. Identify ways of how higher order thinking can be implemented in the classroom;
d. Identify the benefits of sharing success criteria with learners so that learners know what they are meant to be doing and what they have achieved, by evaluating the impact on learning;
e. Define how self and peer assessment can enhance higher order learning;
f. Identify how self and peer assessment can enable learners to be more focused and motivated in their work, improve their self-esteem and create a positive learning culture;
g. Identify the difference between oral and written feedback;
h. Describe how high quality formative feedback can impact on pupils’ learning;
i. Identify the different ways how to offer and receive feedback;
j. Identify the different ways through which portfolios can impact on pupils’ learning;
k. Define the active role of conferencing and reporting in the learning process, and how it can bring parents, teachers and learners together;
l. Identify the different ways through which conferencing and reporting may be used.
a. Prepare and pose questions that enable the teacher to collect evidence of the students’ learning gaps;
b. Co-construct success criteria together with learners;
c. Use success criteria to enable quality feedback and self and peer-assessment;
d. Demonstrate the steps needed to implement high quality formative feedback and self and peer-assessment;
e. List the various ways of how records in the portfolio can be kept;
f. Design a plan of action of how portfolios can be implemented in the classroom;
g. Distinguish between different forms of conferencing and how these may be used by the learners to collect their own evidence of the learning;
h. Discuss the purpose of utilising conferencing and reporting and outline a plan of action of how these can be implemented in the classroom.
This programme adopts continuous and summative methods of assessment including assignments, online tasks, reflective journals, projects and video presentations. For further details, kindly refer to the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Policy and Procedures.
1. Assessment Reform Group (2002) Assessment for Learning: 10 principles, available at http://arg.educ.cam.ac.uk
2. Black, P. and Wiliam, D. (2001) Inside the Black Box; Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment, King’s College: London School of Education.
3. Black, P., Harrison, C., Lee, C., Marshall, B., and Wiliam, D. (2002) Working inside the black box: Assessment for learning in the classroom, London: GL Assessment.
4. Clarke, S. (2001) Unlocking formative assessment: Practical strategies for enhancing pupils’ learning in the primary classroom, London: Hodder and Stoughton.
5. Clarke, S. (2005) Formative Assessment in Action: weaving the elements together, London : Hodder Murray.
6. Drummond, T. (2013) Learning Stories Examples, available at http://tomdrummond.com/learning-story-examples
7. Hatherly A. & Sands L. (2002) ‘So what is different about Learning Stories?’ The First Years: Nga Tau Tuatahi New Zealand Journal of Infant and Toddler Education Vol 4 (1) pp 8-12.
8. PMB (2007) Assessment for Learning for Key Stages 1 & 2, Belfast: CCEA.
9. Shepard, Lorrie A. (2000). The Role of Assessment in a Learning Culture. Presidential Address presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association. New Orleans, LA. April 26, 2000.
10. Stiggins, R. J. (1998). Classroom Assessment for Student Success. Washington, DC: National Education Association.
11. Wiggins, G. (1989). A True Test: Toward More Authentic and Equitable Assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, May 1989, pp. 703-713.
12. Wiggins, G. (1990). The Case for Authentic Assessment. Practical Assessment, Research and Evaluation 2(2).
13. Witherell C. & Noddings N. (1991) Stories lives tell: Narrative and dialogue in education, New York Teachers College press.
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