Transcript Slide 1

Assessment For Learning
• The everyday reality of
making it work in Science
David Tuffin: [email protected]
Paul Spenceley: [email protected]
What is AFL?
Assessment is formative
when the evidence gained is
actually used to adapt the
teaching to meet the needs
of the students.
(P. Black and D. Wiliam)
Possible areas of focus
• Comment only marking
• Improving verbal questioning
• Peer/Self-assessment
• Formative use of summative tests
What makes questioning
‘formative’?
• Increase “Wait times”.
• Thought-provoking questions
to create discussions.
• Make use of wrong answers to
discover misconceptions.
• Involve more students by
passing answers on to another
student.
• A positive atmosphere where
‘being wrong’ is only a way
forward.
What is a good
formative question?
• What are the ends of a
magnet called?
• What does chlorophyll
do?
• Steven said “Atoms or
molecules”. Which one
of these is correct?
• What would happen if
we cut a magnet in
half?
• What would a world
without chlorophyll be
like?
• Explain if it matters
when Steven uses
either “atom” or
“molecule” in his
answer.
How can I use self and
peer assessment?
• Traffic lights.
• Marking to
criteria – their
own or another
student’s
work.
• Formative use
of summative
tests
Comment only
marking is not…
• Just ‘leaving off’
the marks or
effort grades.
• An excuse to not
have to keep a
mark book!
• A lot more work –
although it may
take some
getting used to.
Can tests be part of self
assessment?
• Self assessed
revision for tests.
• Self assessed
appraisal of tests.
• Formative marking
of tests.
• Planning
improvements.
Yes, but is it worth it?
• Kings College project tested in OUR
school over 3 years.
• Formative assessment groups had 0.37
affect size over control groups.
• Over ½ SATS level or ½ GCSE grade!
• Think of the effect on the C/Ds, 4/5s or
even A/A*.
How do I start?
• Start small – a single group, a few techniques.
• Work with a partner to share ideas/compare
outcomes
• Be willing to change and adapt.
• Be prepared to sacrifice quality for quantity.
• Expect a change in the learning atmosphere.
• Develop a joint responsibility for learning.
Dissemination to Department
 Overcoming the ”Not
another initiative”
misconception
 Observation
 Evaluation of current
good practice.
 Identification of areas in
need of development.
Making it work
Persuasion?
Coercion?
• In most cases,
persuasion
works best.
I’m going to use hypnosis to help you confront
repressed traumatic memories of your last AFL INSET.
It must be more work
• FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT DOES NOT
MEAN MORE WORK!!!!!
• Plan what students need to learn, NOT
what you want to teach.
• Comment on what students need to know
NOT what you want to say.
• Assessment for students benefit too,
NOT just for teachers.
Creating an AFL department
• Use key staff members (young, enthusiastic, good
communicators)
• Drip-feed good ideas into casual conversation
• Initiate “AFL good practice” sessions into department
meetings
• Make AFL a routine part of dept. work
• Culture of observation
• Build AFL into schemes of work and lesson plans
• Include AFL in assessment policy
The end