Transcript Children’s Learning and Development. Contemporary

How to assess: Uses and
purposes of current
assessment tools
© McLachlan, Edwards, Margrain & McLean 2013
Fit for purpose assessment tools
• Roskos (2004) argues that assessment should be thoughtful,
sensible and good – based on evidence over time ‘to see’ emerging
skills and forming concepts, as children are often unable to talk
about or write about what they know.
• Without a coordinated system of information gathering, assessment
becomes fragmented and difficult to use.
• The notion of triangulation in qualitative research for cross checking
sources of information is crucial for ensuring that a wide range of
information is analysed and interpreted.
• Triangulation means gathering three or more different types of
information so that any assumptions about a child’s learning can be
cross checked.
NAEYC (2003) position statement
on ‘fit for purpose’ assessment
• Ethical principles guide assessment practices
• Assessment instruments are used for their intended purposes
• Assessments are appropriate for ages and other characteristics of children
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being assessed
Assessment instruments are in compliance with professional criteria for
quality
What is assessed is developmentally and educationally significant
Assessment evidence is used to understand and improve learning
Assessment evidence is gathered from realistic settings and situations that
reflect children’s actual performance
Assessments use multiple sources of evidence gathered over time
Screening is always linked to follow-up
Use of individually administered, norm-referenced tests is limited
Staff and families are knowledgeable about assessment
Assessment tools in
New Zealand
• The notion of ‘noticing, recognising and responding’ underpins
the early childhood assessment exemplars, Kei tua o te pae
(Ministry of Education, 2005, 2009)
• It is argued that as teachers work with children they notice a
great deal, recognise what they notice as learning, and respond to
some of what they recognise
• Drummond’s (1993) definition of assessment is used for shaping
the ways in which early childhood educators are encouraged to
assess children’s learning:
(the) ways in which, in our everyday practice, we (children, families, teachers, and
others) observe children’s learning (notice), strive to understand it (recognise) and
then put our understanding to good use (respond) (cited in Ministry of Education,
2005, p. 6)
Assessment in ECE vs primary
• Learning stories (Carr 2001) are the most common
method of assessment in ECE, although the
effectiveness of their use is problematic (see ERO 2007)
• In primary, School Entry Assessment (SEA) is used by
some schools
• The Ministry of Education provides a rich resource of
tools for primary (see http://toolselector.tki.org.nz/)
• Formal assessment of children only begins at six years
of age, when National Standards assessment starts
Assessment tools in Australia
The Early Years Learning Framework curriculum document (DEEWR
2009) includes a section specifically on ‘Assessment for Learning’ (pp. 18–
19) which describes assessment as an on-going collaborative practice:
Assessment for children’s learning refers to the process of gathering and analysing information
as evidence about what children know, can do and understand. It is part of an ongoing cycle that
includes planning, documenting and evaluating children’s learning. It is important because it
enables educators in partnership with families, children and other professionals to:
• plan effectively for children’s current and future learning,
• communicate about children’s learning and progress,
• determine the extent to which all children are progressing toward realising learning outcomes
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and if not, what might be impeding their progress,
identify children who may need additional support in order to achieve particular learning
outcomes, providing that support or assisting families to access specialist help,
evaluate the effectiveness of learning opportunities, environments and experiences offered and
the approaches taken to enable children’s learning, and
reflect on pedagogy that will suit this context and these children.
Assessment in ECE vs primary
• The primary source of information on assessment in ECE is the Early Years
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Learning Framework (DEEWR 2009) and its interpretations in different
states
A primary source for information about assessment in Australian primary
schools, from foundation year to year 10 is ACARA (2012) – the Australian
Curriculum and Reporting Authority website (see
www.australiancurriculum.edu.au)
• Teachers are encouraged to use the Australian Curriculum content and
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achievement standards first to identify current levels of learning and achievement
and then to select the most appropriate content to teach individual students and/or
groups of students
This is said to take into account that in each class there will be students with
above and below expected year level achievement and that teachers need to plan
to build on children’s current levels of learning, rather than simply teaching to
year level
Assessing achievement in the
Australian curriculum
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According to ACARA, assessment of the Australian Curriculum takes place in different levels and
for different purposes, including:
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ongoing formative assessment within classrooms for the purposes of monitoring learning and
providing feedback, to teachers to inform their teaching, and for students to inform their
learning
• summative assessment for the purposes of twice-yearly reporting by schools to parents and
carers on the progress and achievement of students
• Annual testing of Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 students’ levels of achievement in aspects of literacy and
numeracy, conducted as part of the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy
(NAPLAN)
• periodic sample testing of specific learning areas within the Australian Curriculum as part of
the National Assessment Program (NAP)
The National Assessment Program includes NAPLAN, the national assessment of literacy and
numeracy at years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It is not a test of content. Instead, it tests skills in literacy and
numeracy that are developed over time through the school curriculum, so excessive test preparation
using previous tests is not advised as being useful.
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Examples of the tests are available at www.nap.edu.au/NAPLAN/The_tests/index.html
Moving beyond observation in ECE
• There are groups of children who need special attention when it comes to
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assessment, particularly those who are learning in more than one language
Observation is not the only method that can be used for assessing children in
early childhood
• For many children, especially those with particular or special learning needs,
teachers will need to use a range of assessment tools and strategies to gain a
complete picture of the child’s learning
• McCaffrey et al. (2006) and May (2007) found that a whole school focus on
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effective teaching and assessment strategies to support learning in more than
one language was required
Espinosa (2005) argues that a robust assessment system is needed when
teachers are dealing with children who are culturally and linguistically
diverse
• She cautions against the use of standardised assessments, but proposes that
assessment should improve instruction and improve learning, identify children
who need specialist help, and enable evaluation and decision making about
programmes
When to use assessment
• McMillan (2007) argues that to promote learning best, assessment
needs to occur before, during and after new learning is introduced
• Brookhart (2008) goes further, suggesting a range of types of
assessment that teachers could use before, during and after new
learning is introduced to children
• Bagnato (2007) suggests that assessment should occur at major
points of transition, such as when children start school. He argues
any assessment should include a comprehensive assessment of
developmental functioning and family contextual factors, as well as
the competencies that predict early school success, such as basic
academic skills, social and self-regulatory skills and approaches to
learning
Long, medium and short term
planning for assessment
• Long term planning for assessment looks at procedures for the whole
group of children and usually over a whole year; it will include the
annual review of procedures, methods, topics studied and the use of
resources utilised for tracking children’s progress
• Medium term planning bridges the gap between long and short term
planning and involves reflecting every six to eight weeks on whether
your short and long term plans are being achieved and children are
making progress
• Short term planning involves the day to day collection of observations,
sticky notes, photographs and examples of children’s work that are
collected as part of daily activities
• Collectively this information may be used immediately for assessing
‘where to next’ for children’s learning and later used for the more formal
preparation of learning stories or other artefacts for inclusion in a child’s
learning portfolio
Norm referenced, criterion
referenced and ipsative assessment
• Norm referenced assessment is based on comparing the relative
performances of children, by comparison with other children in class
or with performance of children of similar age, experience or
background
• Criterion referenced assessment involves assessment against predetermined criteria, without reference to other children’s
achievement.
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This usually involves checking if children can complete specific activities to a set
minimum standard
• Ipsative assessment involves assessing a child’s performance against
their own performance, checking improvement.
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The benchmark measured is the child's own performance, not the performance of
other people
Feed up, feed forward and feedback
• Feed up: clarify the goal – Establish a clear purpose so children understand
the goal
• Establishing a purpose is also crucial to a feedback system because when teachers
have a clear overall purpose, they can align their various assessments.
• Feed back: respond to student work – Responses should directly relate to
the learning goal
• The best feedback gives children information about their progress toward goals
and suggests actions they can take to get to the expected standard. Ideally,
teachers give feedback as children complete smaller parts of a larger project so
they can use teachers' suggestions to better master content and improve their
performance on the larger project.
• Feed forward: modify instruction – As teachers look at children’s work, they
use what they learn to modify their teaching
• It is particularly useful in early childhood, where teachers are more likely to use
emergent or more spontaneous curriculum planning. It relates to Fleer’s notion of
‘potentive assessment’.
Assessment on the run:
Dynamic assessment
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Observing children through planned and informal activities
Tracking children and activities
Taking photos and other recordings
Talking with children as they play and work, asking and answering questions
Collecting copies of children’s work
Listening to children as they talk, read and sing
Eavesdropping on and watching children at play
Talking with parents about children’s achievements
Getting children to help collect artefacts for their portfolio
Listening to children as they report back to the whole group of children
Talking to children about what you are finding out about their learning
Key terms
• Fit for purpose assessment – using the right assessment tool to assess
children’s learning
• Formative assessment - used to provide feedback to students and
teachers to promote further learning
• Summative assessment - contributes to the judgement of student
learning for reporting and certification purposes
• Norm referenced assessment - assessment that is based on comparing
the relative performances of children
• Criterion referenced assessment - involves assessment against pre-
determined criteria, without reference to other children’s achievement
• Ipsative assessment - involves assessing a child’s performance against
their own earlier performance, with a view to determining whether any
improvement has been made