Making sense of Assessment for Learning

Ann Madgwick & Jo Walls 29 June 2007

Objectives

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To identify the key purposes for which we assess learners and learning Why?

To understand the value of formative assessment

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To ensure a shared understanding of the terms used to describe different forms of assessment

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To identify a range of ways of introducing

Rationale: why Assessment ‘for Learning’?

“Assessment should be a powerful tool for learning, not merely a political solution to perceived problems over standards and accountability” ( ATL, Doing our Level Best, 1996 )

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Summative Assessment is important……

External examinations at KS3 and KS4 Teacher assessment levels at KS3 and KS4 “Optional” tests Examination coursework Commercial tests Tests created by a department to assess the learning of students Closed questioning in the classroom testing knowledge Grades given at the end of a significant piece of work to judge if learning has taken place.

Teacher grades given at data collection periods.

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……Will measure attainment but is not in itself intended to enable further achievement.

…….Summative assessment data CAN be used in a formative way.

…..AfL can help! What research tells us

 AfL raises standards (1-2 grades at GCSE)

(Black & William 2000) Input: Pupils (prior attainment) “If students don’t learn the way we teach, perhaps we should teach the way they learn” (Eppig 1981)

Assessment for Learning: Definitions

Jargon - busting

 Diagnostic assessment  Assessment of learner’s attainment  Summative assessment     Formative assessment Norm referenced Criteria referenced Ipsative      Pupil performance is compared to a set of pre-determined criteria.

Present pupil performance is compared to past performance Initial assessment which identify’s learners needs and abilities Assessment for learning – checking of individual progress accompanied by feedback Pupil performance is compared to peers’

Classifying assessment

Terminal Formal External

Formative Norm referenced Diagnostic Summative Ipsative Criterion referenced

Continuous Informal Internal

Assessment for Learning……..

… “is a process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go, and how best to get there.” (Assessment Reform Group 2002)

Four key aspects of AfL

Eliciting information Appropriate feedback

The active involvement of pupils

Peer and self understand what is assessment required of them www.qca.org.uk

Assessment for Learning: Practical Strategies

AfL Strategies - Eliciting information

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Brainstorming what students know already

 at start of topic / unit    What we already know What we want to find out What we’ve learned

AfL Strategies - Eliciting information (Questioning)

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Improving teacher questioning

    Closed v open Low order v high order No hands up Increased wait time   Talking partners / groups Hot seating

What research tells us feedback

“If you are going to grade or mark a piece of work, you are wasting your time writing careful diagnostic comments” William, 1999 Given comments only Given grades only Given grades and comments Performance improved by 33% Performance declined slightly * Performance declined significantly * In the case of low achievers, performance was undermined by grading with or without comments.

Butler, 1998

AfL Strategies - feedback “It’s neat and you’ve written a lot and it’s coloured in nicely” “You’ve not underlined the title”

 Comment – only marking  Focused marking  Explicit reference to success criteria  Suggestions on how to improve

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Feedback contributes to Assessment for Learning only if the information fed back to the learner is actually used improvements…… by the learner in making

AfL Strategies – Ensuring Learners understand what is required of them

Research shows that pupils are motivated and task-orientated if they know the learning intentions and are also able to make better decisions about how to undertake the task. Briefing on AfL 2003       Explaining learning objectives at start of lesson / unit Success criteria for tasks Expressing objectives and success criteria in students’ language Key word displays Planning / writing frames Modelling / exemplars

AfL Strategies – Peer and Self Assessment

 Students’ assessing their own / peers work    With marking schemes With success criteria With grade / level descriptors in pupil language  During tasks as well as after completion  Identifying areas of good practice and areas for improvement  Self-assessment of confidence and uncertainty  Traffic lights

Conclusions / Ways Forward

Effective assessment for learning should…….

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Be part of effective planning and teaching.

Focus on how students learn.

Be recognised as central to classroom practice.

Be regarded as a crucial skill for teachers.

Be sensitive and constructive (because any assessment has an emotional impact) Take account of the importance of learner motivation.

Promote commitment to learning goals and a shared understanding of how they are assessed.

Give learners constructive guidance about how to improve.

Develop students’ capacity for self-assessment so that they can become reflective and independent learners.

Recognise the full range of achievements of all learners.

Further information

     Formative Assessment in Action: Weaving the Elements Together.

 Clarke, S (2005). Hodder Murray.

Formative Assessment in the Secondary Classroom.

 Clarke, S (2005). Hodder Murray.

Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment.

 Black, P & William, D (1998). London: King’s School of Education.

Learning to Learn.

 www.learntolearn.ac.uk

QCA  www.qca.org.uk