Transcript Document

Exploring Formative Assessment –
Assessment for Learning
Online Presentation
You can use this presentation to:
•
Update, review and/or reflect on the formative assessment
practices in your classroom or school
•
Use as a resource for exploring professional development in
formative assessment.
•
Support Assess to Learn in-depth programmes in schools.
What do we want for our students?
‘We all want students who have high expectations of
themselves as learners; students who feel confident
about their capacity to learn, who set high goals for
their learning, and who work for themselves to
construct enjoyable, challenging learning pathways
to their futures’
(Absolum, 2006)
The word ‘assess’
Comes from the Latin verb ‘assidere’ meaning
‘to sit with’. In assessment, one should sit with
the learner. This implies it is something we do
with and for students and not to students
(Green, 1998)
How do you see assessment?
Activity:
Use the listed terms as a starting
point to develop a representation
(model, mind-map, concept map)
of how you see the relationship
between summative and
formative assessment.
This may form the basis for
professional discussion in your
learning community.
Assessment point/task
After learning
During learning
Feedback
Feed-forward
Learning continuum
Of learning
For learning
Looks back
Looks forward
Review/reflect
Improve/enhance
What are summative and formative
assessment?
The garden analogy
If we think of our children as plants …
Summative assessment of the plants is the process of simply
measuring them. It might be interesting to compare and analyse
measurements but, in themselves, these do not affect the growth of
the plants.
Formative assessment, on the other hand, is the equivalent of
feeding and watering the plants appropriate to their needs - directly
affecting their growth.
Formative and summative assessment
An easy distinction between formative and summative assessment:
Formative assessment is assessment for learning. Its focus is on
future achievement.
Summative assessment is assessment of learning. It assesses what
has been learnt in the past.
However, formative and summative assessment are interconnected.
They seldom stand alone in construction or effect.
‘Using the terms ‘formative’ and ‘summative’ assessment can give the
impression that these are different kinds of assessment or are linked to
different methods of gathering evidence. This is not the case; what
matters is how the evidence is used.’ (Harlen, 2006)
Useful quotes
‘Formative assessment uses evidence about achievement to
adapt instruction to meet learner needs.’ (Wiliam, 2008)
Assessment for the purpose of improving student learning is
best understood as an ongoing process that arises out of the
interaction between teaching and learning. (NZC, 2007)
‘Formative assessment is a planned process in which
teachers or students use assessment-based evidence to
adjust what they’re currently doing.’ (Popham, 2008)
‘Students who have well developed assessment capabilities
are able and motivated to access, interpret, and use
information from quality assessment in ways that affirm or
further their learning.’ (Directions for Assessment in New
Zealand, 2009)
What does the research say?
In 1998 Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam of Kings College, London
published their wide-ranging analysis of research into classroom-based
assessment:
Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards through Classroom
Assessment
The article concludes with: “There is a body of firm evidence that
formative assessment is an essential feature of classroom work and
that development of it can raise standards. We know of no other way of
raising standards for which such a strong prima facie case can be made
on the basis of evidence of such large learning gains.”
For the full text of the article, click here
To access video clips of Dylan Wiliam speaking about formative
assessment, click here
The Black Box: findings
Black and Wiliam’s research indicates that improving learning through
assessment depends on five deceptively simple factors:
1. Providing effective feedback to students.
2. Students’ active involvement in their own learning.
3. Adjusting teaching to take account of the results of
assessment.
4. Recognising the profound influence of assessment on
students’ motivation and self-esteem - both crucial influences
on learning.
5. Ensuring pupils assess themselves and understand how to
improve.
In summary …
The findings of Black & Wiliam indicate that the most
significant learning gains occur when teachers and
students work collaboratively to address learning needs.
To maximise achievement, it is critical that assessment
information is used with students so that they
understand and have a sense of ownership of their
learning.
Implications for classroom practice
- not a comprehensive list
• Being confident that every student can improve.
• Creating a learning environment which supports a partnership
between teacher and students.
• Using assessment to inform teaching and learning
• Sharing assessment results with students and constructing clear
and accessible learning goals with them
• Clarifying or co-constructing learning outcomes and ensuring that
students understand them
• Involving students in self and peer assessment and giving them
opportunities to reflect on their learning.
• Providing feedback that helps students recognise their next steps
and how to take them.
Self-evaluation
Rate yourself from: 5 – I do this consistently well to: 0 – I don’t do this at all
•
Do you have confidence that every student in your class can improve?
•
How well do you:
– Create a learning environment in your classroom?
– Share achievement information with students and co-construct
clear learning goals with them?
– Use assessment information to feed back into teaching?
– Clarify learning outcomes with students?
– Involve students in self and peer assessment?
– Provide timely focused feedback?
•
What evidence do you have for your self evaluation?
Further reading to support self-evaluation
Changing Assessment Practice: Process, Principles and Standards
written by the Assessment Reform Group in the UK, 2008, includes
standards which describe quality assessment practice for educators
at various levels within the education community.
Find the article by clicking here.
•
Page 20 – Standards for Classroom Practice
•
Page 21 – Standards for use by School Management Teams
Assessment references
Absolum, M., Flockton, L., Hattie, J., Hipkins, R., &Reid, I. (2009) Directions for
Assessment in New Zealand.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/assessment/research/mainpage/directions/
Absolum, M. (2006). Clarity in the Classroom. Auckland: Hodder
Black, P. J., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in
Education: Principles, Policy and Practice, 5 (1), 7–74.
Clarke, S. (2001). Unlocking formative assessment: Practical strategies for enhancing
pupils’ learning in the primary classroom. London: Hodder and Stoughton.
Clarke, S., Timperley, H., & Hattie, J. (2003). Unlocking formative assessment:
Practical strategies for enhancing pupils’ learning in the primary and intermediate
classroom (New Zealand ed.). Auckland: Hodder Moa Beckett.
Gipps, C., McCallum, B., & Hargreaves, E. (2000). What makes a good primary school
teacher? London: Routledge Falmer.
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.
Assessment references
Harlen, W. (1998) Classroom assessment: A dimension of purposes and
procedures. In K. Carr (Ed.), SAMEpapers (pp. 75–87). Hamilton, New Zealand:
Centre for Science, Mathematics and Technology Educational Research, University
of Waikato.
Harlen, W. (2006) On the Relationship between Assessment for Formative and
Summative Purposes. In J. Gardner (Ed), Assessment and Learning (p. 104).
London: Sage Publications Ltd
Hattie, J. (1999, August). Influences on student learning. Inaugural lecture:
Professor of Education, University of Auckland.
New Zealand Curriculum On-line: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/
Popham, W.J. (2008). Transformative Assessment (p.7). Virginia, USA: ASCD
Sadler, R. (1989). Formative assessment and the design of instructional systems.
Instructional Science, 18, 119–44.
Wiliam, D (2008, August). When is assessment learning-oriented? A presentation
delivered at 4th Biennial EARLI/Northumbria Assessment Conference, Potsdam,
Germany