The Relationship of Assessment to Teaching and Learning

The Relationship of Assessment to Teaching and Learning

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The relationship of assessment to teaching and learning

Assessment Image jpgAs a pre-service teacher, I believe that when developing a professional teacher assessment identity, a teacher should use a blend of theory and practicum experience, drawing on discussion with mentor teachers and supervisors, and reflectingon assessment practices. Put simply, self-talk, talking with others, and subsequent actions. I believe that every teacher has a responsibility to develop assessment knowledge and skills and impart assessment skills to their students, as well as considerthe ethical decisions and values behind assessment strategies. It is also clear that assessment design and a teacher’s self-perception are intrinsically linked and are likely to continue to change and develop over time (Waring, 2015).

I believe learning is most effective when assessment for learning, assessment as learning and assessment of learning is embedded into the teaching and learning cycle as it is the key part of the whole learning process (Readman & Allen, 2013), as explained in more detail in the image from the Victorian Department of Education website. The assessment principles developed by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority [SCASA] were designed to support teachers to understand and practice the 'for', 'as' and 'of' overarching assessment approaches to improve teacher assessment literacy (Gee, 2003) and are in line with the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership [AITSL], 2014, Standard 5: Assess, provide feedback, make judgements, interpret data, and report on student learning. Assessment ‘for’,‘as’ and ‘of’ learning all occur at the classroom level (Victorian Department of Education [VDEO], 2015a).

Assessment for learning and assessment as learning are both formative assessment approaches and are closely aligned(Readman & Allen, 2013). I have considered academic research behind assessment approaches and believe that whilst formative assessment is not used to record and report on student grades,teachers can use the formative assessment approach, drawing conclusions based on lesson observation,to decide how to help and guide learning (Readman & Allen, 2013)and make changes to planned curriculum. In the early part of the period of learning, I have used diagnostic assessmentas an assessment for learning strategy in my micro-teaching and practicum placement to establish strengths and weaknesses of individual students, meet students where they are, and help plan for differentiated instruction(Whitton, Barker, Nosworthy, Humphries Sinclair,2016). Diagnostic assessment has helped me determinestudent prior knowledge and understandings of the topic or concept of the lesson, determine possible misconceptions held by a student, and the reasons why learning outcomes have not been achieved. Learning to differentiate my teaching and assessment to meet the specific learning needs of students has meant that I have had to make adjustments based on a student's ability (School Curriculum and Standards Authority [SCASA ], 2014. For example, during my practicum placement,for one students with limited literacy skills, I read the questions to him so that I could accurately gauge understandings before proceeding with a lesson.

Assessment as learning is also a type of formative assessment, however, it shifts to a more student-centred approach whereby students take an active role in monitoring, assessing, andreflecting on their own learning and progress, helping to assist them in taking ownership of their past, present, and future learning (Readman & Allen, 2013). This may be by way of informal assessment; self-assessment and peer-assessment, or more formally by way of co-assessment whereby students collaborate in determining how the assessment process will be undertaken. Whichever model is used, I believe that students need support to develop personal learning goals that are achievable and focus on the quality of the work. In my practicum placements I have scaffoldedself-assessment questions, or explicitly taught what information students could include in a learning log (VDEO, 2015b). I have also used blank questions during the closure of one lesson to check for understandings before beginning the next lesson of a unit of study. I believe that feedback to students during this period of learning is also important because it provides an opportunity for students to receive positive feedback about work already completed towards a learning goal, as well as constructive advice for improvement(Readman & Allen, 2013).

During my micro-teaching and practicum experience, I have been able to provide feedback to students in a number of waysand at different times during the teaching and learning cycle. For example, when planning how to build a river using milk cartons with a class of Year 2 students, I was able to provide responses to ideas and correct misconceptions during a group brainstorming session while the students were still thinking about the task so that they could act on it immediately. Later during the activity, I used blank questions to help students self-assess decisions and choices that had been made.Some of the formative assessment tools that I have used include day-to-day observation of student engagement and participation, group and individual discussions, checklists, and anecdotal notes.I also believe feedback is a two-way process as feedback from students can help a teacher reflect on a teaching program, evaluate decisions about class groupings, lesson timing, the space required for lessons,and the direction of a lesson as it is being delivered, as well as helping to guide future planning (Whitton et al., 2016).

Assessment of learning is also known as summative assessment and is undertaken after a lesson or unit of inquiry for the purpose of making judgments about a student’s achievement against learning goals and achievement standards, (SCASA, 2014b) sharing with students, and reporting to parents(VDEO, 2015a). Assessment is also undertaken by students at other times throughout the year for certification of schools, education authorities, and government by participation in the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy [NAPLAN], Australian Tertiary Assessment Rank [ATAR], or the Programme for International Student Assessment[PISA](Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority [ACARA], 2016). Assessment of learning is evidence-based and reflects a student's achievement at a particular point in time. It alsoprovides information about the progress students are making in and out of the classroom (Whitton et al., 2016) to a wide range of stakeholders, including the student and parents.This suggests a need for need for planning specific tasks in the classroom that align with learning outcomes and assessment criteria to enable the gathering of valid and reliable evidence.

C Users Home AppData Local Microsoft Windows INetCache Content Word IMG 2424 jpgSome of the summative assessment strategies I have used have included towritten responses, graphic organisers, oral presentations, group tasks, visual presentations and practical tasks (SCASA, 2014). While completing six sessions of micro-teaching, the student was asked to complete a visual representation for assessment of the understanding of the ten times multiplier concept of place value [Figure 2]. This assessment task helped the students to construct their own response to the task rather than simply answer a worksheet of questions; which as characteristic of an authentic

assessment task and the constructive learning process (McDevitt, Ormond, Cupit, Chandler & Aloa, 2013).The assessment task was aligned with the learning objectives of the lesson thereby making it a valid and reliable measurement of student performance, while the hands-on task using pictorial models provided clarity to enhance student engagement (Readman & Allen, 2013)and provided an interesting way to communicate learning.Another assessment strategies I have used have included a written response to a science activity with a cross curricular linkto Year 2 English; creating informative text. In this work sample, although numbers have been used to list a sequence of tasks, and some effective spelling strategies have been used, the tasks were out of order. This provided me with an opportunity to provide feedback to the student about areas of strength and opportunities to show improvement in other written tasks during the unit of inquiry. In both examples, the students were advised of when and how learning would be assessed.

Assessment Criteria, Marking, and Moderation

I believe the criteria for which a planned assessment task will be assessed needs to be established with clear qualitative and/or quantitative differences and communicated to the studentat the beginning of task (Curtin University, n.d.). I believe every student should be provided with feedback that clearly explains how grades were determinedon summative assessmentsas well as ways a student might improve so that assessment results can be usedto revise and improve student learning (Readman & Allen, 2013). With such a wide variety of assessment tasks, I believe in the importance of developing a capacity to interpret assessment data accurately in its many forms,but I am also conscious of the learning that happens through play and self-initiated activities and the need to interpret and assess the learning that takes place incidentally (Department of Education and Training, 2017).

For teachers to reach an agreement about assessment standards of student work teachers can use moderation both within and across schools to look at, analyse, and participate in focussed discussions about how the evidence of the task matches the strands, modes, and outcomes. The moderation process involves teacher participation in discussion about the evidence of student work against standards to develop a census. Following moderation, in Western Australia, the Department of Education provides online software known as Reporting to Parents to ensure a consistent and efficient tool for all reporting activities (Department of Education [DOE], 2016) and ensure compliance with the Department of Education’s information management responsibilities. I liken the assessment moderation process to that of using the Public Sector CommissionRecruitment Management Advertising System, of which I have extensive experience. During moderation, selection panel members discuss the individual rankings of an applicant's CV, and using a matrix, form a consensus of the applicants’ ability to meet the selection criteria and apply an overall score. I believe that working collaboratively with mentor teachers is the key to gaining confidence in making consistent and comparable judgments while on practicum placement (Readman & Allen, 2013).

My values, beliefs, goals, approachesto assessment, and the possible implications

My values and actions are guided by the four core values of the Department of Education for whom I currently work. I believe that all students have the capacity to learn and should be should be actively encouraged by others to develop a positive approach to learning. I believe classrooms should be free of discrimination and promote equity, and teachers should maintainhigh expectations of all students (DOE, 2015). My values support my primary goal; to develop an effective assessment environment that is supported by quantity teaching and learning and fosters a healthy attitude to assessment in students. My approachhas been to use a combination of traditional and authentic assessment tasks that are aligned with assessment principles and professional teacher standards, and provide meaningful feedback to students to enhance learning and improve learning outcomes. As I continue to develop my professional teacher assessment identity, I understand the importance of the effective planning and assessment and the kinds of key questions I need to ask myself when making assessment decisions. For example, what is the purpose of the assessment, when is the best time to conduct the assessment, what am I assessing, who will be the assessor of this learning goal, how should the assessment be designed, how can the most consistent judgements be made, how will the judgments be communicated, and how can the assessment inform and improve learning(VDEO, 2015a).In support of Australian Professional Standard for Teacher 7.1, my goal is also to consider the implications of the ethical decisions I make in relation to designing assessments, and the need for assessment tasks to be fair, consistent, confidential, secure, transparent, adaptive and inclusive (Westwood, 2013).Promoting a positive attitude towards assessment in students is a high priority for me, as my own past experiences with assessment at secondary school were not positive. Readman & Allen (2013) outlined several principles a teacher can use to make assessment fair and instil a healthy attitude in students. This knowledge has reassured me that open, honest discussion about the assessment process, including theclear explanation of student rights and responsibilities has the power to circumvent detrimental effects associated with assessment and promote motivation and resilience.

References

Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority, 2016). Assessment. Retrieved from

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2014, Australian Professional Standards for Teaching. Retrieved from

Curtin University. (n.d.). Marking. Retrieved from

Department of Education. (2016). Reporting to Parents. Retrieved from

Department of Education. (2015). Our strategic directions. Retrieved from

Department of Education and Training. (2017). Early Years Framework. Retrieved from

Gee, P. (2003). OpportunitytoLearn: Alanguage-basedperspectiveonassessment.

AssessmentinEducation:Principles,PolicyPractice, 01 March 2003, Vol.10(1), p.27-46. Retrieved from

McDevitt, T. M., Ormrod, J. E., Cupit, G., Chandler, M., & Aloa, V. (2013):

Child development and education.Frenchs Forest, NSW Pearson Australia

Readman, K. & Allen, B. (2013). Practical planning and assessment.Sth Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press

School Curriculum and Standards Authority. (2014a). Assessment. Retrieved from

School Curriculum and Standards Authority. (2014b) Judging Standards. Retrieved from

Waring, M. (2015). Making sense of teacher professionalism. Understanding pedagogy : developing a critical approach to teaching and learning 2015 ch. 1 pp 1-25 Routledge. Retrieved from

Whitton, D., Barker, K., Nosworthy, Humphries, J., M., Sinclair, C. (2016). Learning for teaching: Teaching for learning (3rd ed.). CENGAGE Learning: Australia

Victorian Department of Education. (2015a). Assessment Advice. Retrieved from

Victorian Department of Education. (2015b). forofus.jpg [Image]. Retrieved from

Victorian Department of Education. (2015c). Assessment as learning. Retrieved from

Westwood, P. S. (2013) Inclusive and adaptive teaching: meeting the challenge of diversity in the classroom. Retrieved from

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