Challenging task Student’s Work Formative Assessment Formative Assessment: a huge effect on achievement

Bill or Sid? Which builder would you choose to build your new extension?

Which Builder would you choose and why? Sid’s High Grade Grafters: Sid grades each worker’s efforts at the end of each day informing them of this grade He praises work of above average standard He draws attention to errors and deficiencies Bill’s Trouble Shooters: Bill asks each worker to inspect their own work and fix errors and deficiencies as they go He inspects work at the end of each day, praising work of an acceptable standard He gets workers to put right any errors and deficiencies and checks these corrections have been made

What should be in the feedback Bill gives to his trainees?

Sadler’s three questions What are the goals? How far have I got in the direction of the goals? ( medal) How can I close the gap? ( mission) medal mission goals

medal Medal and Mission feedback Make the goals very clear accept the student’s present standard avoid competition or comparison with others, instead let them compete with: the task, and with themselves, (i.e. with previous work) medal mission goals

Feedback should be forward looking, positive, i.e. constructive task centred not ego centred medal and mission medal mission goals

Existing learning New learning Constructivism

Existing learning New learning Constructivism

Challenging task Student’s Work Feedback to learner & to teacher High Quality Learning

Challenging task Student’s Work Formative Assessment High Quality Learning

Simple task Student’s Work Mark or grade Low Quality Learning

Peer Explaining p11 Why does it work so well? 0. Warn them! 1.Students in pairs. Each student is given their explaining task 2. Individuals prepare key points 3. They take turns explaining 4. Pairs improve key points 5. Teacher gives model key points: they self assess 6. Class discussion on issues that came up

Challenging task Student’s Work Formative Assessment High Quality Learning

Peer Explaining p11 Formative assessment Is embedded 0. Warn them! 1.Students in pairs. Each student is given their explaining task 2. Individuals prepare key points 3. They take turns explaining 4. Pairs improve key points 5. Teacher gives model key points: they self assess 6. Class discussion on issues that came up

Peer explaining of exemplars p13 Worked example 1 Worked example 2 Worked example 1 Worked example 2 Worked example 1 Worked example 2

Not just maths! Students can explain: exemplar evaluations examples of good punctuation how to change the margins in Word (see pilot and navigator p15) a video demonstration…… What other ‘exemplars’ could students explain?

1.In pairs, underline key points and prepare to explain either: A. Peer assessment in groups p17 or B. Peer assessment with model answers p18 2.Explain your method (using a diagram if it helps) 3.In pairs: discuss why do these methods work so well?

Questions My Answers Peer assessment

Questions My Answers Model Peer’s Answers Model can be: The answers Marking scheme Worked solutions Assessment criteria Key points worth mentioning etc Peer assessment

Questions My Answers Model Peer’s Answers Model can be: The answers Marking scheme Worked solutions Assessment criteria Key points worth mentioning etc Peer assessment

Questions My Answers Model Peer’s Answers My Answers Model Model can be: The answers Marking scheme Worked solutions Assessment criteria Key points worth mentioning etc Peer assessment

Questions My Answers My Answers Model Model can be: The answers Marking scheme Worked solutions Assessment criteria Key points worth mentioning etc Self assessment

‘Spoof Assessment’ Students mark spoof work… Jane Joe

‘Spoof Assessment’ Students mark spoof work… Jane Joe Looks …. But it’s …

‘Spoof Assessment’ Students mark spoof work… Jane Joe Looks …. But it’s … criteria 4

Different (Unique strengths) Same (Shared strengths) Self Assessment  Has personal meaning for the learner  It is private Peer Assessment  There is peer pressure to do good work and to mark peers accurately Spoof Assessment  Teacher can control the learning points by designing the spoof work  Discussion possible Changes attribution. Success is attributed to doing the right thing rather than being clever.  clarifies what the goals are, e.g. meaning of assessment criteria and assessment terminology. E.g. the meanings of ‘evaluate’ and ‘analyse’.

How can we get students to act on feedback? Learning Loops p20

Assessment Proforma Target Criteria student teacher Assessment Proforma Target Criteria student teacher Assignment 2 Target:Teacher comment Assignment 2 Target: Teacher comment Assignment 3 Target:Teacher comment Learning Loops: skill targets

Assessment Proforma Target Criteria student teacher Assignment 2 Target: Teacher comment Learning Loops: skill targets

Assessment Proforma Target Criteria student teacher Assignment 2 Target: Teacher comment Learning Loops: skill targets

Assessment Proforma Target Criteria student teacher Assignment 2 Target: Teacher comment Learning Loops: skill targets

Assessment Proforma Target Criteria student teacher Assessment Proforma Target Criteria student teacher Assignment 2 Target:Teacher comment Assignment 2 Target: Teacher comment Learning Loops: skill targets

Assessment Proforma Target Criteria student teacher Assignment 2 Target:Teacher comment Learning Loops: skill targets

Assessment Proforma Target Criteria student teacher Assignment 2 Target:Teacher comment Learning Loops: skill targets

Assessment Proforma Target Criteria student teacher Assignment 2 Target:Teacher comment Learning Loops: skill targets

Assessment Proforma Target Criteria student teacher Assignment 2 Target:Teacher comment Assignment 3 Target:Teacher comment Learning Loops: skill targets

Challenging task Student’s Work Feedback to learner & to teacher High Quality Learning

Could you make more use of Learning loops? Which assessment proformas do You lik best? Pages 20-26

Why does learning loops not use grading? P 27

The problem with grading: Butler 1988 p27 Experimentalgroup: 1/2 in the top quartile 1/2 in the bottom quartile Were given tasks:(tasks were new to students) some tasks were divergent some convergent tasks were given over three separate sessions grading criteria were given beforehand And feedback: 1/3 of students were givencomments only 1/3 of students were given onlygrades 1/3 of students were givengrades + comments. Able Weak Task 1Task 2 Task 3 feedback 1feedback 2feedback 3

The problem with grading: Butler 1988 Experimentalgroup: 1/2 in the top quartile 1/2 in the bottom quartile Were given tasks:(tasks were new to students) some tasks were divergent some convergent tasks were given over three separate sessions grading criteria were given beforehand And feedback: 1/3 of students were givencomments only 1/3 of students were given onlygrades 1/3 of students were givengrades + comments. Able Weak Task 1Task 2 Task 3 feedback 1feedback 2feedback 3

The problem with grading: Butler 1988 Experimentalgroup: 1/2 in the top quartile 1/2 in the bottom quartile Were given tasks:(tasks were new to students) some tasks were divergent some convergent tasks were given over three separate sessions grading criteria were given beforehand And feedback: 1/3 of students were givencomments only 1/3 of students were given onlygrades 1/3 of students were givengrades + comments. Able Weak Task 1Task 2 Task 3 feedback 1feedback 2feedback 3

Butler1988: Who learned best? comments only:performance improved by 33% grades only:performance declined significantly comments + grades:performance declined, particularly on the convergent task Who maintained interest? low achievers:interest was undermined by grading (with or without comments) high achievers:interest was sustained at a high level throughout

Grading degrades learning So?

Grading degrades learning So? only grade when you have to withhold grades until tutorial reviews? avoid comparators like ‘good work’, use informative comments instead, such as ‘clear description’. compare the student with the task, and with their own prior performance. E.g. “better parargraphing”

Diagnostic questions on Formative Assessment 1.Any assessment that occurs before a summative assessment is a formative assessment 2.A formative test is not really a type of test, it is what happens as a result of the test 3.Feedback can lead to a lowering of effort, to abandoning a goal, or to reduced aspiration 4.Formative assessment requires a test, quiz, or other formal exercise. 5.If the teacher allows some students not to participate, they are widening the achievement gap

Alone first Then with others, then: Thumbs up Thumbs down Thumbs sideways

Diagnostic questions on Formative Assessment 1.Any assessment that occurs before a summative assessment is a formative assessment 2.A formative test is not really a type of test, it is what happens as a result of the test 3.Feedback can lead to a lowering of effort, to abandoning a goal, or to reduced aspiration 4.Formative assessment requires a test, quiz, or other formal exercise. 5.If the teacher allows some students not to participate, they are widening the achievement gap

Diagnostic questions on Formative Assessment 1.Any assessment that occurs before a summative assessment is a formative assessment 2.A formative test is not really a type of test, it is what happens as a result of the test 3.Feedback can lead to a lowering of effort, to abandoning a goal, or to reduced aspiration 4.Formative assessment requires a test, quiz, or other formal exercise. 5.If the teacher allows some students not to participate, they are widening the achievement gap

Diagnostic questions on Formative Assessment 1.Any assessment that occurs before a summative assessment is a formative assessment 2.A formative test is not really a type of test, it is what happens as a result of the test 3.Feedback can lead to a lowering of effort, to abandoning a goal, or to reduced aspiration 4.Formative assessment requires a test, quiz, or other formal exercise. 5.If the teacher allows some students not to participate, they are widening the achievement gap

Diagnostic questions on Formative Assessment 1.Any assessment that occurs before a summative assessment is a formative assessment 2.A formative test is not really a type of test, it is what happens as a result of the test 3.Feedback can lead to a lowering of effort, to abandoning a goal, or to reduced aspiration 4.Formative assessment requires a test, quiz, or other formal exercise. 5.If the teacher allows some students not to participate, they are widening the achievement gap

Diagnostic questions on Formative Assessment 1.Any assessment that occurs before a summative assessment is a formative assessment 2.A formative test is not really a type of test, it is what happens as a result of the test 3.Feedback can lead to a lowering of effort, to abandoning a goal, or to reduced aspiration 4.Formative assessment requires a test, quiz, or other formal exercise. 5.If the teacher allows some students not to participate, they are widening the achievement gap

How useful is it to devise and use diagnostic questions?

Dylan Wiliam: ‘One of the most useful things teachers can do’

Activity Rank the numbered strategies pages (Don’t read ‘6 diagnostic questions’) Criteria: A.How easy is it for the teacher to use? B.How adaptable, useful is it? C. How effective is it?

Which formative teaching methods would you like to experiment with?