(A quick ‘taste’ or overview) ASSESSMENT (A quick ‘taste’ or overview) BHELE Cluster –12 August 2010

WHERE CAN YOU FIND THE BEST ADVICE ABOUT ASSESSMENT?

THE NEW ZEALAND CURRICULUM http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum

Assessment (Page 39) The primary purpose of assessment is to improve students’ learning and teachers’ teaching as both student and teacher respond to the information that it provides. With this in mind, schools need to consider how they will gather, analyse, and use assessment information so that it is effective in meeting this purpose.

KA HIKITIA Managing for Success – Maori Education Strategy Ka Hikitia - Managing for Success: The Māori Education Strategy 2008 - 2012 is the Ministry of Education's approach to improve the performance of the education system for and with Māori. It is a key aspect of having a quality education system where students are succeeding and achieving. More focus on... Realising potential, Tailoring education to the learner, Instead of Instructing and informing - Collaborating and co-constructing http://www.minedu.govt.nz/theMinistry/PolicyAndStrategy/KaHikitia.aspx

Pasifika Education Plan 2009 - 2012 Our vision is that the education system must work for Pasifika so they gain the knowledge and skills necessary to do well for themselves, their communities, Aotearoa New Zealand, the Pacific region and the world. Key priority – lifting literacy and numeracy achievement. http://www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEducation/EducationPolicies/PasifikaEducation/PasifikaEducationPlan.aspx

Characteristics of effective assessment – pg 40 NZC Assessment is integral to the teaching inquiry process (pg 35 NZC) because it is the basis for both the focusing inquiry and the learning inquiry. E-asTTle – WHEN USED PROPERLY within a school sits within all the characteristics.

Teaching as Inquiry pg. 35 NZC The diagram can be summed up like this: What is most important for my students, how should I teach it, and how do my students respond?

Effective Pedagogy Teacher actions promoting student learning While there is no formula that will guarantee learning for every student in every context, there is extensive, well-documented evidence about the kinds of teaching approaches that consistently have a positive impact on student learning. This evidence tells us that students learn best when teachers: create a supportive learning environment encourage reflective thought and action enhance the relevance of new learning facilitate shared learning make connections to prior learning and experience provide sufficient opportunities to learn inquire into the teaching–learning relationship

FORMATIVE OR INFORMAL ASSESSMENT What does it mean for your practice? It may mean that you have to critically examine what ‘effective assessment’ means to you. It may mean a shift away from focusing just on ‘summative assessment’. It may mean starting to teach in a very different way. It may mean re-defining the purpose of assessment for yourself.

Just remember

Good formative assessment is like shining a torch in a dark room. It helps everyone – the teachers, the student, even the parent – to see more clearly where they are going.

It is interesting that if one looks at the origins of ‘assessment’ the word comes from the Latin ‘assidere’, meaning “to sit beside or with” (Wiggins 1993). This conjures an image of a teacher – or peer or parent – sitting and talking with students about their learning in an attempt to really understand about what is happening as they are learning. It is something that good teachers have always done, but it is not often seen as assessment. It informs teacher’s professional judgment about their students.

The purpose of formative assessment – is to promote student learning The purpose of formative assessment – is to promote student learning. Formative Assessment is sometimes referred to as assessment for learning. Any task performed by a learner, has the potential to be formative if the information gained is used to inform what happens next in the classroom.

View Assessment as guiding student learning effectively View Assessment as guiding student learning effectively. Terry Crooks – Otago Uni. 2007 Establish where learners are in their learning Establish where they are going Establish how to get there

An Overview of Formative Assessment 1. Relationship - building a learning-focused relationship. 2. Clarity – being clear about what is to be learnt. 3. Assessment – understanding that assessment is a good thing. 4. Feedback – promoting further learning. 5. Reflection – goal-focused, evidence-based and inclusive of the learner. 6. Next Steps – where to next with the learning. Clarity in the Classroom – Michael Absolum pg 22, 23, 24

Keeping the learning to the forefront Learning intentions and success criteria need to be readily available to students. Think about ways this could be done in your classroom: For the class For individual students

Assessment Learning is impossible without ongoing assessment. Learning is about attempting to reduce the gap. between what you know and what you want to know. Assessment is the process of gaining information about the gap. Clarity in the Classroom – Michael Absolum pg 98

Focused Feedback is always good!

The promotion of further learning is important. It must both leave learners with responsibility and motivation for their learning and also help them to advance. “How we prompt, how we scaffold, how we praise, how we discuss learning; these are all critical acts of teaching that must be done correctly…” Clarity in the Classroom - Michael Absolum .pg 120

Self-Assessment and Peer-Assessment Strategies. Why use these strategies? Research has shown that the greatest learning comes from the active involvement of students in their own learning. Every part of the process supports and encourages deeper learning and understanding on the part of the student.

SUMMATIVE OR FORMAL ASSESSMENTS When giving a summative assessment to students you need to ensure that It is linked directly to curriculum learning objectives You know which level you are assessing The test is manageable and reasonable for the students The test outcomes are reliable and defensible