Student Engagement and Assessment for Learning Materials needed for today: Handout, Webinar #2

There is a close relationship between students’ experience of engagement and student learning.

Globe and Mail March 26, 2010 Hi-tech classroom seems to be clicking School board hopes use of new learning platform translates into higher student achievement When you finish reading the article, check

When you finish reading the article, check Use the whiteboard tool to write your responses below: A What makes these teachers believe that the technology is engaging their students? Are these students intellectually engaged?

Engagement is about a self-determined commitment to the learning. Go right to next slide…..

Intellectual engagement…

“Flow” Csikszentmihalyi (1996) This is where the learner is so focused that ____ itself seems to disappear. It is at this point that the brain begins to see patterns and make ___________ in the information. Understanding develops. Furthermore, as the learner experiences the pleasure inherent in deep learning, the experience is intensely ___________ .

Learners who experience “flow” are intellectually engaged.

Teaching practices have a powerful effect upon student engagement.

Classroom Practices that Make a Difference Attention to relationships in the classroom Attention to work that is relevant, meaningful and authentic for students Thoughtful, intentional designs for learning Use of assessment to improve learning and guide teaching Go right to next slide

Classroom Practices that Make a Difference Attention to relationships in the classroom Attention to work that is relevant, meaningful and authentic for students Thoughtful, intentional designs for learning Use of assessment to improve learning and guide teaching

Alberta Initiative for School Improvement

Deb McFarlane, School Improvement Branch

Assessment is a seamless part of the learning process

Good assessment is good teaching!

What other assessment for learning strategies do you know? Use the whiteboard tool to write your responses.

Learning Targets Deb McFarlane, School Improvement Branch 21

Here is an example from my own grade 6 classroom Here is an example from my own grade 6 classroom. This was a bulletin board display at the back of my room during the unit on descriptive writing. As you can see, there is a sample piece of writing and characteristics/elements of good writing highlighted around it. (Highlighter pen) Not only did this display help students understand the learning target, it also helped by providing an exemplary piece of writing to model their own work after. We referred to it often during the descriptive writing unit. The elements of descriptive writing were like the mental Velcro for the learning. Clear learning targets and models of what constitutes quality work are a fundamental principle in AfL. Criteria for evaluation are also fundamental.

Criteria for a good restaurant…

Criteria for Oral Presentation evidence/examples organization delivery language techniques

Co-constructing Criteria with Students

The St. Paul School Story, Refocus (2003) Alberta Assessment Consortium If you have trouble viewing the video, check If the video comes up without trouble, check When you finish viewing the video, check

Evidence of Engagement

Assessment for learning requires clear learning targets, models of what constitutes quality work, and criteria for evaluation that are co-created with students.

Assessment for learning involves descriptive feedback provided by teachers and peers.

“The most powerful single modification that enhances achievement is feedback.” (Hattie, 1992)

Feedback that … explains how student work relates to learning goals and assessment criteria (specific)

Feedback should … explains how student work relates to learning goals and assessment criteria (specific) encourages students to improve (descriptive)

encourages students to improve (descriptive) is frequent (timely) Feedback that… explains how student work relates to learning goals and assessment criteria (specific) encourages students to improve (descriptive) is frequent (timely) (adapted from Marzano, 2006)

To be effective, feedback needs to cause thinking.

Effective Feedback? Well done! I am very proud of you

Effective Feedback? Five of these 20 answers are incorrect. You’ve reduced the fractions incorrectly. Find them and fix them!

Effective Feedback? Your sentences have great descriptive words. Try shortening some of the longer ones and eliminating the words “and then…”

Peer feedback…

Creating a culture of assessment… Beverly Barca, Foothills School Division (AAC Website) If you have trouble viewing the video, check If the video comes up without trouble, check When you finish viewing the video, check

clarifying learning objectives using exemplars establishing assessment criteria using a rubric providing descriptive feedback encouraging self assessment enabling peer assessment

Assessment feedback enables students to become self-directed in their learning.

The self-directed learner… 1. Where am I going?

The self-directed learner… 2. Where am I now?

The self-directed learner… 3. How can I close the gap?

The St. Paul School Story, Refocus (2003) Alberta Assessment Consortium If you have trouble viewing the video, check If the video comes up without trouble, check When you finish viewing the video, check

Assessment for learning practices facilitate student engagement.

The following practices support engagement… clear learning targets exemplars assessment criteria descriptive feedback peer assessment self assessment

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Questions? Comments? deb.mcfarlane-smith@gov.ab.ca