Exploring Assessment Intro youtube clip – 3mins This presentation is based on the work of Professor Dylan Wiliam, Institute of Education, University of London

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)

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 one really competitive skill (we want our students to have) is the skill of being able to learn. It is the skill of being able not to give the right answer to questions about what you were taught in school, but to make the right response to situations that are outside the scope of what you were taught in school. We need to produce people who know how to act when they’re faced with situations for which they were not specifically prepared.” (Papert, 1998)

Where are we at now? Answer the questions on the sheet provided individually and then discuss as group. 5 – 10 minutes fill out form/make notes on jotters followed by table discussion

What are summative and formative assessment? Discuss 5 mins If we think of our students 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. Put these on cards to be used in conversations Assessment point/task After learning During learning Feedback Feed-forward Learning continuum Of learning For learning Looks back Looks forward Review/reflect Improve/enhance

Assessment for learning and formative assessment Clip is 5 min

“Assessment is the bridge between teaching and learning” Discuss 5 – 10 mins answering question, discussing clip

“Feedback on Learning” 3 min clip

What were the key ideas mentioned in this clip? Discuss 5 – 10 min discussion on clip

“Self and peer assessment” 2 min clip on self and peer assessment

What were the key ideas mentioned in this clip? Discuss 5 – 10 min discussion on key ideas

Assessment strategies 2 min clip on assessment strategies

Five key processes where mentioned in the clip – what were these? Discuss 5 min deciding on five key processes

Clarifying, understanding, and sharing learning intentions Engineering effective classroom discussions, tasks and activities that elicit evidence of learning Providing feedback that moves learners forward Activating students as learning resources for one another curriculum philosophy (goals and horizons) classroom discourse, interactive whole-class teaching feedback collaborative learning, reciprocal teaching, peer-assessment metacognition, motivation, interest, attribution, self-assessment Activating students as owners of their own learning

One really big idea … “Use evidence about learning to adapt teaching and learning to meet student needs” … what does this mean? Discuss 5 min discussion

Assessment for Learning Tools Activity 15 min group activity 72 learning tools Work as a table to select 4 – 5 most effective/would work well or similar

Assorted clips from the National Numeracy Conference Edinburgh, March 2009 10 min assorted clips from the National Numeracy Conference in Scotland in March 2009

How might you use the ideas mentioned in these clips How might you use the ideas mentioned in these clips? Do you have others? Discuss 5 min

Questions?

All clips and more can be found here: http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/video/d/dylanwiliam2009.asp?strReferringChannel=numeracy You can also get them from your advisor!