Is there a possible mismatch between what we teach about assessment in ITE and what we practice?

Background and context

Assessment for learning is any assessment for which the first priority in its design and practice is to serve the purpose of promoting pupils’ learning. It thus differs from assessment designed primarily to serve the purposes of accountability, or of ranking, or of certifying competence. An assessment activity can help learning if it provides information to be used as feedback, by teachers, and by their pupils, in assessing themselves and each other, to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged. Such assessment becomes ‘formative assessment’ when the evidence is actually used to adapt the teaching work to meet learning needs. Black, Harrison, Lee, Marshall & Wiliam, 2002 Formative assessment

Key elements: Sharing Learning objectives Developing success criteria (process and product) Use of effective questioning Effective feedback Pupil self and peer assessment and evaluation Assessment reform group (2002) …….creating a framework for quality dialogue Diana Pardoe (2008) Assessment for Learning……..

Sharing Learning objectives Focus on ‘sharing’ – not a meaningless routine Focus on the learning Different types of LO, chunking the learning - skills/knowledge, process, open, closed Unmuddling objectives

Developing success criteria Part of the bigger picture of considering quality Negotiated as part of the learning Used and referred to – not a tick list The ‘light touch’ scaffold Linked directly to peer and self assessment

Effective questioning No hands up and wait time Offering range of answers Giving a starter statement Starting from the answer Dialogue not ping pong Exploratory talk through paired and group activity Organisation for dialogue – pairs, trios, jigsaw etc

Effective feedback On going through the school day Informal and formal Effective marking and feedback – emotional response What’s gone well and why What next – why and how.

Peer and self assessment and evaluation Mini plenary/pit stop plenary Reflecting using success criteria – beyond the traffic lights and thumbs Evaluating the process of the learning – what helped, what didn’t help

Not all rosy…… SATs Data driven practice Ofsted agenda Resistance Time Uncomfortable

Higher Education Assessment as a single act Presentations Essays Controlled conditions – exams % marks Written feedback relating only to the task given – no easy possibility for feed forward Modular approach – how do you transfer the generics and make the links?

Is there a possible mismatch between what we teach about assessment in ITE and what we practice?

Have a look at the responses….sort, group, discuss Emerging themes are resonances?

References Assessment Reform Group (2002) Assessment for Learning: Ten Principles [online] Available from: [accessed on 3 May 2009] Black, P. Harrison, C. Lee, C. Marshall, B. and Wiliam, D. (2002) Working Inside the Black Box London: King’s College School of Education Clarke, S. (2003) Enriching feedback in the primary classroom’ London: Hodder&Stoughton Clarke, S. (2005) Formative Assessment in Action London: Hodder Murray Pardoe, D. (2008) ‘Assessment for learning’ Bristol Head teacher conference. Bristol LA, Bristol. ( ).