Subject Department Planning: Moving on-- Regional Seminar 2005 School Development Planning Initiative

Subject Planning –Key Dimensions SUPPORT Collaboration Planning Development

3 Subject Development Planning? Sample Issues  Syllabus: design, course content & continuity  Learning & Teaching; strategies for effectiveness  Differentiation, Special Needs & Learning support  Assessment Practice  Results analysis & emergent priorities  Home-work Policy – aims, coordination & correction  Links to home  Staff - Team development – collaboration & training  Transition issues – Primary, Junior, Senior cycles  ICT use  Other

4 What has worked...  Subject convenor – secretary, record-keeping, to ensure progress & continuity  Commitment to meetings – time, at least three meetings in year  Central subject planning records - accessible, organised, up to date ( meeting record template)  Clear link to overall school planning  Support and goodwill of school authorities essential

5 Subject Inspection Recommendations  Team development – team approach  Planning to organise course content  Planning to help development of the subject in the school  Planning in the context of revised syllabus  Planning for assessment to support learning and student progression and mobility  Highlight resource needs  Share ideas and experiences within the classroom  Development of a shared understanding / policy regarding everyday classwork, homework, practical work, etc.

6 Consider !! Where is your school now in relation to Subject Department Planning? Meetings Materials –Curriculum Content-Subject Plan Inputs/Facilitation/Support Themes –Homework, Assessment, Methodology …… Other (Short Buzz …. 10 Min)

7 Subject Profile Template Brief review of Document (10 Min)

8 Focus for this session - Assessment Others:- Differentiation Homework Reporting

9 What we hope to achieve in this session: Explore what constitutes effective assessment for learning Look at some assessment for learning strategies

10 Reflection on Assessment Practices How do you assess your students currently? What is the purpose of assessment? (Brainstorm - 10 min)

11 Assessment - Uses Teachers & schools use the results to:  inform students on their progress  report to parents  plan future classroom activities

12 Aims of Assessment Assessment takes different forms and can be used in a variety of ways, such as to:  test and certify achievement  determine the appropriate route for students to take through a differentiated curriculum  identify specific areas of difficulty or strength for a given student  adapt teaching to student needs  motivate students  other

13 Assessment tools  Asking questions  Written tests  Homework Systematic observation (Scanning) Self-evaluation Peer evaluation

14 Definitions Assessment of learning - AOL -Summative -is assessment for accountability purposes, to determine a student's level of performance on a specific task or at the conclusion of a unit of teaching and learning. The information gained from this kind of assessment is often used in reporting. Assessment for learning – AFL -Formative - acknowledges that assessment should occur as a regular part of teaching and learning and that the information gained from assessment activities can be used to shape the teaching and learning process.

15 Assessment of Learning  Happens after the learning takes place  Information is gathered by the teacher  Information is usually transformed into marks or grades  Comparison with the performance of others  Looks back on past learning

Assessment for Learning 10 Key Principles Is part of effective planning Focuses on ‘how’ to learn Is central to classroom practice Is a key professional skill Is sensitive and constructive Fosters motivation Learner understands goals and criteria Helps learners know how to improve Develops capacity for self-assessment Recognizes all educational achievement

17 Assessment For Learning – Core Points The provision of effective feedback to students Active involvement of pupils in their own learning Adjusting teaching to take account of the results of assessment Recognition of the profound influence assessment has on the motivation and self esteem of pupils The need for pupils to be able to assess themselves and understand how to improve Nuffield Foundation – Assessment Reform Group

18 The weaker student ‘Research has shown that assessment which is formative in nature rather than the more summative or terminal assessment methods brings about an improvement in student learning and the improvement is greatest for the weaker student..’ (Black & William –King’s College London)

19 Independent/Self-Directed Learning The promotion of higher order thinking skills is an important goal for formative assessment approaches Shallow Learning ► Deep Learning Memory Reflection Information Knowledge Replication Understanding

20 Assessment Tools in Practice  Asking questions  Written tests  Homework

21 Questioning Create a classroom environment where students feel safe to take risks and make mistakes. Plan in advance the questions to use. (Why? What if…? Discovering misconceptions) Give thinking time before accepting answers Get all students to brainstorm the answer, discuss possible answers in pairs, before sharing with whole group Consider operating a no hands up strategy and choosing students at random (or from the class register) When checking if students understand a concept use a traffic light strategy. (Green: I understand the concept. Amber: I think I understand but I’m not sure. Red: I don’t understand) Develop emotional competence and self-confidence.

22 Written tests Teach revision strategies and study skills (appropriate to your subject) Help students to identify for themselves the topics they most need to revise. Consider the feedback to be given. It needs to be timely, specific and include suggestions for ways to improve:  What was good about the work  Areas for improvement  Strategies for improving the work Avoid a competitive environment

23 Homework: Possible approaches: Set the home work at the beginning of the lesson. (particularly effective for underachieving students) Provide written criteria for assessment in advance Provide exemplars to illustrate standards Encourage students to reflect on and improve their work Consider the type of feedback which will be provided (marks / written feedback/ both?)

24 Assessment – Current Practice Prompts How is student work assessed? (indicate the range of assessment practices) When does assessment take place? How are assessment results recorded? How is feedback given to students about their assessments? How is feedback given to parents about their assessments? What assessments are given in common to students from different classes? In what ways does the subject department collaborate on assessment practice? Are results of in-house and/or state examinations analysed by subject department?

25 Assessment: Impact on Teaching and Learning Prompts Teaching: Why do you assess students’ work? How does assessment influence your teaching? Does assessment support and/or interfere with teaching? Learning: How do students respond to the results of assessments? Does assessment motivate and/or discourage the full range of your students? Does assessment promote competition, cooperation or neither in your classroom?

26 Some additional points on following slides -

27 Curriculum Content Planning Year/Band/Set Main topics to be covered Content per term Textbooks/Resources (specific & detailed) Assessment (criteria, form, feedback, times etc.) Special needs – differentiation – learning support Special Arrangements (events – field trips – co-curricular activities) Developmental Target for Year (review - what, why, when, who – evaluate)

28 Why Assess? Provocative questions! Is assessment a numbers game alone? Does assessment promote learning or only certify that learning has or has not taken place? Does assessment encourage the able and discourage the weak and under-motivated? What do students think about the results of assessments they get?

29 Research Evidence Assessment should inform student of how to proceed as well as where they are in learning Students need to situate new learning in relation to what is known – big picture Remarks are a powerful motivator – quality of feedback is critical Marks often de-motivate Teaching adapted to assessment results is more effective Students who set targets and self-assess are more motivated and learn better – especially weaker & disadvantaged students Frequent tests during learning are more powerful than large tests after learning unit Questioning is a powerful but often misused learning tool Paul Black & Dylan William Kings College, London

30 Personal Marking Methodology In assessing work (tests and Homework) do you Marks only Comments only Marks and Comments Correct all errors Correct some errors Indicate some errors Indicate all errors Ignore errors Stress what is done well Stress error Stress presentation

31 Assessment for Learning Assessment for learning is the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there

32 Formative Assessment Ultimately, the goal of formative assessment is to guide students towards the development of their own learning to learn skills. (OECD, 2005)

33 Active Involvement/Self Assessment Target setting Knowledge of learning aims at start Negotiation of own topic/approach Self-assessment Self-correction Peer assessment Group work & self evaluation

34 Formative Assessment Assessment for Learning Formative Assessment Assessment for Learning  Integral part of teaching and learning  Sharing learning goals with students  Helping the students to recognise the standards they are aiming for  Involving students in assessing their own learning