Advancing Assessment Literacy Setting the Stage I: Engaging Stakeholders

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February Setting the Stage I: Engaging Stakeholders Part One Exploring Assessment and Evaluation

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February Evaluation Using the provided web, place the word EVALUATION in the center. In the outlying circles, write down all of the thoughts and connections the word EVALUATION bring to mind. When done, share your chart with a neighbour or your table group.

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February Evaluation What negative connotations are raised by the term EVALUATION? What positive connotations are raised by the term EVALUATION? How is assessment different from evaluation?

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February Assessment & Evaluation (Sutton, 2006) Evaluation Checks what has been learned to date Is designed for those not directly involved in daily learning and teaching Is presented in a periodic report Usually gathers information into easily digestible numbers, scores, and marks Usually compares the student’s learning with either other students or the standard for a grade level Does not need to involve the student Assessment Checks learning and decides what to do next Is designed to assist teachers and students Is used in marking and conversation Usually detailed, specific and descriptive feedback in words as well as (or instead of) numbers, scores and marks Usually focused on improvement, compared with the student’s previous best Needs to involve the student – the person most able to improve learning Evaluation is the end of a process. Assessment is an ongoing process.

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February Assessment & Evaluation Complete the provided Venn Diagram listing terms and activities you associate with each term – “assessment” and “evaluation”. The Venn Diagram will allow you to identify similarities and differences between the two processes.

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February Assessment & Evaluation AssessmentEvaluation

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February Assessment & Evaluation Based on your comparison and contrast of assessment and evaluation, consider the following: -Why and when is student assessment most appropriately utilized? -Why and when is student evaluation most appropriately utilized?

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February Ongoing Assessment What are the benefits of ongoing student assessment? For teachers? For students? What are some of the challenges to increased assessment in our settings?

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February Setting the Stage I: Engaging Stakeholders Part Two Saskatchewan’s Assessment or for Learning Program: Assumptions, Questions and Opportunities for Learning

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February The Assessment for Learning Program The major goal of the Assessment for Learning Program is to serve as a vehicle for improving student learning outcomes in targeted key areas.

12 Collaborative Learning Cycle (Wellman & Lipton, 2004) Activating and Engaging Surfacing experiences and expectations Exploring and Discovering Analyzing the Data Organizing and Integrating Generating Theory

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February Assumptions As our school or school division continues to focus on assessment, with what assumptions are we entering?

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February Assumptions Card Stack & Shuffle (Wellman & Lipton, 2004) Individually, create a stack of cards that hold some of your assumptions regarding your school or school division’s participation in the Assessment for Learning Program. –Write each assumption on an index card. –When done, place all the cards in the center of the table: Stack and shuffle. –In turn, each member picks a card to read aloud to the table group. Discuss each item using the mediating questions on the following slide.

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February Assumptions Card Stack & Shuffle (Wellman & Lipton, 2004) 1.What is the thinking behind this assumption? 2.What are some inferences that can be made from it? 3.What might be some alternative interpretations?

16 Color Question Brainstorming (Wellman & Lipton, 2004) Question categories: Imagination Ingenuity Possibility Facts Figures Data Judgments Opinions Values Needs What might happen if we... How many... How much... Why is this... What is the best way to... On the sheets provided, create questions in each category. Take turns adding questions in round-robin fashion.

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February Questions –Once everyone is finished, go on a gallery tour to read the other groups’ questions. –When you return to your table, discuss similarities, differences and themes you noticed. –What one or two questions are being asked by the entire group? –What information do you need to have these questions answered? How might you go about getting that information?

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February Possibilities for Learning At your table, please do the following: –Given the questions you’ve created, what possibilities for learning exist? –If there was one voice at your table, what would it be saying regarding the possibilities for learning as you engage in this process?

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February Extending our Inquiry In what ways might the systematic collection and use of assessment data address the assumptions, questions, and possibilities for learning you have identified?

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February Provincial AFL as a Starting Point for Collaborative Reflection The Assessment for Learning Program invites ownership and collaboration and can potentially bring the improvement process and solution down to the classroom level. This is done through ongoing engagement and reflection in using the data as starting points to inform good questions and discussions that lead to planning and interventions to affect improvement. Assessment for Learning can inform learning communities as they identify and address systemic factors to improve learning outcomes for their students.

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February How is the work your school and/or school division is currently doing supported by the previous information regarding the Assessment for Learning Program? What opportunities exist for your school division and schools as the Assessment for Learning Program is undertaken?

Advancing Assessment Literacy Modules: Setting the Stage I - February Closing Questions What other information would you like regarding the Assessment for Learning Program and its implementation in our schools? Questions will be examined by the facilitator and the school leadership team and will be answered personally or at our next meeting.