MakingConnections Assessment

Assessment Facilitator/s: Date:

Workshop purpose You are here to develop your knowledge and understanding of the PrimaryConnections embedded assessment processes and to experience their application in PrimaryConnections curriculum units.

Workshop outline (90 minutes) INTRO: Purpose, outline, outcomes (5 mins) ENGAGE: Capture participants’ interest and elicit ideas about assessment and (20 mins) its purposes EXPLORE: Explore assessment through teacher and student perspectives (15 mins) EXPLAIN: Explain the differences between diagnostic, formative and (25 mins) summative assessment processes ELABORATE: Apply questioning techniques in the embedded assessment (15 mins) processes EVALUATE: Summarise, reflect and evaluate (10 mins)

Outcomes On completion of this module participants will be able to: compare assessment 'for' learning, 'of' learning and 'as' learning compare the purposes of diagnostic, formative and summative assessment processes describe examples of assessment processes appropriate to each of the 5Es phases and embedded in PrimaryConnections curriculum units describe appropriate questioning techniques for diagnostic, formative and summative assessment processes in PrimaryConnections.

Assessment ‘for’ learning Gathering information about the gap between where the student is and needs to be. Students learn best when they: understand clearly what they are trying to learn and what is expected of them are given feedback about the quality of their work are given advice on how to make improvements are fully involved in deciding what needs to be done next and who can help if needed.

Assessment ‘of’ learning Gathering and working with evidence to enable teachers and the wider assessment community to evaluate students’ progress. Judgements about the extent and quality of student learning need to be: based on sound criteria negotiated with and known to students reliable and accurate.

Assessment ‘as’ learning Reflecting on evidence of learning and the processes of learning. Reflecting on the learning process helps students focus on: what they have learned how they have learned what processes help them to learn.

Ongoing and embedded assessment The PrimaryConnections 5Es teaching and learning model uses ongoing and embedded assessment to enhance teaching and learning. PHASE FOCUS ENGAGE Engage students and elicit prior knowledge Diagnostic assessment EXPLORE Provide hands-on experience of the phenomenon Formative assessment EXPLAIN Develop scientific explanations for observations and represent developing conceptual understanding Consider current scientific explanations ELABORATE Extend understanding to a new context or make connections to additional concepts through a student-planned investigation Summative assessment of the investigating outcomes EVALUATE Students re-represent their understanding and reflect on their learning journey and teachers collect evidence about the achievement of outcomes Summative assessment of the conceptual outcomes The primary purpose of school science education is to develop scientifically literate citizens with the skills to make informed decisions on issues of science, technology, the environment and their own health and well-being. An important secondary purpose is to attract students into science related careers. In order to achieve these goals, a strong foundation in primary school is necessary. There is a lack of science being taught in Australian primary schools because many primary teachers lack confidence in their background knowledge and competence in teaching science. We need a program that supports and encourages primary school teachers in teaching science. We believe that Primary Connections, which was formerly known as the Primary Science and Literacy Project, is such a program. It links the teaching of science to the teaching of literacy in our primary schools and has received widespread support across the country.

Types of assessment Diagnostic Formative Summative

Questioning ‘More effort has to be spent in framing questions that are worth asking: that is, questions which explore issues that are critical to the development of children’s understanding.’ Black, P. et al. (2003). Assessment for learning. UK, Open University Press.

Effective questioning View Part Eight of Questioning Minds DVD What are broad questions? What are narrow questions? What is the purpose of wait time?

Questioning and the 5Es model ENGAGE: Broad questions that encourage students to discuss their ideas and experiences EXPLORE: Questions that encourage students to discuss their ideas and to express common experiences EXPLAIN: Focused questions that reinforce the explanations of the concepts ELABORATE: Questions that help students understand the concept in a new situation EVALUATE: Questions that assess students’ understanding.

Website assessment resources www.science.org.au/primaryconnections/additional.htm Website resources are available in PDF and WORD format: Assessment checklists Assessment rubrics Science journal/work sample tags You have a sample set to examine.

In summary PrimaryConnections: includes assessment practices for, of and as learning uses diagnostic, formative and summative assessment processes embedded in the PrimaryConnections 5Es teaching and learning model integrates appropriate questioning techniques in assessment processes embeds assessment processes in exemplary curriculum units.