Understanding Assessment = Understanding Learning Barry O’Sullivan British Council Assessment Research Group Conference - September 12 th 2015 Hosei University, Tokyo

Overview Teacher Education Assessment & Learning Innovations Some Observations Assessment Research Group

TEACHER EDUCATION they way things are Assessment Research Group

What a Trainee Learns Assessment Research Group Language Literature Learner Development Learning Theory Teaching Theory Teaching Practice

What a Trainee Doesn’t Learn Assessment Research Group Classroom Tactics School Politics Self Motivation ASSESSMENT

ASSESSMENT & LEARNING where does assessment fit? Assessment Research Group

Points of Assessment Assessment Research Group Progress Test Final Achievement Test Looks backwards Diagnostic Test Placement Test Course of Study Looks to the future (i.e. the course of study) Only useful when outcomes related to the course of study they are designed to place into Looks to the present Can be taken for self-assessment purposes outside of any course of study

Proficiency Testing Assessment Research Group Course of Study General Proficiency Test Attempts to predict or descrıbe performance/ability Proficiency in a Specific Domain Attempts to predict or descrıbe performance/ability in a specific area of language use

The Teacher Assessment Research Group Course of Study Teacher Ongoing ‘real-time’ monitoring of student learning Observing – Evaluating – Assessing Teaching

The Place of Assessment Assessment Research Group Curriculum DeliveryAssessment

INNOVATIONS recent and coming trends Assessment Research Group

Dynamic Assessment Assessment Research Group Teacher Ongoing ‘real-time’ interaction with individual student to facilitate learning Can this work with groups of students? Course of Study

‘Big Data’ Assessment Assessment Research Group Can this work with groups of students? Cost? Course of Study Teacher Learner Peer Ongoing ‘real-time’ logging of learner behaviour (using phone or table App)

Game-Based Assessment Assessment Research Group Where’s the Teacher? Cost? Learner Peer Ongoing ‘real-time’ collection and automated or peer/self assessment of learner behaviour Course of StudyGame

App-based Assessment Assessment Research Group Cost? Teacher Learner Peer Teaching input followed by ‘real-time’ assessment using phone/tablet App – teacher, peer or self assessment Course of StudyGame

Computer or Tablet delivered text Programme automatically generates grammar, vocabulary or coherence type items (typically MCQ) Automated Assessment - Reading Assessment Research Group Cost? How well does it reflect comprehension? Learner Reads Responds to Items

Recommendation Engines Assessment Research Group Cost? How well does it reflect comprehension? Computer or Tablet delivered text Based on learner profile and data from similar learner profiles the programme recommends texts of known difficulty to learner Learner Self selects text Reads Evaluates System recommends text Learner Reads Evaluates

SOME OBSERVATIONS where are we heading? Assessment Research Group

What Does All This Imply Assessment Research Group Teachers and teacher educators need to know more about assessment They need to accept that it is central to teaching and learning This is critical in light of technology- driven assessment

Thank You Assessment Research Group