1. Assessment for Learning (AfL)
With pennacool.com

2. Learning Outcome Participant will be able to: Define AfL
Apply its key concepts to the assessment process
Adopt pennacool.com as a tool to implement AfL
Compare and contrast AfL with Assessment of Learning (AoL)

4. Climate Control vs. Command & Control

5. Context is Everything

6. 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 next, and how best to get them there.
- Assessment Reform Group
Now that you’ve considered how you define and use assessment in your context, take a look at this definition for Assessment for Learning from the Assessment Reform Group.
How does this definition match up against your own purposes for assessment?
Are there any clear similarities?
What are the differences?
© PMB 2007

7. What does the research say?
In 1998 Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam of Kings College, London published their wide-ranging analysis of research into classroom-based assessment:
Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards through Classroom Assessment
The article concludes with the following quote: “There is a body of firm evidence that formative assessment is an essential feature of classroom work and that development of it can raise standards. We know of no other way of raising standards for which such a strong prima facie case can be made on the basis of evidence of such large learning gains.”
For the full text of the article, go to:

8. The Black Box: findings
Research that was conducted by Black and Wiliam (1998), indicates that improving learning through assessment depends on five deceptively simple factors:
Providing effective feedback to students.
Students’ active involvement in their own learning.
Adjusting teaching to take account of the results of assessment.
Recognising the profound influence of assessment on students’ motivation and self-esteem - both crucial influences on learning.
Ensuring pupils assess themselves and understand how to improve.

9. Assessment for Learning with Pennacool.com
Allows teachers to use a data driven approach to differentiate instruction such that instruction matches students’ needs
Online assessment activities are perfectly aligned to learning objectives
Assessments are valid and reliable
Tests are standardised
Assessment is both summative and formative
Performance is analysed to produce useful feedback for teaching and learning