1. Fís Foghlaim Forbairt www. pdst. ie © PDST 2014 This work is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0 Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ie/. You may use and re-use this material (not including images and logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike Licence.http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ie/

2. www. pdst. ie Assessment for Learning Anne O’Brien

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4. Learning Intention: Teachers will be able to use formative assessment to enhance the teaching and learning in their classroom Success Criteria:  Distinguish between assessment of and for learning  Know the key elements of assessment for learning  Write learning intentions  Suggest activities/tasks to achieve the learning intention  Devise Success Criteria  Use questioning in the classroom to generate discussion and improve student’s participation in their learning

5. 5 Assessment OF Learning (Summative) Assessment FOR Learning (Formative) Happens after learning takes place An integral part of learning process Information is gathered by teacher Information is shared with learner Information is usually transferred into marks Information is available on quality of learning Comparison with performance of others Is linked to learning intentions and success criteria Looks back on past learning Looks forward to the next stage of learning

6. www. pdst. ie Reflect on Current Practice Assessment of and for learning..... Source: “Putting Assessment for Learning into Practice,” David Spendlove, 2009)

7. Assessment for Learning (formative) is not an attack on assessment of learning (summative assessment). These are complementary approaches - it’s about getting the balance right. It is the teacher who decides the balance and timing of formative and summative assessments; (“Putting Assessment for Learning into Practice,” David Spendlove, 2009)

8. www. pdst. ie Assessment for Learning: Key Elements 1.Learning Intention and Success Criteria 2.Effective Feedback 3.Effective Questioning 4.Self assessment - Students as owners of their own learning 5.Peer Assessment - Students as Instructional resources for each other Assessment for learning strategies need to be phased into practice over time. AfL Assessment for Learning – A Practical Guide 2010 p38

9. www. pdst. ie Assessment for Learning (AfL) Enables teachers and students to focus on three key questions - 1.Where are students now in their learning? 2.Where are students going in their learning? 3.How will students get to the next point in their learning? NCCA Assessment Guidelines p9.

10. www. pdst. ie Learning Intention Learning Intentions are an explicit description of what a learner should know, understand and be able to do as a result of learning. (Learning and Teaching Institute, Sheffield Hallam University)

11. www. pdst. ie Learning Intentions “Lessons are guided by syllabus-linked learning outcomes that are shared with the students.” SSE Guidelines Example: Students will be able to:  Plan a balanced breakfast menu for two  Demonstrate understanding of the concept of plate tectonics  Describe the environmental effects of a natural disaster.

12. www. pdst. ie Devising Learning Intentions State learning intentions simply and clearly. Learning Intentions should be capable of being validly assessed – a verb should be used in the statement.  Plan a nutritional menu for two  Measure and Map an area  Describe the environmental effects of a natural disaster

13. www. pdst. ie Separating the Learning Intention from the Context of Learning The context of learning is simply the actions, activities and/or tasks students will be doing to achieve the Learning Intention. Learning IntentionContext of Learning Write clear instructionsHow to bake a cake Present an argument for or against a controversial proposition Four corner discussion on the statement, “student benefit should be reduced” Identify metaphorsLake Isle of Innisfree Identify the parts of the respiratory system and explain their function Smoking

14. www. pdst. ie Clarified Learning Intentions Clear: focus on what will be learned in the lesson, as distinct from what students will do in the lesson Useful: focus is on concepts, skills or knowledge that is used rather than focusing on imparting knowledge Can be transferrable to a similar context Adapted from source: Leahy, S, Lyon, C and Wiliam, D. (Nov.2005) Classroom Assessment: Minute by Minute, Day by Day. Educational Leadership

15. Learning Intention with Context What students thought they were learning Learning Intention without a context What the student thought they were learning now To write instructions to make a sandwich “I would learn how to make a sandwich” To write instructions“We would be learning how to write instructions” Learning Intention with Context What students thought they were learning Learning Intention without a context What the student thought they were learning now To know why Samuel Pepys is important in understanding the events of the Great Fire of London “We would be learning about what happened and what he wrote. We would learn how to put a fire out” To know how primary sources help us to find out about the past “We would learn how other people lived in previous centuries” Example 1 Example 2 Adapted from Clarke, S. (2005) Formative Assessment in Action: Weaving the elements together

16. www. pdst. ie If the learning intention is free of context it can illustrate to students that there are many reasons for learning the concept Learning Intention with Context What students thought they were learning Learning Intention without Context What students thought they were learning now To write instructions to make a sandwich “I would learn how to make a sandwich” To write instructions “We would be learning how to write instructions” To know why Samuel Pepys is important in understanding the events of the Great Fire of London “We would be learning about what happened and what he wrote. We would also learn how to put a fire out.” To know how primary sources help us to find out about the past “We would learn how other people lived in previous centuries.” From Clarke, S. (2005) Formative Assessment in Action: Weaving the elelments together

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18. Workshop Activity Learning OutcomeContext of Learning Identify and explain the respiratory system The effects of smoking Use the subject-based statements on the worksheet to: 1.Write a clear learning intention 2.Identify a context of learning (task/activity/teaching approach etc.)

19. www. pdst. ie Success Criteria suggest ways to achieve a learning intention. “How will I know when I have learned?” “How will I know when I have achieved the learning intention?” The learning intention and the success criteria need to be visually displayed –WILF - What I’m Looking For Success Criteria

20. www. pdst. ie Success criteria can be a series of steps/sequence of instructions a list of options/menu from which the students can choose a list of “remember to” prompts a visual aide memoir

21. www. pdst. ie Success Criteria – menu/list of options Learning Intention: Create a written character portrait What will you need to do to achieve this? (Success Criteria) Include some or all of the following Appearance Hobbies and interests Personality traits Attitude to self/others Occupation How others respond to the character.....

22. www. pdst. ie Stems for Writing Success Criteria Why does…..? What if….? How would you….? Could you explain….? What might….? To be successful you… What I am looking for is… What I expect from everyone is… What do we already know that would help…? To produce a good… what do you need to do?

23. www. pdst. ie 1 st Year Business Studies: Syllabus Link: Enterprise: Transportation and Delivery Systems; Factors affecting choice of delivery systems Learning Intention Context of Learning Success Criteria Students will be able to evaluate the main types of transportation which are suitable for transporting goods In pairs, students will write a report for a company involved in selling goods abroad, advising them of the best method of transporting their goods abroad. Present a report that will: Explain the four main types of transport (road, rail, sea and air) Explain the factors that a company should take into account when choosing a suitable form of transport Recommend a method of transporting goods abroad Source: NCCA

24. www. pdst. ie Effective Feedback “Feedback is among the most powerful moderators of learning” Hattie, 2012

25. www. pdst. ie Effective feedback Oral – most powerful impact Marks/grading only- does little to improve learning Written comment - quality more important than frequency

26. www. pdst. ie Principles of Effective Feedback Involves more work for receiver than the giver Timely Clear and focused Attached to the learning intentions and success criteria

27. www. pdst. ie Feedback: answers three questions Where am I going? How am I going? Where to next?

28. www. pdst. ie What is Feedback? “The best feedback is highly specific, directly revealing or highly descriptive of what actually resulted, clear to the performer, and available or offered in terms of specific targets and standards.” ( Wiggins, Grant. Educative Assessment, 1998)

29. www. pdst. ie Four levels of feedback The Task: correct or incorrect and could include directions to acquire more, different or correct information. The Process: used to create the performance/product; aimed at the learning process requiring understanding to complete the product/performance Self Regulation: greater skill in self-evaluation or confidence to engage further with the task The self as a person: personal; directed at the person, not the performance/product Hattie and Temperley: The Power of Feedback: Review of Educational Research, March 2007; Vol 77, No. 1 Which level of feedback do you think might have the greatest impact?

30. www. pdst. ie Evaluative vs Descriptive Evaluative Feedback offers: judgements of value or correctness or incorrectness Descriptive Feedback offers descriptions of: why a response is appropriate what has been achieved suggestions for improvement suggestions or prompts of a better way of doing something

31. www. pdst. ie Concrete, specific and useful; therefore it is actionable. Can a student take action to the following examples of feedback? “Good job!”, “B+”, “You need to try harder next time!”

32. www. pdst. ie User friendly: understandable language; concentrate on one or two key elements of performance Too much feedback can be counter- productive

33. www. pdst. ie Good work! You need to work harder You got a B on your presentation I am so pleased with your essay You need more quotes in your essay You need more detail in the write up of the experiment, instructions, recipe etc… In light of the above feedback, what have I learned that can improve my performance? How can we make the above comments useful?

34. www. pdst. ie Making the Evaluative Descriptive: Activities Good work; Your use of descriptive language was an improvement on your last essay. I was able to imagine the scenes very clearly. (achieved) You need to work harder; (ways to improve) You got a B on your presentation; (achievement, improvement) I am so pleased with your essay; (appropriateness, achievement)

35. www. pdst. ie Feedback vs Advice Feedback must be linked to the learning intention and success criteria as well as moving the learning forward, otherwise it tends to become either a judgement or advice.

36. www. pdst. ie Activity Organise all the comments into categories of Descriptive Feedback and Evaluative/Advice DescriptiveEvaluativeAdvice Can you find quotes that better reflect Lady MacBeth’s torment? Your use of quotes is not very effective You need more quotes You are a very good student This report could be in greater detail The dissection was well carried out because (refer to LO and SC) You did a good job with the dissection You should be better organised

37. www. pdst. ie Structuring Effective Feedback: Activity  Highlight successes (2 or 3) and identify one area for improvement  Give improvement suggestions – write a prompt that will help student make the improvement reminder- suitable for able students: “Say more about how Gandhi influenced India’s independence scaffold- for students who need more support than a reminder: “Describe something that happened when the molten lava reached the river.” example- can work with all students but especially the less able: “Choose one of these or create your own: ‘He is a good friend because he never says unkind things.’; ‘He is a friend because he never tells lies.’ Adapted from NCCA

38. www. pdst. ie Ongoing!! Feedback only works formatively if the student has opportunity to improve to better achieve the learning outcome. In summative assessment the feedback is too late.

39. www. pdst. ie Effective Feedback Techniques Three Questions: asking the students to reflect on their work and move it forward Spot your own mistake

40. www. pdst. ie Question Stems Why does…..? What if….? How would you….? Could you explain….? What might….? Why does…? What if…? How would you? Could you explain..? What might you…?

41. www. pdst. ie Assessing Progress During Lessons Asking key questions: to measure student progress in learning orally to generate class discussion use open questions higher order questions

42. www. pdst. ie Strategies for Effective Questioning Use ‘open’ rather than ‘closed’ questions – E.g. Is Iago or Othello responsible for Othello’s downfall?

43. www. pdst. ie Strategies for Effective Questioning Change the question into a statement: Instead of asking: “Who was most responsible for the Irish Civil War?” Make a statement: “DeValera was responsible for the Irish Civil War.”

44. www. pdst. ie Strategies for Effective Questioning Invert the question e.g.: “Is Ireland a republic?” Change to: “What does it mean for a country to become a republic?” Insert the word “might” into the question “What is the meaning of socialism?” “What might be the meaning of socialism?”

45. www. pdst. ie Strategies for Effective Questioning Start your questions with “why” or “how” Instead of asking: “What is a prime number?” Ask: “Why is 7 a prime number and 9 a composite number? Instead of asking: “What was life like under the Taliban?” Ask: “How were the lives of men and women different under the Taliban?”

46. www. pdst. ie Assessment It is essential that teachers ensure that AfL does not become a set of teaching tips that ultimately fall into unthinking routines of traffic lights, two stars, WALT boards, success criteria and so on. AfL – A Practical Guide (N. I Curriculum) pii

47. www. pdst. ie “If all teachers accept the need to improve practice, not because they are not good enough, but because they can be even better, and focus on the things that make the biggest differences to their students, according to the research, we will be able to prepare our students to thrive In the impossibly complex, unpredictable world of the 21 st century.” D Wiliam, 2011