Assessment
NSW syllabuses and support materials promote an integrated approach to teaching, learning and assessment. Assessment for learning, assessment as learning and assessment of learning are approaches that can be used individually or together, formally or informally, to gather evidence about student achievement and to improve student learning.
The principles of assessment for learning and assessment as learning strategies have some common elements. Assessment for learning and assessment as learning incorporate:
The principles of assessment for learning and assessment as learning strategies have some common elements. Assessment for learning and assessment as learning incorporate:
- self-assessment and peer assessment
- strategies for students to actively monitor and evaluate their own learning
- feedback, together with evidence, to help teachers and students decide whether students are ready for the next phase of learning or whether they need further learning experiences to consolidate their knowledge, understanding and skills.
USING SYLLABUS OUTCOMES IN STANDARDS REFERENCED ASSESSMENT
This model for developing assessment activities emphasises:
This model for developing assessment activities emphasises:
- that outcomes are central to the decisions teachers make about teaching, learning and assessment
- the importance of gathering evidence about student learning in relation to the outcomes
- how teachers use evidence to determine how well students are achieving in relation to the outcomes
- the importance of teacher feedback and student reflection
- how evidence of student achievement informs future teaching and learning.
Evidence may include
*teacher observation,
*questioning,
*peer evaluation
*self-evaluation,
as well as more formalised assessment activities
*teacher observation,
*questioning,
*peer evaluation
*self-evaluation,
as well as more formalised assessment activities
More formalised assessment activities
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Teachers can use this evidence to:
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Recording evidence for assessment may take a variety of forms, including:
or
Recording evidence:
- individual comments or notations,
- marks,
- grades,
- conversations,
- digital recordings and/or audio
or
- visual representations.
Recording evidence:
- needs to be manageable
- may be formal and/or informal
- should focus on student progress in relation to outcomes, particular strengths and areas for improvement.
Effective Feedback
“To be effective, feedback needs to be clear, purposeful, meaningful and compatible with students’ prior knowledge, and to provide logical connections.”
“If feedback is directed at the right level, it can assist students to comprehend, engage, or develop effective strategies to process the information intended to be learnt.”
“Thus, when feedback is combined with effective instruction in classrooms, it can be very powerful in enhancing learning.” Professor John Hattie
Effective feedback to learners:
•is best initiated by the learner
•focuses on the learning intention of the task
•occurs as the students are doing the learning
•provides information on how and why the student understands and misunderstands
•provides strategies to help the student to improve
•assists the student to understand the goals of the learning.
Teacher feedback about student learning is essential for students and integral to teaching, learning and assessment. Feedback can clarify for students:
Forms of Feedback
The nature of the assessment activity and the context of the learning influences the type of feedback provided to students. Feedback may take a variety of forms, including digital and other modes. It may be formal or informal, and should encourage teacher–student dialogue about learning. It may include:
Providing students with advice about how they can improve their learning is a key element of effective feedback. Students benefit from opportunities to:
Kate Hurst- teacher- thank you :)
“To be effective, feedback needs to be clear, purposeful, meaningful and compatible with students’ prior knowledge, and to provide logical connections.”
“If feedback is directed at the right level, it can assist students to comprehend, engage, or develop effective strategies to process the information intended to be learnt.”
“Thus, when feedback is combined with effective instruction in classrooms, it can be very powerful in enhancing learning.” Professor John Hattie
Effective feedback to learners:
•is best initiated by the learner
•focuses on the learning intention of the task
•occurs as the students are doing the learning
•provides information on how and why the student understands and misunderstands
•provides strategies to help the student to improve
•assists the student to understand the goals of the learning.
Teacher feedback about student learning is essential for students and integral to teaching, learning and assessment. Feedback can clarify for students:
- how their knowledge, understanding and skills are developing in relation to the syllabus outcomes and content being addressed
- how to improve their learning.
- is timely, specific and related to the learning and assessment intention
- is constructive and provides meaningful information to students about their learning in a variety of forms
- focuses on the activity and corrects misunderstandings
- identifies and reinforces students’ strengths
- provides information about how they can improve
- facilitates the development of and provides opportunities for self-assessment and reflection during the learning process
- informs future teaching and learning opportunities.
- include regular teacher–student dialogue to guide student learning
- focus on particular knowledge, understanding and skills related to content, and/or processes applied to an activity.
Forms of Feedback
The nature of the assessment activity and the context of the learning influences the type of feedback provided to students. Feedback may take a variety of forms, including digital and other modes. It may be formal or informal, and should encourage teacher–student dialogue about learning. It may include:
- oral feedback from the teacher, student and their peers, such as collaborative activities and conferencing
- written feedback from the teacher and/or peers, based on the criteria for assessing learning.
- whole-class discussions to clarify the task during the activity, including blogs, wikis and forums
- whole-class or individual student comments about aspects of the activity where students performed well, and how to improve
- peer and self-assessments and self-reflections
- checklists, criteria sheets, comments or grades
- ongoing oral or written comments, including questioning students’ understanding
- cues, reinforcements or prompts to redirect learning
- drafts and resubmissions
- peer collaborations using online tools
- written, audio or digital annotations
- discussion of a range of student work samples and other examples beyond the classroom in relation to criteria.
Providing students with advice about how they can improve their learning is a key element of effective feedback. Students benefit from opportunities to:
- rehearse and practise
- consult a range of reference points, including teachers, adults, peers and resources, including digital resources
- reflect on their learning and plan how to improve their knowledge, understanding and skills.
- clarifies learning in relation to outcomes, criteria and standards
- is based on a standards-referenced approach rather than comparisons with other students
- recognises improvements made over time in comparison to prior work samples
- offers alternatives or asks students to think of alternatives
- focuses on the activity rather than the student
- is descriptive and questioning
- values student work and focuses on the quality rather than the quantity
- models how to apply a particular skill
- facilitates self-reflection
- encourages positive motivational beliefs and self-esteem
- is timely and provides opportunities for students to act upon advice.
Kate Hurst- teacher- thank you :)