ICT supported Assessment for Learning

Mary-Anne Murphy

ROTORUA 2011

Intentions of this session...To explore the following questions...

What are our understandings of "Assessment for Learning"?

What ICT's/Technologies are available to support Assessment for Learning practices?

How can these ICTs be utilised in a pedagogically sound manner?

EXPLORING OUR MENTAL MODELS AROUND

ASSESSMENT..."Mental models are deeply ingrained

assumptions, generalizations, or even pictures or images that influence how we understand the world and how we take action" “The Fifth Discipline” Peter Senge. (p. 8).

A chosen set of beliefs and method to interpret a given context; usually underpinned by a less-conscious paradigm or worldviewwww.tetradian.com/Glossary

If we are to explore the images we have in our minds around assessment, what might they look like and how might they be placed in relation to each

other?

Draw “assessment”What does assessment look

like to you?

Dialogue around our Mental Models of Assessment

Speaker Questioner &

Notetaker

•The speaker will speak uninterrupted around their “drawing” whilst the other listens and takes notes of key words.

•The questioner will then ask questions regarding what the person spoke about, in an effort to clarify or deepen their thinking. The questioner will also add anything else to their notes as this is happening.

Let’s explore our words.

What are you noticing?

What categories are starting to emerge?

Assessment

From Latin: to sit beside

How does this definition link with your ideas?

Involves students

Benefits students

Supports teaching and learning goals

Is valid and fair

Is planned and communicated

Is suited to the purpose

Characteristics of Effective Assessment

What do you understand by these terms?

Assessment FOR Learning and

Assessment OF Learning.How do your words/categories

relate to these concepts?Share your thinking with a different person next to you.

So what is “Assessment for Learning?”

Let’s hear from Dylan Wiliam who was one of the co-authors of

“Inside the Black Box”.

The characteristics of assessment that promote learning are that it:

Is embedded in a view of teaching and learning of which it is an essential part;Involves sharing learning goals with pupils;Aims to help pupils to know and to recognise the standards they are aiming at;Involves pupils in self-assessment;Provides feedback which leads to pupils recognising their next steps and how to take them;Is underpinned by confidence that every pupil can improve;Involves both teacher and pupils reviewing and reflecting on assessment data.

Assessment for learning – Beyond the black Box, ARG, 1999

How might I create

opportunities that will enable students to be

actively involved in their own

learning?

Knowing progressions of learning of subject matter and skills

Provision of feedback that identifies achievement and determines next steps in learning.

Dialogue and questioning in order to develop metacognitive skills. Learning and thinking talk in the classroom.

The use of student self and peer assessment practices

Planning for Learning. Making decisions about relevant and motivating learning tasks that engage the learner.

Co-construction of criteria that describe the successful achievement of learning.

Teachers and students clearly identify the intended learning outcomes for achievement.

Selecting examples of quality work to exemplify expectations and co-constructing progress with students.

Identify student’s current achievement through observation, questioning, formal and informal testing.

Having high expectations for learners

Adapted from Harlen: Principals of Assessment for Learning

Some of the ways the characteristics can be achieved...

Key questions to ask your students...

1. What do you think you are learning?2. Why do you think you are learning this? 3. How will you know you have learnt it? 4. What do you think you need to do now to get better at …/

improve your learning in…?5. How do you think you learn?6. So what happens at school that helps you to learn? (I

noticed your teacher x, why do you think they did this?)7. How do the comments your teacher makes about your

learning help you?8. When you are learning, how do you think talking about

your learning helps you to think?

What aspects of Formative Assessment do you consider each question addresses? Discuss.

To what extent do you address these aspects within your current classroom

practice?Discuss.

So how might ICT support Formative Assessment

practices.Lets explore some options...Scenario 1. You are wanting to capture

collective and individual student thinking around their interpretation of an assigned reading. (scribblar)

Scenario 2. You have junior students who are at a pre-reading level and you wish to co-construct success criteria with them. (photovisi)

Scenario 3. You are wanting students to offer feedback to each other in relation to co-constructed success criteria. (wallwisher)

Now it’s your turn...Look through the ICT tools on the wiki.

Consider one tool, or a combination of tools and share with the person next to you how you could see yourself or your students using it to support assessment for learning practices within your current class context.

But wait... there’s moreto consider...

Dialogue for

Learning

What is Dialogue for Learning?How can ICT

support a dialogic

approach to Assessment for

Learning?

What is dialogue? "A process of communication in which two or more

participants engage in an open exploration of issues and relationships on an equitable basis.

"Dialogue is the exchange of ideas, opinions, beliefs, and feelings between participants - both speakers and audience. It is listening with respect to others and being able to express one's own views with confidence.

"Dialogue is not silence, chaos or one person or faction monopolising the session.“

www.dialogueacademy.org.uk/what-is-dialogue.html

Dialogue for learning…“The dialogue between pupils and a

teacher should be thoughtful, reflective,focused to evoke and explore

understanding, and conducted so that allpupils have an opportunity to think and to

express their ideas”.

Black & Wiliams, 2001Inside the Black Box

Lets consider how we might use another ICT tool to

support a dialogic Assessment for Learning

approach.

Scenario:You are wanting to capture dialogue you are having with a student about how they worked out a maths problem, so you can upload it to their learning profile/portfolio. (jing)

So what do we need to consider when seeking ICTs

that will support Assessment for Learning practices?

Students actively involved and their learning at the heart of the processDialogue evidentFormative practices... Not ongoing summative practices.Addresses characteristics of effective assessment.ICT supports not leads the process.

Thanks for coming to this breakout.

Mary-Anne Murphymary-anne@inspired.ac.nzhttp://www.inspired.ac.nz

021 888 597