ASSESSMENT AND LEARNINGASSESSMENT AND LEARNINGThe importance of feedbackThe importance of feedback

Mike BabbMike Babb

Principal Principal

Andrew Mynarski VC Junior High SchoolAndrew Mynarski VC Junior High School

Good CoachingGood Coaching

““Like successful athletic coaches, the best Like successful athletic coaches, the best teachers recognize the importance of teachers recognize the importance of ongoing assessments and continual ongoing assessments and continual adjustments on the part of both teacher adjustments on the part of both teacher and student as the means to achieve and student as the means to achieve maximum performance”maximum performance”

““Seven Practices for Effective Learning”, J. McTighe and K. O’Connor Seven Practices for Effective Learning”, J. McTighe and K. O’Connor

Educational Leadership November 2005Educational Leadership November 2005

More on Good CoachingMore on Good Coaching

““Coaches routinely conduct practice drills Coaches routinely conduct practice drills that both develop basic skills and that both develop basic skills and purposefully point toward performance in purposefully point toward performance in the game.” the game.” (McTighe and O’Connor, Educational Leadership, Nov. 2005)(McTighe and O’Connor, Educational Leadership, Nov. 2005)

““Too often, classroom instruction and Too often, classroom instruction and assessment overemphasize assessment overemphasize decontextualized drills and provide too few decontextualized drills and provide too few opportunities for students to actually “play opportunities for students to actually “play the game”.” the game”.” (McTighe and O’Connor, Educational Leadership, Nov. 2005)(McTighe and O’Connor, Educational Leadership, Nov. 2005)

Having the end product in mind:Having the end product in mind:

““Authentic performance tasks provide a Authentic performance tasks provide a worthy goal and help learners see a worthy goal and help learners see a reason for their” effort. reason for their” effort.

(McTighe and O’Connor, Educational Leadership Nov. 2005)(McTighe and O’Connor, Educational Leadership Nov. 2005)

Two assessment tools can play a Two assessment tools can play a big rolebig role

Diagnostic assessment andDiagnostic assessment and Formative assessment Formative assessment provide fuel for teaching and learning, by provide fuel for teaching and learning, by

offering descriptive feedback.offering descriptive feedback. (McTighe, O’Connor, Nov. 2005)(McTighe, O’Connor, Nov. 2005)

““Summative assessments are insufficient Summative assessments are insufficient tools for maximizing learning.”tools for maximizing learning.”(McTighe,O’Connor Nov. 2005) (McTighe,O’Connor Nov. 2005)

List practical pre-assessment toolsList practical pre-assessment tools

Pre-tests of content knowledgePre-tests of content knowledge Skills checksSkills checks Concept mapsConcept maps DrawingsDrawings K-W-L (Know-Want to Learn-Learn)K-W-L (Know-Want to Learn-Learn)

A teacher gains greater insight into what to teach by knowing what skill gaps to address - McTighe and O’Connor

Criteria for good feedbackCriteria for good feedback

TimelyTimely SpecificSpecific Understandable to the receiverUnderstandable to the receiver Formed to allow for self adjustment on the Formed to allow for self adjustment on the

student’s partstudent’s part

(Wiggins, G. Educative Assessment 1998 as per McTighe and O’Connor)(Wiggins, G. Educative Assessment 1998 as per McTighe and O’Connor)

Which is more informative?Which is more informative?

Which helps a soccer player to develop Which helps a soccer player to develop more after coming off of a personal best more after coming off of a personal best soccer match? soccer match?

A score of “8/10” or A score of “8/10” or

Specific feedback as to what they did wellSpecific feedback as to what they did well

““You challenged the ball well and won a lot of 50-50 ball. You kicked You challenged the ball well and won a lot of 50-50 ball. You kicked well with both feet and were able to control the ball with your first well with both feet and were able to control the ball with your first touch. You linked up well with the strikers and cleared the ball touch. You linked up well with the strikers and cleared the ball effectively when we were under pressure. Your work rate was very effectively when we were under pressure. Your work rate was very high and you supported back well.”high and you supported back well.”

Feedback – Gary PhillipsFeedback – Gary Phillips

Look for Look for improvement, not improvement, not perfection perfection

Students will be Students will be rewarded in their rewarded in their lifetime more for their lifetime more for their imagination than for imagination than for their retrieval of their retrieval of memorymemory

How can we support kids efforts?How can we support kids efforts?

At a little kids’ hockey At a little kids’ hockey game, while the parents game, while the parents were applauding both were applauding both teams coming off of the teams coming off of the ice, a parent, who is in ice, a parent, who is in charge of surgery at a charge of surgery at a hospital said, hospital said,

“ “Isn’t it too bad that we are Isn’t it too bad that we are not outside their Math not outside their Math class applauding their class applauding their effort”effort”

Personal BestsPersonal Bests

Can you highlight personal bests?Can you highlight personal bests?

Strong inclusive Track and Field Programs Strong inclusive Track and Field Programs do this very welldo this very well

It rewards the effort and helps to draw the It rewards the effort and helps to draw the best out of a kid.best out of a kid.

Portfolio LearningPortfolio Learning

Uses feedback to develop reflection skills Uses feedback to develop reflection skills which enables students to understand why which enables students to understand why the marks they earned were earned.the marks they earned were earned.

““The best feedback often surfaces in the The best feedback often surfaces in the performance-based subjects – such as art, performance-based subjects – such as art, music and physical education- and in music and physical education- and in extracurricular activities, such as band and extracurricular activities, such as band and athletics.” athletics.” (McTighe and O’Connor, Educational Leadership Nov. 2005)(McTighe and O’Connor, Educational Leadership Nov. 2005)

Good coaches are good teachersGood coaches are good teachers

““The essence of The essence of good coaching good coaching involves ongoing involves ongoing assessment and assessment and feedback.”feedback.”

(McTighe and O’Connor, (McTighe and O’Connor,

Educational Leadership Nov. 2005)Educational Leadership Nov. 2005)

Good teaching Good teaching incorporates incorporates good coaching good coaching practices.practices.

McTighe and O’Connor McTighe and O’Connor

Feedback addresses three factors which Feedback addresses three factors which motivate students to learn.motivate students to learn.

Task clarityTask clarity RelevanceRelevance Potential for successPotential for success (from Marzano, 1992)(from Marzano, 1992)

Feedback maintains the path to the goal, Feedback maintains the path to the goal, reinforces each step and helps one to reinforces each step and helps one to move forward.move forward.

At a North District InitiativeAt a North District Initiative

Caren Cameron strongly suggested thatCaren Cameron strongly suggested that Cramming more content per minute virtually Cramming more content per minute virtually

guarantees that little or no learning will take guarantees that little or no learning will take place.place.

That processing time enables information to That processing time enables information to move from short term memory to long term move from short term memory to long term memory.memory.

That it is important to get rid of the numbers That it is important to get rid of the numbers when using descriptive feedback.when using descriptive feedback.

CC continuedCC continued

She also highlighted the strength of She also highlighted the strength of student self assessment when they can student self assessment when they can assess in relation to criteria.assess in relation to criteria.

Criterion Referenced Assessment is Criterion Referenced Assessment is clear, up front and has no surprises.clear, up front and has no surprises.

She used a practice, practice, practice –She used a practice, practice, practice –game model for learninggame model for learning

CC easy to implement toolsCC easy to implement tools

Portfolios – a celebration of learningPortfolios – a celebration of learning Stand and Re-tellStand and Re-tell Turn and TalkTurn and Talk Exemplars – mitred corner exampleExemplars – mitred corner example Keeper JournalKeeper Journal Post It Notes feedback (Mr. J)Post It Notes feedback (Mr. J) 2nd Chance – lime green paper2nd Chance – lime green paper Targets for Kids to aim forTargets for Kids to aim for The 10 x 2 Rule – the importance of processing timeThe 10 x 2 Rule – the importance of processing time The Muddiest PointThe Muddiest Point

Kohn’s 3 C’s of MotivationKohn’s 3 C’s of Motivation

from O’Connor’s “from O’Connor’s “How To Grade for How To Grade for LeaLearning”:rning”:

1.1. Content – things worth knowingContent – things worth knowing

2.2. Choice – excites kids about their learningChoice – excites kids about their learning

3.3. Collaboration – all learning does not Collaboration – all learning does not have to be lonelyhave to be lonely

An Imaginative Approach to An Imaginative Approach to TeachingTeaching

““Successful education requires some Successful education requires some emotional involvement of the student with emotional involvement of the student with the subject matter (egan k.)the subject matter (egan k.)

She proposes that engaging students’ She proposes that engaging students’ imaginations is crucial to successful imaginations is crucial to successful learning and believes that in doing so learning and believes that in doing so there will be improvements in all measures there will be improvements in all measures of educational achievement. (Website – of educational achievement. (Website – www.ierg.net))

In The Disciplined Mind, GardnerIn The Disciplined Mind, Gardner

recommends that it is important to study recommends that it is important to study substantial topics in depth in the areas of substantial topics in depth in the areas of Science, Mathematics, The Arts and History. Science, Mathematics, The Arts and History.

He feels strongly that a true measure of learning He feels strongly that a true measure of learning is when “an individual understands a concept, is when “an individual understands a concept, skill, theory or domain of knowledge to the skill, theory or domain of knowledge to the extent that he or she can apply it appropriately in extent that he or she can apply it appropriately in a new situation.” a new situation.”

Ken O’Connor suggests thatKen O’Connor suggests that

Grading is not essential for learning and Grading is not essential for learning and makes reference to the excellent teaching makes reference to the excellent teaching and superb learning that can take place in and superb learning that can take place in co-curricular settings. co-curricular settings.

He also states that poor grades have no He also states that poor grades have no motivational value and that the only motivational value and that the only grades that have any motivational value grades that have any motivational value are grades higher than normal or A’s.are grades higher than normal or A’s.

O’Connor referring to Stiggins workO’Connor referring to Stiggins work

““students succeed academically only if students succeed academically only if they want to succeed and feel capable of they want to succeed and feel capable of doing so.doing so.

If they lack either desire or confidence, If they lack either desire or confidence, they will not be successful. they will not be successful.

Therefore, the essential question is a dual Therefore, the essential question is a dual one: one:

How do we help our students to want to How do we help our students to want to learn and feel capable of learning?”learn and feel capable of learning?”

A Teachers Panel stated that:A Teachers Panel stated that:

Kids want to be valued everydayKids want to be valued everyday Inclusive classrooms involve fun, Inclusive classrooms involve fun,

choices, stories, talk time, games and choices, stories, talk time, games and projects and humour – they build projects and humour – they build communitycommunity

If we failed everyday we would hate If we failed everyday we would hate coming to work – therefore it is coming to work – therefore it is essential that students experience essential that students experience successsuccess

Teacher Panel continued:Teacher Panel continued:

Classroom dynamics benefit from Classroom dynamics benefit from student input into classroom student input into classroom agreementsagreements

If it is not good for kids don’t do itIf it is not good for kids don’t do it

We all need to increase wait time – we We all need to increase wait time – we must give kids time to formulate must give kids time to formulate answersanswers

More from the teachers:More from the teachers:

Value the process of growth, sometimes Value the process of growth, sometimes new and magical things develop that new and magical things develop that were never anticipated, even with good were never anticipated, even with good backwards planningbackwards planning

Collaboration is energizing Collaboration is energizing

Success – the challengeSuccess – the challenge

Can you pitch the ball so the bat will Can you pitch the ball so the bat will hit it?hit it?

When I was a Phys Ed. teacher I would pitch the When I was a Phys Ed. teacher I would pitch the ball to the level the bat was being swung at, so ball to the level the bat was being swung at, so the bat would contact the ball and the kid would the bat would contact the ball and the kid would experience success.experience success.

Unfortunately, I also had that knack when I Unfortunately, I also had that knack when I pitched in competitive situations, but it was good pitched in competitive situations, but it was good for Phys. Ed. classes MBfor Phys. Ed. classes MB