Vanderaa_A_s227412_ETP425_Assignment 1

Page 1

ETP425: ASSIGNMENT 1
ASSESSING STUDENT LEARNING AND REFLECTION








APRIL VANDERAA
S227412



Vanderaa_A_s227412_ETP425_Assignment 1
Page 2
CONTEXT

The work sample (WS) selected for this evaluation is the Year 2 Data Record Bean Plant Observation. This sample was dated
from the 31
st
August-4
th
September 2009. Therefore, it is important to recognise that there will be contextual differences between
assessment in 2009 and the present day, particularly in relation to the shifts in relevant policies and curriculum.

In 2009 The Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians had only just been released, whereas in 2014 we
are certainly seeing some of its impacts particularly through the release and implementation of the Australian Curriculum (AC),
which was initially (version 1) released in 2010. Therefore assuming that this sample was obtained within South Australia (SA), the
South Australian Curriculum Standards and Accountability Framework (SACSA) would have been the curriculum used.

Furthermore, the National Assessment Program- Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) had only been introduced Australia-wide in
2008, therefore while it was irrelevant to this particular WS, as it is a year 2 sample, it is important to be aware that the school
would have just been involved in NAPLAN a few months prior. Also, over the last 5 years there has been an increased use and
availability of technology, so in the present day this observational record could have been done using iPads to take photographs of
the daily changes as either a replacement for drawing or optional alternative thereby adding further multimodality to the task.

In light of the above, my current training and knowledge being based in the present day and the comparable overlap of the learning
outcomes in the year 2 Science learning areas of the SACSA framework and the AC, I will be evaluating the WS using the current
curriculum that has been implemented in most schools throughout SA, the AC.


Vanderaa_A_s227412_ETP425_Assignment 1
Page 3
PURPOSE

Wiliam (2012a) states the central processes of assessment are to establish where the learner is going, where they are and how to
get there, which is the aim of this evaluation. First, where is the learner going? The Science Achievement Standard (ACARA, 2014)
provides a foundation to establish the purpose behind the task, within this standard are several goals, relevant to the WS, which
teachers and students work towards achieving by the end of the year:
describe changes to living things
describe examples of where science is used in peoples daily lives
follow instructions to record and represent their observations and communicate their ideas to others
The WS is a formal science investigation (Y. Budd, Lecture 2 PowerPoint, 2013), which may be either formative or summative
depending on how and when the task was used (see Figure 1).

Figure 1






Vanderaa_A_s227412_ETP425_Assignment 1
Page 4

The formative use of this task enriches the teaching and learning possibilities, such as the opportunity for collaborative learning,
which research suggests can double student learning (Wiliam, 2013b). It also has the potential to engage students in authentic or
real world assessment possibilities, and the use of higher order thinking, or Westwells (2013a) fluency plus thinking, necessary
to prepare students for NAPLAN the following year.

Further to this, the Department for Education and Child Development (DECD, 2008) recommends the use of Wiliams 5 key
assessment strategies as a basis for the SA government approach to good assessment. These key strategies are:
1. Sharing learning expectations
2. Questioning
3. Feedback
4. Self-assessment
5. Peer assessment
(Wiliam, 2007, cited on DECD, 2008).







Vanderaa_A_s227412_ETP425_Assignment 1
Page 5
ASSESSMENT OF LEARNI NG

One of the obvious principles of assessment applicable to this WS is that it encourage[s] a variety of
intended learning outcomes (Brady & Kennedy, 2012, p. 25). One of the DECD (2009)
recommended feedback models is the Strengths, Weaknesses, Next (SWN) model.

Using the relevant AC General Capablities, I will apply the SWN model to the related learning
outcomes in order to summarise where the student is at in their learning. This will inform the areas
that require remediation, or assessment for learning.


Figure 2 Figure 3

Vanderaa_A_s227412_ETP425_Assignment 1
Page 6
Learning Outcome Strengths Weaknesses
Living things grow, change
and have offspring similar
to themselves
(ACSSU030)
demonstrates use of some learning area
vocabulary e.g. grown and grow and
was able to visually demonstrate this
growth (see Figure 2) (ACSSU003)
Demonstration of beginning inquiry and
exploration skills (ACSIS011)
(ACSIS233)
Aside from the measurement on day 5 (see
Figure 3), no changes were described on days
2-4. The statement Yay, my bean has started
to grow was repeated for these days.

Use informal
measurements in the
collection and recording of
observations, with the
assistance of digital
technologies as
appropriate (ACSIS039)
Measurement using formal units (cms)
provided on Day 5 (see Figure 3)
(ACSIS066) therefore operating at a level
3 (Year 4) in measurement.
I wonder as it appears that the student erased
the same statement written for the last 3 days
(see figure 3) whether this measurement was
teacher prompted/lead?
Use a range of methods to
sort information, including
drawings and provided
tables (ACSIS040)
Composing written and visual texts, using
the visual text to demonstrate meaning
e.g. growth (see Figure 2) (ACSIS233)
(ACSSU030)

Text composition and knowledge at level 1e
(Foundation/Reception level) on the literacy
continuum, for example the use of expressive
language above and simple drawings and
writing. (ACSIS233)

Vanderaa_A_s227412_ETP425_Assignment 1
Page 7
Represent and
communicate observations
and ideas in a variety of
ways such as oral and
written language, drawing
and role play (ACSIS042)
Uses simple sentences to communicate
observations (ACSIS012) and
demonstrates this visually with clearly
growing bean plant pictures (see Figure
2)



The table above highlights numeracy achievement within the context of the WS as a clear strength. Based on the WS the student
is working at a year 4 level in the area of measurement on the numeracy continuum (Level 3, ACARA, 2014). Further evidence of
this strength is the accurate sequential numbering of the days and dates, which may have been read and recorded from a calendar.
As reflected above, however, I would be interested to know whether the final day was a teacher prompt, perhaps as simple as a
suggestion to provide a final measurement of the growth, which I would be aware of if I were the teacher setting the learning task/s.

On the flipside, the table indicates that, based on the students WS, he/she is largely operating at foundation/reception level on the
literacy continuum (Level 1e, ACARA, 2014). In particular, the text composition and knowledge demonstrated in the WS uses
expressive language in the form of statements rather than the expected explanations and/or descriptions using language that
would explain the growth of the plant more fully than simply stating it has started to grow. While one of the students strengths in
this assessment task is the visual representation of the plants growth, the expectations of the AC Literacy capability (ACARA,
2014) emphasises the use of illustrations/annotated diagrams as the expectations of a student operating at a year 2 level. Further
to this, the students critical thinking skills are also at this basic foundation level, however it is important to note that this WS on its
own has a limited scope to assess this.


Vanderaa_A_s227412_ETP425_Assignment 1
Page 8
ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING

Therefore the areas that require remediation are in the composition and knowledge of texts and building opportunities to use and
build critical thinking skills as these capabilities are impacting on the students ability to meet the learning outcomes and therefore
the broad achievement standards pertaining to the assessment task. Utilising the above assessment, how then can the teacher
scaffold the students current level of knowledge and achievement towards to the expected capabilities, outcomes and overall
achievement standard/s?

One possibility that scaffolds not only the individual students learning but also the task itself, and therefore the learning of the entire
class, is to collate the findings through a collaborative learning approach, applying Wiliams 5 key strategies of assessment above.

To do this the teacher could engage the students in sharing their observations in pairs or groups, comparing them to the previously
outlined criteria/expectations (Peer assessment). Following this, a worksheet could be shown on the smart-board to collate the
data/ observations of the plants growth, using the six levels of questioning informed by Blooms Taxonomy (DECD, 2013) to draw
out the language relevant to describe the growth of a plant (Questionning). For example, how would you describe the plants
growth from day 2 to 3?, what did it look like? (Level 1- knowledge) and how would you compare the size of the plant on Day 4
with its size on day 5? (Level 2- comprehension) (DECD, 2013). This engages the students in the thinking process they can use
with future observational investigative tasks, thereby using thinking aloud to model the inquiry process (TeacherVision, 2013,
para. 6). Further to this, explicitly teaching and modelling the process of giving feedback throughout would be essential (Feedback).

As briefly indicated above, I would assume that prior to engaging in the task the teacher made the criteria and purpose for the task
explicit to the students (Sharing Learning Outcomes). Therefore the teacher could then allow the students some time to self-assess

Vanderaa_A_s227412_ETP425_Assignment 1
Page 9
the collated data record and their own record against the criteria and compare (Self-assessment). Another alternative would be to
allow time prior to the peer assessment to reflect on their observation against the criteria, which would allow the student the
opportunity to compare their self-assessment with their peer assessment and collaboration later (Brady & Kennedy, 2012).

This approach models not only the inquiry process but also the language and structure of an observational investigation task,
thereby scaffolding the students knowledge and procedural know-how in text composition, language and knowledge.

ASSESSMENT AS LEARNI NG

Throughout my engagement in this unit, I have gained a heightened understanding of how integral assessment and reporting is to
not only the outcomes of teaching and learning but also to planning and implementation as a whole. Assignment 1 has instilled this
further, establishing a deeper root, whereby assessment feeds the whole teaching and learning process and if used well can build
student autonomy, reflective and critical thinking skills, motivation, and increase the rate at which a student learns (Brady &
Kennedy, 2012; Wiliam, 2013a; Wiliam, 2013b). In keeping to the criteria I had to set aside my desire to critique the assessment
task and primarily focus on the students learning based on the WS. This emphasised to me that the way a teacher engages
students in learning is perhaps of greater importance than the task/activity itself; provided it is in line with the relevant achievement
standard/s and outcomes. It is the heartbeat of the teaching and learning process, yet can only be as effective as the teachers
contextual understanding and ongoing engagement in reflexive practice (Lyons, Ford & Arthur-Kelly, 2011). In reflecting on things
that I have heard educators say, such as I dont really do what they teach you to do at uni in relation to planning and assessment,
Id like to consider: How can I establish and maintain a reflexive practice approach to and prioritise assessment and reporting whilst
contending with the multiple teaching priorities and this cultural norm?


Vanderaa_A_s227412_ETP425_Assignment 1
Page 10
Further to this, this unit has provided a greater understanding of how the macro-level social, political and economic contextual
influences affect the micro-level student-centred classrooms. Prior to studying this unit I feel I had a greater resistance to NAPLAN
and standardised testing in general. I now see that, while they certainly do need to be reviewed in context and with a critical eye as
well as their potential to disrupt learning through teachers feeling it necessary to teach to the test in an attempt to give their
students their best chance of success and their potential to decrease student motivation, they do have a place in informing the
macro-level influences, such as teacher education, and gives us a snapshot of some of the strengths and weaknesses students in
a certain cohort have at the time the test took place (Westwell, 2013b). This new appreciation for NAPLAN encourages me to
consider: How can I as a preservice, and later qualified, teacher use the NAPLAN results to inform my practice?












Vanderaa_A_s227412_ETP425_Assignment 1
Page 11
REFERENCES

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2014). Australian Curriculum.
<http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Year2#subject=S>, accessed 17
th
April, 2014.

Brady, L. & Kennedy, K. (2012). Assessment and Reporting: Celebrating Student Achievement (4th ed.). Frenchs Forest,
NSW: Pearson Australia.

Department for Education and Child Development (DECD). (2008). Assessment Strategies.
<http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/assessment/pages/assessmentstrategies/>, accessed 26
th
April, 2014.

Department for Education and Child Development (DECD). (2009). Strength, Weakness, Next.
<http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/assessment/pages/assessmentstrategies/>, accessed 28
th
April, 2014.

Department for Education and Child Development (DECD). (2013). Blooms Taxonomy.
<http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/assessment/pages/assessmentstrategies/>, accessed 1
st
May 2014.

Lyons, G., Ford, M. & Arthur-Kelly, M. (2011). Classroom Management: Creative Positive Learning Environments (3rd
Ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Cengage Learning.


Vanderaa_A_s227412_ETP425_Assignment 1
Page 12
Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MEETYA). (2008). Melbourne Declaration on
Educational Goals for Young Australians, The Melbourne Declaration.
<http://www.mceetya.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf
>, accessed 17
th
April 2014.

TeacherVision. (2013). Think Aloud Strategy.
<https://www.teachervision.com/skill-builder/problem-solving/48546.html?page=2&detoured=1>, accessed 1
st
May
2014.

Westwell, M. (2013a). NAPLAN questions and achievement standards, fluency or fluency plus? [Online Video]. Retrieved
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnBckB6PADk&list=TLy6Bln0SHm5t0orciZ-tpRpLOvrDtAw0V.

Westwell, M. (2013b) Clip 4: Problem Solving and NAPLAN [Online Video]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBBSq71amqw.

Wiliam, D. (2012a). Assessment Strategies [Streaming Video]. Retrieved from
http://www.journeytoexcellence.org.uk/videos/expertspeakers/assessmentstrategiesdylanwiliam.asp.

Wiliam, D. (2012b). Collaborative Learning [Online Video]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK_9tWsndEk.