Part 2

The NSW Department of Education and Training (2008) defines assessment as

the process of collecting evidence of student learning in order to draw an
inference about individuals (or a groups) current level of attainment. Such
assessment must be an ongoing, integral part of the teaching and learning cycle
which informs teaching and learning goals. By setting these goals teachers
ensure they are meeting the academic needs of all students whilst students are
provided motivation and direction for their learning (NSW Department of
Education and Training, 2008). The Department of Education and Early Childhood
Development Victoria (2013) defines three main purposes for assessment
including, assessment for learning, assessment of learning and assessment as
learning. Assessment for learning and assessment as learning constitute
formative assessment practice, whilst assessment of learning aligns with
summative practice.
Assessment for learning occurs when teachers use inferences about student
progress to inform their teaching (The Department of Education and Early
Childhood Development Victoria, 2013). Substantial research exists which argues
the value of formative practice in teaching and learning programs. Black and
Wiliam (2001) highlight the interactive nature of teaching and learning and
suggest as a result of this teachers must monitor pupils progress and difficulties
with learning so work can be adapted to meet the unpredictable needs of each
and every pupil. In addition Stiggins (2002) suggests assessment for learning
involves more than just checking on student learning it also ensures students are
continuously learning and remain confident that they can continue to learn at
productive levels as long as they keep trying to learn. Each of the assessments
discussed in Part 1 can be used as a part of a formative assessment program. All
three present an opportunity for educators to gather information about what the
student knows, understands and is able to do in relation to the criteria being
assessed. Such information can then be used to formulate learning goals
appropriate to students learning needs. The formative nature of each can be
enhanced by ensuring the criteria for assessment is communicated to students
prior to undertaking the task. This means that there is transparency in the tasks
in that students understand what they are learning rather than what they are
doing. In addition by providing students with comment-only feedback for each
task the focus is shifted from performance in terms of a grade to the specific
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areas of strength and those to be worked on. Hence it is apparent that it is the
teachers approach to tasks that defines the formative or summative nature of
the task.
The other aspect of formative assessment is assessment as learning. This occurs
when students reflect on and monitor their progress to inform their future
learning goals (The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
Victoria, 2013). To ensure the inclusion of this type of assessment in the teaching
and learning program teachers must plan opportunities for students to review
and reflect on their learning. This involves opportunities for self and peer
assessment, self evaluation and self regulation and monitoring. By actively
involving pupils in the teaching and learning process teachers can sustain
engagement, motivation and self-esteem (Black & Wiliam, 1999). Again it is the
teachers approach to the assessment activities above that constitutes the
formative nature of the tasks. As discussed above, by providing comment only
feedback students have the opportunity to reflect on what they know and dont
know and from this can develop specific learning targets. Also through the
provision of assessment criteria or rubric students can be given the opportunity
to self monitor and self-evaluate their performance in tasks. Another
consideration in the design of the above tasks is providing students with choices.
As students engage in reflective practices they develop a sense of how they
learn rather than what they learn. Hence formative tasks should allow students
to demonstrate their learning through a range of means. Both A Day in My Life
and Popular Film Review give some flexibility in students choice of content.
However all of the activities give no choice to students in how they present their
learning. In a good assessment program students will have the opportunity to
showcase their learning through a range of tasks. However, it is also possible to
design tasks in such a way that they cater to a range of learning styles. For
instance Lee demonstrated knowledge of healthy and unhealthy foods in his
Special Needs Menu however was unable to write a justification for his choices.
This task could be adapted so that the questions could be delivered orally as a
role play or comic strip of a discussion between an elderly visitor and the
student. This would allow the visual, oral and kinaesthetic learners to
demonstrate their knowledge through a means suited to their learning needs. It
is evident that in order to maximise the value of each of these tasks in terms of
assessment as learning teachers must provide opportunities for students to

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actively participate in the process of monitoring and evaluating their

performance.
Assessment of learning differs from the previous two as it is categorised as
summative assessment. It occurs when teachers use evidence of student
learning to make judgements on student achievement against goals and
standards (The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
Victoria, 2013). Such assessment may be administered to collect data for internal
uses such as keeping records and reporting to teachers, parents and students
(Harlen, 2006). Alternatively it may be conducted for external purposes such as
certification, selection or meeting statutory requirements (Harlen, 2006). The
activities above all constitute assessment of learning as each provides evidence
of what students can do in relation to a set of criteria. Each sample provides data
related to what students know and can do and can be used to make judgements
as to whether students have achieved their learning goals. In particular A day in
My Life resembles a summative task as it has a set timeframe of 50 minutes for
completion signifying it may be completed in a traditional testing environment at
the end of a unit. It involves a number of tasks linked to syllabus content hence
providing an overview of student learning in the completed unit. In order to
enhance the formative nature of summative tasks the information gathered must
be used to advance students academic needs. Hattie (1999) advocates that
teacher feedback is one of the most effective ways teachers can improve student
performance, teacher feedback that occurs both during the development of an
assessment activity, and after its completion, is a powerful way of ensuring that
students learn as a result of summative assessment. It is evident by adopting a
range of effective assessment practices, teachers can develop a balanced
approach to assessment, ensuring all students learning needs are satisfied.

H Ryan|EEE314 Assessment 1