Graduate Standard Five.
5.1 Assess student learning
Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning. 5.2 Provide feedback to students on their learning Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning. 5.3 Make consistent and comparable judgements Demonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning. 5.4 Interpret student data Demonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice. 5.5 Report on student achievement Demonstrate understanding of a range of strategies for reporting to students and parents/carers and the purpose of keeping accurate and reliable records of student achievement |
Focus Area 5.1- Assess student learning
'Learning is not a linear process. Assessment doesn't come at the end....Learning intentions and assessment are connected so closely to curriculum that it is impossible to plan them in isolation from one another'
Earl, 2003. Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning. Assessment for learning, assessment as learning and assessment of learning play a central role in students engagement in their learning which ultimately leads to enhanced learning outcomes.Below is a diagram which demonstrates these types of assessment. Note: the image is from the NSW Board of Studies. Click image picture to refer to link. It is essential that teachers use a variety of assessment strategies in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of every student in their class. Assessment is not just an item at the end of a topic, it is a process which should occur every day in the classroom. Below is a diagram which briefly demonstrates three different types of assessment- formative, summative and diagnostic.
Whilst completing my final practicum I was responsible for assessing Year 11 Society and Culture students. I created a unit of work that demonstrates the variety of assessment strategies I used with this class. This annotated year 11 Society and Culture unit of work demonstrates the specific assessment strategies I used with this class and highlights diagnostic, formative and summative assessment methods and strategies.
Focus Area 5.2-Provide feedback to students on their learning.
On one of my teaching practicums I taught two year 10 textiles classes for fourteen weeks. Within these fourteen weeks I was involved with a variety of assessment. I created two assessment pieces for these classes where I had to create a marking rubric and mark all of these assessment pieces. As a result of becoming extremely involved in the summative and formative assessment process my mentor teacher and I sat down together and wrote their half yearly reports. Below is an example of the feedback my mentor teacher and I gave to some students on their reports. (note to view a larger version of this image click the icon at the right hand corner). In this textiles practicum I was also required to consistently give feedback informally throughout the class on sewing projects students were completing. This feedback was vital for students progression of their garments they were constructing.
Focus Area 5.3-Make consistent and comparable judgments.
On one of my teaching practicums I observed a school based moderation day. On this moderation day teachers who taught creative (art, design, photography and textiles) subjects to year 11 and year 12 students met and graded each others work according to the marking criteria and then discussed each student's work in regards to the criteria. This moderation day occurred so that teachers were not subjectively marking students based on their creative major works. It was also used so that different class teachers of the same subject area marked fairly.
On another teaching practicum I was involved in a moderation process with a year 12 Modern History class and their essays. My mentor teacher first marked his students history essays according to the rubric. I then marked the essays. Next the other Modern History teacher marked the essays and finally the Head Teacher of HSIE marked these essays. After we had all marked the students essays individually, we all sat together and discussed them- moderating marks according to these discussions. Most of the marking was consistent between all of the markers. Focus Area 5.4-Interpret student data.
In a year 7 Textiles class I handed out an assignment to be completed both in class and out of class based on fibres, yarns and fabrics. When I graded the assignments with my mentor teacher I was very disappointed by the work my students had produced in their assignment. After reflecting on the assignment and discussing it with my mentor teacher we came to the conclusion that the marking criteria was not detailed enough for students to know exactly what we expected an 'A' grade to look like. This annotated original marking rubric demonstrates the rubrics simplicity.
However, in this teaching practicum I was lucky enough to give the same assignment to a different year 7 class in the following term. I made significant changes to the assignment rubric that is demonstrated by this annotated revised marking rubric. As a result of this more detailed rubric my students did significantly better in their assignments because they understood exactly what was expected of them. Focus Area 5.5-Report on student achievement.
My 2013 teaching practicum report comments illustrate my involvement in the parent/ teacher meetings for half year progress of students; (click comment to full the whole practicum report)
As demonstrated through these comments, I was actively involved in the parent/student/ teacher night. When preparing for these interviews I created a table (see below) that I completed for each student. In this table I recognised student's overall grade, students assessment grades, students strengths and weaknesses, how the student can improve in their learning and an overall comment. This table was completed before each individual interview and it helped me identify exactly what I wanted to say to each parent which was valuable and constructive.
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