ASSESSING AS A SUPPORT FOR LEARNING
identifying what they need to know , determining where they are in their learning , and making plans to move forward . This leads us to the use of effective feedback that shifts a student ’ s learning forward . Providing students the opportunity to use that feedback builds their selfefficacy and meta-cognition . When coupled with clear learning targets , student achievement can increase significantly . This philosophy and pedagogy naturally lead to formative instructional practices ( formative assessment ) being embedded in the culture of learning .
This article has been written by Edmentum who offer education technology that teachers can trust . Edmentum boasts 60 years of experience in K-12 digital education solutions , and they support educators globally in delivering world-class pedagogy to drive students ’ academic growth .
“… the primary purpose of assessment is not to measure but to further learning .”
Sarah M . Bonner ,
SAGE Handbook of Research on Classroom Assessment , 2013 , p . 97
The idea of " furthering " learning rather than measuring it via assessing may be a paradigm shift for some . For others , it makes lots of sense . Lorna Earl ( 2003 ) introduced us to the idea of assessment as learning . What if we changed our language ? What if we stopped talking about assessment and started talking about assessing ? What if we embraced the concept that assessing is a support for learning ? That mindset empowers learners and educators for the actions of assessing , generating or providing feedback , reflecting , and most importantly adapting . It ’ s about assessing for the continuous and adaptive process of learning .
Leslie Lambert ( 2007 ) says , “… anyone observing the class should not be able to tell where instruction ends and assessment begins .” How exciting is this idea ? How often do we see it ?
Formative Practice
Teachers and students becoming “ partners in learning ” is what makes this culture of learning click . It means that classrooms become learnercentered , which Edmentum ’ s Exact Path advocates with its robust individualized learning paths and diagnostic assessments . Providing structures , processes and tools for students to learn what it takes to “ own ” their success is a component of this culture . Ron Berger ’ s ideas about student-engaged assessment highlight that students are empowered by the process ,
Within the framework of assessment as learning , teachers can quickly identify important evidence of student learning and separate it from distracting information and implement a broad range of formative strategies automatically and flexibly as part of their routine . Learners can determine what they know and don ’ t know , reflect on where they are in comparison to their goal , make plans to learn more , work their plan , self-assess , reflect , and adapt the plan . The empowering part of feedback in the assessment as learning model is that it comes from multiple directions . Every member of the classroom learning team has multiple opportunities to provide feedback – teacher to learner , teacher to peers , peer to learner , learner to peer , learner to teacher , peers to teachers , learner to self , teacher to self . Which of these is a strength in your class ? Which might be an opportunity for growth ?
In this assessing learning culture , teachers build their instructional agility , developing the skills to adapt the learning in the moment based on the feedback they are receiving about what is being learned . And guess what ? If we adequately provision learners , they can demonstrate learning agility by digging into their toolbox of strategies , processes , and tools to find another approach to the learning that worked for them in the past .
12 Term 1 Sep - Dec 2021
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