CECV Intervention Framework

Module 3Assessment

Objectives

As a result of participating in this module, you will:

•Audit current assessment practices in your school•Identify why we assess•Review the range of assessments available•Strategically select appropriate assessments

• Develop skills in determining what constitutes evidence

2

Alignment to Framework Principles

• Belief 1: All students can succeed.• Belief 2: Effective schools enable a

culture of learning.• Belief 3: Effective teachers are critical to

student learning success.• Belief 7: Effective teaching practices are

evidence-based.

3

Assessment - Key Issues

• What is assessment?• Characteristics of effective assessment• Why do we assess?• What evidence do we gather (from

whom, what, why, when)?• Evidence-based decision making

4

What is Assessment?

• Assessment is the ongoing purposeful process of gathering, analysing and reflecting on evidence to make informed and consistent judgments to improve future student learning.

DEECD Assessment Advice

5

The Assessment Process

• The assessment process is multidisciplinary and occurs in a continuous cycle that is fully integrated into the learning–teaching process: at the outset of work; as work progresses; and at the conclusion to any work. It is also multi-tiered, beginning and ending with the classroom teacher and leading to an ongoing evolution of effective instruction, reassessment, and access to opportunities for achievement based on changing student needs. (Salvia, 1990, Ontario)

6

Part 1

7

Questions for Consideration

• What alignment exists between your personal understanding of assessment and research on assessment?

• What are the significant areas of difference?

• What might need to be further investigated to depth our knowledge about assessment?

8

Activity• Write a personal definition of assessment.• Highlight key words or phrases.• Review definitions of assessment from various sources (provided

by facilitator). • Highlight key words or phrases.• Refine personal definition in light of other definitions.• Filter definitions (in Pairs/Fours/Eights), at each step creating a

synthesised definition.• Display on charts.• Create a wordle from the charted definitions to capture the key

ideas (see example, next slide or weblink).

9

10

Resources• Hattie, J (2009) Visible Learning, Routledge (pp. 238-239)

• Education for All - Ontario Ministry of Education http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/reports/speced/panel/speced.pdf  (p.21)

• Beyond the Black Box http://arrts.gtcni.org.uk/gtcni/bitstream/2428/4621/1/Assessment%20for%20Learning-Beyond%20the%20Black%20Box.pdf

• DEECD Assessment Advice http://www.education.vic.gov.au/studentlearning/assessment/preptoyear10/assessadvice/default.htm#purpose

• Numeracy in Practice:http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/publ/research/publ/Research_eLert_Issue_19_Numeracy-rpt-v1.0-20090529.pdf

• Clarke, Timperley and Hattie (2009), Unlocking Formative Assessment, Hachette, New Zealand Limited

• Using student assessment for professional learninghttp://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/publ/research/publ/timperley_using_student_assessment_for_professional_learning.pdf

11

Resources (cont.)

• Western Australia First Steps Resources - Reading Map /Writing Map, Chapter 3 - Linking Assessment, Teaching and Learning Chapter 6

• Assessment is for Learning (AifL), Scotland www.ltscotland.org.uk/assess

• TKI Assessment, Ministry of Education, New Zealand http://assessment.tki.org.nz/Assessment-in-the-classroom

• Assessment Crisis: The Absence of Assessment FOR Learning, in Phi Delta Kappan, vol 83, no. 10, pp 758-765.

• Dylan Williams - www.dylanwiliam.net

• Philip Holmes-Smith Resources - www.sreams.com.au

Characteristics of Effective Assessment

• Valid, reliable and consistent methods• Attention to outcomes and processes• Ongoing is best• Feedback and reflection• Learner at the centre

13

Why Do We Assess?

• 2 big ideas

– to improve student performance (assessment as and for learning)

– to inform reporting on student achievement (assessment of learning)

14

To improve student performance

• to find out what students know and can do

• to find out how students learn best

• to inform instructional decision making at school, cohort and individual level

• to measure the effectiveness of teaching

• to provide feedback to students on their learning

15

To inform reporting on student achievement

• to provide information to parents, teachers, school leadership and wider community of student academic progress

16

DEECD Assessment Advice Page

Use the website powerpoint to call up this page.

18

Part 2

19

Questions for Consideration• Why do we assess students?

• How do our current practices support improvement in student learning?

20

Activity• In pairs, read articles on:

Lessons on Mastery Learning and The Why Behind RTI

• Think, write and share key ideas.

• Reflect on where the key purposes for improving student learning are reflected in the articles.

• The Why Behind RTI• Lessons on Mastery Learning

21

Assessment Practices

• What is assessed?

• What constitutes evidence?

• Who is assessed?

• Who administers the task?

• How is information recorded and tracked?

22

What is Assessed?

• BrainstormExperiences and views associated with the ‘what’ of assessment

23

What Constitutes Evidence?

• ‘The evidence might come form both formal and informal sources but if student learning is the focus, it must relate to the curriculum. so teachers can answer the questions: What do students already know? andWhat do they need to learn and do?’

Source: ‘Using student assessment of professional learning: focusing on student outcomes to identify teachers’ needs’, DEECD May 2011

24

EvidenceFormal• Teacher judgment on VELS level• NAPLAN• Surveys of student engagement• Surveys of learning styles and preferences• other.....

Informal• interviewing students• observation of classrooms practice• feedback to students• other.....

25

What Constitutes Evidence?

• Formative assessment - diagnostic, anecdotal, self/peer assessment

• Summative assessment - standardised testing,

teacher based mastery testing, student products

26

Types of Assessment

Types of assessment powerpointsprepared by Philip Holmes-Smith

27

Observation - what we see? • Observable phenomena emerge everyday, both in the

classroom and at home. They are seen heard or directly experienced and are described in specific, label free terms, free from opinion or speculation.

• Observable phenomena are evidence that a strength or weakness may exist.

Teaching All Kinds of Minds - Participants Workbook 2009

28

Activity

Complete an audit of current assessment practices using electronic table provided.

29

Strategy Who is assessed?

What is assessed? When?

Purpose of

assessment-

summative

formative

Recording of data

Use of data

Who administe

rs?

30

Questions to Sharpen the LensWhat are the indications that there are concerns for the learning of this child?Are they significantly above or below the expected level?Are there patterns occurring across screening data for this child?

Further evidence required: What specifically are we concerned about? How will we collect evidence about this? Over what time frame will the evidence be collected?Who is best placed to collect this evidence?What is the history for this child - medical, social, emotional ,academic?

Further evidence required: What further evidence needs to be gathered to complete our profile?What expertise/professionals are required to do this?31

Sharpening the Lens

Whole Class:

Further evidence required:

Specialist assessments

32

Sharpening the Lens

Whole Class:PAT-R Reading Comprehension Test

Further testing required: Individual: PROBE/NEALE analysis

CELF 4 - Special Education Consultant

33

Case Study

• Choose a student you may consider to be ‘at risk‘ of not progressing in their learning.

• Complete an evidence audit on the student using the

form – ‘Sharpening the Lens’.

• Give an example of a completed audit.

34

35

Question for Consideration• Do our evidence/assessment practices allow us to

sharpen the lens on our students learning?

36

Resources

• Guidelines for the Administration of Literacy Assessment

• http://www.rti4success.org/screeningTools• http://www.acer.edu.au/tests/school/

• Literacy - Literacy Assessment Tool Summary

• 37

Recording of Data Activity

• Show and tell: participants share current recording practices.

(Purpose: to develop consistent understanding of recording procedures and practices for mapping student progress).

38

Assessment Contexts that

Support Intervention

39

Continuous Monitoring Cycle

40

Three Tiers of Support

41

42

Activity

• Using one of the models for assessment contexts, annotate your current practices for either your ‘case study’ student or a student currently being supported through an intervention pathway.

43

Questions to Consider

• Do we have adequate and effective processes in place at each point of monitoring?

• How are we measuring and recording the effectiveness of the intervention?

• What do we still need to learn about/explore?

• Do we have clarity around who, does what, when, in relation to assessment?

44

Action Plan

• In light of the learning from this module, create an action plan.

• Link with current School Improvement Plan priorities

• Link with relevant diocesan intervention framework

45

Considerations• Commitment by all staff to develop a current

understanding and expectations in terms of a whole school approach to assessment.

• Consistent understanding of administration and implementation requirements of assessment tools/tasks.

• Commitment to continuous monitoring .

• Building staff capacity to discern professional learning needs in light of student assessment.

46

Where to Now?

• Assessment is only effective when data is explored and used to inform and drive teaching decisions.

• Assessment is the first step to improving student learning, however, it is the analysis of the data that will drive learning and teaching.

‘The goal is to transform data into information, and information into insight’ (Carly Fiorina)

47

Further Reading

• Education for All, Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy and Numeracy Instruction for Students with Special Education Needs, Kindergarten to Grade 6, Ontario

• Response to Intervention: www.RTI4success.org

• Hattie, J 2003, Teachers make a difference: What is the evidence? ACER

48