Exploring Assessment For Learning

Exploring assessment
for learning
Page 1 © New Zealand Ministry of Education – copying restricted to use by New Zealand education sector.
You can use this presentation to:
• Update, review and/or reflect on the formative

assessment practices in your classroom or school
• Use as a resource for exploring professional
development in formative assessment.
What do we want for our students?
”We all want students who have high expectations of

themselves as learners; students who feel confident about their
capacity to learn, who set high goals for their learning, and
who work for themselves to construct enjoyable, challenging
learning pathways to their futures.”
Absolum, 2006
The word “assess”
Comes from the Latin verb “assidere” meaning

“to sit with”. In assessment, one should sit with
the learner. This implies it is something we do
“with” and “for” students, and not “to” students.
(Green, 1998)
How do you see assessment?
Activity: Assessment point/task
Use the listed terms as a starting After learning
point to develop a representation During learning
(model, mind-map, concept map)
Feedback
of how you see the relationship
Feed-forward
between summative and
Learning continuum
formative assessment.
Of learning
This may form the basis for
For learning
professional discussion in your
learning community. Looks back
Looks forward
Review/reflect
Improve/enhance
What are summative and formative assessment?
The garden analogy

If we think of our children as plants …
Summative assessment of the plants is the process of simply

measuring them. It might be interesting to compare and analyse
measurements but, in themselves, these do not affect the growth of
the plants.
Formative assessment, on the other hand, is the equivalent of

feeding and watering the plants appropriate to their needs – directly
affecting their growth.
Formative and summative assessment
An easy distinction between formative and summative assessment:

Formative assessment is assessment for learning. Its focus is on future
achievement.
Summative assessment is assessment of learning. It assesses what has
been learnt in the past.
However, formative and summative assessment are interconnected. They
seldom stand alone in construction or effect.
“Using the terms ‘formative’ and ‘summative’ assessment can give the
impression that these are different kinds of assessment or are linked to
different methods of gathering evidence. This is not the case; what
matters is how the evidence is used.” (Harlen, 2006)
Useful quotes
“Formative assessment uses evidence about achievement to adapt

instruction to meet learner needs.” (Wiliam, 2008)
“Assessment for the purpose of improving student learning is best

understood as an ongoing process that arises out of the interaction
between teaching and learning.” (NZC, 2007)
“Formative assessment is a planned process in which teachers or students

use assessment-based evidence to adjust what they’re currently doing.”
(Popham, 2008)
“Students who have well developed assessment capabilities are able and
motivated to access, interpret, and use information from quality
assessment in ways that affirm or further their learning.” (Directions for
Assessment in New Zealand, 2009)
What does the research say?
In 1998 Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam of Kings College, London published their
wide-ranging analysis of research into classroom-based assessment: Inside the
Black Box: Raising Standards through Classroom Assessment
The article concludes with the statement: “There is a body of firm evidence that
formative assessment is an essential feature of classroom work and that
development of it can raise standards. We know of no other way of raising
standards for which such a strong prima facie case can be made on the basis of
evidence of such large learning gains.”
For the full text of the article, go to:

http://weaeducation.typepad.co.uk/files/blackbox-1.pdf
The Black Box: findings
Black and Wiliam’s research indicates that improving learning through

assessment depends on five deceptively simple factors:
1. Providing effective feedback to students.

2. Students’ active involvement in their own learning.
3. Adjusting teaching to take account of the results of assessment.
4. Recognising the profound influence of assessment on students’
motivation and self-esteem - both crucial influences on learning.
5. Ensuring pupils assess themselves and understand how to
improve.
In summary …
The findings of Black & Wiliam indicate that the most

significant learning gains occur when teachers and students
work collaboratively to address learning needs.
To maximise achievement, it is critical that assessment

information is used with students so that they understand
and have a sense of ownership of their learning.
Implications for classroom practice (not a comprehensive list)
• Being confident that every student can improve.

• Creating a learning environment which supports a partnership between teacher
and students.
• Using assessment to inform teaching and learning
• Sharing assessment results with students and constructing clear and accessible
learning goals with them
• Clarifying or co-constructing learning outcomes and ensuring that students
understand them
• Involving students in self and peer assessment and giving them opportunities to
reflect on their learning.
• Providing feedback that helps students recognise their next steps and how to take
them.
Self-evaluation
Rate yourself from: 5 – I do this consistently well, to: 0 – I don’t do this at all
• Do you have confidence that every student in your class can improve?
• How well do you:
• Create a learning environment in your classroom?
• Share achievement information with students and co-construct clear learning
goals with them?
• Use assessment information to feed back into teaching?
• Clarify learning outcomes with students?
• Involve students in self and peer assessment?
• Provide timely focused feedback?
• What evidence do you have for your self evaluation?
Assessment references
Absolum, M., Flockton, L., Hattie, J., Hipkins, R., &Reid, I. (2009) Directions for Assessment in New
Zealand. http://www.tki.org.nz/r/assessment/research/mainpage/directions/
Absolum, M. (2006). Clarity in the Classroom. Auckland: Hodder
Black, P. J., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education:
Principles, Policy and Practice, 5 (1), 7–74.
Clarke, S. (2001). Unlocking formative assessment: Practical strategies for enhancing pupils’ learning in
the primary classroom. London: Hodder and Stoughton.
Clarke, S., Timperley, H., & Hattie, J. (2003). Unlocking formative assessment: Practical strategies for
enhancing pupils’ learning in the primary and intermediate classroom (New Zealand ed.). Auckland:
Hodder Moa Beckett.
Gipps, C., McCallum, B., & Hargreaves, E. (2000). What makes a good primary school teacher? London:
Routledge Falmer.
Green, J. M. (1998, February). Constructing the way forward for all students. A speech delivered at
“Innovations for Effective Schools” OECD/New Zealand joint follow-up conference, Christchurch, New
Zealand.
Assessment references
Harlen, W. (1998) Classroom assessment: A dimension of purposes and procedures. In K. Carr

(Ed.), SAMEpapers (pp. 75–87). Hamilton, New Zealand: Centre for Science, Mathematics and
Technology Educational Research, University of Waikato.
Harlen, W. (2006) On the Relationship between Assessment for Formative and Summative
Purposes. In J. Gardner (Ed), Assessment and Learning (p. 104). London: Sage Publications Ltd
Hattie, J. (1999, August). Influences on student learning. Inaugural lecture: Professor of

Education, University of Auckland.
New Zealand Curriculum On-line: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/
Popham, W.J. (2008). Transformative Assessment (p.7). Virginia, USA: ASCD
Sadler, R. (1989). Formative assessment and the design of instructional systems. Instructional
Science, 18, 119–44.
Wiliam, D (2008, August). When is assessment learning-oriented? A presentation delivered at

4th Biennial EARLI/Northumbria Assessment Conference, Potsdam, Germany

Exploring Assessment For Learning

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Exploring Assessment For Learning

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Exploring assessment

• Update, review and/or reflect on the formative

”We all want students who have high expectations of

Comes from the Latin verb “assidere” meaning

The garden analogy

Summative assessment of the plants is the process of simply

Formative assessment, on the other hand, is the equivalent of

An easy distinction between formative and summative assessment:

“Formative assessment uses evidence about achievement to adapt

“Assessment for the purpose of improving student learning is best

“Formative assessment is a planned process in which teachers or students

For the full text of the article, go to:

Black and Wiliam’s research indicates that improving learning through

1. Providing effective feedback to students.

The findings of Black & Wiliam indicate that the most

To maximise achievement, it is critical that assessment

• Being confident that every student can improve.

Absolum, M. (2006). Clarity in the Classroom. Auckland: Hodder

Harlen, W. (1998) Classroom assessment: A dimension of purposes and procedures. In K. Carr

Hattie, J. (1999, August). Influences on student learning. Inaugural lecture: Professor of

New Zealand Curriculum On-line: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/

Popham, W.J. (2008). Transformative Assessment (p.7). Virginia, USA: ASCD

Wiliam, D (2008, August). When is assessment learning-oriented? A presentation delivered at

You might also like