Assessment for Learning - Kathleen Gregory

Tonight was the second session of the Assessment for Learning Series.

One of the opening quotes that was useful was that Assessment of Learning is the looking back, while Assessment for Learning is looking forward.

The focus of the workshop is on six aspects of Assessment for Learning.

1.  Making Learning Intentions clear

2.  Setting Criteria

3.  Increase the use of Open Ended Questioning

4.  Descriptive Feedback

5.  Self and Peer Assessment

6.  Ownership / Communicating Learning

Kathleen highlights the use of cards from a couple sources

Shirley Clarke - Formative Assessment in Action

and

Voices of Experience

Examples from Increase the use of Open Ended Questioning

• finding opposites
• your own questions?
• Right?Wrong? Why? (Show several answer 5 squared = 3,7,10,25,125)
• Agree / Disagree
• Give the answer - ask for strategies - Strategies - Answer - Written Evidence (SAW)
• Alternative Viewpoints

I appreciate how Kathleen engages the group with only about 10 minutes of talking then 10 minutes of work / engaged discussion time.  The time is well used providing real examples from colleagues.

The final one shared that was neat was called Review Cues - Students created an alphabet book as review (fold 11x17 into 24 squares) then pull words for each letter with

A ll letters used

I llustrations

M eaning - connections to meaning

Then to 'mark' it, students can be given an AIM, AI, AM as feedback.

While we can engage students and grow assessment for learning, eventually we need to evaluate.  To do so we take assessments of learning, observations and interactions with the students to determine the 'marks.'  The Assessment has been for learning and for the student.  The evaluation is for the school, parents and the student.  I like how evaluation and assessment were connected but aimed at different audiences.

Kevin