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Reflective Commentary
- 1. Workshop Reflection Our greatest joy, no matter what our role, comes from creating. In that process people become aware that they are able to do things they once thought were impossible. They have empowered themselves, which in turn empowers those with whom they interact. (SPDUs website, R. Quinn, 2001) It is Day one of a three-day workshop on assessment.On this day, I beganfiguratively with new eyes. I plannedto recreate my assessment practices. My new challenge was that of teaching others to learn how to learn. No longer is it the teachers role to be a keeper of the knowledge and assessment. Teachers, students, and peers, need to be a part of the assessment and learning process. Over the past few years, I embarked on apersonal journey of learning how I learn best. I have taken ownership over my learning strengths and weaknesses. I have become a reflective learner that uses feedback to learn. Letting students taking ownership over their own assessment will help them to learn how to learn. I have come to know that effective and proper former assessment has students learning how to learn. I began my journey to empower myself and in turn, it would be my duty as an educator to empower those around me. Saskatchewan Professional Development Unit (SPDU) provides professional growth opportunities in the areas of, curriculum and leadership. In 1987, SPDU was created with a vision to increase the effectiveness of inservice education in the province of Saskatchewan (https://www.spdu.ca/about.html). SPDUs (https://www.spdu.ca/about.html) values for educators include being autonomous and responsible decision makers, problem solvers, researchers, learners, and reflective practitioners.Based on the foundation of their values, SPDU works with a team of classroom teachers to develop and deliver programs, resources and
- 2. services. SPDU works with the advice of these educators for valuable input so that the resources will be teacher friendly. Assessment Essentials: Supporting Student Learning through Assessment Practices Ian Krips, the associate director of SPDU facilitated day one:Assessment Essentials: Supporting Student Learning through Assessment Practices.Ian Krips has been the associate director for the past five years prior to that, he was a classroom teacher. The three day workshop would be his last, as his future endeavours will bring traveling to India for one month to work with teachers a new position as senior administration for SPDU. It was an honour to learn from Krips,as he is a knowledgeable person in the area of assessment. The outcomes for the day were to: Learn about 8 big ideas in assessment that should guide assessment practice in all school. Develop personal assessment literacy by reflecting on current practice and connecting that to literature and research on assessment Explore and identify ways to use assessment information in supporting learning outcomes. (SPDU, 2012a, p. 2) The morning began with a self-reflection of our current practice within Coopers (2010) eight big ideas.Kripsencouraged participants to view the new information presented throughout the day. The purpose for my learning was to view the day through one of Coopers (2010) eight big ideasin assessment for learning: Assessment is a collaborative process that is most effective when it involves self, peer, and teacher assessment (SPDU, 2012a, p. 3).Assessment for
- 3. Learning uses a variety of assessment tools and strategies that provide ongoing evidence of a students learning. This becomes the evidence demonstrating the growth of each students mastery of an outcome. Descriptive feedback from the teacher, peers, or a personal self- reflection begins the process of learning. Most importantly, it is what is done with the evidence and feedback that determines the level of growth. When students believe in the process they will take ownership for their learning. Learning begins with the outcome. Outcome-based curriculums have many layers. Unraveling the layers is a necessary process that allows for a deeper understanding of what students need to know and be able to do. Krips took the participants through this process by modeling the process of unpacking an outcome. Through this process, comes a deeper understanding of what the students need to know and be able to do, as well, the kinds of evidence that will be gathered to measure success. Setting the criteria is the most important job of the assessor as it acts as a guide for the learning process. In order for effective learning to take place, students need to know what they will be learning and how they will be assessed. The key is to always link the feedback to something the students can control and change. I had been through the process of unpacking outcomes many times, however, this time I was stretched further by the facilitator to have a deeper understanding of assessment strategies based on Blooms Taxonomy. I found this a difficult process to create specific criteria based on the verbs and content. It was an amazing day of learning! Assessment Essentials: Formative Assessment Practices
- 4. Ian Krips, the associate director of SPDU facilitated day two:Assessment Essentials: Formative Assessment Practices.The outcomes for the day included: Formative assessment cycle Learning progressions Formative assessment strategies Tools that support formative assessment Differentiating assessments Working with pre- and post-assessments. (SPDU, 2012b, p. 2) The morning began with a formative assessment task called student response systems, using letter cards.We had to make a choice from a list, turn and talk to discuss our choice. I found this to be a great way to assess students in full group. It was also very engaging as a participant. I will defiantly be using this strategy in the near future.Krips delivered quality information at the same time, modeled facilitation tools that can be used in leadership positions or within the classroom environment. Our learning focus for the morning was the role of the teacher as facilitator. Putting learning first was the message. Key practices in the role of the teacher included: collaboration,big picture, hands down, all students voices being heard, goalsetting, and metacognition to name a few. A clear direction of the formative learning cycle by Tuttle (2008) was addressed along with designing the learning process. This process stretched my thinking as a learner. It began with the curricular outcome and had me as a learner; work on the learning progression needed to get to that outcome. This progression listing enabling knowledge followed by sets of sub skills needed to get to the outcome. This process was another amazing processthat stretched me as a
- 5. learner by adding appropriate formative assessment tasksthat would provide evidence along the continuum of progression.I will be using Tuttles (2009) book Formative Assessment: Responding to Your Students as a key resource to guide myfuture research. This research will allow me to explore deeper into the various effective forms of the formative learning cycle. Assessment Essentials: Grrrrading and Reporting Outcomes Day three was titled: Assessment Essentials: Grrrrading and Reporting Outcomes.As the title suggests, grading and reporting are difficult topics to discuss as it brings about a lot of debate and strong emotions including frustration. The day was facilitated once again by Ian Krips. After two full days, Kripscontinued to be an engaging facilitator. His wealth of knowledge in assessment permeated through his presentation and guided activities. The outcomes for the day included: Sound grading principles Issues in grading Outcomes-based grading Grading practices that engage students Grading as communication. (SPDU, 2012c, p. 2) The day began through an in-depth examination of scholarly literature pertaining to grading. At our table each learner read two articles making key points about grading. Once shared, common themes about grading emerged from the articles (SPDU, 2012c)which included: marks should be based on achievement not behaviour or effort (achievement only) multiple opportunities
- 6. learner responsible for learning, learner is meaningfully involved clear criteria - transparency learner a self-monitor and foster internal motivation practice should be used to inform instruction criterion referenced reporting public education piece(SPDU, 2012c) unbiased pedagogy. Grades and motivation was a topic of discussion that is of interest to me and will be explored further in my research. However, a large portion of the day was devoted to assessing in common groups. Within the group, individually each member marked and scored the same math test out of 100. Within the group a 40 percent grade span existed when interpreting results on the same grade six math test. The same math test was then assessed individually within the group using a 4 point rubric resulting in a more accurate score of a one point score. Closer yet, a more accurate tool to assess was used a rubric with specific criteria 0-4 with half point increments. The groups grade span using this tool resulted in the most accurate score with only a half point spread within the groups assessments. This scale with half points was taken from Marzanos (2010) book titled: Formative Assessment and Standard- Based Grading. This book will be used in my research of formative assessment and student success. The workshop and reflection have led me to bigger questions:How can educators use assessment to help students want to learn?How can we change practice so that assessment is not teacher-centered but rather a part of learning that takes place every day?