ASSESSMENT FOR THE MIDDLE YEARS Lauren Masciulli

1. ASSESSMENT FORTHE MIDDLE YEARSLauren Masciulli

2. What is Assessment? • Assessment is the ongoing process of gathering, analysing and reflecting on evidence to make informed and consistent judgments to improve future student learning. • Assessment for improved student learning requires a range of assessment practices. These practices have 3 main purposes… • Assessment FOR Learning • Assessment AS Learning • Assessment OF Learning • [http://www.education.vic.gov.au/studentlearning/assessment/preptoyear10/assessadvice/default.htm]

3. Assessment of Learning • Occurs when teachers use evidence of student learning to make judgements on student achievement against goals and standards. • It is usually formal, and occurs at the end of a unit of work in order to sum up student achievement. • It is often organised around themes or major projects.

4. Assessment for Learning • Occurs when teachers use inferences about student progress to inform their teaching. • It is frequent, formal or informal and embedded in teaching. • It provides clear and timely feedback that helps students in their learning progression

5. Assessment as Learning • Occurs when students reflect on and monitor their progress to inform their future learning goals. • It is regularly occurring, formal or informal and helps students take responsibility for their own past and future learning. • Eg. In middle years learning, this could be done through Peer assessment or formal self-assessment.

6. Multi-Domain Assessment Tasks • The principles below represent a set of key characteristics for good task design across the different domains of learning. • Relevance • Explicitness • Validity • Reliability and consistency • Practicality • Fairness • Formative aspects. [http://www.education.vic.gov.au/studentlearning/assessment/preptoyear10/domaintasks/default.htm]

7. Assessment Tools • The following tools can be used within a middle years classroom. • They are suitable for use in a variety of different contexts. • Graphic Organisers- KWHL, Learning Triangles, Concept Map, PMI • Review & Reflection Tools- Peer Assessment, Reflective journals, Teamwork Pie Graph, Questionbox. • All of these tools and their descriptions can be found at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/studentlearning/assessment/preptoyear10/tools/default.htm

8. Overall… • Middle Years Assessment ties in closely with all other areas of their learning. • Good Assessment creates Good Learners.