Assessment For Learning

1. Assessment For Learning • The everyday reality of making it work in Science David Tuffin: Tuffd001@medway.org.uk Paul Spenceley: spenp001@medway.org.uk

2. What is AFL? Assessment is formative when the evidence gained is actually used to adapt the teaching to meet the needs of the students. (P. Black and D. Wiliam)

3. Possible areas of focus • Comment only marking • Improving verbal questioning • Peer/Self-assessment • Formative use of summative tests

4. What makes questioning ‘formative’? • Increase “Wait times”. • Thought-provoking questions to create discussions. • Make use of wrong answers to discover misconceptions. • Involve more students by passing answers on to another student. • A positive atmosphere where ‘being wrong’ is only a way forward.

5. What are the ends of a magnet called? What does chlorophyll do? Steven said “Atoms or molecules”. Which one of these is correct? What would happen if we cut a magnet in half? What would a world without chlorophyll be like? Explain if it matters when Steven uses either “atom” or “molecule” in his answer. What is a good formative question?

6. How can I use self and peer assessment? • Traffic lights. • Marking to criteria – their own or another student’s work. • Formative use of summative tests

7. Comment only marking is not… • Just ‘leaving off’ the marks or effort grades. • An excuse to not have to keep a mark book! • A lot more work – although it may take some getting used to.

8. Can tests be part of self assessment? • Self assessed revision for tests. • Self assessed appraisal of tests. • Formative marking of tests. • Planning improvements.

9. Yes, but is it worth it? • Kings College project tested in OUR school over 3 years. • Formative assessment groups had 0.37 affect size over control groups. • Over ½ SATS level or ½ GCSE grade! • Think of the effect on the C/Ds, 4/5s or even A/A*.

10. How do I start? • Start small – a single group, a few techniques. • Work with a partner to share ideas/compare outcomes • Be willing to change and adapt. • Be prepared to sacrifice quality for quantity. • Expect a change in the learning atmosphere. • Develop a joint responsibility for learning.

11. Dissemination to Department • Overcoming the ”Not another initiative” misconception • Observation • Evaluation of current good practice. • Identification of areas in need of development.

13. I’m going to use hypnosis to help you confront repressed traumatic memories of your last AFL INSET. Making it work Coercion? • In most cases, persuasion works best. Persuasion?

14. It must be more work • FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT DOES NOT MEAN MORE WORK!!!!! • Plan what students need to learn, NOT what you want to teach. • Comment on what students need to know NOT what you want to say. • Assessment for students benefit too, NOT just for teachers.

15. Creating an AFL department • Use key staff members (young, enthusiastic, good communicators) • Drip-feed good ideas into casual conversation • Initiate “AFL good practice” sessions into department meetings • Make AFL a routine part of dept. work • Culture of observation • Build AFL into schemes of work and lesson plans • Include AFL in assessment policy

17. The end