Assessment for Improving Learning

“Assessment in education must, first and foremost, serve the purpose of supporting learning” - Blake and William

Assessment for improving learning involves teachers and learners becoming partners in learning, helping teachers further develop the Knowledge, Skills, and Understanding of their learners. Formative assessment should take place regularly to allow for instructional adaptations, revised goal-setting, feedback, or even curriculum compacting. One of the greatest benefits of assessment for improving learning is that it helps to develop make metacognitive strategies that enable students to become more independent and committed learners. As a result of ongoing dialogue and feedback, students become more involved in their learning, and they can sink more actively about where they are now, where they are going and how they're going to get there. They are then able to close the gap between the current situation and where they aspire to be in their learning and achievement. 

ACHIEVEMENT GRADES

An achievement grade is reported to students and parents by combining the grades received in three achievement categories: Knowledge, Skills, and Understanding.

Knowledge, Skills, and Understanding are sufficiently different to be taught, learned, and assessed differently.

• Knowledge assessment should be carried out through a variety of formats. These may include multiple-choice questions, beginning and end of unit quizzes, verbal questioning, and knowledge-based activities – e.g., matching, ordering, sorting, and vocabulary checks. 

• Skills are ideally assessed through observing learners engaged in performing the skill. However, this can be supported by assessment of the product of the skill.

• Understanding is assessed through multiple opportunities for learners to demonstrate their understanding and explain how this is influenced by personal experience. Learners should be given opportunities to transfer their understanding, and to demonstrate, develop and deepen understanding through explanation, application, self-reflection, interpretation, and empathizing with multiple viewpoints.

LEARNING HABITS

Three learning habit categories are assessed and reported on separately from the achievement grade. The three categories are Organisation, Engagement, and Collaboration.