Learning Ideas: ASSESSMENT: What really matters?

Reimagining Assessment for Modern Learning

The question of "How?"

But "WHY ASSESS?"

Recommended reading

Are we asking the right questions?

Shared "understandings" of learning need to be in place in order for us to have a relevant informed conversation about assessment for modern schools!

Roles of the learner and the educator
Shared understandings of success
Values and believes
Coherent language

What is worth assessing? Not content! Measure learning?

How does assessment make ākonga feel?
Awhi & nurturing not judgement! (Jono)
Schools in US not using grades
Understanding of how the world is changing?
Coherent, shared, lived mission? MISSION MANIFESTED!
TECHNOLOGY is a tool, not what drives us
comforting lies vs unpleasant truth cartoon

Timeless learning Blog by Will

Norms for learning?
Do we share a common language for our work?

Know ... what you believe

Articulate ... what you believe

Live ... what you believe

Learning is ... using what you want or need to know

EXPERIENCE DISPOSITIONS

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS ATTITUDES

Should we show learning or share it ?
Traditional schools are social construct not a natural process of learning
What are our belief about how children learn most deeply and powerfully?
Easy to answer because we are all learners too.

"Productive" learning is wanting to learn more

by Seymour Sarason

Who is Seymour Sarason?

"One of America's original thinkers about public education, Seymour Sarason poses the crucial question for all educators—""What do you mean by learning?" "Learning" is the word most used in educational literature and yet educators have great difficulty in defining it.

Sarason demonstrates that the lack of clarity about the concept of learning is at the root of the disappointments of educational reform, the inadequacies of preparatory programs, and proclamations of policy.

He takes a good look at another question as well: Why are the principles of learning implied by what parents of preschoolers say and do so different from the principles educators employ? And he goes a step further when he asks: Why is it that no one, educators or otherwise, has ever said that schools are places where teachers learn?

Central to Sarason's questions on all fronts is the distinction between the contexts of productive and unproductive learning, the latter being far more frequent than the former. Unlike the words "sticks" and "stones", "learning" is not concrete, visible, palpable. Learning is a process that takes place in a social context involving and intertwining motivation and attitudes, cognitive and emotional responses, no one of which is ever zero in strength. Recognizing this has enormous implications for pedagogy, school administration, and educational policy. Sarason discusses these implications by use of concrete examples familiar to any reader.

And What Do YOU Mean by Learning? is not about theory—it's a warning. It alerts readers to how glossing over what they mean by learning effectively stymies any educational reform. Educators' stock-in-trade is learning. Only when they become aware of what learning encompasses and the contexts in which it occurs can we have a starting point for real education. "

Permission

Protection
Policy -

Assessment Audit: Part 1:

What we use to assess:

learning narratives
self assessment/reflection
SOLO

Part 2: Deep and powerful learning - shared learning with whānau, feedback is timely

Explain Everything Interactive Whiteboard

Part 3: What are the gaps between what we believe and what we currently do?

Teacher autonomy and trust in us as professionals.
Getting our message out: being crisp, concise and clear
Play based learning - discussions assess their thought processes, oral language.
NCEA - does the way you execute it align with your belief?
Do we make excuses?
Summative vs formative?
Qualitative vs Quantitive (standardised e.g. testing to get funding for diverse learners)
is it easier to share?

Are there ways of getting to a number by using assessments that align without beliefs?

e.g. continuum (Bernice) - students are placed on this via teacher observation of skills

Assessment - does it set up the student for failure?

YOU DO WHAT YOU BELIEVE

You would feel internal conflict if you had do something you didn't believe in. You would want to change. (by Me)
Drive the change and don't make excuse.
Collective big voice for what we want to achieve - Andy
MOE NZ Curriculum
Maslow hierarchy of needs

Stop allowing ourselves to be powerless.
Not being defensive but identify the issue from their perspective. e.g. spell checker and how computers can support a student to learn.

Learning - not a competitive sport e.g. why is number more important than story?

MODERN WORKING ENVIRONMENT - left hand side, measured by what they do not where they are

WHAT IS THE VALVE HANDBOOK????

2. Context

Generational differences: What the older Generations can learn from Gen Z?

University/ Tertiary Studies - is it worth it?
Not a guarantee of a career - hopes and dreams are different.
Types of literacies e.g. Media - truth from fiction (informed civil conversations - it is important that we do discussion circles)

Changes in Technology & What does modern science say about how people learn?

Larger global shift

Changes in the world: automation, jobs, work, environmental challenges.
Minimal income - basic living wage.
Diversity e.g culturally.
Ethics of technology.
A physical space for a classroom is no longer a requirement.
Why should schools exist? human connection & creatively

Who are our kids?

What are their:

concerns
actions
influences
dreams
hopes

Fortnite - dances something to explore further "gamification" of learning

Mission - kids and realities of the world what will they leave school with?

"crap detectors"

Assessment Audit: Part 4

Does our assessment enable children?
Contribution we make are shown in the choices our students make

What's possible?

What are kids capable of?
Are we slowly them down?
Access to resources, people and giving them more time.
Reaching their full potential.

e.g. "Nate" podcasts and sharing the love for science

Device equals freedom to learn???
Important to have steps before giving out the device???
Instrument being used to make ideas.... imagination machine!

MAKING BEAUTY & MEANING with a device ourselves and for students...

Assessment Audit: Part 5

Greatest potential - technology and students.
Kaiako can learn new technologies to spark ākonga and support their learning.
Peer feedback - sharing ideas (cues and techniques) and critiques (part of Puna Ako)
Assessment - is it for accountability???

VISION: what if schools created and used assessment that...