5.1 Assess student learning
5.2 Provide feedback to students on their learning
5.3 Make consistent and comparable judgements
5.4 Interpret student data
5.5 Report on student achievement
5.2 Provide feedback to students on their learning
5.3 Make consistent and comparable judgements
5.4 Interpret student data
5.5 Report on student achievement
critical reflection #5:
Throughout my professional practicum experiences, I have learnt how to assess student learning, provide constructive feedback and report on progression of knowledge and understanding in a variety of ways. Whether it be formative, summative or observational forms of assessment, assessment provides teachers with a plethora of information about their students and their individual learning path (Seely-Flint, 2014). They are further able to develop understandings of their students’ strengths and weaknesses, as well as observe the progression students make towards their desired goals (Rashid, 2014). Through assessing students, teachers can work to make informed adjustments to their practice, in order to meet the individual learning requirements of their students (Rashid, 2014). Artefacts 2 and 3 provide a valid example of how my skill in assessing students, assisted me in my capability to make appropriate judgments and provide feedback on the learning goals of each student. Clarke (2012) states that providing students with constructive feedback is critical to their development as learners. I have observed that when teacher feedback is provided to students, they are better able to self-regulate their own learning, improve their outcomes and work towards achieving life-long learning competencies (Clarke, 2012). From experience, I have a deeper understanding of how assessment can hinder student learning, when stress and anxiety about performing outweighs their prior knowledge and skills. It is for this reason that I believe Clarke (2012) raises a worthy point, of “connecting assessment to an open space where teachers and students can work together, to set learning goals and success criteria to assess their overall learning” (Clarke, 2012, p14).
Artefact 1 is an essay that I researched in order to determine the advantages and disadvantages of formative and summative assessment in the classroom. Incorporated are examples of the different approaches to assessing students and their effectiveness in their overall learning.
Relates to: 5.1, 5.3, 5.5 Artefact 4 is an extract from an assignment that challenged university students to interpret the level of mathematical knowledge a student obtained, in order to evaluate the progression of student learning. This assignment required me to conduct a mathematical interview with a child in primary school. From the answers she provided to each question, interpretations and judgments had to be made to determine what mathematical level she was at.
Relates to: 5.4, 5.5, 5.3 |
As seen previously, the reading conferences I conducted with students required me to listen to them read and then give immediate feedback. The feedback had to be appropriate in regard to their individual reading goal. The use of assessment and teacher feedback worked hand-in-hand when determining whether the student had achieved their learning goal or not.
Relates to: 5.2, 5.3, 5.5 In my third year placement I had the opportunity to watch and take part in meetings around report writing. My supervising teaching showed me a range of data and strategies she used to write the reports for students, parents and careers. In order for her to do so successfully, she shared with me her records and assessments of each student. She had to keep accurate and reliable records of student achievement over the course of the year to be able to report back to each students' families.
Relates to: 5.5 |
This artefact shows the assessment tool used to assess students learning about 'money'. It demonstrates the progression the students have made from simple learning goals to more challenging ones. This allowed me to make judgments of individual student learning and be able to compare their progression in relation to other students.
Relates to: 5.3, 5.1, 5.4, 2.3, 3.1 |