Assessment For Learning-Why so much noise ?

 

Are you a teacher? Have you been properly assessing your learners with the AFL approach? If yes, thumbs up👍👍 

Before we delve into the matter completely, Let us even look at the meaning of the term assessment in Education.

According to The Glossary of Education Reform, the term assessment in education refers to the wide variety of methods or tools that educators use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning progress, skill acquisition, or educational needs of students. Assessment  (The Glossary of Education Reform).

In addition, Assessment is the systematic collection, review, and use of information about educational programs undertaken to improve student learning and development. (Assessment Essentials: planning, implementing, and improving assessment in higher education by Palomba and Banta 1999) -Westminster College(What is assessment?)

From both definitions above, performances should be measured, data should be collected, and reviewed, and focus should be defined. So Assessment should not be one-time stuff, it should be done multiple times. Conducting a single assessment or using a single assessment to measure learning is not ideal. Diverse tools and measures must be deployed to measure learners’ learning progress.

 Meaningful assessment encourages learners to improve and become leaders of their learning. It is important to note that assessment is beyond grades or grading, It involves every aspect of the student’s learning. Assessment should be learner-centered. Assessment; meaning that learners should be involved in the process to improve learning.

The whole essence of assessment is to promote effective learning. A concerned teacher must regularly assess his or her learners to monitor their improvement status. Assessment should provide a platform for monitoring the progress of learners. It should not be assumed.

Assessment can be OF Learning Or FOR Learning

Let us look at the Assessment of Learning (AOL)-This is just an assessment based on grades: standardized tests, exams, and final projects, teacher assessment.  AOL is summative-based and criterion-referenced oriented. Summative assessment is mostly used at the end of a term, semester, or course and is mostly scored or graded. It is commonly OF learning not FOR learning. As an educator, I have learned that grade-based assessment is not enough to measure learning. I believe that a successful Summative assessment should begin with an effective learning improvement assessment.

Let us now look at the Assessment For Learning (AFL)

 John Hattie, a professor of education and the director of the Melbourne Education Research Institute at the University of Melbourne, Australia stated that:

“The major purpose of assessment in schools should be to provide interpretative information to teachers and school leaders about their impact on students so that these educators have the best information possible about what steps to take with instruction and how they need to change and adapt. So often we use assessment in schools to inform students of their progress and attainment. Of course, this is important, but it is more critical to use this information to inform teachers about their impact on students. Using assessments as feedback for teachers is powerful. And this power is truly maximized when the assessments are timely, informative, and related to what teachers are actually teaching”.

 Oxford Press informed that Assessment for learning is a process where teachers seek and use evidence to decide where learners are in their learning, where they need to go, and how best to get there. The emphasis here is on using assessment practices to gather information, which can then be used to make judgments about teaching decisions and directly improve learning.

Cambridge Assessment International Education believes that Assessment For Learning ( AFL) is a learner-centered type of assessment. An approach to teaching and learning that creates feedback which is then used to improve learning.

I see it as learners' learning improvement plan or process because every tool, and skill deployed in the assessment should be geared towards the improvement of learning. Assessment should be carefully and properly carried out. There should be no cut and join. It should be a deliberate practice to encourage learning. Therefore teachers should embrace it.

As a learner-centered approach, AFL encourages students' involvement in the learning process and therefore gives them the confidence to improve. AFL is an amazing practice because it helps to bridge the gap between the current learning state of learners’ and where they want to be. It is formative in function. The outcomes from formative assessments inform and also direct the teachers on the next step to take to improve teaching. Unlike AOL, AFL involves questioning, and feedback. peer and individual /self-assessment, and target setting.

The approach is not only interested in the learners’ current state of learning and where they are going but also how to get there.

 

 

AFL in  action

AFL in Action  (Cambridge Assessment International Education)

 

What is the importance of AFL?

·         AFL promotes learning outcomes because learners are involved in the learning process and therefore take charge of their learning process with significant achievement.

·         AFL promotes confidence in learners

 The fact that the approach is learner-centered enables learners to believe in themselves as they take responsibility for their learning. With confidence learners not only believe in themselves but also trust in their abilities to authentically reach out to their peers.

·         AFL promotes independent learning

 AFL boosts learners' confidence and trust in their abilities, With such confidence and trust, learners can be able to engage in self-assessment, peer, and other collaborative works without fear of failing.

·         It encourages supportive and active learning where learners are actively engaged and can try new things without having to be afraid of making mistakes. This will help learners to reach their potential

·         AFL is inclusive in function. Findings have shown that even the low ability learners thrive in AFL.

·         The feedback from Formative assessments provides valuable  information for the teacher to make decisions

·         AFL promotes a culture of feedback

As an approach that thrives in feedback, AFL encourages teachers to give learning feedback. Some teachers ordinarily may not want to give feedback on learners' work but with AFL, they will not have a choice but to do the right thing-Constructive feedback helps learners bounce back in the face of learning challenges.

For more on feedback, visit:https://www.apa.org/education-career/k12/using-praise

(Article from the American Psychological Association)

New to AFL and wondering how to go about it, click here AFL Checklist to view the checklist   (Cambridge Assessment International Education)

Are there misconceptions about AFL? Yes. 

Click here Misconceptions about AfL to view the misconceptions about AFL

(Cambridge Assessment International Education).

Are there challenges of AFL? Yes. What are they? Click here Challenges of AFL to view the challenges

(Cambridge Assessment International Education)

Other takeaways

Be that teacher that empowers his or her learners to get the best out of the learning process

Do not control learning

Guide learning and let positive things happen

Additional resources

Assessment-The Glossary Education Reform

https://www.edglossary.org/assessment/

Westminster College-What is assessment?

https://www.westminster.edu/about/accreditation-assessment/definition.cfm

Getting Started with AFL (Cambridge Assessment International Education)

About Assessment-Reshan Richards at TEDxNYED

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDZ8sjCufDs&list=RDCMUCsT0YIqwnpJCM-mx7-gSA4Q&start_radio=1