| Focus area 5.1 Assess student learning Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning. Focus area 5.2 Provide feedback to students on their learning Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning. |
As the unit had already commenced in a Year 10 mathematics class on my last placement, I needed to ascertain students’ knowledge and understanding of the concepts before moving to more complex content . I designed a short diagnostic quiz for students to complete during the first lesson (5.1). This was essential in highlighting the areas where I needed to focus the learning (5.1) and allowed me to provide feedback to students on their previous learning (5.2).
Prior to teaching, I designed a short diagnostic assessment (5.1), as shown in Artefact 5a, to clarify if I needed to reteach any areas before progressing in the unit. Assessing student learning is integral to effective teaching (Wiliam, 2013), and I needed to find out where students were with their knowledge and understanding, as we would be applying that knowledge in new areas. I explained to the students the purpose of the quiz, which was to inform my teaching and provide feedback to students. I marked each students’ quiz, collated results in a spreadsheet (Artefact 5b), and identified patterns in the responses to inform my teaching (5.1).
Extensive research has shown the positive impact effective and timely feedback has on student achievement (Hattie & Timperley, 2007; Wiggins, 2012; Wisniewski et al., 2020). Feedback should be “timely, constructive, meaningful, reinforce student strengths, provide detail on how to improve and inform future teaching” (EDM8000 Course Notes, 2020). I provided timely feedback to the class in the next lesson after the diagnostic assessment, and supported this with individual, personalised feedback for each student on their quiz sheet (5.2). Students were encouraged to discuss their feedback one-on-one with me if they wanted to. Part of my feedback to the class involved how to improve, with the results informing my teaching practice for subsequent lessons.
Throughout the weeks that I taught this class, I regularly conducted formative assessment by asking students questions to check for understanding, checking individual work as students worked through questions, and being attentive to other verbal and non-verbal cues (5.1). For example, observing if students had puzzled looks on their faces provided instant feedback to me that a student did not understand. During a collaborative activity, I utilised peer feedback, where students assessed the validity of their peer’s design by calculating the area (5.2). As well as providing feedback to the student, the activity also served as formative assessment where I observed the quality of feedback provided (5.2).
The results of implementing diagnostic and formative assessment were that I was able to identify learning areas that needed to be re-addressed for the whole class, for part of the class, and for individuals. Additionally, a summative assessment, administered by my mentor teacher, assessed some content I had taught in the previous lessons. Feedback to me from my mentor teacher was that students had performed well in their summative assessment, by maintaining or improving their previous results.
Regular opportunities to assess student learning is critical in informing student feedback, which in turn guides teaching. As a result, I plan to use more and varied formative assessment during my GTPA next semester, with the view to providing timely and meaningful feedback to students. I also aim to adopt more effective forms of feedback, such as linking it to long term goals, making it actionable, ongoing and consistent (Wiggins, 2012).
References
EDM8000 Assessment for learning: Course notes [Lecture Notes]. (2021). USQ Study Desk. https://usqstudydesk.usq.edu.au/
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81–112. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430298487
Wiggins, G. (2012). 7 Keys to effective feedback. Educational Leadership, 70(1), 10–16.
Wiliam, D. (2013). Assessment: The bridge between teaching and learning. Voices from the Middle, 21(2), 15-20. Retrieved from https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.usq.edu.au/scholarly-journals/assessment-bridge-between-teaching-learning/docview/1464750635/se-2?accountid=14647
Wisniewski, B., Zierer, K., & Hattie, J. (2020). The power of feedback revisited: A meta-analysis of educational feedback research. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03087
