5.1 Assess student learning
Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
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.
Throughout my teaching experiences, I have actively sought opportunities to assess student learning and deliver constructive feedback in both formative and summative assessments (5.1, 5.2). One instance of note that illustrates this aspect of my teaching occurred during a placement where I was teaching a Year 9 HPE class. The unit of work was drugs and alcohol, students were preparing a persuasive speech/argument, tasked with providing a draft of their work as a formative assessment, prior to the actual summative assessment.
Understanding that timely, specific and actionable feedback is required for students to learn effectively (Hattie & Timperley, 2007), I reviewed the drafts submitted by students and provided each student with constructive feedback, giving them ample time prior to the summative assessment to make amendments. The Artefact “Student Feedback” demonstrates my understanding of standard (5.1, 5.2) (AITSL). I incorporated written comments that clarified goals, criteria, and expected standards. Furthermore, I facilitated self-reflection through thoughtful questioning and provided substantive, relevant information ( 5.1, 5.2).
The result of providing students with effective feedback, was a marked increase in student learning which was evidenced in the summative assessment results. The quality feedback contributed to students being able to critically analyse their own work and apply subsequent modifications leading to improvement. Students’ results were comparable to the Year 9 HPE achievement standard, students were able access, synthesise and apply health information from credible sources to propose and justify responses to health situations (ACARA, 2018). These results reinforce the effectiveness of my feedback, prompting students to think critically and modify their own work (5.2).
