Student Engagement and Assessment of Learning

Materials needed for today:1. Handout, Webinar #3

Assessment for learning practices facilitate student engagement.

Assessment of learning impacts student engagement.

Engagement is about self-determined

commitment to the learning.

Extrinsic orientation…

Extrinsic orientation…..

“Does this

count for

marks?”

intellectual engagement

intellectual engagement

self-determined commitment

intellectual engagement

self-determined commitment

intrinsic motivation

Self esteem influences

learning and engagement

Pygmalion Effect

Assessment feedback has the potential to negatively impact

student motivation, self-esteem, and engagement.

Classroom focused on learning:

Balanced Classroom Assessment

Formative Assessment

Summative Assessment

Assessment of learning has the potential to positively impact

student engagement.

Involve students in the all stages of the assessment process.

How might we involve students in assessment of their learning?

mystery myth

magic

Communicate how grades will be determined

Grades – and assessment – are broken if teachers

simply “run the show”.

Ken O’Connor, 2007

Grading Issues: 1. Practices that distort

achievement

2. Quality and organization of evidence

3. Grade calculations

When you finish reading and are ready to share key points with the group, check

Communicate how grades will be determined

Choices…choices…choices...

A totally standardized, one-size-fits-all approach to classroom assessment may be efficient, but it is

not “fair”.

Tomlinson & McTighe, 2006

Nutrition, Grade Five

Students will demonstrate their understanding of a balanced diet, by explaining the concept and offering an illustrative example

Criteria Excellence Level

Content Provides clear, accurate, and complete explanation of “balanced diet”

Example Provides appropriate example that illustrates the concept

Tomlinson & McTighe, 2006

Students are users of the information that comes from

assessments.

O’Connor, 2007

Purpose

Students are users of the information that comes from

assessments.

O’Connor, 2007

Purpose

Targets

Students are users of the information that comes from

assessments.

O’Connor, 2007

Purpose

Targets

Students are users of the information that comes from

assessments.

O’Connor, 2007

Progress

Student – led conferences• What are the benefits (for students, for parents, for teachers)?

• What are the challenges?

• What preparation is required?

• What has the response been like (from students, from parents)?

Student-led conferences can be powerful experiences for students, parents and teachers.

• Communicate clearly how grades are determined

• Give students choices• Encourage students to track their progress• Provide opportunities for students to

communicate their progress to others

Involving Students in the Assessment of their Learning

Classroom assessment information is the essential

fuel that powers the learning system for students.

Stiggins, 2005

How has this webinar series informed your practice?

deb.mcfarlane-smith@gov.ab.ca

Grading Issue #1 Practices that distort achievement

Grading Issue #2 Quality and organization of evidence

Grading Issue #3 Grade calculations