Ruth Sutton
Assessment for Learning – The Practical Implications
Content Appropriate for Modules 2, 3, 4 and 5
Assessment for Learning – The Practical Implications
Content Appropriate for Modules 2, 3, 4 and 5
In her presentation, Ruth Sutton reviews the key points about Assessment for Learning and explores the practical implications for teaching. Using a straight forward approach, Ruth acknowledges that Assessment for Learning challenges some assumptions and habits around teaching and learning, but she provides compelling arguments and examples as to why it should become the normal way for teachers and students to do business.
PowerPoint Presentation
Full Presentation:
Presentation Sections
Back to Basics: Setting the Stage
In this opening section of her presentation, Ruth looks at the distinction between assessment of learning, and assessment for learning, and why we need to make the distinction. The purpose of marks and marking is discussed, and Ruth reviews the research base that supports assessment for learning.
Assessment Literacy is clearly a complex piece of learning.
- What is your definition of Assessment Literacy?
- Which parts of this presentation describe your current practice?
- Which parts seem to be at odds with what you believe?
- Which parts are difficult for you in light of your present teaching or school assignment?
- As a parent, what more do you need to know?
- Which parts need more discussion?
The United Kingdom Assessment Reform Group (1999) identified five main principles of assessment for learning (in BC we use six principles: learning intentions, criteria, descriptive feedback, questions, self and peer assessment and ownership). In this section, Ruth provides a summary of the principles, and takes a look at each, one at a time. While providing practical suggestions for each principle, Ruth’s key message is that assessment for learning works best where students are encouraged to be involved in the learning process from the start.
- How do you involve students in the learning process?
- What do you do to encourage students to understand and use the learning intentions and criteria to focus their work?
Ruth answers questions from participating conference sites (original broadcast).
- Do these questions reflect your current thinking and learning?
- What other questions do you have?
Providing feedback to students that leads to learning is a key to the implementation of assessment for learning. In this section, Ruth provides some guidance on the importance of providing students with clear expectations and creating successful feedback for learning. She illustrates how students benefit from this type of reporting when they have been set up to be part of the assessment process.
- How does this align with your current practice in Assessment for Learning?
- What other examples from your teaching can you share with the group?
In this section, Ruth covers three areas that are a vital part of the discussion when teachers consider implementing assessment for learning in their classrooms:
- Planning for learning versus planning for coverage
- Co-construction – the partnership between teacher and student in the development of success criteria
- Changing some hard-wired habits of teaching
- If you were to make one change in your practice towards Assessment for Learning, what would it be?
- How would you go about implementing that change?
Ruth answers questions from participating conference sites (original broadcast), and summarizes by answering the question “What’s in assessment for learning for teachers, and why should we bother?”
Ruth states:
- What’s in assessment for learning for teachers, and why should we bother?
- What is your answer to this question?
- What is in this for you as a teacher, administrator or parent?
- What are the advantages for the students?
- How do your answers align with Ruth’s thinking? What is the same? What is different?