Assessment for learning: motivation for teachers to personalise learning

Jeanette Clarkin-Phillips University of Waikato

Hamilton, New Zealand.

Individual paper presentation for 17th EECERA Conference. Prague, Czech Republic,

29 August-1 September, 2007

Background

National Curriculum: Te Whāriki He Whāriki Mātauranga mā ngā

Mokopuna o Aotearoa.

A weaving of 4 Principles and 5 Strands with goals and indicative learning outcomes that are dependent on each other.

Gateways to professional development

• Curriculum• Learning to learn• Assessment for learning• Advice and guidance• Mentoring and coaching• New technologies• Student voice• Workforce reform• Organisation and design

Assessment for learning

•Reifies or documents those opportunities or experiences that are valued by teachers, children and families/whānau

•Identifies progression or continuity of learning

•Provides feedback for learners

Research project

Case study of a professional development programme: Educational Leadership Project Participants: 11 teachers from 3 early childhood centres who had been involved in the programme

Data collection

Unstructured interviews

Narrative inquiryThe main claim for the use of narrative in educational research is that humans

are storytelling organisms who, individually and socially , lead stories

lives….Teachers and learners are storytellers

and characters in their own and other’s stories.

(Connelly & Clandinin, 1990, p.2)

Assessment for learning as a gatewayAssessment for learning was a gateway into professional development, a mediating tool and a motivator in personalising teachers’ learning and changing their practice.

Other areas that were influenced and were influenced by teachers’ exploration of assessment for learning were:CurriculumICT, Design and organisationChild’s voiceParent and whānau engagement.

Curriculum

I didn’t understand Te Whāriki before that. And basically it comes down to the principles for me, and understanding the principles. (Phoebe)

It’s a bit like owning Te Whāriki, saying, ‘Our curriculum, Te Whāriki’, which we never used to do before. (Tina)

ICT and Design and organisation

what we learned about ICT was that it allowed children to become involved with their own learning because they could see it, it was visible, it was instant (Samantha)

we got this perspex to put on the wall and we were able to display photos and Learning Stories. The children could see themselves but it was protected from lots of little hands. (Amy)

I mean we’ve got so much stuff. We’ve got scanners, we’ve got a laptop, and we’re just in the process of getting a laptop so that each centre will have a laptop to use with the children as well. and a video camera now as well, I mean obviously you have all these ideas when you can see the potential of it.It actually changed our environment in the way that we presented our programme. (Tina)

Child’s voiceI also think it’s because the children have been involved in their learning, and they can actually see it – they’re displayed on the walls. It’s their interest, and it’s something they’re really passionate about.They know the teachers have documented it and they can see it and it’s their special book and they can read it anytime. (Tina)

Really knowing the children … like through learning stories, writing a story and then thinking to myself, ‘Wow! I didn’t know the child could do that!’ We only write about positive things so it’s a positive structure of assessment. There’s no … ‘No you can’t do this right now …you can’t catch a ball’, kind of thing. You know, it’s all positive and knowing the child (Phoebe)

Parent/whānau engagement

Feedback from parents – that’s exciting. Having more meaningful planning – the way that we used to plan, compared with to the way – it’s just recognisable, I suppose we’ve strengthened our relationship with parents, they contribute to children’sfolders, which has been really neat. And they write stuff, they put in photos, they are a strong part of it. (Marion)

Well it has to have had a positive impact on them, because that’s what the focus of that assessment was really trying to get those families on board. That was just another little avenue we’re following and getting the whānau voices and things like that into the portfolio. (Mercedes)

And it made the learning more real for us as well, because we could actually see it. We were articulating it, we could see it, the child could see it because you could feed it back to the child and talk about what learning is happening. (Tina)

So it was a whole new way of working, I guess, that impacted, made the job more enjoyable.I’ve always tried to set goals for myself within my teaching, but every now and then I think I’ve done my bit and ELP changed that, it made me really keen. I’d found a way of assessment that was really enjoyable. And it’s an easier way of teaching, actually, when you work alongside children. (Marion)

References

Connelly, F.M., & Clandinin, D.J. (1990). Stories of experience and narrative inquiry. Educational Researcher, 19 (5), 2-14Hargreaves, David. (2004, October). Personalising Learning. Next steps in working laterally. London: Specialist Schools Trust.Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whäriki. He Whäriki Matauranga mo nga Mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early Childhood Curriculum. Wellington,NZ: Learning Media.