making teaching & learning visible

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1 cbe.ab.ca making teaching & learning visible resource guiding principles of assessment Guiding Principles of Assessment Guiding Principles: Assessment for and of learning Guiding Principles of Communicating Student Learning Guiding Principles of Grading Guiding Principles of Reporting Student Learning Criteria for Report Card Comments

2 Table of Contents Introduction: Guiding Principles of Assessment... 2 Guiding Principles of Assessment... 4 Guiding Principles: Assessment For and Of Learning... 7 Guiding Principles of Communicating Student Learning Guiding Principles of Grading Guiding Principles of Reporting Student Learning Criteria for Report Card Comments Contact Us 16

3 Introduction: Guiding Principles of Assessment Student success is the primary focus of The Calgary Board of Education s (CBE) Three-Year education plan. One of the key strategies to realize this overarching goal is personalized learning, with an empahsis on instructional design and responsive assessment practices. In alignment with the vision of public education based on information gathered through Inspiring Education, CBE students will continue to develop strong foundations in literacy and numeracy as well as important competencies such as critical thinking, problem-solving, global understanding and creativity. In the CBE, learning and assessment are understood to be part of the same process where teachers plan for and engage in a continuous cycle of instruction, rich assessment, and adjustment. Personalized learning is built upon a comprehensive understanding of each child. This kind of assessment involves the systematic gathering, interpreting, and responding to information about students. Teachers and students need to know what students know, how they know it, how they show it, and what they need to learn next. In this process, student agency, or involvement, is critical. Current research on assessment, evaluation and student learning requires us to work together to understand, recognize and communicate about student learning in new ways. Part of this evolution is a move towards outcomes-based reporting. In Alberta, the Program of Studies sets out learning objectives for the content the student should understand, the skills they should develop, and the learning processes they should apply. With outcomes-based reporting, student learning is assessed in relation to all aspects of the Program of Studies: including the front matter as well as the general and specific learner outcomes. The following Guiding Principles are intended to provide a coherent CBE framework for the assessment of outcomes from the Program of Studies and/or a student s individualized programming needs. These guiding principles are based on current assessment research that respect and advance student learning. This document includes: Guiding Principles of Assessment Guiding Principles of Assessment For and Of Learning Guiding Principles of Communicating Student Learning Guiding Principles of Grading Student Learning Guiding Principles of Reporting Student Learning Criteria for Report Card Comments All of the above documents are strongly interconnected and therefore the content does and should overlap. They are intended to be used together and are each equally important aspects of assessment. However, instructional leaders and teachers may choose to focus on a single document at a particular time in order to build capacity within their school. * Results 3 Citizenship, Results 4 Personal Development and Results 5 Character are reported separately in order to maintain the accuracy and integrity of student progress in comparison to learner outcomes from the Program of Written by Learning Services 2

4 Studies and/or a student s Individualized Program Plan. The CBE documents, Assessment and Reporting of Citizenship, Personal Development and Character In and Through Learning: K to 9 Handbook and Criteria for Report Card Comments Results, 3, 4, 5 outline similar assessment principles with specific examples for Results 3, 4, and 5. Written by Learning Services 3

5 Guiding Principles of Assessment Assidere - to sit beside or with (Assess- from Latin) In the Calgary Board of Education, learning and assessment are understood to be part of the same process where teachers plan for and engage in a continuous cycle of instruction, assessment, and adjustment and where student agency is engaged towards self-understanding and active pursuit of learning. The instructional task and assessment are at the heart of the instructional core and interact at all times with the teacher, the student and the content. It is through this dynamic interdependence that personalized learning can impact every student, every day, no exceptions. Assessment in the CBE is based on: Collaborative analysis of student work Professional Learning Communities share and analyze student work in ways that emphasize reflection, inquiry and a shared responsibility for student success. Active student involvement The teacher and student share responsibility for making assessment decisions and determining next steps in learning. Quality learning tasks Quality learning tasks are used to elicit evidence of both the content learned and the learning processes applied. Intentional connections to the Programs of Study and CBE Results Evidence of student learning is outcomes-based and assessed in relation to the Program of Studies: the front matter as well as the general and specific learner outcomes. Thoughtful questioning Teacher questioning invites students to explore their ideas and reasoning, their personal learning processes and strategies. Student questioning provides opportunities for teachers to explore their content knowledge, instructional methods and understanding of the student. Actionable feedback Feedback: student to teacher, teacher to student, and student to student, informs teachers instructional decisions and supports students in navigating their learning. Flexible methodology Assessment is ongoing, varied in nature, and occurs over a period of time to provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning. Written by Learning Services 4

6 Responsive instruction Assessment is woven seamlessly through daily learning tasks. Formative assessment guides all instructional planning. Informative grading Grading practices clearly communicate the relationship between student achievement and targeted learning outcomes, with an emphasis on how well, not when or by what means, the student has mastered specific knowledge or skills. Meaningful communication Communication about student achievement clearly describes meaningful aspects of student performance in relation to relevant learning outcomes and in service of continued growth and development. Other Assessment considerations: Comparison to the performance of other students Assessment is student-specific, documenting the progress an individual student has made towards the student learning outcomes and/or appropriate individual program goals. Amalgamation of the performance of a group of students Assessment is student-specific, documenting the progress an individual student has made towards the student learning outcomes and/or appropriate individual program goals. Assessment that works in the interests of children will enhance their ability to see and understand their learning for themselves, to judge it for themselves, and to act on their judgments (Mary Jane Drummond, n.d.). Single events Assessment is ongoing throughout the school year, minute by minute, day by day (Leahy, Lyon, Thompson & Wiliam, 2005), so that students are given multiple opportunities to demonstrate their progress and achievement over time. Time Assessments are designed to capture evidence of whether students can do and understand, rather than how quickly. Outcomes from the Programs of Study should be used as a reference point in determining whether time is a criterion for success (Webber, Aitken, Lupart, & Scott, 2009). Bias Assessment methods build on the backgrounds and prior experiences of students. Assessment is free from bias brought about by student factors, such as culture, developmental stage, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic background, language, etc. extraneous to the purpose of the assessment (Principles for Fair Student Assessment Practices for Education in Canada, 1993). Written by Learning Services 5

7 Consistency Teachers make judgements about student learning that are based on a consistent understanding of how evidence of student learning is used to evaluate the achievement of learner outcomes. They are not dependent on the individual teacher, student, location or time, rather, are based on a shared understanding of standards of learning. References Joint Advisory Committee (1993). Principles for fair student assessment practices for education in Canada. Edmonton, Canada: University of Alberta. Leahy, S., Lyon, C., Thompson, M., & Wiliam, D. (2005, November). Classroom assessment: Minute by minute, day by day, Educational Leadership, 63(3), Webber, C.F., Aitken, N. Lupart, J. & Scott, S. (2009). The Alberta student assessment study final report. Edmonton, Canada: Government Written by Learning Services 6

8 Guiding Principles: Assessment For and Of Learning In the Calgary Board of Education, the personalization of learning is assessmentrich. It is the systematic gathering, analyzing and interpreting of information about what students know and are able to do. It includes a response to this information and provides support for next steps in learning. Formative assessment, assessment for learning, is part of the continuous interaction between the student and the teacher and is designed to assist students and teachers by checking learning to decide what to do next. This interaction is based on ongoing cycles of feedback and instruction. Summative assessment, assessment of learning, is a comparison at a particular moment in time between individual student achievement and established provincial standards and/or appropriate individual program goals. These purposes mutually influence and inform one another and contribute to understanding our learners to make personalized decisions for learning. Assessment for learning acknowledges and cultivates multiple conditions for success for each student is strength-based and growth-oriented begins with teachers understanding students current learning, and builds on an individual student s previous accomplishments determines what the student knows, is able to do and can apply, and points to the next steps for teaching and learning is part of a cycle of continuous feedback between student and teacher includes investigative tools such as observations, conversations, performance based tasks, and artifacts of student learning is appropriate for the information required and the instructional approaches used uses student learning outcomes and processes from the Programs of Study and/or appropriate individual program goals, Competencies (Alberta Education Framework for Learning: Competencies for Engaged Thinkers and Ethical Citizens with an Entrepreneurial Spirit, 2011) and Citizenship, Personal Development and Character (CBE Results) as reference points compares achievement to clearly articulated criteria engages students and teachers in collaboratively establishing criteria and co-creating assessments involves both multiple assessments over time or a single assessment event enables students to use outcomes and established criteria as reference points to critically analyze their learning encourages students to reflect on their learning and monitor their own progress informs teachers instructional decisions enables students to use information gathered through analysis to guide adjustments to their learning processes and to develop new and deeper understandings Written by Learning Services 7

9 enables teachers to analyze evidence of student learning independently and through professional learning conversations to adjust instructional responses supports students and teachers in the development of metacognitive processes provides descriptive, specific, actionable feedback from students to teachers and teachers to students provides parents opportunities to contribute understandings about their child provides parents feedback about their child to support the learning process encourages students to take increased responsibility for their learning invites teachers to become students of their own practice Assessment of learning We know how to use classroom assessment to make success a driving force in the learning life of every student. We no longer need to accept the assessment legacy of our past. We know better. (Stiggins, 2004, p. 27) confirms what students know and can do is outcomes-based referencing key student learning outcomes and processes from the Programs of Study and/or appropriate individual program goals, and Competencies (Alberta Education Framework for Learning: Competencies for Engaged Thinkers and Ethical Citizens with an Entrepreneurial Spirit, 2011) and Citizenship, Personal Development and Character (Results) or is outcomes-based, assessed in relation to the Program of Studies: the front matter as well as the general and specific learner outcomes and/or appropriate individual program goals, and Competencies (Alberta Education Framework for Learning: Competencies for Engaged Thinkers and Ethical Citizens with an Entrepreneurial Spirit, 2011) and Citizenship, Personal Development and Character (CBE Results) is based on transparent and clearly communicated criteria for success includes evaluative evidence such as end of unit tests, culminating activities, performance tasks, observations, conversations, and artifacts of student learning gives multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate understanding is based on a select, prioritized sample from a body of evidence considers both recent performance and the consistent demonstration of understanding allows for learning accommodations for all learners without penalty is based on a consistent understanding of how evidence of student learning is used to evaluate the achievement of learner outcomes. meets the goals of reliability, validity and authenticity through conversation with the student, professional collaboration, and deep understanding of the content summarizes student achievement with numbers, percentages, letter grades and written feedback occurs at the end of a learning experience and provides opportunities to report evidence to date of student achievement in relation to student learning outcomes is presented in periodic summaries, such as report cards is used for evaluation, grading and reporting/communication to students and parents is appropriate for the information required and the instructional approaches used Written by Learning Services 8

10 References Alberta Education (2011). Framework for learning: Competencies for engaged thinkers and ethical citizens with an entrepreneurial spirit. Edmonton, Canada: Alberta Education. Joint Advisory Committee (1993). Principles for fair student assessment practices for education in Canada. Edmonton, Canada: University of Alberta. Stiggins, R. (2004). New assessment beliefs from a new school mission. Phi Delta Kappan, 86(1), Written by Learning Services 9

11 Guiding Principles of Communicating Student Learning In the Calgary Board of Education, student learning and assessment are part of the same process. The personalization of learning is supported by ongoing conversations between educators, students, parents, and community partners with the goal of improving student learning. These communications are fundamental to student success and create responsive processes to understand and support each learner. Communicating student progress may take the form of report card grades, report card comments, Individual Program Plans, parent-student-teacher conferences, and other formal and/or informal communications. Communicating student learning in the CBE is: Student specific invites a shared conversation between parent, student and teacher(s) that builds an understanding of the whole child is personalized and tailored to the individual student based on specific evidence of learning as well as the student s interests and learning preferences shares specific examples of what a student knows and can do in relation to student learning outcomes from the Programs of Study and/or appropriate individual program goals is based on information gathered from observations, conversations, and student learning artifacts with an emphasis on most recent achievement considers the collaborative analysis of student learning evidence by multiple educators Strength-based and growth-oriented seeks parent and student perspective on the strengths and needs of the student shares evidence of the relationship between strengths the student brings to their learning and their academic success supports students in making connections between their approach to learning and their understanding bridges current learning and suggests possibility for application to other learning situations identifies the student s most significant learning needs and invites collaboration for next steps identifies strategies currently being employed at school and suggests, where appropriate, strategies for how the parent can support the student s learning progress Based on the Programs of Study and/or appropriate individual program goals or is outcomes-based, assessed in relation to the Program of Studies: the front matter as well as the general and specific learner outcomes and/or appropriate individual program goals, and Competencies (Alberta Education Framework for Learning: Competencies for Engaged Thinkers and Ethical Citizens with an Entrepreneurial Spirit, 2011) and Citizenship, Personal Development and Character (Results) Written by Learning Services 10

12 reflects the student s progress towards student learning outcomes, assessed in relation to the Programs of Studies: the front matter as well as the general and specific learner outcomes from the Programs of Study and/or appropriate individual program goals. This includes Alberta Education s Framework for Learning: Competencies for Engaged Thinkers and Ethical Citizens with an Entrepreneurial Spirit and Citizenship, Personal Development and Character (Results) refers to specific knowledge, skills and attitudes that are most relevant to the student s achievement and development during the assessed reporting period develops community awareness related to the school s program of instruction and evaluation The communication system needs to be comprehensive, coherent, and feasible. All the pieces need to fit together so that detailed information about the student as learner is provided in appropriate ways and at appropriate times. (Manitoba Education, 2008, p. 20) Clear, unambiguous and timely reflects professional integrity in both content and structure is specific, accurate and meaningful describes student learning and next steps in a straightforward manner uses vocabulary and sentence structure that is clear and accessible to students and parents provides an explanation of terminology that may be unfamiliar to students and parents establishes and communicates consistent structures for reporting ongoing communication about student progress occurs throughout the year; report cards summarizing student achievement are sent home twice a year provides flexible and responsive conferencing opportunities References Alberta Education (2011). Framework for learning: Competencies for engaged thinkers and ethical citizens with an entrepreneurial spirit. Edmonton, Canada: Alberta Education. Manitoba Education (2008). Communicating student learning: Guidelines for schools. Manitoba, Canada: Manitoba Education. Written by Learning Services 11

13 Guiding Principles of Grading While some might argue that any focus on grades will inherently impede the learning process for students, the intent here is to find, within our existing grading systems, the soundest grading practices to accurately communicate student grades. (Schimmer, 2012, p. 102) In the Calgary Board of Education, the personalization of learning requires knowing each student through the thoughtful gathering and consideration of student learning evidence. Grading this evidence provides information about the strengths and areas of growth of learners against well understood outcomes from the Programs of Study and/or appropriate individual program goals. Grading in the CBE is: Fair every learner has a right to access accommodations and appropriate technology that remove barriers to the Programs of Study without consequence to grades purposes, criteria and expectations are clearly understood by students and parents assessment methods, grading standards, and methods of calculations are communicated to students before and after grading students are provided prompt, accurate feedback at regular intervals throughout the term, an explanation as to how their work was graded, and constructive suggestions as to how to improve their work over the term information is collected in such a way so as to provide appropriate opportunities for each student to demonstrate their learning a grade reflects to the best of a teacher s professional judgment a student s understanding of the curriculum; grading impacted by specific characteristics of students such as but not limited to attitude, gender, work ethic, and socio-cultural factors create a distorted representation of student understanding (Reeves, 2011) is an unbiased representation of the student s understanding Credible and defensible concepts, knowledge, skills and attitudes are authentic to the discipline and form the core body of assessment information on which a grade is based assessment reflects multiple learning tasks across time is based on the most consistent level of student achievement and with special consideration for more recent evidence of achievement assessment strategies are carefully selected to demonstrate student understanding and are clearly related to explicit and consistent reference points of the student learning outcomes from the Programs of Study and/or appropriate individual program goals (Rethinking Classroom Assessment With Purpose in Mind, 2006) there is a strong rationale for how assessment information is used in grading a body of evidence that samples consistent student performance and professional judgment rather than being based on a calculated mean (average) transparent approaches to interpretation, free from bias and distortion, are employed Written by Learning Services 12

14 inferences that emerge must be upheld by the evidence collected (Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind, 2006) there are strategies in place for recourse for students and parents shared criteria is public and consistent reference points for the demonstration of student understanding of student learning outcomes are evident (Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind, 2006) based on accurate, consistent assessment information that is free from distortion (distorting factors include but are not limited to bonus marks, late submission deduction, or aggregating neatness, compliance, attendance, behaviour with achievement) includes a reliable, accurate, and consistent recording system to capture evidence of student achievement Appropriate and responsive honours and respects the worth and dignity of each student based on ethical professional judgment (Professional Practice Competencies for Teachers, 2011) provides students with opportunities to demonstrate their improvement and reflect their growth (Schimmer, 2012) Other grading considerations Aggregated achievement: Valid grading reflects a student s achievement towards the student learning outcomes from the Alberta Programs of Study and/or appropriate individual program goals. The reporting of behavior, effort, attendance, neatness, group contribution, initiative etc. is reported separately (Webber, Aitken, Lupart, & Scott, 2009, Guskey, 2006, Reeves, 2004). Assessment of Citizenship, Personal Development, and Character in and through learning provides the opportunity to report evidence such as group contribution, initiative, persistence, independence, responsible decision-making, and pursuit of learning goals. Scaffolding success: When assignments are not submitted on time or at all, there are a number of appropriate responses by teachers. These include: helping students improve their time management skills; working with parents and students on a plan to complete assignments; creating supervised and structured opportunities for students to complete their work, e.g., a homework club at lunch for students in Grades 5 to 9; and negotiating with students to submit major assignments in stages to avoid all-or-nothing completion and to create more manageable pieces of work. As a last resort and after trying other strategies, marks may be deducted as a consequence of missed assignments. Written by Learning Services 13

15 References Alberta Assessment Consortium (2001). Smerging data: Grading more than just number crunching. Edmonton, Canada: Alberta Assessment Consortium. Government of Alberta (Draft 2011). Professional Practice Competencies for Teachers. Edmonton, Canada: Professional Standards Branch. Guskey, T. R. (May, 2006). Making high school grades meaningful. Phi Delta Kappa International, 87(9), pp Retrieved from Joint Advisory Committee (1993). Principles for fair student assessment practices for education in Canada. Edmonton, Canada: University of Alberta. O Connor, K. (2007). A repair kit for grading: 15 fixes for broken grades. Portland, Western and Northern Canadian Protocol for Collaboration and Communication in Education (2006). Rethinking classroom assessment with purpose in mind: Assessment for learning, Assessment as learning, assessment of learning. Manitoba, Canada: Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth. Reeves, D.B. (Dec 2004). The case against zeros. Phi Delta Kappan 86 (4). Retrieved from Reeves, D.B. (2011). Elements of grading: A guide to effective practice. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree. Schimmer, T. (2012). Ten things that matter: From assessment to grading. Toronto, Canada: Pearson Webber, C.F., Aitken, N. Lupart, J. & Scott, S. (2009). The Alberta student assessment study final report. Edmonton, Canada: Written by Learning Services 14

16 Guiding Principles of Reporting Student Learning In the Calgary Board of Education, the personalization of learning requires knowing each student through the thoughtful gathering and consideration of student learning evidence. Reporting this evidence provides information about the strengths and areas of growth of learners against well understood outcomes from the Programs of Study and/or appropriate individual program goals. The Alberta curriculum outlines attitudes, skills and knowledge that will enable students to become engaged, active, informed and responsible citizens and is designed to help students achieve their individual potential. Alberta Programs of Study and appropriate individual program goals identify what students are expected to learn and do in all subjects and grades. We must acknowledge that if parents do not understand the information in the report card, it s not their fault. As communicators, it is our responsibility to make sure that our message is clear and comprehensible to those for whom it is intended. (Guskey & Bailey, 2010, p. 122) Based on learning outcomes from the Alberta Programs of Study and, where appropriate individual program goals, and expected levels of performance, teachers set specific criteria to evaluate student learning. These criteria form the basis for evaluating, grading and reporting student progress. Communicating student progress is an ongoing conversation between the teacher, student and parent throughout the school year with the goal of improving student learning. One form of communication between teachers, students, and parents is the information that teachers provide on report cards. The following criteria are provided to enable educators to review and reflect on their understandings related to reporting student learning and to guide practices related to writing report card comments. Written by Learning Services 15

17 Criteria for Report Card Comments Report cards comments are: Student specific share specific examples of what a student knows and can do in relation to the student learning outcomes from the Alberta Programs of Study and/or appropriate individual programs goals based on information gathered from observations, conversations, and student products during the reporting period with an emphasis on most recent achievement require knowing each student through the thoughtful gathering and consideration of student learning evidence Strength-based and growth-oriented speak to significant strengths the student brings to their learning that contribute to their overall academic success communicate student progress and identify next steps for learning; next steps for learning may be a response to identified learning needs or follow a learning progression identify strategies currently being employed at school and suggest, where appropriate, strategies for how the parent can support the student's learning at home Aligned with the Alberta Programs of Study and/or appropriate individual program goals refer to specific knowledge, skills and attitudes identified in the Programs of Study and/or appropriate individual program goals that are most relevant to the student's achievement and development during the assessed reporting period Clear and unambiguous are written in clear and simple language with vocabulary that is easily understood by both students and parents, rather than educational terminology reflects professional integrity in both content and structure Work in tandem with Individual Program Plans Individual Program Plans target the areas unique to a student that he/she needs support with in order to be an independent, successful learner, and identify strategies and supports necessary for that student s success. The Individual Program Plan does not target all learner outcomes, only those considered most critical for independent performance the report card encompasses what a student has learned in relation to partially or fully modified outcomes drawn from the Programs of Study during that reporting period, including his/her strengths as a learner and the next steps for improvement where students are working towards the outcomes from the Programs of Study, the Individual Program Plan and the report card together provide a comprehensive picture of student learning Written by Learning Services 16

18 References Government of Ontario (2010). Reporting student learning: Guidelines for effective teacher- parent-student communication. Ontario, Canada: Ministry of Education. Guskey, T.R. & Bailey, J.M. (2010). Developing standards-based report cards. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Yukon Education (2011). Reporting on student progress in Yukon schools. Yukon, Canada: Yukon Education. Written by Learning Services 17

19 Further Information Contact Us For further information on this document or any other questions, please contact us by: Barb Harder - blharder@cbe.ab.ca. Phone: Barb Harder Written by Learning Services 18