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Learn how to effectively use observations and conversations in the classroom to assess student learning and support their growth. This presentation explores the symmetrical relationship between AFL, AAL, and AOL and provides strategies for implementing pedagogy into practice. Discover how to track and weight observations and conversations and how to report and communicate student achievement.
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OBSERVATIONS & CONVERSATIONS in your classroom 2016 Niagara Catholic District School Board Presenter: John Markovich
Setting the Context Starting with the Needs of the Learner Symmetrical Relationship between AAL, AFL, & AOL Pedagogy Supporting Triangulation of Evidence Pedagogy into Practice Tracking Observations/Conversations in the Classroom Talk Structures/Protocols Looking Ahead Reporting/Weighting Observations & Conversations Agenda
“Evidence of student achievement for evaluation is collected over time from 3 different sources – observations, conversations, and student products. Using multiple sources of evidence increases the reliability and validity of the evaluation of student learning.” -Growing Success, p.39 Evidence for Evaluation
Assessment for Learning (AFL) The ongoing process of gathering and interpreting evidence about student learning for the purpose of determining where students are in their learning, where they need to go, and how best to get there. (p. 144)
Assessment as Learning (AAL) The process of developing and supporting student metacognition. Students are actively engaged in the assessment process; that is, they monitor their own learning, use assessment feedback from teacher, self and peers to determine next steps; and setindividual learning goals. (p. 143)
Assessment of Learning (AOL) The process of collecting and interpreting evidence for the purpose of summarizing learning at a given point in time, to make judgements about the quality of student learningon the basis of established criteria, and to assign a value to represent that quality. The information gathered may be used to communicate the student’s achievement to parents, other teachers, students themselves, and others. It occurs at or near the end of a learning cycle. (p. 144)
So what are Authentic in-class observations & conversations? • Observation: The ongoing process of watching, listening, and being attuned to students’ behaviour, emotional state, interests and abilities, patterns of development, and progress in learning in order to meet the needs of students and assess and evaluate their development and learning.
Sources of Evidence: Balanced Assessment • Conversations • Conferences • Documentation Analysis • Journals • Blogs • Moderated Online forums • Student feedback • (Reader Response) • Focused conversations • Portfolio Conferencing • Speakers’ Corner • Interviews • Surveys • Checklists • Exit Cards • Notes from Literature Circles • Observation Checklist • Process-folio • Anecdotal observation • Questioning • Presentations • Listening • Speaking • Problem Solving • Group Insight Skills • Photo Analysis • Performance Tasks • Case Studies • Assignments • Seminars/Presentations • Portfolios • Videos • Essays • Projects • Graphs • Tests • Lab Reports • Observations • Student Products
What do I want them to learn? How will I know they have learned it? How will I design the learning so that all will learn? Planning with the End in Mind Assessment How will students demonstrate their knowledge and skills while they are learning? How will we monitor their progress? Exit cards, journal entries, observations, conversations, … How will I plan with DI in mind? What instructional strategies are appropriate for the learners in my class?
Overall/Specific Expectations Learning Goals AOL What are students expected to learn? Conversations Observations Products How will students demonstrate their learning? Success Criteria Saying, Writing, Doing AFL+AAL=AOL Differentiated Instruction & Assessment Strategies How will we design the learning so all will learn? Descriptive Feedback Peer & Self- Assessment Goal Setting How do we make it happen? TEACHER STUDENT
“Most students can hit the target if they can see it clearly and it stays still for them” -Damian Cooper Clear Learning and Performance Targets
Long range plan CON’T Template 1: Long-Range Assessment Plan (continued)
READING ANTICIPATION CARDCONVERSATION AAL • Name: __________________________ • Reading ANTICIPATION Card • What is your reading goal for this reading session? ____________________________________________________________ • _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ • What strategies will you use to accomplish this goal? __________________________________________________________ • _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ • Record what you learned during this reading session about the text or about • your reading skills:________________________________________________________________________________________ • _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ • _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ • Identify reading strategies used:_____________________________________________________________________________ • _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
READING EXIT CARDOBSERVATION AAL • Name: ________________________ • Reading EXIT card • For this reading session, select a reading strategy from the anchor chart • that you have NOT used lately: _________________________________________ • After the reading session, explain how you used this strategy: ______________ • ____________________________________________________________________ • _______________________________________________________ • Identify how this strategy helped you to better understand the text or become a • better reader: ________________________________________________________ • ____________________________________________________________________ • ____________________________________________________________________
A written record, in a narrative or jot notes, describing the behaviours or actions you observe These are useful to teachers for planning purposes: details about the quality of work and prior knowledge observed as well as things not observed that you expected to see Anecdotal observations can be jotted spontaneously on sticky notes, labels, or index cards then transferred to a file folder or any form of recording device Information should be consolidated so that the teacher could see where the class is at a glance as well as highlight areas of concern for specific students Observations: Anecdotal Records
Determine the purpose of your assessment Decide whether observation is an appropriate technique and ask yourself, “Are there specific behaviours or actions that address my purpose and that I will be able to directly observe?” Decide on the tool (anecdotal, checklist, protocol, level) or develop your own tool Identify the behaviours/actions to be observed source: 50 Tools and Techniques for Classroom Assessment, Karen Hume p.51 Steps to using Observations
Avoid making inferences by recording observable behaviours only Conceptual understanding, thinking skills and attitudes cannot be assessed directly from observational data (inferences are needed) To make reliable inferences use data from multiple observations over time Look for patterns and connections across observations (most recent, most consistent) What to watch for…
YOUR TURN • In approximately 15 minutes, you’ll be asked to share the following: • 1. Identify your subject area and AOL that you are scaffolding towards. • 2. What is the purpose of your protocol and how does it works? • 3. How can this protocol be used to track an observation or conversation? • Open the folder on your table. • TASK • 1. Read and annotate your article and, as a group, fill in the assigned protocol. • 2. Complete the Long Range Assessment Plan template: • Identify your subject area and list an AOL. • List your protocol as • (i) AFL or AAL or Both • (ii) Observation or • Conversation or Both
Role of Teachers “Today’s teachers are called upon to work with colleagues to design learning environments that promote deeper engagement in learning as a reciprocal process. Learning can no longer be understood as a one-way exchange where ‘we teach, they learn.’” –Willms, Friesen & Milton, 2009
“While paper and pencil tasks may be used at some point to check on basic knowledge and skills, when used alone, they fail to provide the kinds of rich information that result from actively involving students in meaningful performance tasks.” -Damian Cooper, Talk About Assessment (p.34) Talk About ASSESSMENT
Professional Judgement: Determining a Grade To determine a student’s report card grade, teachers will consider: • all evidence collected from a variety of sources through observations, conversations, and student products; • the evidence for all the tests/exams and assignments for evaluation that the student has completed or submitted; • the number of tests/exams or assignments for evaluation that the student did not complete or submit; • the different weights assigned to various pieces of evidence.
CONTACT INFORMATION John Markovich Program Chair of English/Literacy Denis Morris Catholic High School St. Catharines, ON john.markovich@ncdsb.com