Investigating Current Issues in Education

1. The Investigators Investigating Current Issues in Education Jen Glassock, Paul Schulz, Chris Samphire, Andrew Taylor and Jess McNicoll

2. Today’s Program.... How do Teacher’s use Authentic Assessment in the classroom to Ensure Student Success?

3. How do Teacher’s use Authentic Assessment in the classroom to Ensure Student Success? (Marzano & Pickering, 1997, p.241)

4. Known: • Tasks have meaningful contexts within the real world (Afflerbach, Hiebert, & Valencia, 1994; Wiggins, 1993). • Aim to assess many kinds of abilities in context (Rudner & Boston, 1994; Wiggins, 1989). • Benjamin Bloom’s revised taxonomy - higher order thinking activities (Lynch and Knight, 2010). • Evaluating learning is critical for identifying gaps in knowledge - The more often we collect evidence in a variety of ways, the more likely we are to detect the knowledge gaps and prevent naive conceptions • Identifying individual gaps, giving feedback to students, and giving strategies to fill these gaps can ensure student success. The Theory Grant Wiggins (Marzano & Pickering, 1997, p.241)

5. Known/Agreed Upon: • Assessment should be on-going (Education Queensland, 2011) • result of cumulative studies of work in which students are observed throughout the year. • comparable assessments - such as NAPLAN, QCATs, Year 2 Diagnostic Net, year 1 Learning Statements – provide overview of achievements to support and further student learning (QSA, 2011) • progress is continually monitored to ensure that they individually gain the best learning outcomes • ongoing assessment where teachers can regularly monitor and modify their teaching strategies in ways that best support students (QSA,2011) • well-balanced assessment programme will provide opportunities for information to be gathered from the students across a range of conditions. Curriculum, Policy & Assessment (Marzano & Pickering, 1997, p.241)

6. Known/Agreed Upon: • on-going assessment was the best way to insure student success • linking it to real world situations Teacher Surveys • Confusions: • Term “Authentic Assessment” not familiar – however, the practice is used (Marzano & Pickering, 1997, p.241)

7. Students • Known/Agreed Upon: • Learning and outcomes monitored and assessed throughout many tasks over period of time • Students feel successful in variety of tasks rather than just big tests • Feedback (Marzano & Pickering, 1997, p.241)

8. Conclusion Through investigation we have answered a series of questions that were prompted at the beginning of today’s segment. Through our surveys and interviews we have gathered the information which gives evidence that teachers do use Authentic Assessment although they don’t necessarily use that term. We have proved through our findings that ongoing assessment is an important way of ensuring students success because every student’s success is different. When authentic assessment is linked to real world situations, students see value in using their knowledge in actual situations to make meaning so their skills are developed. This has shown an increase in understanding of the tasks students are involved in.

9. How do Teacher’s use Authentic Assessment in the classroom to Ensure Student Success? • Tasks have meaningful contexts within the real world (Afflerbach, Hiebert, & Valencia, 1994; Wiggins, 1993). • Aim to assess many kinds of abilities in context (Rudner & Boston, 1994; Wiggins, 1989). • Benjamin Bloom’s revised taxonomy - higher order thinking activities (Lynch and Knight, 2010). • Evaluating learning is critical for identifying gaps in knowledge - The more often we collect evidence in a variety of ways, the more likely we are to detect the knowledge gaps and prevent naive conceptions • Identifying individual gaps, giving feedback to students, and giving strategies to fill these gaps can ensure student success. • Assessment should be on-going (Education Queensland, 2011) • result of cumulative studies of work in which students are observed throughout the year. • comparable assessments - such as NAPLAN, QCATs, Year 2 Diagnostic Net, year 1 Learning Statements – provide overview of achievements to support and further student learning (QSA, 2011) • progress is continually monitored to ensure that they individually gain the best learning outcomes • ongoing assessment where teachers can regularly monitor and modify their teaching strategies in ways that best support students (QSA,2011) • well-balanced assessment programme will provide opportunities for information to be gathered • on-going assessment was the best way to insure student success • Links to real world situations • Learning and outcomes monitored and assessed throughout many tasks over period of time • Students feel successful in variety of tasks rather than just big tests • Term“Authentic Assessment” not familiar – however, the practice is used Professional Development to familiarise teachers with the term ‘Authentic Assessment’, as well as to further their knowledge and practice to ensure student success in all students to their fullest. (Marzano & Pickering, 1997, p.241)

10. Reference List Afflerbach, P. P., Heibert, E. H., & Valencia, S. W. (1993). Authentic Assessment and Using Knowledge Meaningfully. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from CQUniversity e- courses, EDED11405 Ensuring Student Success, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au Australian Curriculum, Assessment And Reporting Authority,2009. National Assessment Program. Retrieved from http://www.acara.edu.au/assessment/assessment.html Boston, C., & Rudner, L.M. (1994). Authentic Assessment and Using Knowledge Meaningfully.[PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses,EDED11405 Ensuring Student Success, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au Forehand, M. (2010). Bloom's Taxonomy: From Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching and Technology. Retrieved fromhttp://scholar.google.com.au/scholar?q=blooms+revised+taxonomy&hl=en&as_sdt=1%2C5&as _sdtp=on Lynch, D., & Knight, B. A. (2010). The Theory and Practice of Learning Management: A text for the student of Learning Management. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Australia. Queensland Studies Authority, 2009. Student assessment regimes: Getting the balance right for Australia. DRAFT discussion paper. Wiggins, G. (1989). Authentic Assessment and Using Knowledge Meaningfully. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses, EDED11405 Ensuring Student Success, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au Wiggins, G. (1994). Authentic Assessment and Using Knowledge Meaningfully. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses, EDED11405 Ensuring Student Success, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au