Unit rationale, description and aim
Pre-service teachers must develop an awareness of assessment as integral to effective teaching.
This unit develops pre-service teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the nature and purpose of assessment, and its role in guiding teaching and learning. They will examine contemporary assessment theories, policies, practices and technologies and will apply these in the construction of assessment strategies that meet the learning needs of students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socio-economic background including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and students with disability. Pre-service teachers are provided with opportunities to analyse, interpret and moderate assessment data to arrive at credible conclusions and to make recommendations for the improvement of teaching practices. They will develop knowledge and understanding of principles and strategies for engaging parents/carers in the educative process and for reporting to parents/carers and other significant stakeholders. Strategies for working collaboratively with specialist teachers and other school community personnel to support students from diverse backgrounds to teaching and learning will also be considered.
This unit aims to develop pre-service teachers’ understanding and skills for designing effective assessments and gathering, interpreting and reporting assessment data in order to improve learning outcomes.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Apply knowledge of contemporary assessment theorie...
Learning Outcome 01
Demonstrate awareness of processes for collecting ...
Learning Outcome 02
Explain a range of strategies for reporting to par...
Learning Outcome 03
Construct a professional learning plan identifying...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- The role of assessment in the planning, teaching, learning and evaluation cycle and curriculum decision-making
- Nature of assessment and its major concepts and purposes (including formal, informal, diagnostic, formative and summative)
- The role of assessment in the continual evaluation and improvement of teaching and learning and the challenges associated with this process
- The use of assessment to monitor and improve children’s learning and development
- Documentation of children’s learning and the roles documentation plays in making children’s thinking visible
- Construction of quality and diverse assessment tasks informed by contemporary assessment theories, policies, approaches and curriculum
- Differentiating assessment tasks to meet the specific needs of diverse learners, particularly EALD students and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
- Approaches for monitoring student progress and providing timely, focused and constructive feedback to learners
- Processes for gathering, organising and interpreting evidence of learning, and provision of feedback
- Moderation practices (both within school and externally facilitated, as appropriate)
- The information processing cycle in the school context: acquisition, validation, processing, storage, output and archiving/deletion
- Data storage and ethical practice related to storage and communication of assessment data
- The use of relevant technologies to record, access, aggregate and evaluate assessment data
- Data tracking: What constitutes relevant and effective data in the area of specialisation
- The interpretation of assessment data to inform the construction of quality learning sequences.
- A range of communication strategies to engage sensitively and confidentially with parents/ carers and involve them in the educative process
- Reporting student progress to learners, colleagues, parents/carers and other significant stakeholders
- The affects assessment data and processes may have on children, families and the broader community
- Understanding the role of formal and informal external and commercially prepared assessment programs
- Use of ‘big data’ to inform teaching and learning
- The data sets available and used by schools/teachers
- Identification of cohort/school strengths and weaknesses, and impact for school-wide decision-making, instructional decision-making, teacher’s personal learning goals, school/faculty evaluation and planning and reporting
- Strategies for supporting the various literacy and numeracy needs of cohorts (as identified through such datasets), particularly EALD students and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
- Relationships with special needs and learning-support teachers
- High-stakes and external assessment (e.g. NAPLAN, external exams and Year 12 performance)
- Responding to cohort data and issues of diversity among learner populations, particularly EALD students and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
- Impacts on teacher/school/faculty evaluation and goal-setting
- Impact on reporting to parents/carers, stakeholders, etc
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment tasks and their weightings allow pre-service teachers to progressively demonstrate achievement against the course learning outcomes by demonstrating academic and professional standards. The Effective Teaching sequence of units in this course focus on developing understanding of, and skills across the professional knowledge, practice and engagement needed to meet expectations of the APST: Graduate level. In this unit the assessment focuses on the construction of informed assessment procedures and practices which incorporate contemporary educational thought, understandings of the psychology of learning, and modern technologies. As well as employing the practices of collecting, analysing, interpreting and actioning quantitative and qualitative student assessment data to evaluate student learning.
The two assessment tasks are sequenced to allow feedback and progressive development of knowledge in purpose and forms of assessment and evaluation of learners and teachers. Task 1 enables the collection of, and reflection on, quality assessment resources and practices for teaching and learning. Task 2 requires pre-service teachers to use evaluative practices in the development of an ongoing professional learning plan as preparation for their capstone professional experience.
A range of assessment procedures are used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes and professional standards and criteria consistent with University assessment requirements.
Minimum Achievement Standards
The assessment tasks and their weighting for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, students are required to submit all assessment tasks, meet the learning outcomes of the unit and achieve a minimum overall passing grade of 50%. Note that Learning Outcomes 1 and 3 are only assessed in Assessment Task 1, while Learning Outcome 4 is only assessed in Assessment Tas 2. This means that pre-service teachers will need to pass both Task 1 and Task 2 in order to meet all of the Learning Outcomes.
Assessment in EDET400 includes a Critical Task: Assessment Task 2: Professional Learning Plan. This task is core to the demonstration of a number of Australian Professional Teacher Standards. Pre-service teachers must demonstrate mastery of every summative Graduate Teacher Standard identified and attain a score of at least 50% in Task 2 in order to pass this unit.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Assessment Plan and Portfolio ...
Assessment Task 1: Assessment Plan and Portfolio
Develop an assessment portfolio corresponding to in your area of teaching specialisation that is associated with a particular year/stage and unit of study or topic. Annotate the portfolio to demonstrate how features of quality assessment are incorporated, and reflect how the portfolio demonstrates the APST at the graduate level, with an emphasis on APST 5.
The portfolio should include:
- Identification of up to five (5) theoretical and philosophical principles, connecting to relevant literature, that underpin the approach taken to assessment in the portfolio;
- analysis of fitness for purpose with reference to relevant curriculum;
- emphasis on assessment as a means to promote students' engagement in their learning, considering modifications and adjustments;
- a variety of assessments tools; considering communication with a range of audiences, pre-and post-assessment, peer and self-assessment, feedback, formative and summative purposes, judgement-making and moderation, appraisal of learning, and evaluation of teaching.
- systems that use ICTs for supporting assessment practices.
60%
Assessment Task 2: Professional Learning Plan Cr...
Assessment Task 2:
Professional Learning Plan
Critical Task
Conduct a self-audit of professional practice to evidence, reflect on and evaluate attainment of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Develop a rationale for and philosophical commitment to professional ethics and ongoing professional learning and development in alignment with legislative, administrative and organisational requirements. Identify next-steps personal professional learning needs, and a range of appropriate sources and opportunities for continued learning with reference to the final capstone placement and ongoing professional practice. Parent/Carer Reports and Communications
40%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit applies a social constructivist approach to develop pre-service teachers’ understanding of principles and practices of assessment and their skills in developing assessment tasks. They will have the opportunity to build on their understanding of assessment concepts and strategies through critical reading, lecturer modelling, active engagement and rehearsing in tutorials. Teaching skills of professional communication will be developed through class discussions and the construction of a parent/carer communication plan. Understanding of assessment, and the ability to locate and synthesise information, will be developed through designing assessment plans for a specific class. Placement in a school will enable engagement with experienced practitioners and to make links between theory and its application to classroom contexts. Pre-service teachers will continue to gather and reflect upon evidence of their attainment of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate, in the Digital Portfolio.
The unit will involve lectures and tutorials with discussion, written activities and on-going assessment tasks. Teaching strategies may include:
- Formal online weekly input by the teaching team and moderated by a panel of guests of experienced practitioners and teachers;
- Hands-on tutorials and discussion sessions that promote peer learning; and
- Online activities.
The unit is hosted on a Learning Management System (LMS) site with resources and online links, announcements, and a discussion board to post questions and reflections that promote connection between content and educational experiences.
Mode of delivery: This unit may be offered in different modes to cater to the learning needs and preferences of a range of participants.
Multi-mode
Learning activities are delivered through a planned mix of online and in-person classes, which may include full-day sessions and/or placements, to enable interaction. Activities that require attendance will appear in a student’s timetable.
Online unscheduled
Learning activities are accessible anytime, anywhere. These units are normally delivered fully online and will not appear in a student’s timetable.
Online scheduled
All learning activities are held online, at scheduled times, and will require some attendance to enable online interaction. Activities will appear in a student’s timetable.
ACU Online
In ACU Online mode, this unit is delivered asynchronously, fully online using an active, guided learning approach. Pre-service teachers are encouraged to contribute to asynchronous weekly discussions and receive regular and timely feedback on their learning.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level
In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level standards:
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating toUse curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating toSet learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating toDescribe a broad range of strategies for involving parents/carers in the educative process.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toDescribe strategies that support students’ wellbeing and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2
Relating toDemonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of a range of strategies for reporting to students and parents/carers and the purpose of keeping accurate and reliable records of student achievement.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toUnderstand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toSeek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the rationale for continued professional learning and the implications for improved student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toUnderstand and apply the key principles described in codes of ethics and conduct for the teaching profession.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toUnderstand the relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes required for teachers according to school stage.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toUnderstand strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toUnderstand the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Representative texts and references
Required text(s)
Australian Curriculum https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/.
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) www.acara.edu.au.
Relevant State and Territory curriculum documents.
Recommended references
Alkharusi, H., Aldhafri, S., Alnabhani, H., & Alkalbani, M. (2014). Classroom assessment: Teacher practices, student perceptions, and academic self-efficacy beliefs. Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal, 42(5), 835-855.
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2018). Classroom assessment and pedagogy. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 25(6), 551-575.
Brady, L., & Kennedy, K. (2019). Assessment and reporting: Celebrating student achievement (5th ed.). Pearson Australia.
Deneen, Fulmer, Brown, Tan, Leong, & Tay. (2019). Value, practice and proficiency: Teachers' complex relationship with assessment for learning. Teaching and Teacher Education, 80, 39-47.
Furtak, E. M., Kiemer, K., Circi, R. K., Swanson, R., de León, V., Morrison, D., & Heredia, S. C. (2016). Teachers’ formative assessment abilities and their relationship to student learning: findings from a four-year intervention study. Instructional Science, 44(3), 267-291.
Gallagher, K. (2018). Why student creation is the hardest/best form of assessment. Tech & Learning, 39(4), 17
Gardner, J. (Ed.). (2012). Assessment and learning (2nd ed.). Sage Publications Ltd.
Hardy, I. (2015). A logic of enumeration: The nature and effects of national literacy and numeracy testing in Australia. Journal of Education Policy, 30(3), 335-362.
Miller, M., Linn, R., & Gronlund, N. (2013). Measurement and assessment in teaching (11th international ed.). Pearson Education Inc.
Readman, K., & Allen, B. (2013). Practical planning and assessment. Oxford University Press.
Romero, L., Saucedo, C., Caliusco, M., & Gutiérrez, M. (2019). Supporting self-regulated learning and personalization using ePortfolios: A semantic approach based on learning paths. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16(1), 1-16.
van Dinther, M., Dochy, F., Segers, M., & Braeken, J. (2014). Student perceptions of assessment and student self-efficacy in competence-based education. Educational Studies, 40(3), 330-351.