© Curriculum Foundation Part 3 Assessing a rounded curriculum Unit 3 What is the new national curriculum asking for?

Do you recognise these people? (There’s a clue in one of the pictures!) Yes, they are Professors Caroline Gipps and Gordon Stobart – authors of several books on assessment. Do you recognise these people? (There’s a clue in one of the pictures!) Yes, they are Professors Caroline Gipps and Gordon Stobart – authors of several books on assessment. © Curriculum Foundation

‘Assessment: A teacher’s guide to the issues’ was first published in 1997 – but the issues are still relevant. They say that “a close relationship between the assessment task and the goals of teaching is considered essential to the assessment task”. ‘Assessment: A teacher’s guide to the issues’ was first published in 1997 – but the issues are still relevant. They say that “a close relationship between the assessment task and the goals of teaching is considered essential to the assessment task”. © Curriculum Foundation

The cycle in which assessment is seen as integral to teaching and learning is key to success. The learning goals set in the curriculum design process are the basis of assessment. Therefore assessment must be linked to our intrinsic goals – not to extrinsic ones imposed by others from elsewhere. There’s more from Gipps and Stobart at: The cycle in which assessment is seen as integral to teaching and learning is key to success. The learning goals set in the curriculum design process are the basis of assessment. Therefore assessment must be linked to our intrinsic goals – not to extrinsic ones imposed by others from elsewhere. There’s more from Gipps and Stobart at: © Curriculum Foundation _33#page-1 But, having set our goals and made them integral to the process of teaching, learning and assessment, we still need to do the actual assessment bit – finding out whether our pupils have attained the goals or not. And, even more difficult, finding out how well they have attained them. But, having set our goals and made them integral to the process of teaching, learning and assessment, we still need to do the actual assessment bit – finding out whether our pupils have attained the goals or not. And, even more difficult, finding out how well they have attained them.

Who’s this? It’s Dr Anne Davies who wrote “Making Classroom Assessment Work” (2011) Who’s this? It’s Dr Anne Davies who wrote “Making Classroom Assessment Work” (2011) © Curriculum Foundation

Dr Davies puts forward a notion of the “triangulation” of three basic assessment sources: Observation Conversation Product Dr Davies puts forward a notion of the “triangulation” of three basic assessment sources: Observation Conversation Product © Curriculum Foundation

Triangulation Observation Conversation Product © Curriculum Foundation

Synthesis and evaluation of data Focused observation of pupils learning Conversations with pupils about their learning Evaluation of pupils’ writing, pictures, models, diagrams, multi-media presentations and other tangible output © Curriculum Foundation

These three sources each “illuminate” a different aspect of learning. Any one by itself would not be sufficient to give a rounded picture. We can think of them as three torches shining on a globe. No one torch can illuminate the whole globe. Learning is multi-faceted and complex, so we need to take account of more than one source of information about learning. We can illustrate it by the next slide. These three sources each “illuminate” a different aspect of learning. Any one by itself would not be sufficient to give a rounded picture. We can think of them as three torches shining on a globe. No one torch can illuminate the whole globe. Learning is multi-faceted and complex, so we need to take account of more than one source of information about learning. We can illustrate it by the next slide. © Curriculum Foundation

A single source gives us narrow focus. If our curriculum is well-rounded, we need a variety of sources.

Let’s take an example from the Year 5 Science we looked at earlier. Look at the first bullet point. What would you look for to find out of your pupils could do this? Observation? Conversation? Product? (All three?) Let’s take an example from the Year 5 Science we looked at earlier. Look at the first bullet point. What would you look for to find out of your pupils could do this? Observation? Conversation? Product? (All three?) © Curriculum Foundation

Well, we could certainly set pupils a task to group some everyday objects on the basis of their properties and could observe them whilst they are doing so. We would probably want to have a conversation in which we asked them why they were grouping the objects in this particular way. If we had done both of these, would we need a product as well? If so, what would it be? Well, we could certainly set pupils a task to group some everyday objects on the basis of their properties and could observe them whilst they are doing so. We would probably want to have a conversation in which we asked them why they were grouping the objects in this particular way. If we had done both of these, would we need a product as well? If so, what would it be? © Curriculum Foundation

The advantage of a product is that it enables something to be collected in from the whole class and analysed in slower time than the contingencies of the classroom allow. The disadvantage is that the product does not always tell us all we need to know. Conversations and observations are usually more effective in illuminating complex learning but are obviously more time consuming. It is not easy to converse individually with every pupil in a class during a lesson. The advantage of a product is that it enables something to be collected in from the whole class and analysed in slower time than the contingencies of the classroom allow. The disadvantage is that the product does not always tell us all we need to know. Conversations and observations are usually more effective in illuminating complex learning but are obviously more time consuming. It is not easy to converse individually with every pupil in a class during a lesson. © Curriculum Foundation

There is also a variation with the type of learning and the subject being assessed: Knowledge is accessible by conversation and product Skills mostly need observation – unless the skill is writing when there is usually a product Understanding usually needs a conversation – but can also be accessed through observation or product at times There is also a variation with the type of learning and the subject being assessed: Knowledge is accessible by conversation and product Skills mostly need observation – unless the skill is writing when there is usually a product Understanding usually needs a conversation – but can also be accessed through observation or product at times © Curriculum Foundation

In terms of subject variation, some are obvious. Practical, skills-based subjects such as PE and Music are assessed mainly through observation There is often product in Art and Design & Technology English writing is generally a product, but speaking would need to be listened to (conversation or observation) Other subjects are a mixture of all three. But all subjects benefit from conversation -and it is the triangulation that is most important. In terms of subject variation, some are obvious. Practical, skills-based subjects such as PE and Music are assessed mainly through observation There is often product in Art and Design & Technology English writing is generally a product, but speaking would need to be listened to (conversation or observation) Other subjects are a mixture of all three. But all subjects benefit from conversation -and it is the triangulation that is most important. © Curriculum Foundation

Here’s an example from KS2 History. Which sources would be most valuable in each of these? gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry’ understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance, and use them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid questions and create their own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed Here’s an example from KS2 History. Which sources would be most valuable in each of these? gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry’ understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance, and use them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid questions and create their own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed © Curriculum Foundation

What did you think? You could look at your pupils’ writing about history (product)– but would that tell you if they really understand “abstract terms such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry”? One might think that a conversation would be best for this. Of course, the conversation might be about the product – or pupils might be asked to present their finding orally or in a variety of media which might entail observation. It is the triangulation that is important What did you think? You could look at your pupils’ writing about history (product)– but would that tell you if they really understand “abstract terms such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry”? One might think that a conversation would be best for this. Of course, the conversation might be about the product – or pupils might be asked to present their finding orally or in a variety of media which might entail observation. It is the triangulation that is important © Curriculum Foundation

Here’s an example from KS3 Design and Technology As before, which sources would be most valuable for these? Here’s an example from KS3 Design and Technology As before, which sources would be most valuable for these? © Curriculum Foundation

There will certainly be some products to look at here, but much of the really valuable information about such things as “understanding how to reformulate problems” or “solving their own design problems” might be best accessed through conversation and observation of the pupils at work. As always, it is the triangulation of the three sources that builds the complete picture. There will certainly be some products to look at here, but much of the really valuable information about such things as “understanding how to reformulate problems” or “solving their own design problems” might be best accessed through conversation and observation of the pupils at work. As always, it is the triangulation of the three sources that builds the complete picture. © Curriculum Foundation

So that’s it for this unit. To sum up: The purpose of assessment is to guide the learning process. Assessment - particularly test scores – has been subverted in the past to set targets that were never intended. We must not let this happen again. The intended learning outcomes must be clear within the teaching and learning cycle for both learning and assessment to be successful. These will come from the national curriculum – and also from the school’s own aspirations. We need to look at a range of sources to ascertain how well pupils have learned. So that is why we oppose the proposed Reception Baseline tests! So that’s it for this unit. To sum up: The purpose of assessment is to guide the learning process. Assessment - particularly test scores – has been subverted in the past to set targets that were never intended. We must not let this happen again. The intended learning outcomes must be clear within the teaching and learning cycle for both learning and assessment to be successful. These will come from the national curriculum – and also from the school’s own aspirations. We need to look at a range of sources to ascertain how well pupils have learned. So that is why we oppose the proposed Reception Baseline tests! © Curriculum Foundation

You’ve probably guessed what the homework is this time. No? Then have a think. Yes, take a subject or Year from the new national curriculum and note down how you would use observation, conversation and product to triangulate assessment. Even better, start to cluster some of the learning outcomes together in the way that you would teach them over a series of lessons. This is the focus of the next unit – so you will be getting ahead of the game! You may find these exercises particularly valuable if you do them collaboratively and discuss them with your team. You’ve probably guessed what the homework is this time. No? Then have a think. Yes, take a subject or Year from the new national curriculum and note down how you would use observation, conversation and product to triangulate assessment. Even better, start to cluster some of the learning outcomes together in the way that you would teach them over a series of lessons. This is the focus of the next unit – so you will be getting ahead of the game! You may find these exercises particularly valuable if you do them collaboratively and discuss them with your team. © Curriculum Foundation

Final Quiz Who said: “If teachers use formative assessment effectively, students learn at roughly double the rate that they do without it” It was Dylan William. We gave the references at the end of Unit 2 It was Dylan William. We gave the references at the end of Unit 2 See you in Unit 4 Don’t forget the homework! (So no excuse for not knowing!)