1. The Assessing Cycle Module 1 Assessment Assessment Accountability Data
Overview:
This module presents educators with a cyclic model of assessment processes which can be applied to any outcomes-based curriculum framework such as the SACSA Framework.
The use of this cycle will enable educators to address and enact the principles of assessment outlined in the Accountability Statement of the SACSA Framework.
The Assessing Cycle supports the constructivist methodologies of the SACSA Framework and emphasises the importance of using assessment data in the initial stages of programming for teaching and learning:
involving learners in assessment processes and
providing inclusive opportunities for learners to demonstrate their learning in a range of relevant contexts over time.
Note: this module contains two 1 hour sessions

2. The Assessing Cycle Part A
Accountability
Assessment
Data
Accountability
Assessment
Data
Module 1: Session 1
The Assessing Cycle Part A
Presenter’s notes:
This professional development module is divided into 2 sessions. Each session is 1 hour.
Both session 1 and 2 involve 6 activities.
Session 1:
Allow 10 minutes for the introduction
Allow 5 minutes for Activity 1
Allow 5 minutes for Activity 2
Allow 15 minutes for Activity 3
Allow 10 minutes for Activity 4
Allow 10 minutes for Activity 5
Allow 5 minutes for Activity 6
Before this session:
Familiarise yourself with this presentation
You will need:
Data show and computer for this presentation, or overhead transparencies of the slides
To ask staff to bring band overview posters from the SACSA Framework that relate to their work
Copies of the Curriculum Accountability Statement component from the SACSA Framework
Copies of the Assessing Cycle Part A handout (1 copy for each person). (This handout is located in the presenter’s notes section of page 17)
To set up tables with Post-it notes, textas, large sheets of paper and pens. These will be the working areas.

3. The aim of this session is to:
Accountability
Assessment
Data
Accountability
The aim of this session is to:
present and apply a planning structure that highlights the significance of assessment in teaching and learning programs
emphasise the need to consider assessment in the initial stages of planning a teaching and learning program
Assessment
Data
Presenter’s notes:

4. The purpose of assessment
Accountability
Assessment
Data
Accountability
Assessment
The purpose of assessment
Data
The purpose of assessment is to improve Outcomes for all learners.
Presenter’s notes:
Before showing this or any further slides, the following activity should be completed.
Activity 1:
Spend 2 minutes brainstorming the question ‘What is the purpose of assessment’?
At the end of this quick exercise, show the above slide.
(1 minute)
Additional Notes:
This is a general purpose for assessment, not a methodology for assessment.

5. Improvements How do we identify the improvements made in learning?
Accountability
Assessment
Data
Accountability
Assessment
Data
Improvements
How do we identify the improvements made in learning?
Presenter’s notes:
Activity 2:
Pose the above question ‘How do we identify the improvements made in learning?’ Show slide.
Allow participants private thinking time only.
(1 minute)
This question will be asked again at the end of this session.
Move to the presenter’s notes on the next slide.

6. Informing Constructing Judging Demonstrating Assessment Assessment
Accountability
Assessment
Data
Accountability
Assessment
Data
Informing
Constructing
Judging
Presenter’s notes:
Having made connections between a Key Idea and an Outcome, it will now be important to expand the understanding of the cyclic nature of assessment.
At this point you should introduce the concept of the Assessing Cycle.
Show the above slide.
Note: Click the mouse for each element to appear. Allow time for reading before clicking for the next heading.
Informing - Educators and learners for future planning and programming. Provide feedback to learners.
Constructing - Inclusive, negotiated and relevant range of assessment opportunities over time.
Demonstrating - Using a range of modes. Gathering and recording this evidence.
Judging - Consistency in teacher judgment of learning outcomes, Outcomes and Standards.
Concentrate on Informing and Constructing in session 1 of this module.
Handout the Assessing Cycle Part A included in this pack. (The Assessing Cycle Part A is located in the presenter’s notes section of page 18).
Demonstrating

7. Informing Assessment Assessment
Data
Accountability
Accountability
Assessment
Informing
Data
(Reporting to learners, families, colleagues, system, me)
What assessment information will I use to shape my teaching, learning and assessing program?
What do I need to do for individuals and groups of learners?
How will I use my assessments to provide learners with directions for future learning?
How will I provide formal and informal feedback to learners about their ongoing learning?
Presenter’s notes:
Activity 4:
The groups now identify assessment tools that could be used to gather evidence of learners’ demonstration of the Outcome. Consider how the assessment tools can be used collectively to gather evidence of achievement of an Outcome.
As they discuss and plan these assessment tools, the groups will need to work through the following steps in using the Assessing Cycle.
Steps:
1. Using the Assessing Cycle Part A, the groups need to begin at the Informing stage and consider each question in relation to the assessment tools they have identified.
2. A record needs to be kept of the group’s responses to the questions under Informing. They should use the Post-it notes for this. These can then be stuck on the large sheets of paper (B3) under the Informing stage of the Assessing Cycle.
(10 minutes)
Note: As groups work, you may choose to display the above slide.
Constructing
Informing
Demonstrating
Judging

8. Constructing Assessment Assessment
Accountability
Assessment
Data
Accountability
Assessment
Constructing
Constructing
Data
Informing
Demonstrating
Judging
(Assessment)
Have I provided a range of assessment opportunities that are inclusive, negotiated and relevant for all learners to demonstrate Outcomes?
Have I provided each learner with opportunities to demonstrate Outcomes in a range of contexts over time?
How will I involve learners in constructing assessment?
Have I negotiated the criteria for assessment with learners?
Will the assessment provide the learner and me with the information we require?
Presenter’s notes:
Activity 5:
Repeat steps 1 and 2 of Activity 4 using the Constructing stage of the Assessing Cycle.
(10 minutes)
Note: As groups work, you may choose to display the above slide.

9. Improvements How do we identify the improvements made in learning?
Accountability
Assessment
Data
Accountability
Assessment
Data
Improvements
How do we identify the improvements made in learning?
Presenter’s notes:
Activity 6:
Re-introduce the above question ‘How do we identify the improvements made in learning?’ Show slide.
Allow the groups to discuss this question in light of their work today on the Assessing Cycle stages of Informing and Constructing.
(2 - 3 minutes)
Collect the large sheets at the end of this session and store safely. You will need them for Session 2.

10. The Assessing Cycle Part B
Assessment
Data
Accountability
Accountability
Assessment
Data
The Assessing Cycle Part B
Presenter’s notes:
Ask participants to sit with the same group as last time at the table that contains their large sheets of paper.
Briefly review the Assessing Cycle .
Show the next slide
Activity 1:
In Session 1 of this module your group:
Identified a Learning Area, Strand, Standard, Key Idea and Outcome
Identified and planned some assessment tools that could be used to gather evidence of learners’ demonstration of the Outcome
Used the stages of Informing and Constructing from the Assessment Cycle to address some critical questions in the planning of assessment tools.
Each group is to report in a succinct fashion the groups assessment tools identified last time.
(10 minutes)
(The presenter could keep a record of the range of assessment tools)

11. Informing Constructing Judging Demonstrating Assessment Assessment
Accountability
Assessment
Data
Accountability
Assessment
Data
Informing
Constructing
Judging
Presenter’s notes:
Review the Assessing Cycle as necessary.
(5 minutes)
Note: This slide requires you to click on the mouse to reveal the 4 stages of the cycle.
Informing - Educators and learners for future planning and programming. Provide feedback to learners.
Constructing - Inclusive, negotiated and relevant range of assessment opportunities over time.
Demonstrating - Using a range of modes. Gathering and recording this evidence.
Judging - Consistency in teacher judgment for learning outcomes, Outcomes and Standards.
Concentrate on Demonstrating and Judging in this session of the module.
Handout the completed Assessing Cycle included in this pack. (This is located in the presenter’s notes section of page 19).
Demonstrating

12. Accountability
Assessment
Data
Accountability
Assessment
Demonstrating
Data
(Outcomes)
Have I provided a range of modes (product, performance, oral presentation, project, paper and pen) for learners to demonstrate their understanding?
How will I gather and record evidence from a diverse range of demonstrations?
Presenter’s notes:
Projects are useful for demonstrating specific skills such as designing and undertaking an investigation, or collecting, analysing and evaluating information and writing a report.
Performances allow learners to demonstrate skills in manipulating apparatus, operating machinery, playing musical instruments, co-operating with others in a team activity, communicating with others through a range of media and speaking a second language.
Products provide concrete evidence of learning outcomes. Producing items of food, ceramics, textiles, wood and metal, and technology presentations are all concrete examples of learning achievements.
Written presentations provide a good means of demonstrating a learner’s level of knowledge, ability to reason logically about a range of problems, and ability to apply procedures.
Activity 2:
The groups discuss and plan the assessment tools further using the last 2 stages in the Assessing Cycle.
1. Using the Assessing Cycle, the groups look at the Demonstrating stage and consider each question in relation to the assessment tools they have proposed.
2. A record needs to be kept of the group’s responses to the questions under Demonstrating. They should use the Post-it pads for this. These can then be stuck on the large sheets of paper (B3 ) under this component of the Assessing Cycle.
(10 minutes)
Having heard other groups’ ideas, ask the groups to reflect on their assessment tools so far.
Constructing
Informing
Demonstrating
Judging

13. Judging Assessment Assessment
Data
Accountability
Accountability
Judging
Constructing
Assessment
Informing
Data
Demonstrating
Judging
(Against Outcomes/Standards)
What tools/strategies will I use to judge performance?
How will I develop or access a tool to interpret the evidence consistently?
How will I interpret consistently evidence from a diverse range of demonstrations ?
How will I include and value learner self-judgment?
How will I provide for learner and educator reflection?
How will my judgments be supported through moderation?
Presenter’s notes:
Activity 3:
Repeat steps 1 and 2 from Activity 2 using the next component of Judging from the Assessing Cycle.
(10 minutes)
As groups work, you may choose to display this and the previous slide, in turn.
Activity 4: Pulling Everything Together
Part 1
a) Allow each group to present a succinct report on their progress in this session or
b) Ask each group to report on one question in either Demonstrating or Judging. (10 minutes)
Part 2
Propose the question ‘How does Judging flow on to Informing?’
Allow for a brief response to how Judging will lead back to Informing.
(2 - 3 minutes)

14. Improvements How do we identify the improvements made in learning?
Accountability
Assessment
Data
Accountability
Assessment
Data
Improvements
How do we identify the improvements made in learning?
Presenter’s notes:
Re-introduce the above question ‘How do we identify the improvements made in learning?’ Show the above slide.
Activity 5:
Allow the groups to reflect on their response to this question now, and back in Session 1 when it was first proposed.
(2 - 3 minutes)

15. The practice of assessment
Data
Accountability
Accountability
The practice of assessment
Assessment
Data
What is to be assessed is part of the program and planning process
Assessment must use a range of tools that are inclusive, negotiated and relevant
What is to be learnt must be explicit to the educator and the learner
The explicit criteria for assessment must be clear and accessible
Evidence that is valid, reliable and collected over time must form the basis of the data to be collected and analysed
This data becomes knowledge about the learner and the learning process for the educator and the learner.
Presenter’s notes:
Activity 6:
Using these responses, and the reflections as a basis for forming ‘The practice of assessment’, in groups devise a list of principles for the practice of assessment using the SACSA Framework.
Show the above slide
Emphasise that this is an overview of the important elements of assessing using SACSA. It must be noted that it is not an exhaustive list of the elements of assessment.
The effectiveness of assessment is largely dependant on how well we as educators use the Informing component of the cycle.
It is this component that has the potential to direct, shape and inform educators, learners and their families of the:
distance travelled along the learning journey so far
journey ahead of the learner
support structures put in place to assist the learner on their journey.
(5 minutes)

16. reporting to learners, families, colleagues, system, me
Attachment 1 - Assessing Cycle Part A
Assessing Cycle
in my classroom
The
Part A
How will I use my assessments to provide learners with directions for future learning?
What assessment information will I use to shape my teaching, learning and assessing program?
What do I need to do for individuals and groups of learners?
How will I provide formal and informal feedback to learners about their ongoing learning?
Informing
How will the assessment provide the learner and me with the information we require?
Have I provided a range of assessment opportunities that are inclusive, negotiated and relevant for all learners to demonstrate Outcomes?
Have I provided each learner with opportunities to demonstrate Outcomes in a range of contexts over time?
How will I involve learners in constructing assessment?
Have I negotiated the criteria for assessment with learners?
Constructing
(assessment)
reporting to learners, families, colleagues, system, me

17. (against Outcomes/Standards)
Attachment 2 - Assessing Cycle Part B
How will I gather and record evidence from a diverse range of demonstrations?
Have I provided a range of modes (product, performance, project, paper and pen) for learners to demonstrate their understanding?
Demonstrating
(Outcomes)
Have I negotiated the criteria for assessment with learners?
How will the assessment provide the learner and me with the information we require?
Have I provided a range of assessment opportunities that are inclusive, negotiated and relevant for all learners to demonstrate Outcomes?
Have I provided each learner with opportunities to demonstrate Outcomes in a range of contexts over time?
How will I involve learners in constructing assessment?
Constructing
(assessment)
Assessing Cycle
in my classroom
The
How will I develop or access a tool to interpret the evidence consistently?
How will I interpret consistently, evidence from a diverse range of demonstrations?
How will my judgments be supported through moderation?
What tools/strategies will I use to judge performance?
How will I provide for learner and educator reflection?
How will I include and value learner’s self judgments?
(against Outcomes/Standards)
Judging
What do I need to do for individuals and groups of learners?
How will I use my assessments to provide learners with directions for future learning?
What assessment information will I use to shape my teaching, learning and assessing program?
How will I provide formal and informal feedback to learners about their ongoing learning?
Informing
reporting to learners, families, colleagues, system, me