Assessment for learning : a model for the development of a child’s self competence in the early years of education

In recent years policy documents, curricula and other educational initiatives have promoted a pedagogy founded on the concept of independent learning. This is broadly defined as ‘having the belief in yourself to think through learning activities, problems or challenges, make decisions about your learning and act upon those decisions (Blandford and Knowles, 2009:336). The central role of Assessment for Learning (AfL) in this process is often overlooked in practice. By considering the findings from a small scale research study this article addresses the central role of the teacher /practitioner in developing effective AfL in the early years classroom (3-5 years)

Surveillance, performativity and normalised practice: the use and impact of graded lesson observations in Further Education colleges

In little over a decade, the observation of teaching and learning (OTL) has become the cornerstone of Further Education (FE) colleges’ quality systems for assuring and improving the professional skills and knowledge base of tutors. Yet OTL remains an under-researched area of inquiry with little known about the impact of its use on the professional identity, learning and development of FE tutors. This paper examines the specific practice of graded OTL and in so doing discusses findings from a mixed-methods study conducted in 10 colleges situated across the West Midlands region of England. Data from a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews were analysed within a theoretical framework that drew largely on aspects of Foucauldian theory as well as the twin phenomena of new managerialism and performativity. This analysis revealed how OTL has become normalised as a performative tool of managerialist systems designed to assure and improve standards, performance and accountability in teaching and learning. It is argued that FE has now outgrown graded OTL and it is time for a moratorium on its use. Colleges and tutors need to be given greater professional autonomy with regard to OTL and be allowed to develop their own systems that place professional learning and development at the forefront, rather than the requirements of performance management systems

Raising the stakes: classroom observation in the further education sector in England

Successive governments in England have regarded classroom observation as an essential tool for monitoring and improving teacher performance. Despite its importance in national policy for teacher development, the impact of classroom observation on individual teachers, and on improving quality and standards in teaching and learning, remain under-researched areas. Further education (FE) in general, and FE teachers in particular, have received sparse attention. This paper adopts a theoretical framework grounded in aspects of assessment theory to explore some of the consequences of using observation to assess, monitor and raise standards of classroom performance in the FE workforce. It draws on findings from a mixed-methods study, involving questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, conducted in 10 FE colleges situated across the West Midlands region of England. The paper concludes by situating the findings against the broader backdrop of research into teachers’ continuing professional development and, in so doing, raises questions about the fitness for purpose of prevailing observation assessment regimes in FE and the extent to which these systems are able to achieve their purported goals

Student views on criterion-referenced assessment and grading in Swedish physical education

Background: The pedagogical and status implications of assessment in physical education (PE) have been recognised in the past. How students perceive being assessed and graded is a neglected area, however. While some studies have garnered students' perceptions of assessment when no grade is awarded or the stakes are relatively low, we know less about how assessment in physical education is perceived or experienced by students engaged in systems where grades have direct implications for students' educational or vocational futures. Purpose: The study presented in this article investigated the criterion-referenced assessment experiences and perceptions of Swedish physical education and health (PEH) students in their last year of compulsory schooling. Central questions were: what do the students understand as the basis for grading decisions in PEH and what do they perceive as the learning goals of the subject? Research design and data collection: A total of 355 students (189 boys and 166 girls) from 28 different schools participated. They were 15 to 16 years of age and attending school year 9. The study draws on data collected through both a questionnaire, which all students answered, and 23 focus groups interviews, in which 73 of the students participated. Findings: The majority of the responses from the students focused on attitudinal, dispositional and behavioural characteristics as opposed to stated learning outcomes in terms of the display of subject specific knowledge and physical capacity. The results indicated that students do think grades are important but they did not appear to recognise the official criteria as the predominant basis for achievement of grades in PEH. Significantly, the degree of student certainty in these elements was underpinned by their indication that the grading criteria were clear and that they were aware of the basis upon which grading judgements were made. Conclusions: We recommend that in order to promote a better alignment between the official assessment expectations of the PEH syllabus and students' perceptions of assessable elements, the Swedish education system should provide greater syllabus clarifications regarding assessment practices and continuing professional development focusing on task construction, criteria and standards construction, the collection and use of evidence and the alignment of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment

Specialist community public health nursing: Understanding and exploring assessment for learning

This article explores assessment ‘for’ learning (AfL), rather than focusing on accreditation or ‘of’ learning. AfL is a process of seeking and interpreting evidence, for use by both the learner and the teacher to inform future learning and development. Exploring assessment through a sociocultural lens provides an alternative in which practice teachers/educators can make sense of the assessment process and in doing so support specialist community public health nurses in their learning and development