Changing Assessment Practices in the Classroom: A Study of One Teacher's Challenge

This article details the challenges encountered by an elementary schoolteacher as he tried to introduce new assessment practices in his classroom. The case study seeks to identify and describe the factors that influenced this teacher's introduction of portfolios and student conferences in the context of the complexity of student assessment practices. The empirical work for the case study, which was set in the context of a collaborative research program, was conducted over a 12-month period with a grade 7-8 generalist teacher, George, in a small urban school. Several modes of data collection were used in the study: classroom observations, informal discussions, and scheduled interviews. Analysis identified four dominant influences on George's implementation of the new assessment program: (a) his beliefs about the nature of teaching and learning; (b) his understandings about these newer forms of assessment and their influence on his other classroom practices; (c) his involvement in the overall collaborative research program; and (d) the contextual influences of the school environment. The study concludes that, without altering his beliefs about teaching and learning and his teacher-centered instructional practices, George would find it particularly difficult to implement a student centered assessment program in his classroom.Cet article explique en détail les défis auxquels a fait face un enseignant en élémentaire alors qu'il a essayé d'introduire de nouvelles stratégies d'évaluation dans sa salle de classe. Cette étude de cas tente d'identifier et de décrire les facteurs qui ont influencé cet enseignant pendant son introduction de dossiers personnels et de conférences par les élèves dans le contexte complexe qu 'est celui de l'évaluation des élèves. Le travail empirique pour l'étude de cas, accompli au sein d'un programme de recherche collaboratif, s'est déroulé sur une période de douze mois avec un enseignant généraliste en septième et huitième année (George) qui œuvrait dans une petite école en milieu urbain. On a eu recours à plusieurs méthodes de cueillette de données: les observations en salle de classe, les discussions informelles et les interviews organisés. Une analyse a permis défaire ressortir quatre facteurs dont l'influence a été déterminante dans la mise sur pied par George du nouveau programme d'évaluation: (a) ses croyances quant à la nature de son enseignement et de l'apprentissage; (b) ses connaissances au sujet des nouvelles formes d'évaluation et l'influence de celles-ci sur ses techniques générales d'enseignement en salle de classe; (c) son implication globale dans le programme de recherche collaboratif; et (d) les influences contextuelles du milieu scolaire. Les chercheurs arrivent à la conclusion que George éprouverait beaucoup de difficulté à mettre sur pied un programme d'évaluation centré sur l'élève dans sa salle de classe sans modifier ses croyances quant à l'enseignement et à l'apprentissage ainsi que ses techniques pédagogiques centrées sur l'enseignant

Work-based Learning for Adolescentswith Learning Disabilities:Creating a Context for Success

This paper describes cases of two adolescents with learning disabilities working in automotive repair businesses as part of a workbased education program. Neither adolescent was judged to have been successful by the workplace supervisors. The frameworks chosen for analyzing these cases draw upon recent work in selfdetermination, workplace learning, and negotiating accommodations for workers with disabilities. Data for the qualitative cases consist of interviews and detailed observations. Analysis, using a contextualist perspective, provides descriptions of the contexts for the two co-operative education placements and yields four themes that appear central to success in work-based education experiences for adolescents with learning disabilities: negotiating accommodations, routines, expectations, and preparation

Teaching elementary science and technology in Ontario

In 1998 the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training mandated a science and technology curriculum for all Grade 1-8 students. Its purpose is to provide students with the scientific and technological knowledge and skills that will enable them to be productive members of society, with the ability to identify and analyse problems, and with the ability to explore and test solutions in a wide variety of contexts. This paper describes an approach to teaching elementary science and technology developed through a partnership between a Faculty of Education and three local school boards. The approach has at its centre the concept of a Big Task, a significant activity which requires the use of knowledge, understanding and skill that has been taught in an integrated and holistic way. For students to be successful in a Big Task they need particular and appropriate knowledge, skill and understanding. These are taught through a series of Support Tasks: short, highly structured and focused activities

Developing an approach to assessment for the elementary science and technology curriculum of Ontario

This paper describes how teachers taking part in the Elementary Science and Technology Partnership based at Queen's University, Ontario were introduced to a model of assessment and how the use of this model will be implemented and evaluated. A brief description of the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training science and technology curriculum for grades 1 - 8 students is presented to provide the context for this work

Reflection-in-Action and Reflection-on-Action

Since the publication of Schon\u27s (1983) book on the character and development of professional knowledge, our research has been directed at applying his theoretical position to the problem of how teachers acquire the knowledge of practice that allows them to teach as they do. Briefly, we have attempted to understand what lies behind the apparently simple notion that teachers learn to teach by teaching, by examining how teachers interact with their experiences in order to learn from them. This paper does not dwell on the results of our qualitative case studies of 13 participating teachers; these are reported elsewhere (Russell, 1988; Russell, Munby, Spafford, & Johnston, 1988). Instead, this paper explores some of the work that has been occasioned by Schon\u27s writing. As shown below, his books have been interpreted variously, as different people have found different points to focus upon. In some cases, these differences suggest that there are difficulties in Schon\u27s position; in other cases, there are grounds for thinking that the differences emerge from incomplete understandings of Schon\u27s position. We find that discussing the various interpretations helps to push our own thinking forward, and to identify the questions that we find worth pursuing. The paper has four sections. The first is a sketch of our interpretation of Schon\u27s theoretical approach. The second examines selected appraisals of the more general features of Schon\u27s work. The third section focuses on his two concepts of reflection which seem to have been misinterpreted by some who use his work. The fourth section focuses on the concept of reframing, which we take to be central to Schon\u27s account of the development of professional knowledge. Here, the discussion moves toward identifying theoretical and empirical questions that are raised by our own work and by the appraisals noted in the second section. The paper\u27s response to these appraisals is the starting point for speculations about the directions that might be taken to further our understanding of the conditions that promote teachers\u27 professional knowledge

Munby, Hugh, A Perspective for Analyzing the Significance of Qualitative Research: A Response to Richard Heyman, Curriculum Inquiry, 13(Winter, 1983), 423-427.

Responds to an article in 13(Spring, 1983) on matters of generalizability in qualitative research

Munby, Hugh, A Qualitative Approach to the Study of a Teacher\u27s Beliefs, Journal of Research in Science Teaching , 21(No. 1, 1984), 27-38.

Describes a phenomenological approach to studying teacher beliefs

Munby, Hugh, Metaphor in the Thinking of Teachers: An Exploratory Study, Journal of Curriculum Studies, 18(April-June, 1986), 197-209.

Reports a study of teachers\u27 using lessons as moving objects

Qu'est-ce que la pensée scientifique? : exposé à débattre /

Bibliogr.: p. 43-4