EDUC4725 English Curriculum Studies

Hannah Moroney #2131713

1

Research Proposal

Exploration of assessment for, as and of

learning in a year 3 class to determine how
these assist students to achieve in various
ways.

Hannah Moroney
#2131713

Toni Lac
Tuesday 2-4pm
 EDUC4725 English Curriculum Studies
Hannah Moroney #2131713
2

1. Title
2. Context
3. Literature review
4. Question
5. Plan to collect data
References

NOTE:

You are advised to consult enclosed guidelines prior writing your Research
Proposal. Your proposal should adequately address the above areas,
particularly the literature review and plan to collect data. Later in the topic, we
will talk about using the data collected as illustrations of practice to support
you in meeting the AITSL Standards at the Graduate Level. This will be built on
in the topic The Professional Educator in Semester 2.
 EDUC4725 English Curriculum Studies
Hannah Moroney #2131713
3

1. Exploration of assessment forms in a year 3 classroom and how these

assist students to achieve in various ways.

2. Context
This R-7 State School is located in the Southern Suburbs of Adelaide, providing
education for approximately 640 students of mixed genders. This school is
considered to be a category 7 school, however, has limited digital technology
available to students, unless pre-purchased and bought from home. In particular,
this class consists of 29 year 3 students with a diverse range of abilities.
Although there are no language barriers evident, this varies from students who
suffer from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to gifted and talented students who
are excelling in their learning. More direct, clear and explicit instructions and
tasks are implemented for students who suffer from Autism. Although high
functioning, these students lack the ability to be able to communicate effectively
with others and experience delayed learning and difficulty with executive
functioning (Autism Society, 2016). This forms contrasts with students who are
gifted and talented who also require additional support adjusting the curriculum
to assist their strengths, interests and goals (ACARA, 2017).

3. Literature review
The following literature review will explore the positives and negatives associated
with varying forms of assessment including for, as and of learning which
implements diagnostic, formative and summative assessment approaches,
creating links with the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership
(AITSL) standards. This paper aims to analyse an array of assessment methods
implemented into the classroom, and will additionally discover whether different
strategies motivate students to achieve in different ways. A substantial body of
literature identifies that the core purpose of assessment is to support and
enhance students learning (Seely Flint, Kitson, Lowe & Shaw, 2014. P.325). Tonya
(2005) argues that curriculum, instruction and assessment need to be intertwined.
This can be further reiterated as assessment needs to generate links between
learning outcomes, content, teaching and learning activities (Education ACT,
2015), which draws upon both the Australian Curriculum (ACARA) and Australian
Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) standards 2, 3 and 5.

Varying forms of assessment are implemented within the classroom. Formative

assessment is considered assessment for learning (AfL). The Assessment Reform
Group (2002) defines AfL as the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for
use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their
learning, where they need to go and how best to get there (p.2). It can be
embedded into students learning through the use of diagnostic assessments
(William, 2011). Diagnostic tools assist to determine what students already know
and understand, their abilities, interests and difficulties. These assessments may
draw upon learning profiles and cognitive preferences (Tonya, 2005). Formative
assessment allows educators to respond to the diverse needs of students after the
collection of data from pre-assessments. As the core aim of this assessment is to
track students learning, it generates opportunity to provide explicit feedback to
assist students learning, as educators target students strengths and weaknesses.
This therefore complies with AITSL standard 3, planning and implementing
 EDUC4725 English Curriculum Studies
Hannah Moroney #2131713
4

effective teaching and learning goals, particularly 3.1 establishing challenging

learning goals and 3.2 planning, structuring and sequencing learning programs
(AITSL, 2017). Correspondingly, this method of assessment has the ability to
benefit students who are on the spectrum for Autism and those who are gifted and
talented (Autism Society, 2016). As these students often have unique learning
goals which need to be catered for, educators can craft future tasks to assist their
individual learning journeys to ensure each child is achieving (Gibbs & Simpson,
2005), and the quality of students learning is improving (Angelo & Cross, 2015).
Additionally this helps students suffering from Autism by promoting their
metacognition and reflection in their own learning (Wilkinson & Twist, 2010) as
educators address standard 5, by assessing, providing feedback and reporting on
student learning by addressing students learning (5.1) and providing feedback to
students on their learning (5.2) (AITSL, 2017).

Furthermore, summative assessment is often implemented at the conclusion of a

unit and can be recognised as assessment of learning. It is employed to evaluate
students learning and skill acquisition, in correspondence with the Australian
Curriculum Achievement Standards and or a marking rubric, which yields a specific
grade (Wynne & James, 1997). Such include tests, projects, standardised tests and
portfolios. Summative assessment focuses on the outcome in contrast to the
process. It is an effective way to provide educators with an insight into the
knowledge gained and attained by students and draws upon standards 5.3 and
5.5. This allows educators to make consistent and comparable judgements and
report on students achievement. However, it can be noted that students with
sensory and motor disabilities appear to have needs that are more amenable to
modifications of standardised testing than those with significant psychological
impairments (Simpson, Griswold & Myles, 1999, P.212), which consequently
presents challenges for educators working with ASD.

Assessment as learning can also be recognised as meta-understanding learning

and is a process that involves students developing skills for self-evaluation and
metacognition, where they are their own assessors (Education Victoria, 2013). It
allows students to set their own goals for growth and development and be an
advocate for their own learning, whilst questioning their learning (Wynne & James,
1997). Assessment as learning can be used to foster collaboration in the
classroom, as students understand the standards required of them and can
partake in peer evaluation, assessment and reflection.

In conclusion, assessment for, as and of learning present an array of benefits for

classroom practices, however some limitations are evident. Despite assessment
being critical to assess the learning of students, it can present potential barriers
for students who are gifted and talented and are excelling in their learning and
students who experience ASD. This is due to the fact that these students may
have specific goals or objectives that do not line up with national standards, or
specific technical aspects on a marking rubric. To conclude, assessment as a whole
assists to facilitate students learning and evaluate the progress of students
learning to see what areas may need to be adapted or modified. Assessment can
be used to motivate students to learn and can be used to see whether the goals of
education are being achieved.
 EDUC4725 English Curriculum Studies
Hannah Moroney #2131713
5

4. Question
Assessment can be thought of as: for (diagnostic) of (summative), or as (meta-
understanding) learning. Pay attention to the types of assessment in use in the
literacy/English classroom, notice and reflect on which have most impact on
students - positive or negative. Do different assessment strategies motivate
students to achieve in different ways? (Addresses parts of AITSL Standard 2, 3 and
5)

5. Plan for collecting data

This section outlines the plan for my collection of data to address my key question
surrounding the assessment practices implemented within the classroom. Through
observations made on my practicum, I hope to utilize the support of my mentor
teacher via questioning and physical observations. I will be questioning my mentor
teacher to see if she utilizes the terms assessment for, as and of learning and how
she employs them into her teaching practices.

Despite only being in the classroom for 10 days over the past term, it has been
evident on my observations thus far that minimal meta-understanding (as)
learning has been implemented. This may be because teachers in term 1 are still
gaining an insight into what their students already know, understand and can do
and therefore may be included throughout term 2. To be able to effectively answer
my core question, I will need to provide evidence of my students work. It will
therefore be essential to communicate with my mentor teachers to see which
documents and work samples are allowed to be collected and evaluated. I will also
have to maintain professional and ethical by keeping these work samples and
childrens results confidential. Majority of the parents in the classroom have been
linked to the classes Facebook page WPS ROOM 30. This is where parents are
informed on upcoming events, provided with homework tasks, timetable changes,
students work samples and photos of the students engaging in learning processes.
As long as parents have signed the consent form, it is appropriate to photograph
the children completing school and work based activities. These can be utilised as
evidence of varying forms of assessment being put into practice. This can be
paired with various work samples including pre-tests, peer evaluation sheets and
summative assessment pieces to explore assessment for, as and of learning.

I will additionally be exploring my teachers implementation of pre-assessment

prior to the commencement of a new unit. It will valuable to see whether or not
this varies with the different abilities and difficulties of students. It will be
interesting to see what results can be drawn from the pre-assessments and how
they are utilised to design future lessons. I will also be taking note of how my
teacher plans assessment as, of and for learning to cater for the diversity of
students. For example, does my mentor teacher aim to motivate the students
suffering with ASD through the use of technology? Do they complete lessons with
the same objectives and curriculum strands but varied activities? Does she
provide extension activities for students who complete their required work early?
 EDUC4725 English Curriculum Studies
Hannah Moroney #2131713
6

I look forward to putting these forms of assessment into practice within the
classroom, particularly for the students suffering from ASD which will enable me to
come to my own conclusions as the literature explored how these students suffer
with summative assessment.

As all assessments varying from formative assessments to large-scale

assessments are designed for a specific purpose, the significance of assessment is
addressed. It can therefore be noted that the implementation of assessment as,
for and of learning is central to the development of students. Each of these
varying forms of assessment create direct links between the core learning
outcomes, the content and the Australian Curriculum standards and content
elaborations. Assessment is a method that allows educators to see how their
students are achieving in comparison to National Standards and benchmarks;
therefore reiterating how beneficial assessment is to teaching practices.
Additionally, the implementation of assessment assists to improve the instructions
provided by teachers if learning goals/objectives are not met for students. For
example, educators may notice that they need to provide clearer, more direct and
explicit instructions to the students suffering from ASD. This therefore reiterates
that the most ideal question has been selected for the classroom context I will be
in as assessment is mandatory for every student and is unavoidable in the
classroom.

In conclusion, this inquiry is significant to both students and educators as

assessment forms the basis, which assists educators to evaluate their students
level of achievement. Assessment can be delivered in an array of ways, which can
be catered specifically to the diverse needs of students to ensure that the
requirements of the Australian Curriculum are acknowledged and met.

Reference list

ACT Government, Education and Training. (2015). Teachers guide to assessment. Retrieved
from
http://www.education.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/297182/Teachers_Guide_to_Asse
ssment_Web.pdf

Australian Psychological Society. (2008). Substance abuse: Position statement. Retrieved

from http://www.psychology.org.au/publications/statements/substance/

Assessment Reform Group. (2002). Assessment for Learning: 10 Principles. Research-based

Principles to Guide Classroom Practice. Retrieved from http://www.assessment-reform-
group.org/CIE3.PDF
Simpson, R. L., Griswold, D. E., & Myles, B. S. (1999). Educators' assessment accommodation
preferences for students with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities,
14(4), 212-219.

Gibbs, Graham and Simpson, Claire (2005) Conditions Under Which Assessment Supports
Students Learning. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (1). pp. 3-31.

Moon, Tonya R 2005, 'The role of assessment in differentiation', Theory Into Practice, vol.
44, no. 3, pp. 226-233. The role of assessment in differentiation
 EDUC4725 English Curriculum Studies
Hannah Moroney #2131713
7

Seely Flint, Amy, Kitson, Lisbeth, Lowe, Kaye & Shaw, Kylie 2014, 'Effective assessment
practices for reading and writing', in Flint, Amy Seely & Flint, Amy Seely, Literacy in
Australia: pedagogies for engagement, Australian edn, John Wiley and Sons Australia,
Milton, Qld., pp. 322-362.
Effective assessment practices for reading and writing.pdf

Carol A & Moon, Tonya R, Assessment and student success in a differentiated

classroom, ASCD, Alexandria, Va., pp. 120-140.
Assessment, grading and differentiation

William, D 2011, 'Eliciting evidence of student achievement', in Wiliam, Dylan, Embedded

formative assessment, Solution Tree Press, Bloomington, IN, pp. 71-105.
Eliciting, evidence of learners' achievement.pdf

Wilkinson, K. and Twist, L. (2010). Autism and Educational Assessment: UK Policy and
Practice. Slough: NFER.

Victoria State Government (2013). Assessment as learning. Retrieved from

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/support/Pages/module4.aspx