Professional Inquiry Project - Emma de Cure

Focus

Through the process of completing a ‘Pre Service Teacher Self Review’ whilst undertaking our
Professional Experience Four tutorials, I was able to evaluate my teaching pedagogy, and more
specifically my strengths, weaknesses and experiences against the Australian Professional
Standards for Teachers. Within this process, an area of interest in which I believed I needed further
teaching experience within, was involving Standard 5 ‘Assess, Provide Feedback and Report on
Student Learning’. More specifically, meeting Standard 5.1 ‘Assess Student Learning’, the use of
formative assessment was an area within my teaching I lacked practical experience within.

Combining my knowledge of my class context and this learning need, I came to the focus of my
professional inquiry project (PIP). This being the focus question of: ‘How can formative assessment
be used within the curriculum area of mathematics to guide educational trajectories?’
Throughout the process of investigating the various assessment forms on my placement, I found
that each had their own strengths and weaknesses in guiding the educational trajectories of my
students. As such, I have developed my focus to discover ‘Which formative assessment strategies
prove most beneficial in the curriculum area of mathematics?’

Context

The context in which I undertook my placement within was a Department for Education and Child
Development (DECD) School in the Southern suburbs. The school is extremely large, with
approximately 800 students, from Reception to Year 7, each coming from a variety of socio-
economic backgrounds. The students come from mainly middle class families, with a diverse
range of over twenty nationalities present. The classroom context in which I taught within was a
composite, co-educational, Reception/Year 1 class, with 9 receptions and 15 year ones. The
classroom catered for two students with additional needs and support, including one student with
a hearing impairment and one with English as an additional language or dialect. Whilst my
teaching was undertaken for all curriculum areas, my predominant subject of teaching was
mathematics, thus, leading to the chosen curriculum area of this PIP. More specifically, within this
mathematics teaching, I focused upon the teaching of measurement, therefore, teaching about
length, weight and capacity.

Justification of Teaching Behaviour and Curriculum Area Focus

Identifying the challenges of teaching a composite Reception/Year 1 class, I understood the

evident challenges and considerations to be taken into account to effectively plan and teach for
the breadth of different learning abilities and curriculum needs for both year levels.

Formative assessment can be described as the process undertaken by educators to seek and
analyse evidence of a student’s knowledge and understanding, in order to best cater for, and
therefore, increase future learning opportunities (Antoniou & James 2014, p. 155). This process and
use of formative assessment has the ability to discover information about student learning, learner
gaps in knowledge and student misconceptions, which can all be analysed and interpreted, to
make both instructional changes and changes to future learning experiences (Antoniou & James
2014, p. 156; Boston 2012, p. 2; Van, Bosker & Suhre 2018, p. 341).

Formative assessment has become a popular tool used within the teaching of mathematics in
primary schools. As such, to increase student learning and therefore, meet the mathematical
needs and demands of the twenty first century. Consequently, the findings within my PIP will help
increase my professional pedagogy as an educator (Van, Bosker & Suhre 2018, p. 399).

Design and Data Collection Techniques

Through the process of this professional inquiry project, I utilised a variety of formative assessment
approaches, in order to gain insightful information to help myself as an educator to make
modifications, to further develop students learning in subsequent lessons. Within this project, a
variety of formative assessment techniques were utilised to meet the specific outcomes of each
lesson. These included:

 Two Stars and a Wish

 Work Samples (including photos of hands-on activities and work samples)
 Student Conferences
 Whole Class Discussions
 Anecdotal Notes

The formative assessment strategies provided a variety of rich data that helped assist in the
development of my understanding of student knowledge and learning. Within my teaching, the
large variety of formative assessment strategies were collected and analysed using a reflective
journal to provide information regarding the strengths and weaknesses of these strategies and an
overall score out of 10 to decide which proved most beneficial (appendix 1).

To ensure a triangulation of data analysis to occur in my inquiry, I critically reflected upon data
from my students (formative assessment such as work samples, etc.) as well as a variety of mentor
teacher reflections (appendix 2).

Data Results and Analysis

Within the process of undertaking this professional inquiry project I have been able to distinguish
the positive uses of formative assessment within my teaching. Through the process of my personal
reflective journal (appendix 1) and seen within the graph below, the formative assessment type
proven most beneficial within my chosen setting were student conferences. It is important to note
that these formative assessments gave evidence to what demonstrated to be most useful for the
students within my class context, and may not be the case for all classes.
 10
8
6
4
2
0
Two Stars and Work Samples Student Whole Class Anecdotal
a Wish Conferences Discussions Notes

Most Beneficial Formative Assessment Strategy

Student Conferences were found to be an extremely beneficial formative assessment strategy, as

seen by the 9 out of 10 rating in the graph above. Through the process of sitting with students and
asking three key questions, I elicited student understanding regarding whether their learning was
too easy, too hard or just right (appendix 3). In addition, students also provided information as to
something they learnt or an idea to help influence further lessons, therefore meeting the needs of
a formative assessment tool (appendix 3). It can be noted within my reflective journal that “it
allowed me to gain more-in depth information about student learning and their ideas. (Appendix
1)” These in-depth findings were found through the ability for students to more easily discuss their
findings verbally, in comparison to writing. This change was influenced after the initial
implementation of the strategy ‘Two Stars and a Wish’ which I evaluated to be too difficult for the
students within my setting.

From this student conference, I found that 4 out of 9 reception aged students found this activity
too hard and 5 students in year one finding it too easy, therefore, suggesting a need for greater
differentiation to support the strengths and needs of the various learners within my setting
(appendix 3). Moreover, half the Year 1 students, found this activity just right, identifying the
correct level of planning and implementation of learning for these students (appendix 3). From
these findings, I found critical information regarding student understanding and knowledge, which
helped influence further planning within following lessons, thus, meeting the overarching goals of
formative assessment. This was supported through my mentor teacher’s comment regarding
whether the chosen assessment form was effective… “It was very effective. Children can show
their understandings immediately and you can fix misconceptions in the next lesson. (Appendix
4)” In addition to these positive implications, Towler and Broadfoot (1992) identify that involving
children in the assessment process, where they have to evaluate their own learning, is an
extension of a child centred approach of learning. Therefore, leading to understanding more of
what is expected, increasing motivation and students having more pride in learning
achievements (Towler & Broadfoot 1992). As such, through the analysis of the student conference,
my self-evaluations and mentor feedback, it was found that this formative assessment strategy
was extremely valuable.

Least Beneficial Formative Assessment Strategy

In comparison, as discussed previously, I found that the Two Stars and a Wish approach was the
least beneficial formative assessment strategy within my teaching practice which was further
evidenced by the lowest rating of 6.5 out of 10 within the graph above. Whilst 75% of students
wrote that “I liked the play-doh” (appendix 5), which elicited important information regarding
their student preference and liking of hands-on activities, other than this important finding, I found
that this formative assessment strategy proved too difficult for my students. This was noted within a
self-evaluation, identifying that “this assessment type proved difficult for students in
Reception/Year 1 and may be more beneficial for older students with a more confident writing
ability” (appendix 1). Moreover, this was supported through a conversation with my mentor
teacher where she suggested that “whilst this assessment type would help gain valuable
information from students, the students in Room 21 found it difficult to think critically about their
learning and have the ability to write these ideas down. Therefore, a more simplistic system using
less writing may be more beneficial.” Through the analysis of the many student work samples of
the Two Stars and a Wish assessment tool, as seen in appendix 6, you can identify the student’s
lack of ability writing their ideas which many students encountered difficulty with. Therefore,
providing minimal valuable data for the purpose of my teaching and learning.

Reflection

As highlighted above, the role of formative assessment is to obtain information about student
understanding, and therefore make changes to and enhance the future learning experiences for
students (Antoniou & James 2014, p. 155). I have found this process of utilising formative
assessment in my professional inquiry project to meet these requirements, where I consistently
collected and analysed the data to help inform my teaching and learning cycle. It was apparent
through the data collection process, that I gained the ability to identify that my starting formative
assessment tool ‘Two Stars and a Wish’, was not most conductive to the students in my class.
Therefore, through utilising a large variety of other formative assessment strategies during my
practicum and evaluating them on their strengths and weaknesses, I was able to distinguish the
most beneficial formative assessment strategy, this being, ‘student conferences’. Padgham (2001,
p. 11) further elaborate on the successful nature of student conferences, identifying that they
have the potential to be a great motivator for students to become involved in and accountable
for their own learning. As such, throughout my units on measurement, I was able to differentiate
my teaching, and make alterations to lesson plans to best meet the needs of my students.
Examining a final ‘student evaluation’, it was evident students were each engaged and
enthusiastic about their learning. For example, one students stated that they “liked measuring and
making monsters”, and in addition another said, “I like Miss Emma’s math teaching because it was
fun” (appendix 7). These comments identified that I created engaging, interesting and relevant
learning experiences for these students that was assisted through the implementation of formative
assessment throughout my teaching process.

Conclusion

Through the process of this five week professional inquiry project, I have had considerable
opportunity to develop my teaching practice and professional learning, to enhance my skills in
areas in which I previously lacked experience within. I now can implement a variety of formative
assessment strategies in my teaching, collect and analyse data, and make effective
modifications to future planning to encapsulate the formative assessment process. Therefore, best
assisting the learners in my class. I aim to utilise the forms of formative assessment most beneficial
to my students in my future teaching, therefore, employing my new learning to my future career.
Whilst the most beneficial strategy used within this inquiry was student conferences, I aim in my
future pedagogy to embark in greater professional inquiry, to ensure the formative assessment
strategies of my using are meaningful and relevant to the students in my class.
 References

Antoniou, P & James, M 2014, 'Exploring Formative Assessment in Primary School Classrooms:
Developing a Framework of Actions and Strategies', Educational Assessment, Evaluation and
Accountability, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 153-176.

Boston, C 2002, 'The Concept of Formative Assessment', Practical Assessment, Research &
Evaluation, vol. 8, no. 9, pp. 1-4.

Padgham, J 2001, 'Student-led conferences : a whole school takes on the challenges', Practically
Primary, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 9-11.

Towler, L & Broadfoot, P 1992, 'Self‐assessment in the Primary School', Educational Review, vol. 44,
no. 2, pp. 137-151.

Van, BM, Bosker, RJ & Suhre, CJ 2018, 'Testing the effectiveness of classroom formative assessment
in Dutch primary mathematics education', School Effectiveness and School Improvement, vol. 29,
no. 3, pp.339-361.
 Appendices

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Appendix 4:
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Appendix 6:
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