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The following are summaries of readings and research on assessment.
An early exploration of a new technology for teachers: asTTle
Charles Darr reports on his experience in creating a mathematics
test using asTTle, comments on his perceptions, and discusses some
of the strengths and weaknesses of this new assessment package for
teachers. Reference details: Darr, C. (2003). An early exploration
of a new technology for teachers: asTTle. set: Research Information for Teachers, 2003:1.
ARBs in the assessment mix
An article outlining two case studies used to give examples
of how Assessment Resource Bank (ARB) resources, and other
assessment tools, are being used for both formative and summative
purposes in a primary and intermediate school. Staff at both these
schools engage in a detailed analysis of their formative practices,
and the data gained from summative assessments, to ensure that the
results of assessments inform learning and contribute to improving
classroom practice. Reference details: Boyd, S. (2003). ARBs in
the assessment mix. set: Research Information for Teachers, 2003:2.
Assessment
This edition of set: Research Information for Teachers is a compilation of previously published articles on assessment. Most of the titles are already online under Online Resources but this publication gathers them altogether in a useful print resource.
Assessment for learning
Summary and conclusions from this book by Ruth Sutton. It follows her 1991 publication, Assessment: A framework for teachers. Her central theme is the connection between planning and assessment in the learning process. Reference details: Sutton, R. (1995). Assessment for Learning. Salford, England: Ruth Sutton Publications.
Assessment in change: Some reflections on the local and international background to the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA)
A chapter backgrounding the influences on New Zealand's senior secondary school assessment system. Refers to international practices and research, emphasises the need for change, and comments on some deficiencies of the current NCEA model. Reference details: Strachan, J. (2002). Assessment in Change: Some Reflections on the Local and International Background to the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), in New Zealand Annual Review of Education, 245-273, Wellington: School of Education, Victoria University of Wellington.
Assessment in self-managing schools: Primary teachers balancing learning and accountability demands in the 1990s
Article by Mary Hill in New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies. Reference details: Hill, M. (1999). Assessment in self-managing schools: Primary teachers balancing learning and accountability demands in the 1990's. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, (34)1.
Assessment issues
Education Gazette report on a two-day workshop held by the Ministry of Education. Reference details: O'Rourke, M. (1995, March 29). Assessment issues. New Zealand Education Gazette, 74 (5), 1, 2.
Assessment policy to practice
This handbook is for school principals and staff involved in assessment policy. It aims to assist each school to develop an assessment policy which will improve students' learning and the quality of learning programmes through sound school-based assessment. Reference details: Ministry of Education. (1994). Assessment policy to practice. Wellington: Learning Media.
Assessment ways forward: Developing and reviewing school-based assessment system –
managing change effectively
Summary of the factors that help schools to manage change effectively. It is
part of a book to assist both school-wide and classroom-based assessment
processes. Reference details: Baker, F., & Lorrigan, G. (1996).
Assessment ways forward: Developing and reviewing school-based assessment
systems. Auckland: Kohia Teachers' Centre. Contact: Kohia Teachers
Centre, email: kohia@ace.ac.nz,
Private Bag 99946, Auckland.
Beyond testing: Towards a theory of educational assessment
Summary of book that develops the theory of educational assessment by exploring the forms and functions of assessment. Reference details: Gipps, C. (1994). Beyond testing: Towards a theory of educational assessment. London: The Falmer Press.
Diagnosing misconceptions in mathematics: Using the Assessment Resource
Banks to remedy student errors
Analysing the pattern of incorrect answers to Assessment Resource
Bank items is providing valuable diagnostic information. This can
enable teachers to identify roadblocks to student understanding
and learning, and develop appropriate strategies to remedy them.
ARB data also enables a broad range of curriculum outcomes to be
assessed. Reference details: Neill, A. (2000). Diagnosing misconceptions
in mathematics: Using the Assessment Resource Banks to remedy student
errors. set: Research Information for Teachers, 2000:1
Educative assessment: Designing assessments to inform and improve
student performance
This book presents a rationale for learning-centered assessment
in United States schools and an overview of the tools, techniques,
and issues that educators should consider as they design and use
assessments focuses on learner needs. It argues that the United
States needs a different kind of student assessment from that currently
used by most schools. Reference details: Wiggins, G. (1998).
Educative assessment: Designing assessments to inform and improve
student performance. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Exercising teachers' choice of NEMP tasks: Bringing assessment
resources into the classroom
A group of teachers examined over 400 assessment tasks in the NEMP
probe study reports from 1995 to 2000. From mapping each task onto
the curriculum, the teachers were able to identify 23 tasks which
were particularly innovative, exciting, easy to implement, and excellent
models of the wide range of NEMP tasks available. The resulting
Teachers' Choice of NEMP Tasks is a kit of assessment resources
for teachers to use in their classroom. Reference details: Gilmore,
A. (2003). Exercising Teachers' Choice of NEMP Tasks: Bringing
assessment resources into the classroom. set: Research Information for Teachers, 2003:2.
Formative assessment and the professional development of teachers:
Are we focusing on what is important?
Research suggests that teachers need a great deal of professional
support if they are to acquire and use new knowledge and skills,
but within the area of formative assessment teachers have often
been expected to implement policy with little help or support. A
research project investigating the factors that have shaped and
influenced teachers' understandings of formative assessment
points to the need for a focus in this area. Reference details:
Dixon, H., & Williams, R. (2003). Formative assessment and the
professional development of teachers: Are we focusing on what is
important? set: Research Information for Teachers, 2003:2.
Formative assessment in the design of instructional systems
Abstract of an article by Royce Sadler, on the value of feedback in teaching students to evaluate objectively.
Four conceptual clues to motivating students
This paper was presented at the 2000 NZARE conference in Waikato.
Reference details: Hill, J. & Hawk, K. (2000). Four conceptual
clues to motivating students: Learning from the practice of effective
teachers in low decile, multicultural schools.
Group assessment: Exploring the influence of the gender composition
of the group
The National Education Monitoring Project has taken up the challenge
of assessing what children can do in groups. Using tasks in science,
language and technology, this NEMP study showed that while boys
and girls both disliked being in a minority of one, overall, a shared
goal united groups and reduced the significance of gender. Reference
details: Grima, G. (2000). Group assessment: Exploring the influence
of the gender composition of the group. set: Research Information for Teachers, 2000:1
Governing and managing schools: A guide for boards of trustees
This folder contains the National Education Guidelines, a section
on school review and development, and a wallchart. Reference details:
Ministry of Education. (1997). Governing and managing schools:
A guide for boards of trustees. Wellington: Learning Media.
How useful do teachers find the tools and strategies they use
for assessing English and mathematics at Year 5, 7, and 9?
This is the second of two articles in this issue of set based on
some of the major findings from the survey of classroom assessment
practices in English and mathematics at Years 5, 7, and 9 carried
out by NZCER in November 2001. Reference details: Dunn, K., &
Marston, C. (2003). What tools and strategies do teachers use to
assess Year 5, 7, and 9 students in English and mathematics? set:
Research Information for Teachers, 2003: 2.
Information skills: How well can New Zealand students find information?
New NZCER Information Skills tests explore students' understanding
of the information skills involved in using libraries, parts of
a book, and reference sources. They provide strong evidence that
students are experiencing difficulty with sorting through the various
dimensions of a search task in order to select the volume, page,
or library section containing the required information. These tests
can help teachers to identify which students need further help,
and what kind of help they need. Reference details: Brown, G. (2000).
Information skills: How well can New Zealand students find information?
set: Research Information for Teachers, 2000:1
Levels-based assessment of writing: Scoring guides from the
Assessment Resource Banks
The scoring guides for poetic and transactional writing, published
on the Assessment
Resource Banks site, were developed to give teachers a tool
to support levels-based assessment of writing. Incorporating examples
of students' writing, this paper addresses the development and rationale
of the guides, how to use them, and the influence of surface features
on assessment. It concludes that while levels-based assessment may
be used only sparingly, it will contribute over time to a picture
of each child's growth as a writer. Reference details: Croft, C.,
McDowall, S., and Rapson, G. (2002). set: Research Information for Teachers, 2001:2.
Making the most of testing: An examination of different assessment
formats
A study conducted in conjunction with the National Education Monitoring
Project examined four different assessment task formats. It found
that different formats were appropriate, depending on the type of
information the tasks were eliciting from students. A scheme was
developed to classify the type of information collected and the
assessment format therefore most appropriate to use. Reference details:
Eley, L., & Caygill, R. (2001). Making the most of testing:
An examination of different assessment formats. set: Research Information for Teachers, 2001:2.
Principles to guide assessment practice
Article by Terry Crooks in New Zealand Principal. Reference
details: Crooks, T. (1993, November). Principles to guide assessment
practice. New Zealand Principal, 8 (3), 14–16.
Progressive Achievement Testing (PAT) at Southern Cross Middle
School
The researchers' interviews of a sample of staff showed that after
three years of using PAT, all staff could provide some examples
of how they used the data, but some misunderstanding and reservations
remained. Staff who had greater involvement in the analysis of the
data were more confident in its use. The data have been used to
make school-wide decisions about changes to timetabling and teaching
programmes.
Reference details: Heron, M., Hucker, J., Rooney, C., Robinson,
V., & Mose, K. (2001). Progressive Achievement Testing (PAT)
at Southern Cross Middle School. set: Research Information for Teachers. 2001:2.
Reporting to parents at Ngā Iwi School
Ngā Iwi's commitment to forming educative partnerships between
the school and its community led it to change how it reported to
parents on their children's achievement. Specifically, the school
wanted to report on achievement more accurately while ensuring that
parents could understand the reports. They also wanted to report
the children's achievement against an explicit standard agreed to
by both the parents and the school. Further work is needed to ensure
that the reports are well understood by parents. Reference details:
Marino, C., Nicholl, J., Paki-Slater, M., Timperley, H., Kuin Lai,
M., & Hampton, H. (2001). Reporting to parents at Ngā Iwi
School. set: Research Information for Teachers, 2001: 2.
Reporting to parents
East Tamaki School worked with researchers to learn about how teachers
viewed the requirements on reporting to parents, and how parents
understood what was written. Teachers experienced the same technical,
ethical, and practical dilemmas as their local and international
counterparts. They resolved these in ways that inadvertently sent
mixed messages to parents about their children's achievement. Reference
details: Thomas, P., Lai, M. K., Robinson, V., & Pythian, M.
(2003). Reporting to parents. set: Research Information for Teachers, 2003:1.
School Entry Assessment: Implementation issues
The requirement to report School Entry Assessment (SEA) data to the Ministry
of Education makes SEA a high stakes activity. But how well is it
working? In this study, all teachers raised concerns such as timing,
how to manage SEA tasks in the classroom, and how dependable the
scoring is. Critical issues to emerge include consistency of standards,
the crucial importance of context, and the undermining of teachers'
confidence in their own professional ability. Reference details:
Dixon, H., & Williams, R. (2000). School entry assessment: Implementation
issues. set: Research Information for Teachers, 2000:1
School Entry Assessment: Practices in schools
Report of a research project by Maree Goldring on the use of the
assessment kit, School Entry Assessment (SEA). Concludes with recommendations
that the Ministry of Education could follow if it wished the SEA
to continue to deliver up-to-date, accurate, reliable, and comprehensive
data, without making it compulsory. Reference details: Ministry
of Education. (1998). School Entry Assessment: Practices in schools.
Wellington: Ministry of Education, Research Division.
School Entry Assessment tasks: Why do teachers use them –
or not?
In 1997 the Ministry of Education launched the School Entry Assessment
(SEA) kit, a non-mandatory set of standardised assessment tasks
for new entrants. Teachers at 75 Auckland primary schools were asked
about which SEA tasks they were using, and why – or why not.
Teachers' judgments about SEA were influenced by each school's
approach to the delivery of the curriculum, and by the nature of
the school's population. Only one of the tasks seems likely
to have a secure mid- to long-term future. Reference details: Hawe,
E., Dixon, H., & Williams, B.T. School Entry Assessment tasks:
Why do teachers use them – or not? (2003). set: Research Information for Teachers, 2003:2.
School reports: "Praising with faint damns"
Schools spend huge amounts of time producing school reports which
are one of the main vehicles for communicating students' progress
to parents. The writers investigated a series of school reports
and looked at the nature of the information contained in them. They
make a number of suggestions about how reports can reflect the performance
of students in ways that are meaningful for parents and easy to
interpret. Reference details: Hattie, J., & Peddie, R. (2003).
School reports: "Praising with faint damns" set: Research Information for Teachers, 2003:3.
School size and achievement of primary and intermediate students
Over the past six years, the National Education Monitoring Project
has assessed the educational achievement and attitudes of Year 4
and 8 students in New Zealand schools. This article by Terry Crooks
and Katherine Hamilton presents accumulated evidence from these
assessments on the relationship between school size and student
achievement. The evidence from this study concludes that school
size is not an important factor in influencing student achievement.
Reference details: Crooks, T., and Hamilton, K. (2002). School size
and achievement of primary and intermediate students. set: Research Information for Teachers, 1, 9–12.
School-wide assessment: Evidence of student achievement
This book by Fran Baker focuses on gathering, analysing, and using evidence of student learning in portfolio systems – both student-centred and school/department standards-referenced. Types of portfolios are described and supported by case studies from primary, intermediate, and secondary schools. Reference details: Baker, Fran. (1997). School-wide assessment: Evidence of student achievement. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Research; and Auckland: Kohia Teachers' Centre. (This can be purchased from either of the publishers: NZCER Distribution Services, email: sales@nzcer.org.nz P O Box 3237, Wellington, or Kohia Teachers Centre email: kohia@ace.ac.nz, Private Bag 99946, Auckland.)
School-wide assessment: Improving teaching and learning
This book explores ways in which a broad range of information might be gathered and used to improve teaching and learning, and the effective organisation of schools. Uses many school types and contexts to illustrate the situations and choices schools face every day. Reference details: Sutton, R. (1998). School-wide assessment: Improving teaching and learning. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
School-wide assessment: The big picture
A practical book about the major issues and requirements that schools need to consider in developing an effective school-wide assessment programme. Addresses the big questions about assessment and describes the key components of a successful programme. Emphasises the need for a positive effect on student learning and progress. Reference details: Irving, James. (1997). School-wide assessment: The big picture. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
School-wide assessment: Using the Assessment Resource Banks
The Assessment Resource Banks (ARBs) are an online collection of assessment materials for mathematics, science, and English, levels 2 to 6. This book describes the content and purposes of the ARBs, and explains how to access and use them. Provides exemplars for teachers' assessments. Reference details: Croft, C. (1999). School-wide assessment: Using the Assessment Resource Banks. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
Student assessment: Suggestions for record keeping and reporting
One-page article by Terry Crooks and Lester Flockton on ways that
schools can develop record-keeping systems. Reference details: Crooks,
T., & Flockton, L. (1999, March). Student assessment: Suggestions
for record keeping and reporting. New Zealand Principal,
14 (1), 16.
Teacher feedback to students in numeracy lessons: Are students
getting good value?
The quality of teacher feedback to students has a considerable impact
on student achievement. This research evaluates the quality of feedback
given to primary students during numeracy lessons.
Reference details: Knight, N. (2003). Teacher feedback to students
in numeracy lessons: Are students getting good value? set: Research Information for Teachers, 2003: 3.
Teacher feedback to young children in formative assessment: A typology
Summary of a paper by Pat Tunstall and Caroline Gipps, on feedback given to 6-and 7-year-old children.
The Assessment Resource Banks: From national testing to a school-based resource
Chapter outlining the development and present structure of the Assessment
Resource Banks (ARBS). Discusses their consolidation as a school-based
resource, and suggests future directions. Reference details: Croft,
C. (2002). The Assessment Resource Banks: From National Testing
to a School-based Resource, in New Zealand Annual Review of Education.
Wellington: School of Education, Victoria University of Wellington.
The impact of classroom evaluation practices on students
Abstract of a journal article by Terry Crooks that summarises research on the relationships between classroom evaluation practices and student outcomes. Particular attention is given to outcomes involving learning strategies, motivation, and achievement.
The Learning School
The third in a series of books written and published by Ruth Sutton. Based on her work in international educational assessment over the past decade. Available from Kohia Teachers Centre, Private Bag 99946, Auckland, or email: kohia@ace.ac.nz Reference details: Sutton, R. (1998). The Learning School. Salford, England: Ruth Sutton Publications.
Together is better: Collaborative assessment, evaluation and reporting
Summary of a book by Anne Davies et.al., about collaborative assessment and three-way reporting.
Tomorrow's standards: The report of the ministerial working party on assessment for better learning
Ministry of Education report of the working party's interpretation of the wide terms of reference. The main task was seen as being to recommend assessment policy and procedures aimed primarily at improving the quality of learning in New Zealand's schools, and ensuring the maintenance and improvement of standards. Reference details: Ministry of Education. (1990). Tomorrow's standards: The report of the ministerial working party on assessment for better learning. Wellington: Learning Media.
Twenty-five theses about learning and assessment
Paper presented by Terry Crooks at the Symposium on Validity in
Educational Assessment. Reference details: Crooks, T. (1996). Twenty-five
theses about learning and assessment. EARU, University of Otago.
Understanding usage of an Internet based information resource for teachers:
The Assessment Resource Banks
Report on the evaluation of the Assessment Resource Banks (ARBs) in schools. Concludes that there is a
relatively small number of high users, and that an important factor
in the use of such Internet resources is convincing teachers that
assessment should be an integral part of teaching. Reference details:
Gilmore, A. and Hattie, J. (2001). New Zealand Journal of Educational
Studies, 36, 2, 237–255.
Using achievement information to raise student achievement
Recent research on school improvement indicates that schools can
lift student achievement by using achievement information to work
out how to modify their programmes. Robertson Rd School worked collaboratively
with researchers from the University of Auckland to design a new
approach enabling teachers to make formative use of achievement
data on literacy in Years 1 and 2, in order to improve their teaching
practices and raise student achievement. Reference details: Symes,
I., & Timperley, H. (2003). Using achievement information to
raise student achievement. set: Research Information for Teachers, 2003:1.
What tools and strategies do teachers use to assess Year 5,
7, and 9 students in English and mathematics?
In November 2001, NZCER conducted a survey of the English and mathematics
assessment practices of teachers at Years 5, 7, and 9. Initiatives
such as the changes made to the National Administration Guidelines
(NAGs), the new literacy and numeracy initiative Assessment Tools
for Teaching and Learning (asTTle), the introduction of the National
Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) into secondary schools,
and the Education Standards Act (2001), meant that it seemed timely
to collect base-line data on teachers' assessment practices,
which could be then used to track changes over time. These two articles
look at the findings. Reference details: Dunn, K., & Marston,
C. (2003). What tools and strategies do teachers use to assess Year
5, 7, and 9 students in English and mathematics? set: Research Information for Teachers, 2003:2.
Year 8 to year 9: Overcoming the muddle in the middle
The fifth in a series of books linking research outcomes to the improvement of learning and teaching in our schools. Offers suggestions for improving students' learning as they move from primary to secondary schooling. Reference details: Sutton, R. (2000). Year 8 to year 9: Overcoming the muddle in the middle. Salford, England: Ruth Sutton Publications. Contact Kohia Teachers Centre, Private Bag 99946, Auckland, or email: kohia@ace.ac.nz
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