Assessment – Teaching & Learning Research Initiative

Using a wellbeing framework to recognise, value and enhance the broad range of outcomes for learners in adult literacy and numeracy programmes

Aotearoa New Zealand’s attention to adult literacy and numeracy (L+N) education arose from the results of the OECD / Statistics Canada International Literacy surveys begun in the mid-1990s, when, as a nation, we achieved unexpectedly low results for L+N proficiency. The Government responded with an adult L+N strategy (Ministry of Education, 2001) that spellt out initiatives in building professional capability for delivery, improving the quality of the system, and ensuring that larger numbers of learners could access L+N learning. Over the next 10 years, further measures were included, such as credentialising tutors, expanded funding for educational provision, a national literacy centre housed in the University of Waikato, a national set of

“Better to do than receive”: Learning to think historically through internally assessed course work

Introduction This research project examined the contribution internally assessed course work makes to motivating young people to think historically; that is to develop reasoned, evidence-based understandings of the past that equip them to participate in society as critical citizens who can think independently and adjudicate between competing claims of historical authenticity. Our findings indicate that conducting internally assessed course work makes a major contribution to how students (as novices) learn to think critically about the past. developing the ability to think historically is counter-intuituive and has been described as an “unnatural act” (Wineburg, 2001). It can seldom be acquired from everyday experiences. Rather, it requires systematic instruction in how the discipline

Preparing initial primary and early childhood teacher education students to use assessment

Introduction In our rapidly changing world, in which the future is uncertain, teachers need to prepare children with knowledge, skills, values, and competencies that will support them to become life-long learners and active contributors to New Zealand’s social, cultural, economic, and environmental well-being. Such an aim implies that children should be educated in ways that support them to assume control of their own learning. to that end, they will need to develop the capability to assess their own learning and progress. Vital aspects of every teacher’s pedagogy, then, will be the ability to use assessment that builds, extends, and challenges children to see themselves as competent learners, and equip them with

Culturally responsive pedagogy and assessment in primary science classrooms: Whakamana tamariki

Introduction In this project four teachers addressed their diverse students’ need for a range of different opportunities to develop more sophisticated expertise in science. They achieved this by drawing on the principles and practices of culturally responsive pedagogy and assessment for learning. Interviews and classroom observations indicated that students, and their families, took greater ownership and responsibility for science learning when teachers incorporated and built on the funds of knowledge and lived experience that all students bring from their homes and communities. Key findings Teachers can create culturally responsive pathways for science learning by incorporating children’s and communities’ funds of knowledge into the curriculum. Culturally responsive science teachers at times position

Developing assessment policy: A guide for tertiary institutions

Please also refer to the PDF version of this guide, which includes additional visual elements. The text and key diagrams from the guide are reproduced here Introduction The purpose of this guide is to assist developers in tertiary institutions to build effective assessment policy. The guide is based on a review of the international literature and research of best practice in tertiary assessment, a review of tertiary education institution assessment policy documents in New Zealand and Australia, surveys of academic staff and students at four New Zealand tertiary institutions, and interviews with senior academic managers at seven New Zealand tertiary institutions. The findings[1] from these reviews support a set of considerations

Conceptions of assessment and feedback in secondary school

1. Aims, objectives, and research questions Assessment and feedback are an integral part of the teaching and learning process. They affect not only what is learnt, but how students learn, their motivation, goals, and sense of self (Cowie, 2003). If students have a negative conception of the role of assessment and they misinterpret the meaning of feedback, this can lead to reduced motivation and low self-esteem. While a learning environment or task may be designed to facilitate student change on a given variable (e.g., feedback to enhance literacy skills), students’ and teachers’ conceptions will influence the way the task or environment are experienced (Trigwell & Prosser, 1991; Fransson, 1977; Kōnings, Brand-Gruwel,

Effective teacher-education practice: The impact of written assessment “feedback” for distance learners

Ko te pae tawhiti whäia kia tata: Ko te pae tata whakamaua kia tina Continue seeking to bring distant horizons closer: Consolidate what you have achieved 1. Introduction This study focuses on the “assessing” aspect of tertiary teaching in a distance teacher education programme. It explores the perceptions of the role of written assessment feedback held by a cohort of students enrolled in The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education (a Level 7, distance teacher education programme using mixed delivery methods).[1] Effective teacher education improves educational outcomes for learners in tertiary institutions (student teachers) and for end-user learners (children) in schools and early childhood services. This