Assessment for Learning in Primary Science - Report Example

Title: Assessment for Learning (A f L) Dated: May 2, 2009. The Assessment for Learning as a methodology has played a pivotal role in the learning process in primary sciences through the generation of quality results both in the benefit of the learners that is the students and the facilitators as in the shape of the teachers in the whole learning process. There are two extreme positions in the learning methodologies; both are having their merits and demerits in the Instructional mechanism for learning in the primary science (1). These two positions are pole apart from each other and are as under: (a) “AfL is exactly the same thing as a constructivist approach. By following the Principles and practices of AfL we are fully taking account of important learning theories and therefore providing the best possible opportunities for the development of concepts and skills.” And (b)“AfL takes no account of important theories of learning. Indeed, the principles and practices of AfL are so far at odds with constructivist theory that by following them slavishly we are actually reducing the potential for skill based and conceptual development” These two positions are the two opposite alternatives and the acceptance of one of these two methodologies results in the development and recognition of a specific state of mind and methodology. The study is organised on the basis of collection of literature on the issue and to analyse the advantages as associated with the selected option. The option (a) as given above has more practical and viable approach for the overall learning process in the primary science as all the stakeholders are comparatively at the advantages through the adoption of that type of methodology. The students and the teachers with the constructivist approach are having maximum benefits as the teachers through the adoption of the said methodology are delivering their assignments with full confidence and command for the delivery of knowledge relating to the primary sciences to the students through the adoption of the assessment techniques which are used for learning in the primary sciences. Similarly, the students are learning the subjects with command and comprehension through the logical delivery manner as selected by the teachers for the purpose (2). The methodology as selected has benefited to all the stakeholders and the same can be used as on universal basis with necessary amendments as suited to a specific geographic zone of the world. Stakeholders as involved in the whole study are of two types as the primary stakeholders as the students and the teachers along with their relevant interest and inclination towards the learning of the primary science subjects with the adoption of assessment for learning techniques and the methodologies and the secondary stakeholders as the educational management and other members of the society who are getting benefit in the shape of educated youth with the primary sciences. The assessment methodologies are having the capacity to enhance the quality of teaching and learning and had led to the promotion of assessment for learning as a post to the no account of important theories relating to the learning process (Assessment Reform Group, 2002)( http://www.assessment-reform-group.org/CIE3.PDF). The research has clearly indicated that in the school based studies and in the classroom contacts, the AfL has promoted effective learning process, enhanced levels of attainment and enhanced quality of the teaching process. (Black, et al, 20031). The Assessment for Learning is a type of assessment for learning the knowledge, participation and engagement, political goals of achievement that is the transfer of knowledge from the one group of the learning process that is from the teachers with its transformation into another group that is called as the students with the assessments methodologies(3). The overall process can be explained as with the help of the following diagram, the process is well structured, systematic and moving in a directional pattern as: (Jonassen, Mayes, & McAleese, 1993). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivism_(learning_theory). The learning process moves in a logical and systematic pattern with definite goals as associated with the overall mechanism. The assessment methodologies are helpful in setting a tone and a learning culture with definite role for each player of the whole system. The overall objective as associated with the process is the transfer of knowledge as in its origin and intact form with relevant explanations and elaborations (4). The overall process can easily be understood with assigning a specific role to each segment of the change. The role of teacher with a constructivist approach along with the methodologies as adopted for the transfer of scientific knowledge and skills is occupying a central position in the whole mechanism. The organizational issues, the relationship of assessment for learning with the subject of sciences and its link with the research are the essential areas whose understanding facilitate the overall learning process along with the learning methodology(5). The assessment for learning process executed with a set of principles that provide a criteria for judging the quality of the material along with its assessment and practices. The principles include granting emphasis to the interactions between manageable assessment strategies and the learning that are used for the promotion of learning. These principles are reflecting the assessment process for the teachers with specific assessment strategies, learning outcomes with the future learning activities and the teachers are using these assessments to identify that what has been learnt by the students through the whole learning process(6). The general principles for planning, assessing, programming, evaluating and reporting: Planning, assessing and reporting in the Primary curriculum for the primary sciences involves the understanding and consideration of the individual learning requirements of all the students and the establishment of a learning environment that helps the students to achieve the outcomes as associated with the delivery of the syllabus in the whole learning process. The planning from the teacher's view point is to deliver the lectures and demonstration in the shape of theoretical transferring of knowledge from the teachers as included in the syllabus for a specific grade and to demonstrate the central concepts as in the shape of practical(7). The planning from the student's view point is to absorb the delivered knowledge in their personalities with a scientific approach about the nature and the natural products both in physical and biological terms. The interaction of both these stakeholders with the assessment methods can be described with a help of the following diagram: The students' achievements of the relevant science syllabus are the final outcome and goal of the whole planning and programming process. The outcome is assessed through a set of techniques and adopted in the assessment for learning process. These assessments are based on tests, examinations, question- answer session and report writing techniques. The information and data as collected through the whole methodology and is assessed by the teachers through their comparison with the standard and keys as designed for a specific science subject. The analysis and evaluation of the whole assessment process is helpful in the improvement of the learning process as well as assessment for learning techniques. The role of all these segments is essential for the smooth flow of the whole process for the achievement of the approved targets for the whole mechanism. These techniques are working in a collective shape for the achievement of the desired results as in a synergetic pattern (8). The role of teachers The teachers in the assessment for learning are delivering a central role through their position as the instructors, planners, the designers, the evaluators and the coordinators for the whole process. Assessment for learning is an essential and integrated portion of the teaching as well as learning process and the teachers are working on the premise that all the students are participating in the process for the improvement and accusation of relevant scientific knowledge for its absorption and propagation through the mechanism. The teachers are facilitating the students while knowing and reckoning the facts and the standards they are aiming for their transfers to the students and to involve the students in self assessment and peer assessment procedures(9). The teachers as the facilitators are determining the results of the examinations and tests and these results are used to judge the teaching quality and its understanding by the students (Bauersfeld2, 1995). They are also affecting the ways and procedures through which the pupils are taught in the classes for the transfer of knowledge from the teachers to the students on regular pattern. The acquired knowledge is assimilated in the overall personalities of the students and is judged from the levels of understanding and responses towards the science. The role of the students The students are the basic and primary stakeholders in the whole learning process and for the mechanism for assessment for learning. The learning process can be facilitated with the identification of the roles as associated with the each stake holder of the whole process (Von Glasersfeld3 ,1989). The students are the primary focus with an aim to understand and comprehend the science subjects along with the development of scientific attitudes towards the primary sciences. The involvement of three major pillars of the learning process that is the students, the teachers and the parents are the key factors for the success of the whole system. The students can be motivated for the adoption of scientific knowledge and attitudes in their body politics (Von Glasersfeld ,1989). The following techniques will help in the promotion of the learning process with the assessment for learning methodology. These techniques are as under: a) The students may realized as to work in an integrated mechanism for the teaching and learning process, b) To promote the practice of asking relevant question about the subjects along with specific details about the subjects. For example in case of chemistry, a special interest may be developed to ask questions about the symbols for the elements, their mass numbers and positions in the periodic tables for the elements. For the subject of physics the students may be motivated to ask questions about the laws of motion and the states of matter with its specific properties like density, heat of vaporization, gravitational pull, radioactive elements and the nature and type of different types of rays and their usage in the daily life(Prawat &Floden4 ,1994). For the subject of biology the students may be encouraged to ask questions about the classification of animals and plants, the different types of cells and cell divisions and different theories about the evolution and neo Darwinism concepts, c) The students may be motivated to take part in the assessment methodologies as these techniques are serving as a feed back for the whole assessment mechanism. The better results are the indications that the systems are being implemented as on successful pattern and the poor performance is reflective of the condition that the assessment are not delivering their due share in the whole assessment system. The adoption of skills like observing, classifying and comparing techniques are helpful in the implementation of whole mechanism as on successful pattern. The learning of scientific skills and scientific concepts are essential ingredients for the successful implementation for the assessment for learning process. The skills are utilized for the transfer of scientific knowledge as in their intact form from their sources through the teachers and into the students in an integrated mechanism. The scientific skills are transferred into the students for the science subjects as through the motivation of skills relating to observations, classifications, making interferences of the events and processes for making predictions about the probable results (1o). The comparison of the results with the expected outcomes is a material for the assessment process and its communication with in the system is an essential element for the whole assessment process. The use of scientific apparatus and its handling in the science laboratories is indication that the learning process for the science subjects is moving on logical and systematic pattern. The maintenance of science apparatus correctly and safely along with its cleanliness is an additional indication for the smooth functioning of the overall learning process for the science subjects. The theory of constructivism: The theory of constructivism is basically attributed by Jean Piaget who describes a mechanism by which the knowledge is internalized by the learners for its absorption and understanding. The mechanism moves with the processes of assimilation and accommodation through the individual as to construct new knowledge from their respective experiences. The knowledge as acquired by the individuals is assimilated in their personalities as on individual basis and these individuals incorporate the new experiences on the body of already existing pf networks without changing the overall networks. This knowledge is concentrated as through the concept of constructivism and is utilized for the assessment for learning process (Wertsch5, 1997). The assessment for learning process as with the constructivist approach is an essential ingredient for the whole assessment process and by following the principles and practices of the assessment for learning process lead to the generation of positive and encouraging results for the overall mechanism. The process leads the desired results with the implementation of the overall mechanism in a coordinated systematic pattern the assessment process leads to the transfer of knowledge from the custodians of scientific knowledge into the recipients of the knowledge in a directional pattern. The assessment for learning process is related to the science as the process requires its evaluation and assessment similar to that of the scientific knowledge as the scientific knowledge requires constant and regular monitoring pattern. Conclusion: The AfL is moving in a systematic pattern as in case of science observation, hypothesis, experiments, and results are integrated with each other and similar pattern is followed by the AfL. The transfer of scientific knowledge needs systematic transition from one tear to another through a constructivist approach. The knowledge acquired as through the use of AfL methodology is a reflection that the approach as adopted through the position as AfL are exactly the same thing as that of the constructivist approach and has an edge over the AfL that takes no account for important theories relating to the learning process. The approach helps in the smooth implementation of the learning techniques as for the spread of scientific knowledge for the benefit of all the stakeholders as associated with the overall learning process and assessment for learning methodologies. References: 1. Black, P. and William, D. (1998) Assessment and Classroom Learning. Assessment in Education 5 (1) 7-74 2. Juwah, C et.al. (2004) Enhancing Student Learning Through Effective Feedback The Higher Education Academy 3. Sadler, D.R. (1989) Formative Assessment and the Design of Instructional Systems Instructional Science 18, 119-144 4. Cooper, Damian. (2006). Talk About Assessment: Strategies and Tools to Improve Learning. Toronto, ON: Thomson Nelson.Government of British Columbia  5. Manitoba Education, Citizenship, and Youth. (2006) Rethinking Assessment with Purpose in Mind: assessment for learning, assessment as learning, assessment of learning Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: MECY 6. O’Connor, Ken. (2002).  How t o Grade for Learning. Arlington Heights, IL: Skylight.QCA  7. Wiggins, Grant. (1998). Educative Assessment. San Francisco. CA: Jossey Bass. 8. Black, P.J. & Wiliam, D. (1998) Inside the Black Box: Raising standards through classroom assessment. King’s College, London. 9. Earl, Lorna (2003). Assessment as Learning: Using Classroom Assessment to Maximise Student Learning. Thousand Oaks, CA, Corwin Press. ISBN 0761946268. 10. Greenberg, D. (2000). 21st Century Schools, edited transcript of a talk delivered at the April 2000 International Conference on Learning in the 21st Century. Read More