learning in progress ….

Had to write something for the local paper after an event, so in line with the idea of updating the site with information which needs to be communicated anyway, here is the official story.

          Teachers Assess a New Curriculum

Teachers from the White Hills cluster of schools recently spent a day looking at Assessment and Reporting strategies, which is a topic close to their hearts. The keynote speaker was Dianne Peck, who has been involved in designing Victoria’s new Essential Learnings curriculum. Dianne reminded the staff from eight schools that it is crucial that assessment promotes the type of learning that we value for students. She helped teachers reflect on what it means to really master a topic, rather than simply recalling facts or techniques without the capacity to apply them.  While many people tend to think of tests and exams when they hear the word assessment, there is a range of other approaches that can be used to make feedback more valuable and timely. Teachers discussed various approaches including peer and self-assessment, which ensures students fully understand the criteria that are being used, as well as pre-testing which allows teachers to adjust their approach before starting a topic. Dianne presented research that indicates that richer assessment strategies are a very productive method of improving student learning, especially for under performing students. Teachers also had a preview of the new reporting software which will allow them to assess complex skills across a range of subjects.

 Well there's the newspaper version. Read on for another tangent on the day