EIBA7123-IB-Assessment and learning

Learning Outcomes:
2. set in context approaches to teaching, learning and assessment, explaining how they relate to theory and research;
6. analyse critically evidence relating to children’s performance;
13. identify, select from, evaluate and synthesise information gained from a range of academic and professional sources in order to sustain a coherent argument;
14. select, use and adapt appropriate methods for collecting evidence relating to children’s learning and reflection on your own practice.

Assessment for learning is associated with improvement in levels of achievement and a better disposition towards learning. In my programme plan for Module 1, different forms of formative assessment tasks provide various learning activities, leading students to the summative assessment. Interweaving formative assessment gives learners and facilitator opportunities to know how they are progressing and can improve. 

Inspired by Anderson and Krathwohl’s(2001) revision of the original Bloom’s taxonomy. I realised there are different dimension of knowledge that learners may be expected to acquire or construct.

Thus, I determined that my Module 1 programme plan consists of three dimension of knowledge included Procedural, Conceptual and Factual.

Based on the Bloom’s cognitive process dimension as my guideline, I tried to design different forms of formative assessment to help my learners construct their knowledge from one to another thinking stage progressively. 

A)Procedural:

In Visual Arts, Developmental Workbook is one of the assessment tools for teachers to observe the ongoing developing process of learners. My learners are required to annotate their investigation, developing process of the initial ideas and thoughts in their Developmental Workbook throughout the whole programme. Learners will develop a consistent developing process guided by the flow chart as reference. They will develop their ownership at each stage of their learning and creative process based on the Design cycle. Rubric of Developmental Workbook was also given to learners as a guideline of what is expected in their Developmental Workbook.

 

B)Conceptual:

As a candidate school for International Baccalaureate (IB), the big idea (Key concept, significant concept, Area of interaction) is the main core of the entire programme plan. Diagnostic assessment on the first lesson is important to assess learner’s prior knowledge of the particular concept and knowledge. Learners who were able to conceptualize the interrelation between key concepts, Area of interaction and unit question will start to classify and apply their knowledge to produce their artwork independently. Learners who need more guidance for conceptual understanding will scheduled more individual tutorial session with me. Besides, graphic organiser such as words splash, mind mapping, Traffic light, Think pair share were used as an ongoing reflection template to determine their level of understanding after each lesson.

C)Factual:

In my programme plan Module 1, photography and photograph editing skills are the factual knowledge they need to acquire in order to carry out the summative task. Besides, knowledge of basic principles and elements of art including colour, tone, value, texture, composition so on and so forth was also part of the content. Learners vary in the amount of time it takes them to master a skill. Hence, different formative task was designed for differentiated learners in my art class. Learners who have no basic knowledge of colour theory will need to accomplish a colour tonal chart as one of their formative task. Learners who already learned the colour theory in previous semester were required to interpret warm and cold colour in photograph editing process. I think it’s very important to determine the strength and weakness of each learner in the class and customise effective formative task to cater their needs in constructivism learning environment. 

Differentiation

On the first and second lesson of the programme, I started to observe and identified special needs learners and Multiple Intelligences in my class. Diagnostic assessment is essential to determine different learner’s need.

I tried to use variety forms of assessment. For some students, written work is difficult, so too much reliance on it will put them at a disadvantage. Similarly, particular activities or topics will inspire excellent performance in some students and frustrated others.

Assessment drives learning, when learners are closer to the learning and assessment cycle they experiences a greater sense of purpose and involvement in learning.

We cannot expect every student loves art, but we try to make them fallen into it. Using different approaches to engage all the learners is always my biggest challenge in programme and lesson planning. From my observation, my learners included Intrapersonal, Existentialist, Visual and Logical Intelligences. One of the highlight of my formative task poem writing. Learners were given a Q &A handout to describe their photomontage and write a poem to interpret the meaning of their images. This formative is to provoke their abstract perception of an image. My learners came out with beautiful poems. 

One of the highlights of my formative assessment which I think has particularly motivated and encouraged my learners were the group oral presentation.  Learners were required to read the book “The little prince” and investigate on Dadaism which is one of the Avant Garde art movements as the platform of group discussion in the class. Group activities also enable learners to develop their Approaches To Learning skills including collaboration, communication, transfer, thinking and organization skills. “Scaffolding” grouping technique is one of my common practices in the classroom because I think peer support is essential to create a quality learning environment. Learners were able to understand, analyse and interpret the key concept from different perspective through the class discussion. The discussion was very interactive and it provokes a lot of new ideas which is meaningful for both learners and facilitator. I was very impressed by their creative thinking on the reflection.

Based on the feedback from my learners to the formative assessment, I recognised there are few fundamentals in creating an effective formative task. Learners who have difficulties in conceptualise ideas will gain better knowledge and understanding through Quantitative task, such as questionnaires. Learners who have higher ability to adapt the concept and interpret meanings are more suitable to Qualitative task, such as case studies and analysis essay. Besides, introvert learners are more comfortable to have individual task, they are passive in group discussion and activities. The extroverts, by contrast, are more interested in group work. Thus, I will try to design different form of formative assessment which caters different learners need. Opportunities for self–evaluation and peer evaluation are also useful in creating a conclusive learning environment.