Unit rationale, description and aim
Pre-service teachers must develop insights into assessment as integral to effective teaching that is grounded in data and evidence of student learning.
This unit develops pre-service teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the nature and purpose of data and assessment, and its role in guiding teaching and learning. They will develop knowledge and understanding of quantitative and qualitative data practices for interpreting educational data, including assessment data, as used in schools and for educational research. They will consider social and ethical implications of data and its uses in local, national and international contexts. Preservice teachers will examine contemporary assessment theories, policies, practices and technologies, focusing on evidence-based assessment and feedback strategies. They will apply these in the construction of assessment and feedback plans, strategies and resources that meet the learning needs of diverse students, including students with disability. They will also demonstrate organising, analysing, interpreting and moderating assessment data to appraise learning and make recommendations for improving teaching practices and programs.
This unit aims to develop pre-service teachers’ understanding and skills for designing effective assessments and data practices to assess and appraise student learning progress and improve teaching programs and practices.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Understand and apply evidence-based assessment and...
Learning Outcome 01
Collate, analyse, interpret and moderate qualitati...
Learning Outcome 02
Align and differentiate curriculum with assessment...
Learning Outcome 03
Make and evaluate professional judgments for asses...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
· Core principles of assessment
· Evidence-based decision making
· Data Literacy: Quantitative Classroom Data
· Data Literacy: Qualitative Classroom Data
· Making and Moderating Professional Judgements
· Summative Assessment Design and Practice
· Formative Assessment Design and Practice
· Feedback Design and Practice
· Communicating and Reporting
Assessment strategy and rationale
Assessment focuses on developing knowledge and skills needed to effectively engage in professional practices for assessing, providing feedback and reporting on student learning. Specifically, preservice teachers will apply their knowledge and skills to classroom practices for collating and analysing assessment data and the design and implementation of assessment practices, including diagnostic, formative and summative assessment, feedback, professional judgement-making and moderation.
The assessment tasks are weighted and sequenced to provide for feedback and development against unit learning outcomes across tasks. Task 1 provides opportunity to develop knowledge of and practice specific skills using simulations and scenarios provided through weekly tutorials. Pre-service teachers will collaborate prior to completing individual responses. Task 2 provides opportunity to apply learnings to the design and development of a full suite of classroom-ready assessment practices aligned to a unit of work and related curriculum. Preservice teachers will engage in peer- and self- assessment processes to support meeting unit learning outcomes.
To pass this unit, students are required to submit all assessment tasks including the hurdle task, meet all unit learning outcomes, which requires a passing grade in Task 2, and achieve a minimum overall passing grade of 50%.
Overview of assessments
Hurdle Task: Peer Assessment Logbook Collate a l...
Hurdle Task: Peer Assessment Logbook
Collate a logbook outlining collaborative engagement in peer review and feedback activities related to Task 2.
Complete/Incomplete
Assessment Task 1: Simulation of Assessment Pract...
Assessment Task 1: Simulation of Assessment Practices
Engage collaboratively in a series of three practice-based simulations covering (1) quantitative and (2) qualitative data use, and (3) making and moderating professional judgements. Individually, complete short-answer questions to demonstrate your understanding of and reflect upon the simulations.
40&
Assessment Task 2: Assessment Practices Portfolio...
Assessment Task 2: Assessment Practices Portfolio
Develop and annotate a portfolio of assessment practices that corresponds to a selected unit of work for one teaching area from Years P/K-10*. The portfolio should include a comprehensive assessment plan across the full range of assessment practices (see APST5), classroom-ready resources for implementing the plan, and discussion that explains and justifies pedagogical decision-making in the design and construction of the portfolio.
*Selection of teaching area and year level should align with your course.
60%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit applies a social constructivist approach to develop pre-service teachers’ knowledge and skills in using data and assessment to promote student learning. Students will actively and critically engage in building their personal understandings through active engagement with online lecture materials and selected readings. They will then participate in collaborative activities, class discussions, role-plays and simulations in timetabled weekly tutorials. Opportunities will be provided to practice skills required for data analysis, assessment design, feedback and moderation, and critically reflect on the significance of these practices in promoting student learning. Pre-service teachers will be supported to understand and apply ICTs, including generative AI, in ethical and responsible ways to classroom assessment practices. Particular attention will be given to data privacy.
Collaborative learning opportunities will draw on students’ prior engagement in placement contexts and exemplars and simulations from school contexts. Pre-service teachers will apply their learning in completing the assessment requirements for this unit. This will include engagement in peer- and self- assessment and feedback processes that will actively contribute to their success.
ACECQA Curriculum Specifications
In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) standards:
Relating to
Diversity, difference and inclusivity
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating to
Teaching methods and strategies
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Relating to
Research
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating to
Contemporary theories and practice
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating to
Australian curriculum
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating to
Curriculum planning, programming and evaluation
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level
In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level standards:
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3
Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of legislative requirements and teaching strategies that support participation and learning of students with disability.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3
Relating toUse curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating toKnow and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3
Relating toSet learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3
Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toIdentify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of a range of strategies for reporting to students and parents/carers and the purpose of keeping accurate and reliable records of student achievement.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toUnderstand strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) Core Content
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the AITSL Core Content:
Relating toThe importance of presenting all information required to complete these chunked tasks in one place and at one time, excluding information not directly related to the task, to reduce cognitive overload.
Relevant learningLO1
Relating toHow to explicitly model new skills and content through ‘worked examples’ that clearly demonstrate how to complete the task, followed by a progressive removal of scaffolding as students become more proficient.
Relevant learningLO1
Relating toHow to pitch an introductory lesson at an appropriate level, before starting a new unit of work, by identifying where a student is in their learning through assessing what they know, or think they know.
Relevant learningLO1
Relating toHow to use formative assessment practices to gather and interpret information about student learning as learning is taking place – for example, use of simple, low-key assessments such as exit slips, quick quizzes or targeted oral questioning to prompt students to articulate their reasoning and identify common student misconceptions.
Relevant learningLO1, LO2, LO3
Relating toHow to design summative assessment to assess students against a standard or benchmark to gain an understanding of the level of mastery attained.
Relevant learningLO1, LO3
Relating toHow to produce and use developmental rubrics with criteria tailored to the specific task and/or work samples so that students understand what is expected.
Relevant learningLO1, LO3
Relating toHow to provide feedback as learning is taking place that is specific, honest, constructive, and clear, and uses explicit teaching strategies to re-teach concepts, scaffold, or correct misconceptions as necessary.
Relevant learningLO1, LO4
Relating toThe research evidence that outlines the most effective approaches for engaging with families to promote learning appropriate to student stage of learning.
Relevant learningLO1, LO4
Representative texts and references
Required text(s)
Australian Curriculum https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/.
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) www.acara.edu.au.
Relevant State and Territory curriculum documents.
Recommended references
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2018). Classroom assessment and pedagogy. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 25(6), 551-575.
Brady, L., & Kennedy, K. (2019). Assessment and reporting: Celebrating student achievement (5th ed.). Pearson Australia.
Brookhart, S. M. (2023). Classroom Assessment Essentials. United States: ASCD.
Brookhart, S.M., & Nitko, A.J. (2018). Educational Assessment of Students (8th ed.). Pearson.
Fisk, S. (2023). Using and analysing data in Australian schools (2nd ed.). Amba Press.
Gummer, E. S., & Mandinach, E. B. (2015). Building a Conceptual Framework for Data Literacy. Teachers College Record, 117(4), 1-22.
Miller, M., Linn, R., & Gronlund, N. (2013). Measurement and assessment in teaching (11th international ed.). Pearson Education.
Readman, K., Allen, B., & Reinertsen, N. (2020). Practical classroom assessment (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Selfridge, R., & Pembroke, J. (2022). Dataproof your school. SAGE Publications.
Van Blerkom, M. (2009). Measurement and statistics for teachers. Taylor & Francis.
Wiliam, D. (2017). Embedded formative assessment: strategies for classroom assessment that drives student engagement and learning. Solution Tree.