What should assessment, in particular assessment feedback, be doing for all our learners?

by Tan Heng Kiat, Kelvin (NIE) 

Despite our best efforts, assessment in the form of tests and examinations still dominates our teaching and learning in schools. We term our large-scale national examinations in Singapore as high stakes assessment, which perpetuates the impression that only national examinations are important and have ‘stakes’. Assessment that is not described as ‘high stakes’, such as assessment for learning practices in schools, are implied not to have anything at stake and are unimportant.

What, then, is at stake when it comes to assessment for learning? And what is at stake for our learners in assessment beyond performing in tests and examinations? Perhaps we should ask less what our learners should be doing for assessment, and ask more what assessment is doing for all our learners. This is the recurring focus of the articles in this AFAL issue – What should assessment, in particular assessment feedback, be doing for all our learners?

We begin with exploring the alignment between teachers’ assessment literacy and students’ learning outcomes, and identify the concrete steps for directing what teachers learn about feedback literacy to systematically and eventually lead to students learning.

In order for assessment feedback to focus on students’ learning, it is vital to change mindsets from assessment feedback as (mere) provision of advice, to feedback as a systematic pedagogy. In that context, Professional Learning Teams from Edgefield Secondary School and Riverside Secondary School collaborated with NIE assessment faculty to develop a Feedback Pedagogy for their learners (PG 02/21 THKK). Four feedback pedagogies in the context of English Language, Malay Language, Humanities, and Chinese Language are featured. Such feedback pedagogy may be unpacked in three common phases – (a) preparing students to receive feedback, and in some instance receiving their requests for feedback, (b) engaging students with feedback advice and dialogue, and finally (c) supporting students in responding to feedback.

In the context of primary education, we feature two examples from Chua Chu Kang Primary School of supporting students in assessment to optimise their learning. “Initiate to Differentiate” describes the initiative of an entire MTL department to differentiate assessment for different learners. The school wide implementation of Growth Mindset provides an example of supporting mindset change for teachers and students, and the emphasis on growth in turn keeps minds focused and receptive to optimising learning from assessment.

Finally, the H.E.A.L. approach to assisting students with assessment stress originated with students with learning difficulties in mind, but its systematic and affirming practices would be useful for any student who would encounter undue and unhelpful stress from assessment. That is probably something we need as educators ourselves in our strenuous assessment literacy efforts!      

On behalf of the editorial team, let me thank you, our readers, for the pleasure of supporting you in your assessment and learning efforts. As a community, the editorial team periodically shares with each other what we are doing and learning in assessment, and how (and how well) our various efforts in our different contexts help all our learners. The AFAL bulletin has certainly helped us to remain focused on our own learning, and clarified our identity and role as learners in assessment.

In that context, we are pleased to share in conversation pieces by Miss P. Durka Devi and Mr Tan Ken Jin. We hope that the contents of this issue will spark your learning, and provoke new thoughts on assessment that ensures learning for all leaners. And lead to opportunities for meaning filled and thoughtful assessment conversations that you can enjoy as well!