Implementation and Monitoring
Working as a team across the school
“Assessment education is...an ongoing process of learning that is shaped by the contexts, cultures and resources of where the learning is occurring” (5)
Implementation of new approaches to assessment
Improving assessment in schools is a multi-faceted task that requires a coordinated effort from different stakeholders, including teachers, school administrators, policymakers, and students. Through their involvement it is possible to build a ‘win-win’ attitude to change, enabling support to be maintained during the most challenging, initial stages and into the implementation stage where sustainable practices are established. Here are some strategies that can be used to implement improvements to assessment in schools:
Define clear outcomes: implementation should be aligned with clear development objectives that are communicated to teachers, students, and parents. This helps to ensure each of these stakeholders are motivated to accept and accelerate the transition. The key focus is explaining how the assessment measures guide how students are expected to learn and help teachers to design learning experiences that support student progress.
Provide professional Learning: teachers need ongoing professional development to stay up-to-date with best practices in assessment. Professional learning empowers teachers, helping them to design effective assessments, interpret assessment results, and use assessment data to inform instruction.
Involve students in the assessment process: students should be involved in the assessment process by setting goals, tracking their progress, and reflecting on their learning. This helps to increase student engagement and ownership of their learning.
Use technology: technology can be used to create more efficient and effective assessments that reduce the time commitment required. These include online quizzes, simulations, and digital portfolios. Technology can also help to provide timely feedback to students and teachers.
Involve parents, guardians, and carers: parents and caregivers should be informed about assessment practices and provided with regular updates on their child's progress. This helps to ensure that parents and caregivers are able to support their child's learning and provides opportunities for them to provide feedback to teachers.
How does the school integrate continuous improvement into its assessment culture?
Implementing improvements to assessment in schools requires a sustained effort over time. It is important to regularly review and evaluate assessment practices to ensure that they are meeting the needs of students and teachers.
Once a school has established a common understanding of the principles of assessment and started the process of developing a contextually refined Assessment Policy, the feedback loop commences’. Schools need to maintain a proactive approach to assessment, seeking to provide space in their meetings/planning and individual development time to allow educators to reflect upon their assessment practices and the effectiveness of the tools implemented. This should occur alongside a sustained focus on the development of high-impact teaching strategies that support lead to and support quality assessment. Undoubtedly, schools should be looking to celebrate success, sharing quality practice and rewarding excellence. However, they should also seek to identify poor implementation as well as disruptors.
Identification of these can be through organic, informal channels as well as more formal ones. Informal channels include observing participation in meetings, the ability to engage in detailed discussions about student performance and even classroom visits. More formal channels include reviewing teaching portfolios and frequent performance reviews.
More broadly, to integrate continuous improvements into their assessment practices, schools can consider the following steps:
Ongoing evaluation of current practices: the first step is to evaluate current assessment practices and identify areas that need improvement. This can be done using the formal and informal approaches mentioned above.
Set goals: based on the evaluation, schools can set specific goals for improvement. Goals should be measurable and achievable and should align with the school's overall mission and vision.
Provide professional learning: teachers and administrators may need training on new assessment practices and tools. Providing ongoing professional learning opportunities can help educators stay up-to-date and improve their skills.
Collaborate with stakeholders: schools can collaborate with students, parents, and other stakeholders to identify areas for improvement and gather feedback on new assessment practices.
Implement new practices: schools can implement new assessment practices in a phased approach, starting with a small group of teachers or classes and gradually expanding as needed.
Monitor progress: schools should monitor progress towards their goals and make adjustments as necessary. Regular data analysis and feedback from stakeholders can help identify areas that need further improvement.
Celebrate successes: finally, schools should celebrate successes and recognize individuals and teams for their contributions to improving assessment practices. This can help build momentum and encourage continued improvement efforts.
By integrating continuous improvements into their assessment practices, schools can ensure that their assessment practices are effective, relevant and aligned with the needs of their students and stakeholders.
(5) Willis, Jill, Deluca, Christopher, Harrison, Christine, & Cowie, Bronwen (2022) Four assessment capabilities: What they are and why our children would want their teachers to have them. Michigan Assessment Consortium
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