Teachers and Educators’ Role in Assessment for Continuity of Learning – Step 3

Date 26/09/2022 | By Our Place

Teachers and Educators’ Role in Assessment for Continuity of Learning – Step 3

Developing shared learning pathways is an important step that early years educators and school teachers can take when creating a comprehensive and aligned assessment system to ensure continuity of learning.

STEP 3: DEVELOPING SHARED LEARNING PATHWAYS

The theory

Children’s learning can be assessed against specific measures of identified learning outcomes. A critical step towards this is the development of shared goals regarding knowledge, skills, values, attitudes and learning environments (Shuey et al., 2019). Assessment then allows teachers and educators to work from where a child is towards achieving those outcomes, linked to learning outcomes for each domain (Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2015).

In practice

Shared learning pathways can be jointly determined by educators and teachers. This begins with broad learning areas that are processes of thinking and well-being that are ongoing and evolving (e.g. language/communication, STEM, social-emotional learning, creative expression and well-being and belonging). Learning pathways within each area also include agreed up on specific learning outcomes and assessment involves collecting evidence of learning defined by the learning pathways.

Example activity: Shared learning pathways

Common foundations can be constructed through dialogue and relationship building (Dockett and Perry, 2014). Dialogue requires creating the space to engage in reflection, analysis and critique, developing joint understandings, and sharing expertise and alternative perspectives. Dialogue should include open and honest discussion about blocks to thinking and working in a more aligned way is needed. To promote such a discussion, the following exercise may prove useful.

Further learning

To learn more about the steps early years educators and school teachers can take to create a comprehensive and aligned assessment system, download our free publication Towards Continuity of Learning: Rethinking Assessment HERE