PYP Column

Assessment

by Ibu Ratna Putri

Time flies. It is the end of the school year (again!). The end of the academic year is always identical to assessing students' learning and reporting to parents. Assessment is, in fact, far beyond those two activities. This edition of the PYP Column will see what assessment means in SPH.

What is assessment?

The IB defines assessment as an ongoing process of gathering, analyzing, reflecting, and acting on evidence of student learning to inform teaching. Notice here the two keywords: learning and teaching. The first word, "learning", means that assessment focuses on the students. The students' learning outcomes (results of learning) and the learning process (how to reach the results) are assessed.

When to assess?

The definition of assessment includes the word "ongoing process". It implies that assessment does not happen in the summative weeks towards the end of the unit, the end of the school term, or the end of the academic year only. Instead, assessment happens all the time. It is an ongoing process. As a matter of fact, assessment is interwoven into the learning and teaching process. The word “teaching” clarifies further that the assessment results inform teachers to modify their teaching. Students' assessment results tell teachers if the students have grasped, are grasping, or have not grasped the concepts being taught. Students' work, answers, questions, and body language form the data for teachers to analyze and judge. The data helps teachers make an informed judgment if the class should continue with the next learning step or if teachers must reteach the topic using a different approach.

Who is involved in the assessment?

Assessment is "transparent". Learning goals and success criteria are co-constructed between teachers and students and clearly communicated. Hence, students know what the teachers expect to see in their work. Assessment should not be a "Surprise! You've nailed it!" or the opposite, "Surprise! You've failed the test!" Assessment involves teachers and students collaborating to monitor, document, measure, report, and adjust learning. In traditional schools, assessment time means a busy time for teachers since they have to do all four aspects of assessment: monitor, document, measure, report, and adjust learning. In the SPH classrooms, students are actively engaged in assessing and reflecting on their learning. Assessment capable students self-assess and reflect on their learning, evaluate their peers' learning, and offer feedback to their peers. Students act on feedback to feed forward to the next steps in learning.

So what?

Assessment design is both backward and forward-looking. Through assessment, students will learn what they did well and have not achieved. Assessment results inform students of the areas for improvement. Likewise, through assessment, teachers will know what to do regarding the learning and teaching in the classroom, which students will need help, and in which area of learning. To conclude, assessment involves both teacher and students. It is not merely to gather evidence of student learning. It is an ongoing process of gathering, analyzing, reflecting, and acting on evidence of student learning to inform teaching. Assessment is backward-looking, telling how successful the learning and teaching are. Yet, most importantly, assessment is forward-looking; it tells teachers and students what to do next to improve.