Module 1: Introducing Competences for 21st Century Schools
Module 2: Teaching Key Competences through Project Based Learning
Module 3: Assessing Key Competences
Welcome to Module 3
Learning Objectives:
1. Be familiar with the three major approaches to student assessment (summative, formative and self-assessment) and understand that all types of assessment of key competences need to be valid, reliable and fair;
2. Understand that the assessment of key competences needs to measure students’ reasoning processes, understanding of interconnections, and problem-solving skills;
3. Be familiar with a range of innovative tools and approaches, both ‘low-tech’ and ‘high-tech’, which are effective at measuring students’ reasoning processes and ability to solve complex problems;
4. Understand the importance of classroom-based formative assessments for assessing key competences;
5. Be familiar with the evidence required for assessing collaborative problem solving, and how teachers can use rubrics and developmental progressions to interpret their observations of learners’ skills and behaviour.
3.1 Introduction
Introduction to Module 3
This video outlines: a) the learning objectives of this module; b) the 6 steps you will need to take in order to fully benefit from the content and activities proposed; and c) the assessment process enabling you to earn an e-badge which goes towards obtaining your final certificate at the end of the course. Remember, you need to watch this video before being able to access the full content of this module.
In case you have difficulty in understanding the speaker, you can download the transcript just below the video.
Download document: Module 3 Introduction Video.pdf3.2 Pre-quiz
For each of the statements below, please indicate whether the statement is true or false.
3.3.1 The Key Principles of Assessing Key Competences
Video Talk 1: The Key Principles of Assessing Key Competences
This video explains the three major approaches to assessment, including summative, formative and self-assessments. Effective assessments of key competences need to be valid, reliable and fair, and capture students’ reasoning processes and problem-solving skills.
In case you have difficulty in understanding the speaker, you can download the transcript just below the video.
3.3.2 Good Practice in Assessing Key Competences
Video Talk 2: Good Practice in Assessing Key Competences
This video outlines good practice in assessing key competences, by explaining what should be measured and which tools are most effective, depending on the purpose of the assessment and the competences being assessed. The use of innovative tools such as portfolios and e-assessments are discussed, and the importance of classroom-based formative assessment is highlighted.
In case you have difficulty in understanding the speaker, you can download the transcript just below the video.
3.3.3 Assessing Collaborative Problem Solving
Video Talk 3: Assessing Collaborative Problem Solving
In this interview, Professor Patrick Griffin, of the University of Melbourne, describes the social and cognitive skills teachers need to observe in their students whilst they carry out collaborative problem solving tasks. He explains how teachers can use tools such as rubrics or developmental progressions as a way of tracking their students progress in these skills over time, and to help identify where students need instruction, support and guidance in order to reach the next level of competence in a particular skill.
Because this video is an unscripted interview, there is no precise transcript available. However, Professor Patrick Griffin has drafted a dedicated paper to accompany this video, which includes examples of the rubrics and developmental progressions he talks about. You can download the paper below the video.
3.3.4 The Irish Experience of Assessing Mathematics Using a Competence-Based Approach
Video Talk 4: The Irish Experience of Assessing Mathematics Using a Competence-Based Approach
This video concludes the course’s Irish case study, by explaining the assessment approach taken in Project Maths. The video outlines the changes made to Mathematics assessment so that it would support the development of key competences in the classroom. Finally, the speaker explains the challenges and successes which arose along the way.
In case you have difficulty in understanding the speaker, you can download the transcript just below the video.
3.4 Learning Activity
Module 3 Learning Activity:
Self-Assessment & Practical Exercise in Assessing Collaborative Problem Solving!
DESCRIPTION: This Learning Activity requires you to reflect on how aligned your current assessment methods are with the key competence approach, as well as take part in a practical exercise giving you the opportunity to set up a collaborative problem solving task with your students and to assess their cognitive and social skills.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this learning activity is for you to better understand to what extent your assessment of your students’ learning already involves a key competence approach, and in which areas you would like to make progress. Remember to take the time to reflect properly and to be honest with yourself. Assessing your starting point truthfully will help you make progress and enable you to improve your practice.
This Learning Activity is composed of 2 parts; Part A: Self-Assessment & Practical Exercise in Assessing Collaborative Problem Solving and Part B: Peer Review.
Part A includes 2 options this week. Option 1 is a self-assessment exercise, requiring you to reflect on how aligned your current assessment methods are with the competence-based approach. Option 2 is a practical exercise giving you the opportunity to set up a collaborative problem solving task with your students and to assess their cognitive and social skills. You only need to do option 1 or option 2 to successfully complete the Learning Activity. However, if you have time we encourage you to do both to maximize your benefit from this module.
To complete the Learning Activity please follow these 3 steps:
1. Part A: Self-Assessment & Practical Exercise in Assessing Collaborative Problem Solving - Submit your Learning Activity below by clicking the "Browse" button, selecting your Learning Activity and then clicking the "Hand in task" button. Unfortunately, the system requires you to write some text into the text box (where it says, "Write your comments here"), so just write something like "Learning Activity attached" before clicking the "Hand in task" button. PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK THAT YOU HAVE SELECTED THE CORRECT FILE as once you have "handed-in" your Learning Activity there is no way to change it anymore. The deadline to complete the Learning Activity is Friday 5 December, 17.00 CET.
2. Part B: Peer review - Once you have submitted your Learning Activity, you will have to wait a while before the system allocates you 1 Learning Activity from a peer. You will be notified by the system via email once you have been allocated 1 Learning Activity to review. The recommended deadline to complete the peer review is Sunday 7 December, 17.00 CET. However, should you need to complete it at a later stage, this will be possible until 12 December. To do this, click on the "Review your colleagues" button below. You will then be able to access the Learning Activity of your peer. Once you have completed the peer review please submit it by clicking on the "Review your colleagues" button.
3. Receiving feedback from your peers: Once you have submitted your peer review and your own Learning Activity has been reviewed by another participant, you will be notified by the system via email that you can now access the review of your Learning Activity. You can access this feedback by clicking on the "Reviews received" button below.
Download the Learning Activity 3 template here, available in:
3.5 Module 3 Library
MODULE 3: Assessing key competences
Assessing Key Competences:
European Schoolnet, (2014). Teacher Guide: Assessment of Key Competences in School Education, European Schoolnet, Brussels.
Griffin, P. (2014). Assessing Collaborative Problem Solving, Assessment Reasearch Centre, Melbourne Graduate School of Education.
Lai, E.R. & Viering, M. (2012). Assessing 21st Century Skills: Integrating Research Findings. National Council on Measurement in Education, Vancouver, B.C.
Baker, E. (2003), “Multiple Measures: Toward Tiered Systems”, University of California, National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST), Los Angeles.
Looney, J. (2009). “Assessment and Innovation in Education.”, OECD Education Working Papers No. 24, OECD Publishing, Paris.
Looney, J. 'Integrating Formative and Summative Assessment: Progress toward a Seamless System?" , OECD Education Working Papers No. 58, OECD Publishing, Paris.
Black, P. and D. Wiliam (1998). “Assessment and Classroom Learning.”, Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy and Practice, CARFAX, Oxfordshire, Vol. 5, pp. 7-74.
Wiliam, D. (2006). “Formative Assessment: Getting the Focus Right.”, Educational Assessment, Vol. 11, pp. 283-289.
OECD (2005). Formative Assessment: Improving Learning in Secondary Classrooms, OECD, Paris.
Williams, J. and J. Ryan (2000). “National Testing and the Improvement of Classroom Teaching: Can they Coexist?.”, British Educational Research Journal, Vol. 26, pp. 49-73.
Black, P. and D. Wiliam (1998). “Assessment and Classroom Learning’’, Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy and Practice, CARFAX, Oxfordshire, Vol. 5, pp. 7-74.
The Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills Project:
Griffin, P., Care, E., & McGaw, B. (2012). The changing role of education and schools. In Griffin, P., Care, E., & McGaw, B. Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills, Dordrecht, Springer.
Csapo, B., Ainley, J., Bennett, R., Latour, T., Law, N. (2012). Technological Issues for computer-based assessment. In P.Griffin, E.Care & McGaw, B. Assessment and Teaching for 21st Century Skills. Dordrecht, Springer.
ATC21S professional development module: Using a developmental model to assess student learning:http://atc21s.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/PD_Module-1_for-web-2014.pdf
ATC21S professional development module: Defining and assessing 21st century skills:http://atc21s.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/PD_Module-2_for-web.pdf
ATC21S professional development module: ATC21S Collaborative Problem Solving Assessments :https://d396qusza40orc.cloudfront.net/atc21s/Resources/PD_Module%203_NonAdmin.pdf
ATC21S professional development module: Interpreting reports :https://d396qusza40orc.cloudfront.net/atc21s/Resources/PD_Module%204_for%20web.pdf
Griffin, P., McGaw, B. & Care, E., (Eds.) (2014), Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills: Volume 2, Dordrecht: Springer
Griffin, P., McGaw, B. & Care, E., (Eds.) (2012), Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills: Volume 1, Dordrecht: Springer
Competence-based assessment of Mathematics in Ireland
Information on Project Maths – www.ncca.ie/projectmaths
State Examinations Commission. (2005) Chief Examiner’s Report Mathematics. Athlone: SEC. available at https://www.examinations.ie/archive/examiners_reports/cer_2005/LCMathematics.pdf
NFER (2013) Research into the impact of Project Maths on student achievement, learning and motivation. Available at http://ncca.ie/en/Conference/Impact-of-Project-Maths-Final.pdf
NCCA (2005) Review of Mathematics in Post-Primary Education: a discussion paper. Dublin: NCCA. Available at http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/MathsReview/MathsDiscusPaperEng.pdf
Conway, P. and Sloane, F. (2005) International trends in post-primary mathematics education. Dublin: NCCA. Available at http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/Publications/MathsResearch.pdf
3.6 Post-quiz
For each of the statements below, please indicate whether the statement is true or false.
To pass this test, you must correctly answer at least 70% of the questions.