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The Le@rning Federation

Assessment objects

Digital assessment objects (AOs) are now available as part of the digital curriculum content that the Le@rning Federation (TLF) has been developing since 2001. With a similar design to interactive learning objects, the AOs are:

engaging for students
effective in achieving their design purposes and efficient for teachers to use
educationally and pedagogically sound and consistent with the learning outcomes they address.

AOs provide assessment information that enhances and support students’ learning in three focus areas: Mathematics/Numeracy, English/Literacy and Science.

AOs have a feature or function not easily provided by paper-and-pencil assessment items. For example, students interact with a simulation to predict an outcome of an onscreen action; the responses for some item types are automatically marked; and some AOs are adaptive. Adaptive AOs contain item sets across a range of difficulty levels, with the number of correct student responses dynamically influencing the next set of items provided.

Formative assessment

The overall purpose of AOs is to help both teachers and students determine levels of student understanding. Importantly, they also have a formative assessment focus, guiding the teacher and the learner to areas for further learning. Each AO contains assessment questions embedded with the task. Typically, students engage with an interactive stimulus and answer associated questions by responding in a variety of ways. The student’s responses to questions are captured and incorporated in a report generated at the end of the task. The information contained in the report is intended for use within the classroom setting either as a diagnostic or a formative assessment tool during the course of learning. The report provides opportunities for students and teachers to reflect on learning and consider the next appropriate step in the student’s learning progress. Some misconceptions held by the student might also be revealed.

Here are some AOs in the three focus areas: Mathematics/numeracy, Science and English/literacy.

Mathematics/numeracy

Triathlon: assessment L8274

Triathlon: assessment uses distance–time graphs to represent the performance of an athlete in the three disciplines of the triathlon event: swimming, cycling and running. Teachers can print a report for each student that includes a section in which both the student and the teacher can comment on the student’s learning progress.

Spinners: assessment L8277 (Years 3–6)

Spinners: assessment focuses on conceptual understanding. Students create spinners to match specified data outcomes. In some cases, students have to create two different spinners capable of spinning the same outcome.

Science

Fair test: use a fair test: assessment L9260 (Years 7–8)

Fair test: use a fair test: assessment asks students to set up a fair scientific test investigating the effects of light on the growth of tomatoes. Students are required to analyse their results and decide the best answer to a customer’s question about how much light is needed to grow tomatoes successfully.

Types of matter: using particle model: assessment L8486

Designed for senior science students, Types of matter: using particle model: assessment tests understandings of the particle nature of matter. Students interpret particle arrangements to classify various types of matter as solid, liquid, gas, pure substance, mixture, element or compound. Students look at the characteristics of a substance to identify any changes to its physical state.

English/literacy

Lights, camera, action: assessment L8471

Teachers can use Lights, camera, action: assessment to test students’ understanding of how camera shots can be used to tell a story in films. They select which shots would work best and give reasons for their choices. Once completed, students can view their film and print out an assessment report for the teacher to assess.

Super stories: the Principal’s office: assessment L8469 (Years 5–7)

Super stories assesses students’ choices of verbs, adverbs and images to tell a story.

Participate in evaluating assessment objects

To register your interest to participate in ongoing in-school evaluation trials for AOs such as the ones described above, visit: http://www.thelearningfederation.edu.au/for_teachers/teachers_wanted/teachers_wanted.html

Access TLF digital curriculum content

Information on how you can access TLF’s range of digital curriculum content is available at: http://www.thelearningfederation.edu.au/for_teachers/access_information/access_information.html

For any TLF-specific enquiries, email info@thelearningfederation.edu.au

Rohini Mehta
Communications Officer
The Le@rning Federation
http://www.thelearningfederation.edu.au/default.asp