CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT (15 CPTD POINTS BY SACE)

Classroom Lecture

The Course is divided into four modules and is delivered in five 1- day workshops:

  1. Introduction to Classroom Assessment
  2. Understand, Apply Blooms Taxonomy in Teaching, Testing and developing higher order thinking skills in the Classroom.
  3. Lesson Planning
  4. Test Analysis and Evaluation
  1.  CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT (ENDORSED BY SACE AND CARRIES 15 CPTD POINTS)

The purpose of this course is to help teachers to improve their assessment teaching practice both mediation of the curriculum as well as assessment in the classroom, by being able to:

  • Understand and use Blooms Taxonomy to improve their teaching and to set assessment/tests across all the various cognitive levels. This will include development of Multiple-Choice tests and the incorporation of higher order cognitive skills in both teaching and assessments.
  • Develop good and effective Lesson Plans based on the relevant Learning Outcomes expected from their learners.
  • Evaluate Assessment Results.
  • Interpret Test scores.
  • Analyse Tests.
  • Use Descriptive statistics to analyse and understand test scores in order to set good and reliable assessments e.g., analysing SBA component marks.
  • Use technology, in this case Excel, to do the necessary calculations and analysis.
  • Provide constructive feedback to learners based on their analysis and evaluations.
  • The main aim of the course is to develop and stimulate higher order thinking in the classroom
  1. What inspired the development of the course?

Having done Statistical Analysis of NSC examination results at Umalusi and then again as a consultant to the DBE and DHET, I found that the School Based Assessment (SBA) marks of learners were not a good indicator of learner performance in the end of the year examinations. I also presented a paper entitled “Classroom Assessment in South Africa: Where to from here” at the 36th IAEA Conference in 2010 held in Bangkok. The paper shows the stark difference between the SBA marks conducted by schools and the final examination marks.  SBA marks were generally inflated. I was further inspired by looking at the way my granddaughter was learning.  When I was at university, I was taught about Blooms Taxonomy but never on how to use it effectively in the classroom.  Whilst at Umalusi I also found that the standards that are in the minds of examiners and moderators were not really the same as that of teachers in the classroom. In this course Blooms Taxonomy is simplified and easily understandable by teachers and parents alike and teachers can have a good understanding of standards that they need to aspire to in the classroom.

The latest Timms report (2019 grade 5 and grade 9) shows how far away we are from the rest of the world in terms of the development of higher order thinking skills in our schools. This is just another indicator that higher order thinking skills are not stimulated/taught at school.  Professor Anil Kanjee and Jane Mthembu found in their exploratory study on Assessment literacy of foundation phase teachers, found that teachers demonstrated low levels of assessment literacy.

There is no real focus on the principles of good assessment teaching practices.  When you ask teachers what the principles are, they are not able to respond to the question.  Their responses are mainly focused on instruction than on assessment.

What problem will the course solve in Schools?

  1. Teachers will understand an apply the principles of good assessment teaching practices.
  2. Teachers Assessment literacy will improve leading to improved teaching practice.
  3. Teachers will be able to stimulate higher order thinking skills in the classroom through the use of Blooms taxonomy.
  4. Teachers will also be able to evaluate and analyse their tests and know whether they are setting good questions.  They will also be able to provide factual and constructive feedback to the learners, parents, and the school on the performance of the learners.
  5. Learners will leave school having developed higher order thinking skills/problem solving skills and be able to engage more effectively in self learning/continuous education.

What is unique about the course?

This course is unique as it covers both teaching practices as well as Assessment Practices. On completion teachers/participants will be assessment and data literate.

COURSE FEES:

​CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT:         R3 000.00 PER STUDENT

​DURATION:                                      20 HOURS BUT THIS CAN BE SPLIT UP TO SUIT THE AVAILABILITY OF TEACHERS.   IDEALLY 4 HOURS PER SATURDAY OR ALTERNATE SATURDAYS or OVER 5 DAYS