Task 4:

Isabella Crane
17643984
Assessment Identity:
There are many contributing factors that underpin my teaching
identity, relationship and goals towards assessment. When the
question is posed, what is my teaching identity my first thought is
how I want to cater and create a learning environment where all
students try their best and apply themselves. The second thought is
what learning theories do I align my identity against and what
teaching and learning strategies will be implemented in my
classroom to develop the relationship and goals towards
assessment. I am inclined towards Lev Vygotskys constructivist
theory of learning (Allen & Readman, 2013) Vygotsky believed that
learning occurs in specific cultural contexts and involves social
interaction and activities. I believe students learn best by a range of
independent and collaborative activities. Variety is the key to
stimulation and engagement within a classroom. Students learn by
creating pathways to seek out information to answer a particular
enquiry. It is essential as a teacher that I can apply this
constructivist theory within my classroom and ensure that all
students have the opportunity to learn from their assessments,
assessment results and feedback.
There are many tools such as the Australian Curriculum that can
assist and guide teachers on how to assess students, however it is
the teacher who makes the students experiences of assessment
worthwhile. Connecting the relationship between learning and
assessment is simple when you have a clear outline on what you
want each student to achieve. Setting goals and outcomes for
students allows teachers to view where their students should be at
the end of the learning. The Australian Curriculum identifies clear
learning outcomes and general capabilities that students must
achieve in each year level. This assists teachers with the
construction of what they need to teach and assess.
In order to create a healthy attitude towards assessment, Allen and
Readman (2013) suggest that a large focus on enhancement of my
assessment literacy will benefit my views towards assessment.
Assessment literacy is an important component of teacher
education (Readman & Allen, 2013). It is designed to assist teachers
to fulfil their roles as advocates for learning. Teachers have a
responsibility to make sure their students are assessment literate
and are well informed of assessment approaches. This aligns with
my assessment identity, as I believe it is essential for teachers to
use clear, rich and specific communication when assessing student
learning. Assessment literacy and student attitude towards

assessment go hand in hand. If students understand assessment

literacy and the purpose of why they are being assessed, they will
develop a healthy attitude towards assessment in the classroom.

Relationship of assessment to teaching and learning:

It is crucial that educators understand the relationship of
assessment to teaching and learning and how they connect. The
attitude a teacher has towards the role of assessment in the
classroom will have a strong impact on how equitably and
successfully assessment is delivered, received and interpreted by all
parties involved (Allen & Readman, 2013). The relationship of
assessment to teaching and learning is built on how you plan, teach,
assess and provide feedback in your classroom. Supporting the
implementation of the most appropriate learning opportunities for
students is vital when planning for assessment (Griffin, 2007).
Determining wether the assessment is for learning, as learning or of
learning is the first step to planning. There are many theories and
templates that provide a guideline for teachers to assist with
planning assessments and units of work. My assessment teaching
identity follows the understanding by design (UBD) model for
planning and assessment practice. Understanding by Design (UbD)
is an approach created by Wiggins and Mctighe and is based on the
view that learning is constructive. Students build their own
knowledge and understandings towards clear end goals and
outcomes and demonstrate their learning by applying their
knowledge, understandings and skills they have acquired. UbD
planning is best done backwards and there are three stages of
planning that underpin this approach to assessment. This approach
allows educators to plan and create the big idea for the intended
learning topic and develop a rich assessment task for students to
demonstrate their knowledge obtained over the unit of work.
Providing feedback is an important factor that ties in with
assessment tasks. It is equally as vital in schooling and performs a
variety of functions to improve and benefit student performance.
Feedback provides teachers and students with information about
past and current learning experiences and should inform future
teaching and learning opportunities. Constructive feedback can be
used throughout the learning period to ensure students are on the
right learning path, and at the end of the unit of work to allow
students to connect with their learning and any goals they need to
work towards.
By using the relationship of assessment to teaching and learning
through the use of planning, teaching, assessing and providing
feedback students will create pathways to seek out information and
demonstrate a solid understanding to a particular inquiry. It is

essential as a teacher that I can identify and understand how

students learn to ensure I can connect the relationship of student
learning to assessments within the classroom.
Principles and Values:
There are many key principles and values that I follow in my
development as a teacher. These principles and values underline
what is important to me as a teacher and for my students in the
classroom. Taking a principled approach to assessment gives the
educator a framework for decision making within the classroom.
The School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCASA) of Western
Australia outlines the assessment principles for teachers to use as a
guideline for further support and reflection of assessment practices
(School Curriculum and Standards Authority, 2014). A key principle
that I value greatly is: assessments should be fair. Teachers need to
take account of the diverse needs for all students when planning for
assessments. Educators must strive to understand and address the
personal impact of assessment practices on individual students
(Readman & Allen, 2013). When assessing students, equality and
validity are important factors to consider. Teachers must monitor
how accurately they measure and assess students work. This
relates to the code of ethics, ensuring all students are treated fairly.
All students needs must be catered for to create equality, fairness
and differentiation. The purpose of assessment is to provide a
reliable indication of students knowledge and it is essential the
assessments are created fairly. Teachers should constantly check
that what they are assessing is worthwhile and relates to student
learning.
Another key principle that I value is: Assessment should be an
integral part of teaching and learning. Assessments should rise
naturally out of the teaching and learning intended by the
curriculum (School Curriculum and Standards Authority, 2014).
Assessing student learning should help teachers understand the
progress their students have made with their learning and what they
need to learn next to expand their knowledge. A large focus on
assessment in the classroom is on summative assessment. A
summative assessment is usually conducted at the end of a unit of
work to evaluate student learning. I believe there needs to be a
healthy balance between formative and summative assessment
within the classroom. Students should be assessed frequently to
ensure they are on the right pathway to their intended learning
outcomes (Black & William, 1998). Summarising a lesson by asking
key questions on what the students learnt is a simple way to assess
what the students have gained so far and what they need more
work on. Student self-reflection or evaluation on a lesson or
assessment piece is another important component to assessment.
Students should be provided wit the opportunity to reflect on their

work within the classroom to address what they enjoyed learning

about, want to learn more about and areas they believe require
more time and focus for learning.
What goals am I trying to achieve? What principles will
assist to achieve these goals?:
As a teacher it is important to have goals to assist with assessment
and evaluation within the classroom. These goals allow teachers to
stay focused and to have a clear outline of what they want to have
achieved. An important goal that assists with my approach to
assessment is providing constructive feedback. Assessment for
learning requires feedback and feed forward for students to ensure
they receive developmental comments to benefit further learning.
This goal can be achieved by developing a plan for my professional
improvement that focuses on designing feedback cycles that involve
students from the beginning of the learning process. This allows
students to receive constructive feedback along their entire journey
of their learning, not just at the end of the learning. Constructive,
timely and meaningful feedback encourages students to think
critically about their work and reflect on what they need to improve.
Providing constructive feedback to students relates to the AITSL
standard 5.2 providing feedback of student learning. This standard
states that graduate teachers need to demonstrate an
understanding of providing timely and appropriate feedback to their
students (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership,
2014). I will ensure all of my students receive extensive feedback
throughout their entire learning stages within the classroom by
following this standard.
Interpreting student data is another important goal that relates to
my approach to assessment. Being able to analyse student data and
summarise student learning is an essential part of assessment, as
teachers need to breakdown what students know and identify areas
that need improve. AITSL standard 5.4 interpreting data states that
graduate teachers should demonstrate the capacity to interpret
students assessments to evaluate and modify learning (Australian
Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2014). In order to
achieve this goal I must extensively analyse students answers in
assessment and the reason behind their choices. Constant
questioning within the classroom environment also allows the
teacher to gain an insight to prior knowledge and what students
need to learn. This goal relates to providing constructive feedback
as after you have determined and analyzed the data, you can
provide constructive feedback to the students on what you have
discovered.
Ethical decisions and implications: (to general be more

specific) (equity, fairness)

Professional ethics articulate teacher obligations to the school
community and have a moral responsibility to represent their
profession. The code of ethics and conduct outlines the shared
values and aims to provide guidance around recognized issues
within the school environment. The AITSL standard 7.1 suggests
that graduate teachers understand and apply key principles
described in the code of ethics and conduct for the teaching
profession (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership,
2014). There are many recognized ethical dilemmas and
implications that can emerge in teaching (Forster, 2012). Many of
these are centred on relational issues with limits to student-teacher
relationships and intimacy, balancing concern for the individual with
group needs, school policy and the ethics of pedagogy (Forster,
2012). As previously discussed, fairness and equity
These ethical codes create different expectations for teachers to
model in their profession. Teachers are expected to be moral
exemplars engaged in the improvement of society and their
students within their school community. Thus, the code of ethics is
crucial to the teaching profession and all teachers must align with
these ethical decisions. As a teacher I will strive to follow the
requirements of the AITSL standard 7.1 to ensure I apply the key
principles towards the code of ethics.
Overall my personal teacher identify is rapidly evolving and there
are many key factors, learning strategies and theorist I value and
align to my assessment identify. My aim is to create a positive
classroom environment that students feel excited and comfortable
to learn in. Keeping the classroom environment bright and colourful
with items that represent the students as individual and as a whole
community allows the students to unite and connect with one
another. By incorporating a healthy attitude to teaching and
assessment within the classroom, students will be engaged learners
as part of an authentic learning community.