Assessment Learning Improvement: Educational Initiatives (EI)

Assessment
for
Learning Improvement
Baiju Pillai
Head – National Manager
Educational Initiatives (EI)
baiju@ei-india.com
Pavan Pandey Suyash Shukla

pavan.pandey@ei-india.com suyash.shukla@ei-india.com
Agenda
What is Assessment for Learning ?
Why is it needed ?
How can EI contribute ?
Best Practices
The Vision Forward

Assessment for Learning (AFL)
What is AFL ?
Students know at the outset of a unit what they are expected to learn.
Teachers work with students to understand what students already knows about
the topic thus identifying gaps or misconceptions.
As the unit progresses, teacher and students work together
to assess the student’s knowledge,
what s/he needs to learn to improve and extend this knowledge,
how the student can best get to expected point.
Assessment for learning occurs at all stages of the learning process.
Purpose of AFL
to provide feedback to both the teacher and learner regarding the learners
progress towards achieving the learning objective(s).
the feedback should be used by the teacher to revise and develop further
instructions.
Assessment for Learning (AFL)
The 5 principles of ‘Assessment for Learning’…
(according to The UK Assessment Reform Group 1999)
1.The provision of effective feedback to students.
2.The active involvement of students in their own learning.
3.Adjusting teaching to take account of the results of assessment.
4.Recognition of the profound influence assessment has on the motivation and

self-esteem of pupils, both of which are critical influences on learning.
5.The need for students to be able to assess themselves and understand how to
improve.
Challenging perception about learning in top Indian
Schools – Nov 2006
International Benchmarking
Students from the top schools of our system are

performing below average international levels.
Students of class 4 are performing consistently below

their foreign counterparts in Maths and Science.
About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

Learning by Rote (a true story)
The class 5 going daughter of a scientist told him that she

had learnt in her geography class that the ‘difference
between the equatorial and polar circumference of the earth
is 72 km.’ Impressed he asked her what she understood by
‘equatorial circumference’. She was not sure. By ‘polar
circumference’? She had no idea. ‘Circumference’? “I don’t
know”, she said.
“What do you know then?”, he asked, a
little desperate. “I know that the difference
between the equatorial and polar
circumference of the earth is 72 km - that
is all they are going to ask in the exam”,
came the prompt reply.

‘Learning with/without Understanding’?
Video..
In many ways..
GOOD EDUCATION = LEARNING WITH UNDERSTANDING

What is ‘Learning with Understanding’ ?
‘Ability to apply’ what is learnt in a different situation in
real-life context
‘Ability to solve’ real-life problems,
‘Ability to restate learning’ in own words.
‘Ability to integrate’ learning from different
sources/subjects as needed.
‘Ability to answer’ questions phrased in a slightly different
form
...and many more
To find out whether true learning is happening we need to

shift our focus from INPUTS to OUTCOMES
‘Learning with Understanding’ – Industry need
‘In future, there will be focus on hiring people with not just
knowledge but the ability to contextualize the knowledge.”
After schooling Students have to face tests that require
strong ‘critical thinking’ skill among others. Being prepared
is prudent.
Most basic concepts in

life are introduced in
school hence if concepts
are clear in a student
s/he can succeed in life.
Narayana Murthy’s quotes

So how do we know
whether our children are
‘learning with understanding’ ?
...by asking
‘critical thinking’
questions
- questions that make them ‘think'

- questions based on ‘topics’ taught in class.
- questions that are ‘designed’ to clearly pin-point whether students
have understood the ‘concepts’.
- questions developed by EI’s Team of Researchers comprising of
eminent educationists, ex-teachers,
ex-principals, etc.
EI’s Theory of Change
TRANSFORMATION
Assessment-led reform IS ACHIEVED
Assessment FOR learning

“INFESTATION”
Discussion Tipping Point
Stakeholders* start results in
Specific action Parameters
Data Starts looking at the data • Policy Change
Getting • Body of knowledge
generated • Improvement in Learning
Data-based • Wider pedagogical tools
Engagement & decision making
Holding up involvement
a mirror
Stage of greater and
Stage of trials and
Stage of discomfort Stage of discussion large scale acceptance
limited acceptance
Enabling Circumstances** (development of support series and experience)
Time ( Mindset change)
* Stakeholders : researchers, government / policy-makers, schools (principals / teachers), parents

** Simple and clear analysis – availability of “doctors” (consultants who can give remedies based on diagnosis)

EI’s Vision and Mission
Our VISION is
“a world where children everywhere are
LEARNING with UNDERSTANDING.”
Our MISSION is to develop and offer products and services

based on RESEARCH in educational assessment; offerings
that
-will clearly pinpoint what students are learning,
-give insights into the learning process and
-provide concrete ways to improve learning.

EI’s Credentials
Founded by a group of IIT(Chennai)–IIM(Ahmedabad) alumni
having 1st hand experience in starting and managing…
- Eklavya School (Ahmedabad) &
- Eklavya Institute of Teacher Education’ for 5 years.
EI team members are part of GoI & MHRD committees on assessment,
curriculum support and quality assurance…
- NCERT’s NEGAAE committee,
- Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan,
EI was invited to present paper by NCME, New York, based on study on
student learning in metros. (India Today cover)

EI’s Partners
EI’s Key Achievements
Cover Story Nov 2006 based on EI Study on
36000 children in 5 metros – paper presented
in New York
19 state study covering government. Schools –

largest Student Learning Study in India with
Google in 2009
Member of Govt. of India’s ‘National Expert

Group on Assessment in Elementary
Education’
5-year partnership with Government of Bhutan
covering assessment of teachers and students
in that country since 2008
Partnership with Municipal Corporation of

Greater Mumbai (MCGM) - School Excellence
Program - a study covering students in 24
wards of Mumbai in classes 3 and 6
Partnership with Torrent in a Learning

Improvement guarantee program for 20 schools
in Gujarat for the next 5 years
APRESt – A longitudinal study across 5 years

from 2004 in partnership with World Bank, APF,
Andhra Pradesh Government.
What we do at EI
5
Use data to create
Design questions that learning
1 test for real suggestions /
understanding based products for
on research and past students and
question data teachers
Analyze data and Provide feedback to

2 present (in different educational policy
forms) to multiple planners, curriculum and
stakeholders textbook developers
4
Do further research
with students to
3 understand
misconceptions,
etc.
Contains
“Critical Thinking”
questions
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School Improvement with ASSET
Based on the philosophy that ‘improvement is a process’ and
not an ‘event’.
ASSET is actually the first step of a continuous

improvement process that Starts with ‘low stakes’ assessment
for learning.
The goal of ASSET is to help schools improve the quality of

student learning.
ASSET does this by providing INSIGHTS to teachers about

students learning GAPS followed by multi-pronged teacher
SUPPORT.

ASSET Insights – e.g.1
Measurement – Math - Class 4
77% of the
students chose
Option C while
only 11% chose
Option B
-Based on the SLIMS
2006 study results
Common Responses:
“the pencil ends at 6 cm on the scale”
“1 to 6 on the scale is 6 cm because they can
count 6 nos.”
ASSET Insights – e.g.2
Chemistry – Science - Class 8
What is the chemical formula of pure

Less than 15%
steam?
of the students
A. H2O (sample size:
4200) gave the
B. CO2 correct answer A
C. St
D. Steam is a mixture and does not
have a chemical formula
Common Responses:
“steam is a mixture”
“we have not learned any formula of steam.”

Before the test – ASSET WEEK
Innisfree House School, Bangalore
Baldwin, Bangalore
Teaching is less about what the teacher does than about what the
teacher gets the students to do
Being part of the ASSET community is not just about
taking the test, but about celebrating learning and
nurturing talent
ASSET WEEK
ASSET WEEK is an
entire week jam-
packed with activities,
contests and prizes
leading up to the
ASSET test
DPS Bangalore , East
Performances of Understanding!
After the test
• Personalised for each child
• Addressing weak skills
• Question Based
• Skill explanations provided
Analysis, Feedback & Follow-on…
Detailed Analysis to each

student including
personalised letter.
Detailed class and subject-

wise analysis for school
Free Teacher Support

Student Circular Skill Profile

Bird’s Eye View School Performance

Sectional Analysis
Class English Maths Science Students
3-A 115.85% 117.95% 103.65% 51
3-B 107.93% 94.23% 101.56% 40
4-A 98.63% 97.14% 95.03% 45
4-B 100.91% 101.14% 92.82% 46
5-A 111.86% 106.11% 100.52% 54
5-B 97.23% 95% 93.19% 53
6-A 110.96% 110.81% 107.04% 44
6-B 100.33% 93.51% 93.47% 43
7-A 113.42% 102.62% 107.14% 47
7-B 101.68% 90.05% 99.45% 48
8-A 108.62% 103.76% 104.28% 50
8-B 105.85% 99.46% 100.53% 49
9-A 116.42% 121.55% 103.57% 45
9-B 104.4% 112.15% 93.37% 42

Year on Year Progress Analysis Report
Progress 2009-2010
2009 English Maths Science Students 2010 English Maths Science Students English Maths Science
3 86% 105% 94% 265
3 84% 102% 97% 289 4 101% 111% 104% 289 17% 9% 7%
4 94% 102% 101% 162 5 101% 110% 106% 157 7% 8% 5%
5 91% 97% 96% 168 6 94% 109% 104% 166 3% 12% 8%
6 94% 99% 96% 174 7 100% 102% 100% 172 6% 3% 4%
7 95% 99% 102% 153 8 95% 100% 99% 149 0% 1% -3%
8 99% 110% 102% 158 9 108% 117% 116% 148 9% 7% 14%
9 92% 90% 95% 90 10 107% 107% 111% 84 15% 17% 16%
10 107% 96% 99% 65 - - - - -
Key Insights:
• 2009 to 2010 progress analysis is showing good progress.
• Students have done well across classes and in all subjects as indicated on the progress chart.
• Our school took the test in 2009 in Full School mode enabling Y-o-Y progress analysis.

Top 10 Analysis report
All School benchmarking Top 10 benchmarking

Class English Maths Science Students Class English Maths Science
3 86% 105% 94% 265 3 52% 69% 69%
4 101% 111% 104% 289 4 62% 72% 75%
5 101% 109% 106% 157 5 64% 71% 79%
6 94% 109% 104% 166 6 56% 74% 74%
7 100% 102% 100% 172 7 65% 65% 73%
8 95% 100% 99% 149 8 59% 68% 68%
9 108% 117% 116% 148 9 73% 78% 87%
10 107% 107% 111% 84 10 75% 72% 86%
Notes:
100% represents performance on par with the average in that category. Larger numbers represents better performance.
Performances higher than average are shaded green and those lower than average are shaded red.
Key Insights & Questions:

• Benchmarking with all other schools indicate our school is below the Top 10
average.
•
•

Class-wise detailed feedback

Skill-wise detailed feedback

Student Misconception Videos
Student videos are interviews in which students are asked to explain
WHY they answer certain ASSET questions in particular ways
The process is eye-opening for
teachers and also demonstrates
the process of ‘listening to
students’
Can create powerful insights for

teachers. With practice, teachers
can learn the skill of ‘listening to
students’
Video

Understanding How Students Think
77% of the
students chose
Option C while
only 11% chose
Option B
-Based on the SLIMS
2006 study results
Video

Why ‘FULL SCHOOL / CLASS
participation is recommended
Patterns valid for students but not valid for school otherwise
Provides insights which can be very revealing, but only if the

‘sample’ is correct – teachers can use this data
Schools doing ASSET in India are doing it full-class / full-school
We avoid giving prizes, etc. which are immediately valued as we do

not see that as the real value-add.
We find that parents and teachers need to SEE the benefits
We can share examples of how schools have explained the power to

benefits and parents have understood the value

Post ASSET Teacher Support
Question Bank and Test Generator Teacher Sheets
National Question Making Competition

Teacher Sheet – sample
Teacher Sheets - 1

Manovikas, Goa
Performance Perspective on Understanding: Explain, muster evidence, find examples,

generalize, apply concepts, analogize, represent in a new way,…
Presidency School, Nandini Layout, Bangalore
Teach for Transfer: English Teacher “decoding” a Math Paper

Maruthi Vidyala, Bangalore
Provide for rich, ongoing assessment: Students need criteria, feedback,

and
TM
Going to the roots of the “misconception”

- don’t cut the grass – go to the roots
- Teacher Sheets
- build and execute remedial plans
Misconception-cum-Remedial Session in progress
Relationship – Enhancement Program: 2 visits per year by senior resource people

Integrating Teacher Sheets with Lesson Plans – Addressing Misconceptions
ASSET Week & Question making Competition
Activities to
encourage,
recognise and
support
teachers help
develop critical
thinking among
students
About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The

The Solution
Solution
ASSET Ambassador
• 2 ASSET Ambassadors
are selected from each
school.
• ASSET Ambassador is
an initiative aimed to
spread our vision of
‘Learning with
Understanding’
amongst students.
ASSET Ambassadors
These ASSET Ambassadors will get a platform to showcase their talent, share
innovative ideas and network with peers on a National Platform.
Discover Maths in
the unobvious!
Mathcovery is a National
Level Competition for
students to discover how
Maths is used in the most
interesting but unobvious
way around us.
top
Maths in Mona Lisa
The competition is spread over 3 levels where in the students

have to submit their unique Mathcovery idea online.
More than 10,000 entries were received for the 1st round from
across India.
Duke University Talent Identification program has partnered
with ASSET to identify students for their talent search.
For over 30 years, Duke University TIP has been identifying

and serving academically talented students in the USA.
The Talent Search has been launched in India to help educators

and families find out how advanced their student’s abilities truly
are and what level of educational challenge is appropriate.
AFL – SELECTED BEST
PRACTICES
Students write Questions
For example –
• About what they would like to know on a

new topic
• To ask the teacher or other students in
order to assess their learning
• To demonstrate their
learning/misconceptions/areas they would
like to further explore
The classroom could have a question box

where students drop questions at the
end of a lesson.
Mid-unit assessment
Having an assessment at the end of a
unit may not provide time for you to
go over areas students have
struggled with, or in which there are
general misconceptions.
Timing assessment during a unit (i.e.

lesson 5 of 7) allows time to review,
reflect and revisit.
It also gives the teacher an

opportunity to focus explicitly on
areas of weak understanding
supported by evidence.
‘Might’
When questioning, insert the word
‘might’ to give students greater
opportunity to think and explore
possible answers.
e.g.
What is meaning of democracy?
What might the meaning of

democracy be? What might the Great Depression look
like today?
The first infers a single answer known

by the teacher whereas the second is
inherently more open.
Back to AFL Tools
Making aims clear
- Put lesson objectives on the board at

the beginning of the lesson.
- Talk to students about why they are

studying what they are studying.
- Contextualise short-term aims in long-

term aims (e.g. analysing
Shakespeare will contribute to a wider
knowledge of the cultural canon and
stronger analytical skills among other
long term aims)
- Check with students that they are clear

about the aims of the
lesson/unit/subject
- Produce aims in conjunction with

students
‘Incorrect’ Discussion
Use incorrect answers as a

discussion point.
I’m glad that’s
Rather then dismissing something the wrong
because it is wrong, or saying ‘that’s answer… let’s
interesting’ etc. Use the discuss it
misconception in reasoning to draw
the process out into the open.
This leads to improving on

misconceived reasoning and an
atmosphere in which it is OK to be
Wrong.
Back to AFL Tools
Devising Questions
Devise questions that –
• Challenge common
misconceptions
• Create conflict that requires
discussion
• Explore ambiguity and
encourage discussion and
clarification
Invert the Question
Instead of asking a question that

requires factual recall, invert it to
request explicit reasoning.
e.g.
‘Is France a democracy?’
becomes
‘What does it mean for a country to

be a democracy?’
ASSET Testimonials
VIDEO – Komal Sood

FUTURE OF LEARNING
Detailed Assessment
- Personalized testing (from curriculum, textbook)

- Personalized testing
- Instantaneous
- Instantaneous
Feedback
Feedback
(reports, analysis within 48
hours)
- Remediation Support
- Ensures Standardization and Consistency
- Remediation Support (reports connect teacher sheets, post
DA sessions)
- Ensures Standardization and Consistency

This program reduces the stress on teachers by preparing the
assessment papers according to the curriculum taught in the class
and provides a feedback within 48 hours of the assessment.
School Level – the principal receives a platform to design potential improvement plans.
Classroom Level – teachers receives extensive reports for instant and efficient enhancement
of student performance.
Student Level – personalized reports provide students with a direction for actionable
advancement in their performance.
The programme allows each student to learn with understanding at his/her own pace.

Teaching & Student Learning in 2020
A report presented to the British Secretary of State on the Vision for

Teaching and Learning in 2020

What will Learning look like in 2020
Emphasis on Personalised
Learning
Emphasis on assessment for

learning
These closely match with the

ASSET-Mindspark approach
and philosophy

Mindspark
In future Learning will be Computer based
Self Learning and Personalized learning
Adaptive Logic
Mindspark Program created by EI is an attempt to bring in

the future into learning.
through TABLET PCs in classrooms.
text books in the Tablets.
learning programs will use adaptive logic
How does Mindspark Work ?
Adaptive Logic
Step
42
1 + 36
12 21
+51 +75
Adaptive Logic
Step
2 5
+2
2 1
16 90
+37 -14
1 2 1 2
Adaptive Logic
Step
3
3 2 1
56 24
+41 X 12
1 2 3 1 2 3
EI’s work in school domain
Students
“Learning with
Understanding”
Adaptive
Detailed
Diagnostic Student Individualised,
Assessment
Student Learning self-paced
Year-round
Assessment Student Learning
Program
Education-based Technology Support
Research/Data on Student Learning of Various Concepts

Thank you.
FEEDBACK

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Assessment

Pavan Pandey Suyash Shukla

How can EI contribute ?

The Vision Forward

1.The provision of effective feedback to students.

2.The active involvement of students in their own learning.

3.Adjusting teaching to take account of the results of assessment.

4.Recognition of the profound influence assessment has on the motivation and

Students from the top schools of our system are

Students of class 4 are performing consistently below

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

The class 5 going daughter of a scientist told him that she

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

To find out whether true learning is happening we need to

Most basic concepts in

Narayana Murthy’s quotes

- questions that make them ‘think'

Assessment FOR learning

Enabling Circumstances** (development of support series and experience)

Time ( Mindset change)

* Stakeholders : researchers, government / policy-makers, schools (principals / teachers), parents

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

Our MISSION is to develop and offer products and services

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

19 state study covering government. Schools –

Member of Govt. of India’s ‘National Expert

Partnership with Municipal Corporation of

Partnership with Torrent in a Learning

APRESt – A longitudinal study across 5 years

Analyze data and Provide feedback to

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

ASSET is actually the first step of a continuous

The goal of ASSET is to help schools improve the quality of

ASSET does this by providing INSIGHTS to teachers about

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

What is the chemical formula of pure

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

Detailed Analysis to each

Detailed class and subject-

Free Teacher Support

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

3 86% 105% 94% 265

3 84% 102% 97% 289 4 101% 111% 104% 289 17% 9% 7%

4 94% 102% 101% 162 5 101% 110% 106% 157 7% 8% 5%

5 91% 97% 96% 168 6 94% 109% 104% 166 3% 12% 8%

6 94% 99% 96% 174 7 100% 102% 100% 172 6% 3% 4%

7 95% 99% 102% 153 8 95% 100% 99% 149 0% 1% -3%

8 99% 110% 102% 158 9 108% 117% 116% 148 9% 7% 14%

9 92% 90% 95% 90 10 107% 107% 111% 84 15% 17% 16%

10 107% 96% 99% 65 - - - - -

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

All School benchmarking Top 10 benchmarking

Key Insights & Questions:

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution

Can create powerful insights for

About Us The Problem The Diagnosis The Feedback The Solution