Assessmentaslearning: blurring the boundaries of assessment and learning for theory, policy and practice

Abstract

This paper explores assessment and learning in a way that blurs their boundaries. The notion of assessment as learning (AaL) is offered as an aspect of formative assessment (assessment for learning). It considers how pupils self-regulate their own learning, and in so doing make complex decisions about how they use feedback and engage with the learning priorities of the classroom. Discussion is framed from a sociocultural stance, yet challenges some of the perspectives that have widely become accepted. It offers three new views to help explore the concept of AaL: understanding feedback; understanding the learning gap; and exploring vocabularies of assessment. Pragmatically, the ideas examined suggest that teachers may need to consider less about focused and directive feedback, but more about how learners interpret and understand feedback from their selfregulatory and self-productive identities and how vocabularies for assessment can be more collaboratively shared in learning contexts.

The Possibilities and Limitations of Assessment for Learning: Exploring the Theory of Formative Assessment and the Notion of “Closing the Learning Gap”

“…Recently researchers have demonstrated and elaborated on this idea as a further development of formative assessment (Crossouaurd, 2011;Dann, 2014;Hargreaves, 2013;Sadler, 2009). They suggest that the formative assessment process is not simple and mechanistic, such as those assumed in the notion of "closing the learning gap", but more complex and dynamic.…”

Developing understanding of pupil feedback using Habermas’ notion of communicative action

“…These higher level thinking skills themselves form part of their learning and are a feature of engaging with the assessment and feedback process. The metacognitive requirements implicit here should be seen as developmental and part of formative assessment demonstrated through 'assessment as learning' (Dann, 2014). There is an interesting juxtaposition here between assessment and learning.…”

“…It may well be that pupils try to alter their own learning gaps in unintended ways, possibly by even disengaging with the goals set (Steinberg, 1996). This may call for the need to explore, rather than close the learning gap (Dann, 2014;Torrance, 2012).…”

“…It is, therefore, clearly part of Assessment for Learning and may be usefully developed to both understand and enhance learner dispositions. Furthermore, through drawing on a particular process of using feedback through communicative action, it may also enable learners to develop their learning skills and thus be considered within the notion of AaL (Dann, 2014).…”

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“…In addition, student teachers develop an ePortfolio for the purpose of self-directed learning (formative assessment), and assessment (summative assessment) (Lam, 2015;Ben-Jacob & Ben-Jacob, 2014). In general and in the broad context of teacher education, the ePortfolio is used to enhance personal growth, professional development, and to produce evidence for daily representations of teaching practice lessons (Trevitt, Macduff & Steed, 2013;Dann, 2014;Lam, 2015;Reeves, 2000) …”