برونوين كويه / ديرة معهد بحوث التربية ويلف مالكولم جامعة وايكاتو نيوزيلندا /

1. Formative assessment in primary
science classrooms
Bronwen Cowie WMIER
The University of Waikato, New Zealand

2. Outline of the workshop
1. What do we mean by ‘formative assessment’?
2. Primary science in New Zealand classrooms
3. Background to the examples
4. Examples of formative assessment
5. Ways forward: Insights from teachers

3. 1. What do you mean by ‘assessment’?
• Is there assessment when:
1. A teacher asks students questions to find out what ideas they
have about a topic before starting it?
2. A teacher observes students carrying out an investigation
without controlling a key variable. She asks them to investigate
the effect of this variable before continuing?
3. A teacher holds a discussion with students on how to write a
good report of their work, leading to a list of criteria that they
then use in producing their reports?
4. At the end of a unit of work a teacher asks students to some
questions to probe whether other students understand the main
idea of a unit?

4. 1. What do we mean by ‘formative assessment’?
Practice in a classroom is formative to the extent that evidence
about student achievement is elicited, interpreted, and used by
teachers, learners, or their peers, to make decisions about the
next steps in instruction … (Black & Wiliam, 2009)
Assessment for learning is part of everyday practice by students,
teachers and peers that seeks, reflects upon and responds to
information from dialogue, demonstration and observation in
ways that enhance ongoing learning. (Klenwoski, 2009)
Formative assessment is the process used by teachers and
students to notice, recognise and respond to student learning in
order to enhance that learning, during the learning. (Cowie & Bell,
1999). …. It builds on how science generates and legitimates
knowledge (Cowie, Moreland & Otrel-Cass, 2013)

5. 1. What do we mean by ‘formative assessment’?
• A part of effective teaching – inquiry and formative
assessment are natural partners (Harlen, 2003)
• Essential to effective learning - the ultimate user of
assessment information is the student
• Formative assessment needs to support the
development of the full breadth of outcomes we value
• Focusing questions
• What do I want my students to learn
• Where are they now?
• How can I get them there?

6. 2. Primary science in the New Zealand context
• A national curriculum school years 1 to 13
• Students start school on the day of their 5rh birthday
• Classes 20-35 students from diverse backgrounds
• Science curriculum
• Strands: nature of science, living, material and physical worlds,
planet earth and beyond
• Vision of all students as confident, connected lifelong learners
and users of science

7. 2. Primary science in the New Zealand context
• Professional development support for formative
assessment since 1995
• No national testing of primary science
• Light sample system monitoring of students at Year 4 and 8 from
1995 on a 4 year cycle
• Recent introduction of National Standards for literacy and
• Schools/ teachers devise own curriculum, assessment
and reporting to build on student and community needs
and interests

8. 2. Primary science in the New Zealand context

9. 2. Primary science in New Zealand classrooms

10. 3. Background to the examples
• Research projects working collaboratively with teachers
for at least two years
• Planning together out of the classroom
• Researching together inside the classroom
• Talking to teachers and students
• Main aim: To improve the teaching and learning of
science for students from diverse backgrounds through
a focus on formative assessment

11. 4. Examples of practice in the science classroom
i. Planned and interactive formative assessment
ii. The importance and role of planning
iii. Multiple sources of evidence of learning
iv. A safe and supportive classroom
v. Activating student self and peer assessment
vi. Engaging families
vii. Discussion

12. 4.i: Planned and interactive formative assessment
Planned Interactive
Whole class individual
Curriculum focused Student focused

13. 4.ii: Planning to develop a knowledge base for
formative assessment
• Formative assessment is demanding of teacher
pedagogical content knowledge
• Their knowledge of the science, of pedagogy
and of their students and how to bring these
together (Shulman, 1987)
• Planning for assessment can help develop this
knowledge
• Planning for assessment needs to take place at the
same time as planning for learning

14. 4.ii: Planning to develop a knowledge base for
formative assessment
• A planning framework to help teachers think through
• the full range of learning outcomes
• the ‘big’ ideas
• ideas and skills that contribute to these big ideas
• tasks that will provide opportunities to learn
Big idea: Learning
area/s:
Key competencies:
Conceptual
learning
outcomes:
Procedural
learning
outcomes:
Nature of
Science:
Technical
skills:

15. 4.ii: Planning to develop a knowledge base for
formative assessment
• Linking tasks to learning outcomes to performance
expectations
• Thinking through tasks and ideas as nested and connected
• Anticipating interactions and student responses - planning
questions
Tasks
Idea Task Sub-tasks Resourc
es
Planned
interaction
Key
Outcome
s/
evidence
1. 1.1
1.2
2. 2.1
2.2

16. 16
4.ii: Teacher thinking about planning framework
Some things, concepts need to be deliberately taught, or
brought to children’s attention. You need to know what you
want your children to know. Yes, it made me clarify what
exactly were the ideas, so that I was better able to help the
children. (Lois)
It made me think through each stage thoroughly instead of
always having to think on my toes, which can often mean
missing good opportunities, or not choosing the best way to
do something. (Jenny)
It was useful to have beside me in class when I was talking
to my students. (Brenda)

17. 17
4.ii: Pause for discussion

18. 4.iii: Multiple sources of evidence/ feedback
• Talking
• Writing
• Drawing
• Making objects
• Doing
• Acting
• Richer evidence/ feedback when these are combined

19. 4.iii: Multiple sources of evidence of learning:
The kiwi unit lesson 1
• It looks like a cat [because] cos they sleep curled up.
• I think it’s a kiwi. Look at the brown colour.
• It has a long beak.
• It’s getting something in the ground. It’s getting
something with its beak
• It’s a kiwi (whole class chorus)

20. 4.iii: Multiple sources of evidence of learning:
The kiwi unit lesson 1
• Small group work
• Group leaders to act as writers
• All children contribute
My idea is that kiwis have two
eyes. (Brian)
I’m going to write Kiwis only live
on land and are special to New
Zealand. (Jane)

21. 4.iii: Multiple sources of evidence of learning:
The kiwi unit lesson 1
• Groups report back to whole
class
• The teacher records
contributions
• The teacher gained an
understanding of the breadth
of knowledge in the class
• Students learned new ideas

22. 4.iii: Multiple sources of evidence of learning:
The kiwi unit lesson 1
• The children are to draw a kiwi that looked real
We don’t want any pink kiwis. Let’s look at the photo to
see how we can draw it. You need to draw it the right
shape and with all of the bits - legs, feet, feathers, beak
and eyes. Then you can color it. You need to make sure it
fills the page, a nice big kiwi. Here’s your paper. Off you
go.
• The kiwi photograph was on display as a background to the
talk and drawing

23. 4.iii: Multiple sources of evidence of learning:
The kiwi unit lesson 1
• Most drawings were side views
• One child drew feathers
• One child drew a kiwi out at night

24. 4.iii: Multiple sources of evidence of learning:
The kiwi unit lesson 1
• What assessment opportunities were there for:
the teacher
the students
• What was assessed?

25. 4.iii. Multiples sources of evidence:
Drawing/s, talk, writing
!
LISP assessment
Lochie drew a spider, beetle,
fish, worm, caterpillar and
crayfish. The caterpillar’s bumps
were so it goes like that. Lochie
indicated a squeezing rippling
movement.

26. 4.iii. Multiples sources of evidence:
Drawing/s, talk, writing

27. 4.iii: Multiple sources of evidence:
Adapting an idea – examples sorts
What other ideas could could be
added to this category?

28. Pause for discussion
• Which of these sorts of activities do you use already?
• What could you adapt?
• What ideas do you have to share with others

29. 4.iii: A safe and supportive classroom
• The importance of mutual trust and respect
We respect her and she respects us. We know she cares
because she is always well-prepared and she asks us about
our learning.
• Mistakes are opportunities to learn
It’s fine not to get it right the first time as long as you do it
better the next time.
• Feedback as suggestions allow students to keep
thinking
Comments like ‘very good’ make us feel better but they are
no help in knowing what to do. She gives us suggestions.
She doesn’t tell us what to do. Suggestions allow us to keep
thinking. We can integrate them into our own ideas.
Could you imagine one of your students saying the
same thing? Why or why not?

30. 4.iv: Activating student self and peer assessment
We need to develop students’ capacity to assess and
progress their own learning
• Clear criteria for quality/ success
• Peer assessment support
!

31. 4.iv: Activating student self and peer assessment
Making a light glow, drawing the circuit, making from
drawings by others, the need for a convention

32. 4.iv: Activating student self and peer assessment
Access to resources and experiences to inform decision making

33. 4.iv: Activating student self and peer assessment:
Assessing over time
• Understanding the
zones on a rocky
shore
Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4

34. 4.v: Engaging families in support of learning:
Important in the New Zealand Curriculum
Displays of student work and class websites

35. 4.v: Engaging families in supporting learning
Inviting families in to share what they know about what
students were learning

36. 4.v: Engaging families in support of learning
Public presentations as a means of reporting to families

37. 5: Ways forward: Insights from our teachers
• There is a need to ensure assessment supports the
kinds of student learning we value
• Planning is essential – there is value in shared planning
• Assessment feedback can usefully take place in the
minute, over a lesson, over a period of days
• There is value in looking at student work together
• It is difficult for teachers to change their practice in
isolation - leadership support and resourcing is necessary
• Change takes time! Start with something small and simple

38. Discussion

39. WWW.WAIKATO.AC.NZ/WMIER +64 7 858 5171