Assessment For Learning Strategies Research Articles

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF TEACHER DEMOGRAPHICS ON ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING STRATEGIES IN GHANA'S EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

This study explores the implementation and effectiveness of Assessment for Learning (AfL) strategies among basic schoolteachers in Ghana, focusing on the influences of gender, teaching experience, and teaching division. Utilising a survey approach, data were collected through a 16-item Assessment for Learning Questionnaire (AfLQ) from a randomly selected sample of 100 teachers. The instrument's reliability and validity were confirmed through a pilot study and expert reviews, achieving a Cronbach's alpha of over 0.7 for all variables. Multinomial regression analysis provided key insights into the effectiveness, variability, and reliability of AfL practices, guiding professional development and future research. Multiple linear regression analyses identified significant correlations among AfL practices, with strong positive relationships between self-assessment, peer assessment, and immediate feedback. Variance plots showed higher variability in the implementation of certain practices among female and subject teachers, indicating a need for more tailored professional development. Additionally, the Test Information Function (TIF) plot revealed distinct proficiency levels, highlighting areas where teachers excel and potential gaps requiring intervention. These findings emphasise the critical role of demographic factors in the application and success of AfL strategies and offer actionable insights for enhancing teacher training programmes. By integrating advanced statistical techniques, the study provides a comprehensive understanding of AfL practices in diverse educational settings, contributing valuable knowledge to the field of educational assessment.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0871/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Assessing learning strategies among Indigenous University researchers: A comparative analysis of the brief ACRA scale

Learning strategies have been critical due to a large body of evidence verifying their association with various outcomes such as academic success, creativity, critical thinking, life satisfaction, self-efficacy, metacognitive awareness, emotional intelligence, and student motivation. Therefore, identifying better learning strategies can benefit students and teachers. Learning strategies have been widely examined on several scales, among which the ACRA brief scale for university students is the most popular, especially in Spain. In Pakistan, validation of the ACRA scale is important so that indigenous researchers can use it according to their context and culture. The present study examined the factor structure of the ACRA brief scale using a cross-validation approach that involves an exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis in a sample of 951(M = 533, F = 417) students from Pakistani Universities. The results proposed a 17-item version with three factors: micro-strategies, keys for memory and metacognition, and emotional-social support with satisfactory psychometric properties. Furthermore, the key for memory and metacognition factors is significantly associated with the CGPA of students and is higher in women than in men; however, the effect sizes of these findings are small. The validated version of the brief ACRA scale can be used to assess the learning strategies. In addition, it is suggested that national researchers and MS and Ph.D. students can use the validated scale version in their research studies, including project papers, theses, and dissertations. Directly teaching students about the techniques and benefits of learning strategies can help them overcome their hesitation.

Learning Strategies: A Resource for Clinical Neuropsychopedagogical Intervention

Learning strategies can be understood as deliberate processes aimed at achieving a certain level of learning effectively. The objective is to explore the application of learning strategies as a tool in neuropsychopedagogical intervention within a clinical setting, particularly in the context of teaching or stimulating brain functions where the patient can contemplate their own mental processes. Our aim is to present an intervention that enhances learning opportunities, thus broadening cognitive assumptions. This research contributes knowledge about cognitive and metacognitive processes related to learning strategies within the framework of learning how to learn, suggesting that the Neuropsychopedagogue, informed by neuroscience, selects appropriate stimuli to facilitate learning and evaluates the effectiveness of this process. The majority of studies focused on Neuropsychopedagogy and specific functions such as attention, memory, and executive functions. Another notable observation was the lack of studies utilizing or developing an instrument to assess learning strategies in a clinical-individual context, with the emphasis primarily on studies within an institutional-collective context. Hence, it can be concluded that learning strategies hold promise for enhancing learning and aiding in the organization and utilization of various information from our environment, thereby justifying their classification as a tool for clinical neuropsychopedagogical intervention. This comprehensive understanding underscores the significance of integrating diverse strategies into clinical practice, ensuring tailored interventions that address individual learning needs effectively.

МЕТОДОЛОГІЧНІ АСПЕКТИ ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ МЕТАКОГНІТИВНОГО КОНТРОЛЮ СТУДЕНТІВ НАЦІОНАЛЬНОЇ БЕЗПЕКИ В КОНТЕКСТІ САМОРЕГУЛЬОВАНОГО НАВЧАННЯ

This article presents an analysis of the main theoretical and methodological foundations for researching metacognitive control among students specializing in National Security within the context of self-regulated learning. It highlights the growing interest in psychological science regarding the problem of self-regulated learning effectiveness and the researchers' desire to develop functioning tools for assessing learning strategies. Based on classical postulates about methodology as a system of principles and methods for organizing and constructing theoretical and practical activities, the article analyzes theoretical models, characteristics, and components of self-regulated learning and the place of metacognitive control within this system. It considers Pintrich's theoretical model of self-regulated learning, which studies self-regulation of learning, particularly metacognitive control, across four spheres: cognitive, motivational-emotional, behavioral, and contextual. The latter distinguishes this model from others, as it includes the contextual area as a subject of self-regulation. Special attention is given to analyzing key elements of metacognitive control – learning strategies that can significantly enhance the chances of successful and effective learning. It is found that learning strategies relate to the effective selection and organization of information, efficient repetition of material with subsequent assimilation, establishing connections between new information and information already stored in memory, understanding, monitoring, and continuously enhancing the meaningfulness of the material. It is noted that an important aspect of the interconnection between learning strategies and metacognitive abilities is the effective management of resources, not necessarily related to cognitive activity – time management, managing the learning environment, group learning, and seeking feedback. The third level of methodology discusses a set of specific techniques and technical research approaches for investigating metacognitive control in students of higher education institutions specializing in “National Security”: LASSI, Weinstein, Schulte, Palmer, 1987. The conclusion is drawn that self-regulated learning (and thus, the ability to apply metacognitive control) characterizes students as actively engaged in the learning process: they maintain their motivation, are aware of their thinking processes, and know how to use a wide range of strategies to achieve desired academic outcomes. The article identifies the main methodological problems associated with the empirical study of the effectiveness of self-regulated learning: using different tools to study cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational aspects of self-regulated learning, which separately does not consider its regulatory nature; the need to increase students' awareness of the characteristics of self-regulated learning and the use of learning strategies for accurate self-reports and self-assessment of these processes; since SRL is a specific, not a general process, differences in research results can be observed depending on the context or situation.

How Teachers Can Promote Assessment for Learning During All Phases of Learning.

Assessment for Learning (AFL) includes all educational activities designed to improve teaching and learning through gathering, sharing, and acting on information. AFL expands on the concept of formative assessment-which focuses mainly on an in-the-moment assessment activity-to include all processes that facilitate teachers and learners actively seeking and interpreting evidence to guide learning. AFL involves teachers and learners as partners and uses evidence to identify what the learner needs to learn (planning), review where the learner is in their learning (observing), and strategize how to maximize learning (supporting). 1 We provide the following guidelines for teachers to implement AFL within these 3 phases of a learning activity. Teachers should tailor their choice of AFL strategies to suit their relationship with the learner and learning environment context, aiming to support the development of self-regulated learning and metacognitive skills.

Percepción epistémica de aprendizajes universitarios: una mirada a los fundamentos teóricos que soportan la evaluación

The epistemic perception of learning evaluation could become one of the biggest problems in the educational process, since the application of standardized written exams with mechanical memorization, instruments with little validity and reliability, and other traditional methods are used. For this reason, this research aims -through documentary analysis- to reflect on the theoretical foundations that support the evaluation of learning in the university system. Learning assessment strategies are perceived by teachers as a subjective relationship of power, lacking reliability that distorts social demands. Therefore, the use of learning assessment techniques that approximate the achievement of the required competencies, require an accompaniment of reflective, active and formative didactic-assessment modalities, such as: inverted classroom, rubrics of self-assessment of competencies and service-learning, so that in this way, the construction of knowledge and skills is self-regulated by the students themselves.

Face-to-face versus online-based lectures: A COVID-19 induced study on assessments

IntroductionThere is much debate regarding the impact of COVID-induced lockdown on the standard of assessments, mainly since students were assessed at home via an online assessment platform. Regular orthodox lectures and assessments were carried out during the first term, while the strictly enforced South African COVID lockdown warranted that 2nd term lectures and assessments were based online. This created the fortunate control conditions to statistically compare orthodox face-to-face with online-home-based assessments.MethodsWe compared the assessments of a cohort of second-year students studying physiology and anatomy during 2019 and 2020: Orthodox face-to-face teaching and assessments (2019) were compared to online teaching and their analogous online assessments (2020) during the COVID-19-induced lockdown.ResultsAlthough class pass rates and marks for online assessments (2020) were significantly higher than for traditional assessments (2019), an essential finding of the study was that the Gaussian distribution of the marks across the class for both modes of assessment was statistically identical. This indicated that although students performed better with home-based online assessments, poor-performing students populated the lower spread of marks, modal students occupied the central distribution, while good students occupied the higher mark distribution of the curve.DiscussionThe students were found to be resilient in adapting to things and learning, online presentations, and computer-based assessments. No gender-based difference or advantage to adjusting to newly introduced blended learning and concomitant changes in learning assessment strategies was found. The online-home-based assessments proved to incentivize prior learning and preparation for assessments by implementing strict time limits or assessments and randomizing the selections of questions and respective (MCQ) answer choices. We conclude that although home-based online assessments significantly improve the overall mark distribution, there was no distinction in the spread of the distribution of marks, which was indicative that the home-based online assessment process was able to provide an identical measure of course proficiency as in the orthodox sit-down assessment. Therefore, our statistical analysis of the performance of students under student assessment performances indicates that there is no rationale for thinking that the home-based online mode of assessment is equivalent to or better than the orthodox modes of assessment.

A Novice Teacher’s Familiarity with Assessment for Learning in EFL Classroom

This case study aims to find out a novice teacher's knowledge of assessment for learning (AFL) and which AFL strategies are frequently used and considered helpful to enhance students' English proficiency. This study digs into the experience of an English teacher who has been teaching for two years in a secondary school in South Sumatra, Indonesia. The data of the study were mainly obtained from interviews and teaching artifacts. The collected data were then analyzed using thematic analysis. The study revealed that the teacher’s understanding of AFL is sufficient to implement AFL. On the other hand, support from the principal, fellow teachers, and students for the teacher to conduct the AFL was perceived as lacking. Despite the limitations, the teacher reported an attempt to conduct AFL using several strategies. Sharing learning intentions and success criteria with students, asking questions, and classroom discussion are among the strategies that are considered helpful. In contrast, teacher feedback and self and peer assessment are considered less effective. The findings imply a lack of teachers’ professional competence, particularly in conducting AFL. Suggestions are drawn to address the issues.

Acceptability of Learning Guides for Teacher Education Field Study Courses

The study determined the acceptability and utilization issues of the developed learning guides (LG) in Field Study 5 (Learning Assessment Strategies) and Field Study 6 (On Becoming a Teacher). This paper utilized a descriptive research design using non-parametric and thematic analyses. The data were collected from two sets of respondents in two non-consecutive school years, using a survey questionnaire and an unstructured interview guide. Results showed that the LG for the two subjects were above acceptable in relation to the criteria on target competency, learning plan, assessment, and technical aspects. Moreover, utilization issues were identified for future improvement of the LGs. The study recommends that the Field Study Learning Guide (FSLG) be officially used by the College and by other Teacher Education Institutions (TEI) in the province.

Strategi Penilaian Pembelajaran Daring dengan Penggunaan E-Learning di Masa Pandemi

This study aims to analyze and examine the Online Learning Assessment Strategy Using E-Learning in the Pandemic Period, which was carried out at the University of Nurul Jadid Paiton Probolinggo, in producing a direct picture of the researchers conducted observations and interviews with lecturers, employees, and students of Nurul Jadid University. Methods The research used is a qualitative case study approach. The data analysis technique uses data reduction, data display, and conclusions or verification. The results showed that the lecturer's assessment strategy followed the first discussion forum and presentation, second assignment, third-semester evaluation (exam). This study implies that online learning assessment strategies using e-learning during the pandemic expand access and increase the effectiveness of the learning process; especially during the pandemic, e-learning can also accommodate deficiencies in conventional systems, especially the creation of independent learning.

How preparation-for-learning with a worked versus an open inventing problem affect subsequent learning processes in pre-service teachers

A worked-out or an open inventing problem with contrasting cases can prepare learners for learning from subsequent instruction differently regarding motivation and cognition. In addition, such activities potentially initiate different learning processes during the subsequent (“future”) learning phase. In this experiment (N = 45 pre-service teachers), we aimed to replicate effects of earlier studies on learning outcomes and, on this basis, to analyze respective learning processes during the future-learning phase via think-aloud protocols. The inventing group invented criteria to assess learning strategies in learning journals while the worked-example group studied the same problem in a solved version. Afterwards, the pre-service teachers thought aloud during learning in a computer-based learning environment. We did not find substantial motivational differences (interest, self-efficacy), but the worked-example group clearly outperformed their counterparts in transfer (BF+0 > 313). We found moderate evidence for the hypothesis that their learning processes during the subsequent learning phase was deepened: the example group showed more elaborative processes, more spontaneous application of the canonical, but also of sub-optimal solutions than the inventing group (BFs around 4), and it tended to focus more on the most relevant learning contents. Explorative analyses suggest that applying canonical solutions to examples is one of the processes explaining why working through the solution leads to higher transfer. In conclusion, a worked-out inventing problem seems to prepare future learning more effectively than an open inventing activity by deepening and focusing subsequent learning processes.

Analysis of mastery and application of the competency-based approach by area of knowledge in professors of the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC, Mexico)

The aim of the research was to evaluate from the perception of university professors from four areas of knowledge of a Mexican public university the effectiveness of the competency-based approach regarding its application in the classroom. The dimensions considered were: syllabus; knowledge of the approach; application in the classroom; and perception of advantages and disadvantages of said approach. The sample consisted of 341 professors. Descriptive and comparative analyses were performed (chi-square). The main results, among others, show that depending on the area of knowledge a considerable percentage of professors are not familiar with the approach and they find it difficult to apply in the classroom; this regarding the type of teaching methods related to the approach as well as the learning assessment strategies used. It is also questioned the impossibility of the application of the approach in large groups. The development of this research, among other contributions, presents empirical evidence that contributes to the discussion on the difficulties and possibilities in the instrumentation of the competency-based approach in the classroom; the importance of assessing the institutional context; and the particularities of the area of knowledge where the approach is applied

Learning by feeling: excursions into the affective landscape

ABSTRACT Learning by doing has become a common phrase in the scholarship of teaching and learning as research continues to emphasize the benefits of active student engagement in higher education. Instead of passive vessels to be filled with information, students become the architects of their own education. While traditional ways of teaching focus on what students should learn, there is now more interest in how they should learn. With the emotional turn in geography, research has increasingly focused on the lived experience and the emotional and affective dimensions of space and place. However, the question often remains as to how to bring such research into an active learning environment that extends beyond the classroom. Instead of learning by doing, learning by feeling is presented as a new way of teaching emotional geographies. Student projects from two courses in landscape geography reveal how excursions into the affective landscape help students explore emotional geographies through more creative, reflective, affective, and active learning assessment strategies.

La importancia del pedagogo en la elaboración de contenidos para la Educación a Distancia

The objective of this article is to evaluate the need to have a pedagogue who works together with the specialist in the subject when developing the contents, activities and materials carried out for a Distance Education System (SED), especially in the Institutions of Higher Education, using the theory of interaction and communication as a framework. It was found that the intervention of a pedagogue in the detailed elaboration of the thematic contents and learning activities is vital for the educational process to be really effective, as well as it must intervene in the training of the specialists involved, and advise the choice of learning assessment strategies, one of the most complex and debated areas in a remote system, therefore, it is concluded that a specialist in collaboration with a pedagogue can make the materials really meaningful and effective as transmitters of knowledge and skills .

Implementing Assessment for Learning (AfL) in Chinese university EFL classes: Teachers’ values and practices

Assessment for Learning (AfL) is a student-centered and highly interactive approach to learning and assessment and is believed to be able to enhance learning outcomes and learner autonomy. Given its potential effectiveness, the Chinese government has introduced assessment reform initiatives, requiring teachers to incorporate AfL strategies into university EFL classes. Nonetheless, little is known about how Chinese EFL teachers view AfL and whether they have attempted to enact the associated AfL strategies. Utilising a quantitative survey, the extent to which university EFL teachers valued and utilised AfL strategies in their classrooms was explored. To this end, the Assessment for Learning Strategy Questionnaire for Teachers (AfLSQ-T) was distributed to 495 Chinese university EFL teachers. After data-cleaning, a sample comprised of 402 questionnaires was obtained. Results indicated that respondent teachers ascribed little value to self-led AfL strategies, and they also scarcely implemented them. Our findings highlight the need to pay attention to developing assessment-literate EFL teachers in order to enhance their assessment effectiveness, particularly with regard to implementing AfL.

Acceptability of Learning Guides for Teacher Education Field Study Courses

The study determined the acceptability and utilization issues of the developed learning guides (LG) in Field Study 5 (Learning Assessment Strategies) and Field Study 6 (On Becoming a Teacher). This paper utilized a descriptive research design using non-parametric and thematic analyses. The data were collected from two sets of respondents in two non-consecutive school years, using a survey questionnaire and an unstructured interview guide. Results showed that the LG for the two subjects were above acceptable in relation to the criteria on target competency, learning plan, assessment, and technical aspects. Moreover, utilization issues were identified for future improvement of the LGs. The study recommends that the Field Study Learning Guide (FSLG) be officially used by the College and by other Teacher Education Institutions (TEI) in the province.

Supporting Peer Feedback on Learning Strategies: Effects on Self-Efficacy and Feedback Quality

The study focused on supporting the distinct processes of assessment and providing feedback within a peer feedback setting in teacher education and investigates the effects on student teachers’ self-efficacy and feedback quality in a quasi-experiment. Student teachers ( n = 129) were asked to repeatedly provide peer feedback on learning strategies and were supported by a digital tool. The support was varied: support in assessment (A; realized by rubrics), in formulating the feedback (F; by providing sentence starters), in both components (A+F), or no support (Control). We conducted a 2 × 2 analysis of variance (ANOVA) to measure the effect on feedback quality and 2 × 2×2 mixed ANOVAs to investigate the effects on self-efficacy. Results revealed that student teachers perceived higher self-efficacy regarding assessing learning strategies and giving feedback after repeatedly giving and receiving peer feedback. While supporting feedback-writing (F) was immediately beneficial for students’ self-efficacy, the combination (A + F) was most advantageous in the long run. In addition, feedback quality was higher when students were supported in writing the feedback. The findings show that competencies to assess and to give feedback seem to be distinct components that should be fostered individually. The developed support by the digital tool seems to be one beneficial approach here.

Escala de Avaliação das Estratégias de Aprendizagem para o Ensino Médio (EAVAP-EM)

Abstract This study aimed to estimate validity evidence based on the internal structure and accuracy of the adapted version of the Learning Strategies Assessment Scale for High School (EAVAP-EM), using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Participants were 701 first- to third-year high school students (M = 16.1; SD = 1.0), from public and private institutions in the states of Paraná and São Paulo. The CFA indicated the presence of the three factors of the EAVAP-EM, with adequate internal consistency. The instrument also showed good fit indices. There were positive and significant correlations between the factors, with magnitude ranging from medium to large. Moreover, students reported making more use of metacognitive strategies. The results evinced significant advances regarding measures with good psychometric parameters to assess learning strategies, considering their relevance to the psychoeducational context.

Teachers’ Reflective Practices in Implementing Assessment for Learning Skills in Classroom Teaching

Purpose: This article examines how 34 teachers self-assessed their work with the nine Assessment for Learning (AfL) strategies in teaching and their own suggestions for improvement as evidenced by the reflective statements given on reflection forms. Design/Approach/Methods: The sample was a group of 34 teachers from 10 primary schools and 10 kindergartens who have participated in the project. School Development Officers (SDOs) were assigned to conduct class observations in the schools, in which they recorded whether the teachers had used the AfL strategies in teaching. The SDOs would also share and discuss the comments with the teachers who had returned the self-reflection forms in which they wrote their feedback on the research questions. Findings: The findings show that teachers in kindergartens and teachers in primary schools might have different emphases on the nine AfL strategies in teaching. Their own suggested room for improvement in practicing AfL skills has provided insights for enhancing teaching effectiveness. Originality/Value: We propose that reflective practices can generate a “reflective spiral” of planning, acting, observing, and then reflecting. The study shows that reflective practitioners become professional experts who are able to assure the quality of teaching by self-enhancement and self-improvement.

Towards Complementarity and Curricular Improvements of the Courses on Strategies for Personal Development, Freshmen Orientation Seminar, and Understanding the Self

Delivering quality instruction is fundamental in any educational institution and, this calls for a teacher sense of responsibility. Teachers create their instructional designs for specific courses and ensure that resources are available to achieve learning objectives. However, some instructional designs of several courses appear to be containing similar components, including contents; hence, this study evaluated three courses. These courses include Understanding the Self (UTS C101), a new general education subject in college is believed to be overlapping in terms of content with Strategies for Personality Development (PD), a course in Senior High School (SHS) and Freshmen Orientation Seminar (FOS 101), a unique course taken by freshmen college students in a private university in the Philippines. Since the courses are reputed to be related and presumed intertwined in terms of curricular content, the researchers embarked on a comparative-document analysis using the syllabus containing lessons, teaching methodologies, and student assessment methods. The findings showed an array of similarities and differences of lessons taught, learning activities, student learning assessment strategies, and other pedagogical methods used. The results have direct implications for the University to be able to foster curricular improvements and ensure complementarity between and among the three courses explored. This is also in response to the challenges brought by outcomes-based education, which was newly integrated as an educational framework in the University. A policy recommendation for the University was initiated based on the results of this study.