Preamble and Introduction
About this page
Introduction to student self assessment / digital portfolios PALT:
As a result of the Kew Clusters involvement within the Improving Middle Years Pedagogical Research and Development Project (MYPRAD), all middle years teachers across the cluster were component mapped against nine components of effective teaching and learning during late 2004. The component mapping against clearly defined “effective” components of effective learning and teaching was the pre-cursor to what we now know as POLT (Principle of Learning and Teaching). IMYMS had nine components, whilst the more generic MYPRAD nominated seven. These have since been condensed to six in POLT. The process used in the POLT model now is identical to what the cluster schools used.
A number of components of effective teaching and learning were nominated through this process, including a significant response that related to assessment and reporting – especially in the areas of assessment to monitor students own learning, making feedback explicit and relevant, and finally in relation to the breath of assessment and reporting tools.
During 2005 two cluster teams were established to investigate responses to these components. The first was a cross cluster team representing four primary schools and looking at the development of rubrics as a means of making feedback to students more relevant and explicit. Their journey is recorded on this website under “Learning – Rubrics”.
The second team, again representing four schools, was formed to develop a better understanding of student / peer assessment within the assessment reporting cycle. Schools developed a number of trials of self assessment materials, and started to focus on peer assessment.
A natural evolution from this focus, together with research into best practice elsewhere, soon lead to the development of an interest in “Digital reflections” within the team. Three years of development followed, including the incorporation of these within student lead conferences. This was again seen as a natural progression that was evolving from student reflections on their learning, and the development of student goals as essential to the development of life long learning. The clarification of the interdisciplinary skills within VELS was timely support for the development of this teams work.