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This course is part of the Adult Education Essentials ExpertTrack

Adult Education Essentials: Assessment for Learning Principles and Practices

Explore student-centred assessment methods and develop your understanding of assessment for learning best practice.

A group of people sit and read together round a wooden table in a library.
  • Duration

    4 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours
  • 100% online

    How it works
  • Included in an ExpertTrack

    Course 3 of 3
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    $39/monthFind out more

Discover assessment for learning strategies and the relevant theory

As with other student-centred practices, assessment for learning is grounded in reflective practice, ensuring robust and fair methods of assessment.

During this four-week course, you’ll be introduced to good assessment practice, learning how to develop consistent, authentic methods of measuring progress.

Check learner engagement using formative assessment methods

Formative assessment allows educators to monitor learner engagement and how well the content has been understood.

You’ll examine examples of formative assessment and how to integrate them into your delivery. By regularly checking for understanding, you’ll be able to adapt your course design to support your learners’ diverse needs.

Improve learning outcomes by exploring forms of alternative assessment

Just as one method of teaching does not suit all learners, the same is true of assessment.

You’ll learn how a student-centred approach allows you to measure progress that may not be possible using traditional assessment forms.

Using forward-looking and naturally occurring assessment, you’ll be able to develop techniques that align with your intended learning outcomes and measure if they have been achieved.

Engage learners in reflective practice using constructive feedback

Student-centred approaches are built on a foundation of reflective practice, both for educators and learners.

You’ll learn how to deliver high-quality, constructive feedback. In doing so, you’ll be able to encourage students to adopt a reflective approach to their learning, allowing them to revisit concepts and strengthen their contextual understanding.

By the end of this course, you’ll understand assessment for learning principles and how they help learners feel respected, supported, and able to build on your feedback using reflective practice.

Syllabus

  • Week 1

    Assessment principles and practices

    • Introductions

      Let's spend some time getting to know each other and taking a closer look at what we will be looking at over the next four weeks.

    • Question for the week

      How easily can you recall the content you learned for past tests and exams? Could you pass these tests today?

  • Week 2

    Formative assessment and competency-based assessment

    • Formative assessment

      These activities take a look at what formative assessment is and how we can utilise it in our teaching.

    • Competency-based assessment

      The following steps unpack competency-based assessment and how we can apply it in practice.

    • Reflection and discussion

      Your reflection question this week was: What assessment types and strategies do you currently use in your context?

  • Week 3

    Alternative assessment

    • This week's overview and question

      Time to take a look at different types of assessments.

    • Forward-looking assessment

      Assessment should engage our learners with many different strategies available to ensure assessment is a learning process. The following steps look at these other strategies.

    • Reflection time!

      This week we've briefly looked at some alternative assessment types. Now it's time to reflect on these.

  • Week 4

    Feedback

    • Feedback: Overview of this week

      Feedback is a powerful teaching for learning strategy, applicable across delivery, assessment and evaluation: from targeted questioning and formative assessment to assignment and assessment feedback.

    • Approaches to giving to feedback

      Giving feedback to our learners in order to help them improve is an integral part of any teacher's role.

    • Involving students in feedback

      Just as we focused on student-centred teaching and learning activities we must also think about how we can involve our students in the assessment and feedback process.

    • Reflection

      Let's reflect upon this week's learning and the completion of this ExpertTrack.

    • End of ExpertTrack Test

      You've made it to the end of the ExpertTrack so now it is time to take part in a short test to evaluate your learning throughout this ExpertTrack.

Prove you're job ready

Highlight the new, job-relevant skills you’ve gained and supplement existing qualifications with a hard-earned, industry-specific digital certificate – plus one for every course within your ExpertTrack.

  • Learn the latest in your chosen industry or subject.
  • Complete each course and pass assessments.
  • Receive certificates validated by the educating organisation.
  • Impress employers with learning outcomes you can add to your CV.
  • Make your career dreams a reality.

Download a PDF

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Apply a range of assessment strategies including formative, competency – based and alternative assessment practices.
  • Develop a range of assessment strategies including formative, competency – based and alternative assessment practices.

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for trainers and facilitators working in both formal education settings and/or workplaces. It is aimed at developing existing knowledge and skills of facilitators who have some teaching experience but minimal formal training or qualifications in adult teaching.

It is also suitable for people who are new to or considering adult teaching, as well as those requiring additional learning and development.

Who will you learn with?

M Ed (Tertiary) Dist. PG Dip Ed (Adult Ed) Bachelor of Applied Social Science (Adult Ed) Grad Dip TESOL.

Team Manager and Academic Leader -Wintec

Linkedin: Linkedin.com/in/adie-haultain-b6397b2b

I have been working in adult education for the past 20 years.

Who developed the course?

Wintec

The Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) is a leading tertiary education provider and one of New Zealand’s largest Institutes of Technology. Established in 1924, Wintec delivers technical, vocational, and professional education across a broad range of qualifications, domestically and internationally.

About this ExpertTrack

Gain the insights, skills, and strategies to plan, facilitate, and assess the delivery of student-centred adult learning programs.

Start learning today - free 7-day trial

After your free trial you can:

  • Pay $39 per month to keep learning online
  • Have complete control over your subscription; you can cancel any time
  • Work at your own pace and set your own deadlines at every stage
  • Only pay while you’re learning; the subscription will cancel automatically when you finish
  • Complete online assessments to test your knowledge and prove your skills
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Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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