• NATIONAL STEM LEARNING CENTRE

Introducing Assessment for Learning

Develop your responsiveness as a teacher: learn how to assess student understanding and tailor lessons to improve learning.

18,754 enrolled on this course

  • Duration

    3 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours
  • Accreditation

    AvailableMore info
The CPD Certification Service

This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles. Find out more.

Guided by leading experts in assessment for learning, on this course you’ll discover how to gauge your learners’ understanding, so that you can better progress their learning.

You’ll discover how you can create a classroom culture that allows difficult ideas to surface, revealing student misconceptions and allowing you to tailor your teaching to your students. You will learn the key principles of assessment for learning, before exploring two approaches in more detail.

Syllabus

  • Week 1

    Introducing assessment for learning

    • Inside the Black Box

      Welcome to the course. We start by defining what we mean by assessment for learning and the principles behind formative classrooms. What do you currently do?

    • Developing your formatively-driven classroom

      What does a formatively-driven classroom look like and what is your role as a teacher in such a learning environment?

    • Creating an environment for classroom talk

      How is classroom talk enabled in your classroom and how can you create a learning environment that welcomes dialogic learning? In these steps we’ll look at some examples of classroom talk in practice.

    • Reflect on your learning this week

      The final steps this week include guidance from Paul Black, the characteristics of a formatively driven classroom and time for you to reflect on what you’ve taken away so far.

  • Week 2

    Diagnostic questions: intentional dialogue and HPQs

    • Diagnostic questioning

      We start this week by considering how to plan for diagnostic questions, which allow you to infer student understanding.

    • Hinge-point questions

      Rich questions form the basis for intentional dialogue, but you can also use a form of multiple choice questioning to elicit evidence of student understanding.

    • Creating and refining hinge-point questions

      Now is your opportunity to create a hinge-point question and get feedback on it from other learners and the course mentors. We have a Padlet at the end of this week to share your final version.

  • Week 3

    Taking action

    • Acting on the evidence

      Our final week is about acting on the evidence of student understanding you have collected. What changes can you make to your teaching?

    • Classroom examples: acting on the evidence

      You’ll now look at some classroom scenarios and we ask what action you would take. You’ll then hear from teachers who have implemented assessment for learning and their advice to you as you embed these ideas in your own practice.

    • Reviewing your professional development

      Review your professional development and plan your next steps to sustain and develop the way you plan for learning.

Who is this accredited by?

The CPD Certification Service
The CPD Certification Service:

The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies.

When would you like to start?

  • Date to be announced

Add to Wishlist to be emailed when new dates are announced

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...

  • Identify the main principles of assessment for learning
  • Reflect on the role of intentional dialogue in supporting teaching in a formative way
  • Develop your use of hinge-point questions to elicit evidence from students
  • Collaborate with peers, educators and mentors to try out activities and share thinking, in order to develop your teaching practice

Who is the course for?

This course would suit teachers, curriculum leaders, teaching assistants, newly qualified teachers, trainee teachers and others involved in the education of young people.

Who will you learn with?

Former physics teacher & leader, now supporting educators to develop teaching. Commissioned by National STEM Learning Centre to work with Dylan Wiliam & Chris Harrison to design & support AfL courses.

Reader in Science Education and Chair of ASE 2014-2015. Lead UK Researcher on Assessment for Learning. Research interests in Inquiry-learning, professional learning and CPD.

Former school teacher, academic, and university administrator, now working with teachers and leaders around the world to improve educational outcomes for young people.

Who developed the course?

National STEM Learning Centre

The National STEM Learning Centre provides world-class professional development activities and resources to support the teaching of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects.

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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You can use the hashtag #FLSTEMAssessment to talk about this course on social media.