ICSEI 2017 Assessment as integral understanding

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Collaborative Partnerships for System-Wide Educational Improvement

Closing the gap from within – reframing assessment through integral understanding Niall MacKinnon Avernish Perspective, Highland, Scotland, UK. International Conference for School Effectiveness and Improvement Ottawa, Canada January 2017

Abstract Through a major curriculum review commencing in 2004 Scotland replaced a matrix of elaborated attainment targets with experiences and outcomes to foster 'Four Capacities' of children's potential. These are: confidence, responsibility, contribution and learning. The focus of this paper is a single piece of imaginative writing. It was written by a higher attaining pupil in upper stages in a small rural primary school in Scotland. It was apparent that the story was markedly inferior to this child's norm. It could be put down to a one-off lapse and be discarded. The new curriculum focus on personalisation and capacities of children's potential caused the teacher to 'see' this story differently. The teacher came to realise that through the literary device of the story the pupil was telling the reader something of their own personal development and of their own needs. There was nothing sinister, implying anything untoward, but it became apparent that the simplistic language and plot were part of what that child was conveying – the meta-story. The teacher came to see the piece as sophisticated, despite the simplicity of surface structure. The shift of meaning came from an understanding of assessment which broke through the narrower confines of standardised approaches. This child was 'closing the gap', and so was the school, through its changing approach to pedagogy, but in an entirely different conceptual arena to the conventional performative implications of that term.

Introduction Through a major curriculum review commencing in 2004 Scotland replaced a matrix of elaborated attainment targets with experiences and outcomes to foster 'Four Capacities' of children's potential. These are: confidence, responsibility, contribution and learning. The focus of this paper is a single piece of imaginative writing1. It was written by Mark2, a higher attaining pupil in upper stages in a small rural primary school in Scotland. How might one assess this piece of writing? ‘Conventional’ assessment It was readily apparent to the teacher that the story was markedly inferior to this child's norm. It could be put down to a one-off lapse and be discarded. But Mark is a proficient writer as his 1

The piece of writing is not included for reasons of data protection, but this paper highlights the key features of the story, from which the reflection arose. 2 Not his real name.

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