Leonor Santos and Jorge Pinto from Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal explain which are the limits of assessment in a pedagogical intervention.

1. WORKSHOP
Effects and Constraints of
Assessment for Learning
Leonor Santos & Jorge Pinto

2. Assessment for Learning
Assessment prac9ces in the classroom, in general,
lead to a superficial learning, since encourage a
"condensed" study mostly focused in memoriza9on.
There is a weak rela9onship between assessment
prac9ces for learning (AfL) and other aspects of
teacher prac9ces. (Black & Wiliam, 1998)
There is evidence that it can be obtained gains for
student learning through AfL prac9ces. High level
teaching goals are compa9ble with success even
when this is measured through limited instruments,
such as external assessment tests
(Black & Wiliam, 2003)

3. Assessment for Learning
Assessment prac9ces in the classroom, in general,
lead to a superficial learning, since encourage a
"condensed" study mostly focused in memoriza9on.
There is a weak rela9onship between assessment
prac9ces for learning (AfL) and other aspects of
teacher prac9ces. (Black & Wiliam, 1998)
There is evidence that it can be obtained gains for
student learning through AfL prac9ces. High level
teaching goals are compa9ble with success even
when this is measured through limited instruments,
such as external assessment tests
(Black & Wiliam, 2003)
AfL is not an usual prac9ce, although it is
favourable for learning

4. Assessment for Learning
Assessment prac9ces in the classroom, in general,
lead to a superficial learning, since encourage a
"condensed" study mostly focused in memoriza9on.
There is a weak rela9onship between assessment
prac9ces for learning (AfL) and other aspects of
teacher prac9ces. (Black & Wiliam, 1998)
There is evidence that it can be obtained gains for
student learning through AfL prac9ces. High level
teaching goals are compa9ble with success even
when this is measured through limited instruments,
such as external assessment tests
(Black & Wiliam, 2003)
AfL is not an usual prac9ce, although it is
favourable for learning
Is it possible?
Is it effec9ve?
How to do it?
????

5. Task in small groups
(20m)

6. • Goal of the study: To understand the contribu9on for learning
of the porYolio as an assessment for learning strategy
• Par9cipants:
A group of 4th grade students (9 years old) + six students to
deep analysis
• Pedagogical interven9on:
PorYolio in Mathema9cs and Portuguese: students select
two tasks (great difficulty and bigger learning) + jus9fica9on
of the selec9ons
Episode from Pimentel’ study (2013)
(Master's Degree in Pre-school educa9on and 1st cycle of
basic educa9on, ESE Setúbal)
Teacher role: A script, supports the selec9on
and reflec9on, gives feedback and engage
students with adi9onal tasks

7. Task in small groups
Analyse the episode.
Discuss the teacher’ role and the
strength and weakness from the point
of view of AfL.

8. S: I selected the task on the subject and the
predicate.
T: And in your wrifen reflec9on you wrote:
“the selected task helped me learn”.
S: Because (pause) because I had some
difficul9es on the subject and the predicate.
T: Aier the accomplishment of this task,
you s9ll feel that you have difficul9es?
S: No
T: What do you understand about the
subject and the predicate, can you explain
to me?
S: Subject is before the name.
P: Are you sure?
[S. looks with a doubYul look]
P: We will write here a sentence. You can
write any sentence (...)
S: Mariana has a balloon.
P: So, what is the subject in this sentence?
S: "has”.
P: Are you sure? (silence) What is the verb?
S: “has”
P: So, there is the verb. And what is the
subject?
S: “a”.
P: Are you sure that the subject is “a”?
S: No, it is "Mariana".
P: Why is "Mariana"?
S: Because it is a name.
(...)
P: Do you s9ll feel difficulty in this kind of task?
S: More or less.
P: Do you like to improve these aspects?
S: Yes.
P: So if I bring a related task with the subject
and the predicate, do you want to make it as
an autonomous work, to understand befer?
S : Yes.
(Pimentel, 2013)
Interac9on between the teacher and one student aier the
selec9on of a task to include in the porYolio:
WORKSHOP - Effects and Constraints of Assessment for Learning

9. Feedback
Ø One of the most powerful strategies of AfL
Ø A key issue: The effec9veness of feedback
Characteri
stics
Context
factors
Students’
factors
Nature
Focus
Extension
Format
Beliefs
Percep9ons
Confidence
Performance
Task
Moment
Rela9on T/S
Teacher’
experience

10. Teachers
• High expecta9ons
• Deep knowledge about
their students
• To be persistent
• …
Students
• To have willingness to learn
• To trust
• To be confident
• To be persistent
• …
To accept a new culture of assessment, where to
error is natural in a learning process
Assessment for Learning

11. Leonor Santos & Jorge Pinto
mlsantos@ie.ul.pt
jorge.pinto@ese.ips.pt