Visible learning a way to end exams

 Here is a good overview of the current focus on re-thinking the ways education 'measure' learning. The short blog also includes the video by Toby Morris 'on the plat' summarising the challenges for those with lower social capital to attain equity within the current educational system.

The above, reiterates the overall them of this year' s Ulearn coference - see the notes on the first keynote setting the tone of - success for all and how 'measurement' of success needs to be shifted. 

For over a decade, I have advocated removal of 'summative assessments' from our course descriptors, as a way to move emphasis to formative assessments. Due to the current NZ Qualification Authority guidelines, it is not possible to remove summative assessments as such. So we are still 'teaching to the assessment' in many courses, as student success relies to 'passing the course'. Regardless of where the learner starts on their learning, they still have to meet 'standards'.

When I was teaching, about 1/2 the class would 'pass' the assessment, given slight 'steering' to establish a contextualisation of what they already knew, to the topic to be 'taught' and assessed. These students, just needed a few deliberate practice sessions, to polish skills, review theory and had the 'right' dispositions to do well. For the 'other' 1/2, it would take much effort on their part, to step up and my job was to help them, often, to just get to the start point (i.e. to scrape through). Yet, if they were willing to put in the effort, they would succeed in work. So, in the long run, it is the formative and the attainment of individualised learning goals which are more important, than 'passing the exam'. Many, in the 'other' 1/2, gave up along the line, as they saw the 'exam' as too difficult :(  Yes, they were making some progress through formative assessments. Many, feared 'failure' as that had been their experience, throughout school. Yet, formative assessments were looked forward to, as the feedback, provided the guide to improving, little by little, their confidence and skill. As confidence increased, so did their attitudes to learning. Always a win-win, as far as I was concerned. 

Therefore, my long 'crusade' to remove summative assessments. They are next to meaningless for many learners, measuring performance within a very narrow bandwidth. A means to stratify people into the 'cans and the cannots' when society needs everyone to contribute towards solving the 'wicked' challenges of humanity. So, more work still on promoting a better understanding of the role of assessments, in a world which is not 'black/white', where there are no 'right/wrong' answers and where 'out of the box' thinking may be the only way to ensure our planet is still livable for my grandson's generation.