Effective identification of student achievement as a result of Formative assessment as a part of the Integrated Criteria-Based Assessment Model at a Nazarbayev Intellectual School in Kazakhstan

Author(s):

Symbat Yeszhanova(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2017

Network:

Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)

Format:

Paper

Session Information

ERG SES G 05, Curriculum Innovation

Paper Session

Time:

2017-08-22

09:00-10:30

Room:

W2.10

Chair:

Sabine Krause

Contribution

In terms of the current reform in the education system in Kazakhstan (Bridges, 2014) the network of twenty brand-new Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS) has been established with the aim to modernise the secondary education system in Kazakhstan (SPED, 2010). These schools represent highly selective and ‘elite’ institutions in terms of academic abilities, which act as experimental sites of innovative educational initiatives in the country. The research context for the study is one of these NIS schools.

The Integrated Criteria-Based Assessment Model (ICBAM) defines the basis of the current practice of evaluation of students’ educational achievements in Nazarbayev Intellectual schools (NIS, 2016) and allows teachers to provide quality assessment procedures and ensure their compliance with international standards and every student’s learning needs. This system is implemented in each of twenty NIS schools in Year 8 to 12.

The term “criteria-based assessment” was used for the first time by Eugene Robert Glazer (1963) who described a process contributing to the definition of a set of common behaviors and correspondence between the achieved and the potential levels of educational achievements of students. This means that the activity of the student is evaluated by means of a fixed set of requirements. Glazer notes that the assessment of criteria regarding standards eliminates dependence on a comparison of achievements with other students, and it is aimed at defining the level of competence of each student.

The system of criteria-based assessment of students’ achievements is based on the fact that study techniques, learning and assessment are interrelated and provide a unified approach to the educational-Trial (Boyle and Charles, 2010). This implies a theoretical basis and the establishment of the relationship between all elements of the assessment (learning objectives, types, tools, evaluation results).

The system of criteria-based assessment of students’ achievements

- Is based on the unity of teaching and assessment

- Is aimed at the formation of a holistic approach to student progress and achievement

- Ensures the implementation of learning objectives and collection of evidence of learning and skills development in accordance with the training programs

- Includes a variety of ways and forms of assessment based on the learning content (NIS, 2016).

Although the ICBAM is being improved every year, it seems that there are some issues within which teachers have to ensure effective teaching and learning process. This assessment system assumes two types of assessment during a term: formative assessment and summative assessment. Interestingly, it seems that a common European understanding of the term ‘formative assessment’ differs from the concept in the ICBAM, where the type of formative assessment likely is a formal control work which contributes to the final mark. Also during a term students are allowed to ‘re-take’ the learning objectives which they have not achieved before the final summative assessment. In other words, formative assessment becomes a constantly repeatable process which raises questions of effectiveness for teachers. This is where my interest lies. Therefore, my research questions are:

- How to conduct an effective formative assessment during ‘re-taking’ students’ learning objectives?

- To what extent teachers’ subjectivity might influence the assessment process?

The main purpose of this research into criteria-based assessment is to provide constructive information. That is using the results of student learning based on the specific objectives of assessment and presenting it to all educators with a potential to further improve the educational process.

Method

This study has a quite instrumental and practical inclination aiming to provide constructive information on the issues which teachers seem to have to deal with in the teaching and learning process. However, it also considers more theoretical and philosophical issues related to the constant contradictory co-operation between ‘subjectivity’ and ‘objectivity’ in the assessment process in school settings. Methodologically I adopted an action research paradigm (Kemmis and McTaggart, 1988). The research design consists of a three-stage cycle. First, I interviewed four mathematics teachers, the head of mathematics department and two members of senior management staff in order to analyse different perspectives on the teacher practice. Second, informing this data by observations of teachers’ lessons, according to my analysis and reflection I am going to implement an action within the ‘re-take’ process as a part of formative assessment in Year 8 and 12. Third, my reflection and analysis of this action will be informed by data collection such as my field notes as a teacher-practitioner, group interviews with students and quantitative results of summative assessment. Therefore my study will employ mixed-method including qualitative and quantitative data. Reflecting on my position in this project it is worth mentioning that this study is based on a practitioner inquiry and is built on my professional experience. I am a teacher of mathematics in Year 7, 8 and 11, working within the criteria based assessment for Year 8 and 11. In assessment/teaching process I am faced with issues such as preparation of teaching materials, selection of mathematical problems on selected objectives and providing an opportunity for students to ‘re-take’ formative assessment in order to achieve their targets. Ethically, I have not identified any potential risks to participants (or myself) by adopting this methodological approach. The research topic is not contentious but sensitive consideration was given as to the likely impact on all those involved. In order to engage with ethical issues I had consulted the professional Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research (BERA, 2011). For the purposes of the confidentiality of research participants to general readers their real names are not used. Since the research activity took place inside formal school curriculum, the school acted in loco parentis with relation to students.

Expected Outcomes

It should be said that this study is non-evaluative and non-judgmental with respect to the ICBAM. However, this study is going to provide a teacher’s perspective on the current issues and difficulties which they encounter in the assessment process. I hope this paper might contribute to a better understanding of the educational reform process in Kazakhstan referring to the implementation of the ICBAM. Also it might contribute to the development of my way of working within the ICBAM in order to ensure the students’ progress. At this stage of my study I have some preliminary ‘findings’ based on the interviews with my colleagues. According to the data collected, it appears that some mathematics teachers apply assessment of students subjectively, while others added that they act in terms of the ICBAM. Interestingly, it seems to resemble the idea of Boil and Charles (2010) that there are a number of definitions for the process of assessment and it follows that there is a similar number of teachers who have a different understanding of intra-school assessment and several interpretations of its application and practice. At the end of the third term, when the stage of the ‘action’ completes, I expect to inform my study by comparing quantitative results of formative and summative assessment of students. It is planned to enrich the research report by the analysis after the action implementation process. It might show a more effective approach to assessment for teachers who work at NIS schools.

References

BERA (2011) Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research [Online]. Available at: https://www.bera.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/BERA-Ethical-Guidelines-2011.pdf (Accessed: 15 December 2016). Black, P. and Wiliam, D. (1998) ‘Assessment and Classroom Learning’, Assessment in Education, 5:1, pp. 7 – 74. Boyle, W. F. and M. Charles (2010), ‘Leading Learning through Assessment for Learning?’, School Leadership and Management 30 (3): 285–300. Bridges, D. (ed.) (2014) Educational Reform and Internationalisation. The Case of School Reform in Kazakhstan. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Glaser, R. (1963) ‘Instructional technology and the measurement of learning outcomes: Some questions’. American Psychologist, 18, 519-521. Harlen, W. (2007) Assessment of learning. London: Sage. Isaacs, T., Zara, C., Herbert, G., Coombs, J. and Smith, C. (2013) Key Concepts in Educational Assessment. London: Sage. Kemmis, Stephen and Robin McTaggart (eds.) (1988) The action research planner. Victoria, Australia: Deakin University Press. NIS (2016) The Integrated Criteria-Based Assessment Model. SPED (2010) The State Program of Education Development in the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2011-2020. Available at: http://www.edu.gov.kz/en/state-program-education-development-republic-kazakhstan-2011-2020 (Accessed: 20 December 2016).

Author Information

Symbat Yeszhanova (presenting / submitting)

Nazarbayev Intellectual School

Taldykorgan

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