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Emergent Pupils’ Views on Assessment for Learning -
A report on the CPAL project

Dr Ruth Leitch, Queen's University Belfast

 

The Consulting Pupils on the Assessment of their Learning project (CPAL), supported by the Economic and Social Research Council Teaching and Learning Research Programme , is consulting pupils on various aspects of assessment arising from the revised curriculum and assessment procedures for Northern Ireland. It has three interrelated studies, one of which focuses on Assessment for Learning at Key stage 3. This part of the project is examining how AfL pedagogy potentially affords pupils increased opportunities for participation and decision-making within various classrooms, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child agenda.

 

CPAL is presently working in six schools across Northern Ireland, with ten teachers and over 300 pupils (years 8-10) in AfL classrooms. The team is working with them to observe their experiences in art, English, mathematics, science and geography. The research engages pupils through their videotaping of lessons, being involved in focus group discussions, mini-surveys and various creative activities to explore their views, their experiences and their understandings of AfL approaches to assessment. Teachers’ perspectives are also being sought to ensure that all views are being taken into account.

Although it is still early days in terms of data-gathering, preliminary indications are that pupils are experiencing and can articulate educational benefits arising from learning in AfL classrooms. They refer to the value of knowing what is expected from them through clear learning objectives; feeling more motivated by the style of communication in the classroom and commenting favourably on the apparent mutuality of the teacher-pupil relationship. As one pupil recounted ‘It’s like he’s one of us; we are all the teachers here!’.

In terms of how AfL pedagogy is contributing to pupils’ entitlement to ‘having a say’ in their learning and assessment, there are initial indications that the variety of assessment approaches in AfL classrooms create increased possibilities for pupils to communicate more freely their ideas and to have opportunities to participate in and make decisions about their learning and assessment processes. For example, one year eight pupil commented that ‘No hands rule means that we all get the chance to say our views now, not just the clever ones’.  Nevertheless, the picture emerging, as described by pupils, is one that suggests that opportunities for pupils to participate more fully are moderated and mediated by the curriculum subject, the time available in class, as well as the degree of experience in AfL approaches that teachers have developed in order to facilitate increased pupil participation.

 

CPAL will be reporting the outcomes of the study in late autumn and is looking forward to continuing their collaboration with the officers from CCEA and the education and library boards to ensure that the findings from pupils, teachers and indeed parents on AfL and pupil rights are communicated widely to schools and all relevant stakeholders.