Objectives & Assessment for Learning

Articulate then answer

• How important is the setting of objectives to the outcome of the session?

• Spend the next 30 seconds in silence considering the question above.

• Discuss your thoughts in pairs for 2-3 minutes.• Write some thoughts down before answering.• Rate the importance in pairs on your whiteboards on a scale of 1-

10 (1- little importance to the outcome;10 - integral to the outcome)

AFL - Articulate then Answer

Give students the opportunity to

articulate their thinking before

answering –

• 30 seconds silent thinking before any answers

• Brainstorm in pairs first for 2-3 minutes

• Write some thoughts down before answering

• Discuss with your neighbour first

Session Objectives

By the end of the session you will be able to:

1. Identify the key reasons for setting effective session objectives.

2. Produce clear differentiated session objectives that link to AfL.

3. Create a standardised session checklist that enables effective use of objectives and AfL for future teaching practice.

AfL - Traffic Lights

Use traffic lights as a visual means of showing understanding.

e.g.

• Students have red, amber and green cards which they show on their desks or in the air. (red = don’t understand, green = totally get it etc.)

AfL - Making aims clear

- Put lesson objectives on the board /flip chart/wall/notepad etc.. at the beginning of the lesson.

- Contextualise short-term objectives in long-term aims (e.g timeline).

- Check with students that they are clear about the aims of the lesson/unit/subject before progressing.

Consider the following…

• Can effective objectives ensure outstanding learning?

• Can poor objectives limit or prevent outstanding learning?

• How do you think your objectives influence the mind-set of the observer?

• Do you think students should write objectives down….why?

• Do you think objectives could help students assess their own learning?

• When should you re-visit objectives in your session?

AfL - BouncingBounce answers around the room to

build on understanding and have

students develop stronger reasoning.

E.g.

“Jimmy, what do you think of

Sandra’s answer?”

“Sandra, how could you develop

Carl’s answer to include more detail?”

“Carl, how might you combine all

we’ve heard into a single answer?”

Differentiation

In pairs discuss the term ‘differentiation’…

Produce a definition on your whiteboards.

Put simply, it means teaching people differently according to their needs, capabilities and preferences.

You need to make sure that you use a variety of teaching approaches capable of accommodating the different abilities and learning preferences of your students.

Effective objectives will be linked to differentiation.

• Students learn at different rates.

• When setting differentiated objectives, ask yourself the following three questions:

1. By the end of this session, what should students know?

2. What should students be able to understand?

3. What should students be able to do?

Must learnShould learnCould learn

Or…

All students…Most students …Some students …

Challenge

You are planning on visiting a new city for the first time on an educational visit and need to justify your choice of visit location, produce a trip itinerary and clarify its educational value.

• In small groups set 3 differentiated objectives for your session.

• 5 minute task

• Now swap your objectives with another group.

• Look at the other group’s objectives and discuss how effective their use of differentiation is.

AfL - Peer Marking

Students mark other students’ work

according to assessment criteria.

Encourages reflection and thought about

the learning as well as allowing students

to see model work and reason past

misconceptions.

Take opportunities to do this throughout

individual lessons and schemes of

work.

• Using your whiteboards, write down 2 positives and 1 area for development from the group’s objectives.

• Present your findings.

AfL - 2 stars and a wish For peer assessment, ask

students to give two stars and a wish.

Two stars = 2 things that are good about the piece of work

A wish = something they can improve to make it even better

How should objectives be presented?

• Learning objectives should be brief, clear and specific statements of what learners will be able to do at the end of a lesson.

• Objectives should focus teaching and learning.

• Objectives should clarify, organise and prioritise learning.

• Objectives should allow you and your students to evaluate progress and encourage them to take responsibility for their learning.

• Workshop Sessions - Build on the generic objectives of the session by getting the learners to set individual time-bound learning targets.

Avoid using…..

When planning your session objectives, you need to avoid using words or phrases such as:

The above are NOT measurable and should be avoided.

Know Think Appreciate Learn

Comprehend Remember Perceive Understand

Be aware of… Be familiar with… Have knowledge of … Grasp the significance of…

Activity

• In pairs create a standardised session checklist that enables effective use of objectives and AfL for future teaching practice.

• This could be added to your 5 minute or traditional session plan to help session preparation.

• Time - 5 minutes

• Now you have completed this, please attach yours to the whiteboard.

• Once completed, take a few minutes to view your peers’ checklists and take pictures of any good practice you observe.

• Take back your checklist and make any amendments / additions you may feel necessary / beneficial based on the work of your peers…

Re-cap

• What can we take forward from todays’ session?

AFL - Thumbs

Check class understanding of what

you are teaching by asking them

to show their thumbs.

Thumbs up = I get it

Thumbs half way = sort of

Thumbs down = I don’t get it

Session Objectives - revisited

By the end of the session you will be able to:

1. Identify the key reasons for setting effective session objectives.

2. Produce clear differentiated session objectives that link to AfL.

3. Create a standardised session checklist that enables effective use of objectives and AfL for future teaching practice.

Homework

• Find the AfL PowerPoint on the ‘Teacher Toolkit’.

• Choose an AfL strategy to use before your next training session.

• Bring your reflections with you to the next session.