Motivation: One of the ten researched-based principles of 'Assessment for Learning' to guide classroom practice

Hi fellow readers

Assessment for Learning is the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there. www.qcda.gov.uk/library/media/4031-afl-principles.pdf

Assessment for Learning details ten research-based principles to guide classroom practice.

As a follow on from my last posting, I will present one of the ten guiding principles which details taking account of the importance of learner motivation when assessing. That is assessment needs to focus on the students progress and achievement rather than their failures. Assessment methods need to protect the learners autonomy and provide choice while giving constructive feedback and creating opportunity for self-direction.

Margolis and McCabe (2004) link motivational levels to self-efficacy. They state, without sufficiently high self-efficiency or the belief that they can succeed on specific academic tasks like homework, many struggling learners will not make the effort needed to master academics.

They go on to recommend the following ways to improve motivation by increasing a students belief that they are capable of performing in a certain manner to attain certain goals. Teachers can help students by:

• matching task difficulty to learners individual levels
• linking new work to students recent success's
• teaching strategies that produce success
• reinforcing effort and persistence
• using peer model
• linking school work to personally important goals.

Margolis, H., & McCabe, P. (2004). Self-Efficacy: A key to improving the motivation of struggling learners. The Clearing House, 77(6), 241-249.

Do we employ all these strategies?

As 'learning to learn' become more important then the knowledge, we as professionals should be self-encouraged to gain up to date knowledge on all strategies that will help our student learn at their own levels and to their abilities. This sounds like good teaching practice, we have the time, resourcing, professional learning assistant and school support structures to allow this to happen, or do we?

More thinking. Will get back to you before the month is up as an end to this course is approaching tooooooo fast.

CHEERS

THANKS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS