Assessment is an essential component of the teaching, learning and assessment process. Assessment for, assessment as and assessment of learning are approaches that enable those in teaching roles to gather evidence about what learners know, facilitate learners in taking on a level of responsibility for their own learning and make judgements about learner achievement.  The summative assessment process of making judgements on learner achievement is well supported and an online self-directed course on Locally Devised Assessment is available. The teaching and learning process of using evidence about learners' knowledge, understanding and skills to inform effective teaching and learning and encouraging learners to adopt an active role in their own learning and assessment has been identified as being key to creating high quality teaching, learning and assessment experiences for learners in FET.

Assessment for learning (formative assessment) usually occurs throughout the teaching and learning process and helps learners learn better, rather than just achieve a better grade

Assessment as learning (formative assessment) occurs when learners are their own assessors. Assessment as learning places value on encouraging learners to be more engaged in their learning, enabling them to monitor their own learning and use a range of strategies to decide what they know and can do, and how to use assessment information to improve their knowledge, understanding and skills for new learning.

This PD session will explore how assessment for and as learning may be used to enhance the teaching and learning experience in the FET classroom.  It will include input and discussion on the following 5 key strands of assessment for and as learning:

Stating the learning intention
Sharing success criteria
Encouraging self and peer assessment
Offering quality formative feedback
Engaging in effective questioning to enhance learning.
The session will have a practical focus with an opportunity for participants to share effective teaching, learning and assessment practice.

The target audience for this session is: FET staff including management, teachers, tutors, trainers, programme coordinators, guidance counsellors, learning support staff and wellbeing officers.

Facilitation: Harry Freeman currently works as an independent education consultant. From 2002 – 2015 he worked with the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), where his primary role was that of national advisor to the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme.  Harry has delivered CPD to school leaders and teachers in over 450 post primary schools and FET centres across Ireland.  The numerous workshops he has facilitated include: Middle Leadership, Positive Behaviour Management and Active Learning Methodologies.  He was also strand leader of the Master in Education degree course in Positive Behaviour Management in Trinity College Dublin from 2009 to 2022. Previously, Harry taught Mathematics and Information Technology in Marino College, Dublin 3. His website can be accessed at www.harryfreeman.ie

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.