SHS Staff Development - 10/28/09 - GPS - An example of AFL

[Scott Habeeb]

This Forum Discussion was started for Salem High School's Staff Development Faculty Meeting held on 10/28//09.

For today's staff development activity, SHS faculty members will be analyzing an example of AFL and determining how the example could be applied to their classrooms. Teachers not from SHS are welcome to join in the discussion.

Step 1
Please watch the following short video:


Step 2
After watching the video talk about it with the other teachers in your group. (Your group should consist of teachers who teach approximately the same course as you do.) You might choose to discuss some of the AFL elements in her idea. These would include:

1. The teacher gets a feel for how students believe they are doing and knows whether or not students need special attention or whether or not the class needs additional instruction before the test.

2. Students have an opportunity to assess/rate how well they are doing. They realize that the grade on this assessment will not hurt them because they can redo it. This frees them up to do their best without the pressure of a grade.

3. Students use feedback from GPS to guide their studies as they decide whether or not they need to retake it and if so what they need to study.

4. The name GPS gives students a vision for the purpose of assessment feedback - feedback (the grade) exists so that students can find out where they are and figure out how to get on the right path.

5. This idea fits in with the 6th of the 6 Key AFL ideas - students need to know what they need to know so they know if they know it.

Step 3
Answer the following question by replying to this forum discussion:

How could you apply Beth Moody's GPS idea to your own classroom?

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If you have questions about Beth Moody's GPS idea, please feel free to contact her via email by clicking on this link.

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[Rebecca Bush George]

Comma Unit

1. Pre-test - students check themselves, self-assess

2. Students put sentences on the board - help each other; immediate feedback

3. Practice quizzes using notes, book for rules check

4. Retest using different sentences with the same rules to check for learning

5. Students doing extra practice exercises when extra help needed

[Beth Cook]

I could transform my "Check Ups" that I use as a Do Now into a GPS. The activity would still allow them to get feedback of their understanding, but the GPS would be a more formal "quiz" setting that could be corrected by the student.

[Beverly Hurst Allman]

In Family and Consumer Science we use individual and team discussion for certain skill sets. Encouragement is given to acquired skills and team members assist each other in revisiting weak areas. Additionally we use the website as an evaluation tool. Students can respond to a rubric of expectations in personal evaluation of products both in early childhood education as well as food products. Additional time is given to students for replication and practice.

Bev and Debbie

[Sheryl Huff]

BIOLOGY Practice set using the microscope - stages of using the microscope - preparing wet-mount slide, focusing, manipulative skills . Building DNA model - making nucleotide, bonding of nitrogen bases, creating DNA double strand

[Anika Armistead]

I really like the idea of letting students know what they do know and what they do not know. I would love ideas on how to created multiple versions of quizzes or tests that would allow students to retake. I think that this can be done more easily for some subjects than others.

[Randall Sell]

Using the arrow ontop of the page would fit great in our CPR unit in health classes. Before a student could move forward with another skill in CPR we would require them to take "quiz" on those certain skills and require them to check the up arrow if they are comfortable with the skills discussed. If the arrow pointing down is checked then it would be a indicator to the teacher that they either weren't comfortable moving to another skill in CPR or they don't know enough information in order to be successful at the next skill.

GS
FW
DW
PP
JM
RS

[Scott Habeeb]

Nice application, GW, FW, DW, PP, JM, and RS!

[Fred Campbell]

In English, Art Foundations and Social Studies the incorporation of Quia has greatly aided in an GPS style feedback for the students. The Quia activities are less than a normal quiz and sometimes are graded sometimes not in an effort to keep the students engaged in both the grade goal oriented aspect of instruction but also the value to the student of recognizing the intrinsic we value in education.

[Scott Habeeb]

Good idea. Quia really is a good way to assess students. It's very interactive and it's an environment in which students are comfortable. The immediate feedback is great.

[Paige Marable]

I could give a GPS on my Daily Language Practice (grammar Do Nows) so that they could see how well they understand the grammar rules for that set.