Abstract:

The alignment of teaching, learning and assessment is an ongoing challenge, particularly in professional programmes, where teaching is shifting away from merely imparting skills and knowledge, and learning becomes more about developing professional identities within a community of practice. Given this teaching-learning orientation for professional programmes, what role does assessment play? This presentation outlines the assessment approach taken by the Specialist Teaching programme at Massey University, New Zealand – a professional programme for advanced Resource Teachers. The assessment approach, called Aromatawai (the indigenous Māori term for assessment) focuses on assessment as a conversation at the nexus of teaching and learning. Resource Teachers are charged with evidencing their professional learning in their e-portfolios through Aro (knowledge) Mata (application) and Wai (impact in the field). This is then self-assessed, peer-assessed, and finally validated against assessment criteria by the teaching team. This approach shifts assessment from being seen as a product to a more culturally responsive orientation of a conversation. It is a conversation that enables personalised learning that is self-designed, self-directed, and self-assessed. As learning is carried out within the contexts of professional practice, it is situated, authentic, applied and contextual, and teaching becomes an act of sitting beside the learner. This presentation outlines the Aromatawai approach, drawing on data from both learners and teachers, and shows how this ipsative approach strengthens the professional identity of learners.

Keywords:

Assessment, Professional Learning, Self-assessment, Ipsative Assessment, Professional Identity.