Research Contract: Supporting Teachers to Assess Student Learning in K-10 Computer Science, ESA (2016-2018)
K-10 Computer Science (CS) Education is a new domain with very limited resourcing in respect of assessment. The Australian Digital Technologies and Learning Forum (2015) acknowledged assessment as a critical area for further work, and our recent review of available K-12 Computer Science education resources identified that assessment was one key area where resource development was required to support the use of existing high-quality resources in the classroom.
Further, consultation with stakeholders has indicated that teachers do not have adequate experience and knowledge of this domain to make refined and precise judgements about student progress.
We have partnered with Education Services Australia (ESA) in a research contract to develop evidence-based resources that support teachers to effectively assess student learning in F-10 Digital Technologies. ESA is a national, not-for-profit company owned by all Australian education ministers. The company was established to support delivery of national priorities and initiatives in the schools, training and Higher Education sectors, and a key focus of the organisation is to support teachers in professional development and availability of classroom resources.
This project aims to develop our understanding of student learning indicators and trajectories across K-10 CS education and appropriate formative and summative methods. This will provide support for this new domain in terms of verifying levels of understanding and of identifying markers of progression and suitable pathways for students, as well as approaches to assessment that enable teachers to effectively elicit and assess student learning in Computer Science.
This project will involve a review of K-10 CS education research literature related to assessment and the curation and review of existing assessment materials. Further, the research will result in the development of practical resources, including a F-10 assessment framework, assessment materials and an assessment guide to support teachers to assess student learning across the Australian F-10 Curriculum: Digital Technologies. This element will include rubrics, checklists, examples of quality formative assessment activities, and examples of best practice in terms of assessing project-based learning. It will include assessment activities designed to be applied in a range of learning areas incorporating the Digital Technologies curriculum.
Materials developed as a result of this project will be distributed and made freely available to teachers on the Digital Technologies Hub website and integrated into our free national CSER F-10 Digital Technologies MOOCs Program for teachers.
For more information on the project, contact Dr Rebecca Vivian.
Research Contract: Assessment for the F-10 Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies, Education Services Australia (ESA) Research Contract. R. Vivian & K. Falkner.(2016-2018).