Assessment within ILP: A journey of collaborative inquiry

Abstract Innovative Learning Pedagogies (ILPs) have given rise to much focus on the pedagogical changes required to ensure students work collaboratively, apply knowledge, create outcomes and communicate these outcomes effectively. One key element that has had much less focus is how students are assessed when working in an Innovative Learning Environment (ILE) and how this assessment information might be communicated to all stakeholders. As a school, we commenced our collaborative inquiry using action research-based Professional Learning to enable us to assess and track students who might not be in our assigned class and reflect upon whether traditional written reports to parents fitted the new pedagogies. Key findings from collaboration with teachers, students and parents demonstrated the desire for a system of assessment that was online and allowed: Higher levels of student voice and agency On-going review so that the most current information about achievement and goals was available Parents to share in the richness of their child’s learning journey A holistic profile of the students, rather than one which purely focussed on academic achievements. We believe that the outcomes of this assessment inquiry will have a significant impact on all teaching and learning in our ILEs.