This year, my professional inquiry is focused on assessment and making student thinking more visible during learning tasks.
My inquiry question is:
How can I make student thinking more visible in learning tasks so I can make accurate assessment judgments, particularly for extension students?
This inquiry came from challenges I experienced last year when making OTJs. I often found myself relying heavily on anecdotal observations and conversations with students, particularly with extension learners. While I could often hear deep thinking during discussions or conferencing, there was not always enough written evidence to confidently support my assessment judgments.
I realised that many students were capable of stronger thinking than what was actually appearing in their books or assessment tasks. This made me reflect on whether I was providing enough support and structure for students to communicate their reasoning clearly.
To begin addressing this, I have started explicitly teaching strategies that help students organise and explain their thinking. One strategy I am trialling is the R.A.C.E framework, which supports students to:
- Restate
- Answer
- Cite evidence
- Explain
My goal is to help students move beyond short answers and instead provide clearer evidence of their understanding and reasoning.
Throughout the year, I will be collecting student work samples, reflecting on classroom practice, and using discussions with colleagues to evaluate what is having the greatest impact.
