Topic 4: What role does assessment and reporting play in the curriculum?
According to Earl (2006), there are three main roles and purposes of assessment in
schooling. Firstly, assessment for learning can be used by teacher to track on the learning
activities and processes of individual students as well as adjust the teaching plans (Earl
2006). This means that better understanding and the use of assessment may promote
more targeted teaching and learning activities and effective interactions between teachers
and students in the curriculum. Secondly, assessment as learning encourages students use
the assessment to develop critical thinking and foster their own learning (Earl 2006). This
may help students become more active and reflective in the educational environment and
achievements and a way to check the proficiency of knowledge which may lead to the
rational judgments and statements of students' learning (Earl 2006). This roles of
There are also other ways that assessment shapes the curriculum. Collins (2011) notes that
In the period of 1970s, the removal of external exams, which were aimed at select students
education. Later, teachers tried to use formative assessment to examine the knowledge
that students have acquired and guide the next learning step (Collins 2011). This may have
impact on work of educators when they make the plan for learning activities and
implementing curriculum. Collins (2011) further states that in the period of 1990s, the
can be seen as a political tool that governments and market leaders use to adopt market
Objectives model, Interaction model and Naturalistic models are three approaches to plan
curriculum discussed in the research of Brady and Kennedy (2007). Among three of them,
Objectives model is the classical and commonly used one which has profound influence on
curriculum development. Four main steps are involved in this approach: setting objectives,
designing and organizing learning activities, evaluating the learning results (Brady &
Kennedy 2007). From the perspective of Interaction model, different curriculum elements
are connected in an interactive and dynamic way so that the changes of one element may
have influence on the others and produce different outcomes (Brady & Kennedy 2007).
Different from the two models mentioned above, Naturalistic models which mainly
discussed as Walker's naturalistic model in the research of Brady and Kennedy (2007), put
emphasis on planners of curriculum and the process they design and create it (Brady &
Kennedy 2007). Walker (1971, cited in Brady & Kennedy 2007) divided the process into
three steps as the participants in curriculum design bring their different beliefs and ideas
into consensus through discussion and interaction. Moreover, Boomer (1992) shows
examples of Negotiated learning, in which the role of teachers are information provider and
to help or teach when it is needed. In negotiated curriculum, except the basic content and
core concepts, both teachers and students contribute to plan the activities and learning
process so that they have shared intent (Boomer 1992). Compare to the traditional
curriculum, this model allow students have broader and deeper understanding of the topic
and knowledge and this may produce more creative and reflective thinking. Sisson (2015)
discussed Inquiry based curriculum in her lecture, which states that knowledge should be
The ACARA website provides the curriculum for different years or levels of different subject.
When I look at the F-10 Language-Chinese curriculum, I found that the main purposes of
the course and their descriptions are on the top of the page. The description of sub strand,
thread, standards and intended outcomes for different level/ year can be seen in different
columns. It seems that this curriculum reflects the objectives model which shows the
objectives first and provide the standards for assessment. Teachers may refer to this
curriculum to not only have a overall view of the developing process of knowledge
throughout the years, but also have a explicit understanding of expected outcomes.
References
Boomer, G 1992, 'Negotiating the curriculum', in G Boomer, N Lester, C Onore & J Cook
(eds), Negotiating the curriculum: educating for the 21st century , The Falmer Press,
London, pp. 4-14.
Brady, L & Kennedy, K 2007, 'Curriculum planning models: theory and practice', Curriculum
Construction, Frenchs Forest, NSW, pp. 161-175.
Collins, C 2011, 'The tail wagging the dog? Assessment and reporting.' in L Yates, C Collins
& K O'Connor (eds), Australia's Curriculum Dilemmas: state cultures and the big issues,
Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, pp. 185-210.
Donnelly, K 2014, 'Education hijacked by PC Left', The Weekend Australian February 16-17
Inquirer, pp. 16.
Earl, L 2006, 'Assessment-a powerful lever for learning', Brock Education: a Journal of
Educational Research and Practice, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 1-15.
Johnston, K & Hayes, D 2008, 'This is as good as it gets: classroom lessons and learning in
challenging circumstances', Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, vol. 31, no. 2, pp.
109-127.
Print, M 1993, 'Introducing curriculum', Curriculum Development and Design, Allen and
Unwin, Sydney, pp. 1-24.
Sisson, JH 2014, 'What is curriculum?', EDUC 4212, University of South Australia, Adelaide,
9 July.
Sisson, JH 2015, 'How might curriculum be planned and represented?', EDUC 4212,
University of South Australia, Adelaide, 13 July.
Teese, R & Polesel, J 2003, 'The hierarchy of the curriculum in historical perspective',
Undemocratic schooling: equity and mass secondary education in Australia, Melbourne
University Press, Melbourne, pp. 17-31.