Community Learning Development Resource 102 – 07
LEARNERS TALKING ABOUT THEIR LEARNING AND WORKERS LISTENING
SUMMARY
Supporting people to develop as learners and build their own capacity through learning, puts the individual learner at the heart of any assessment processes as an active participant and contributor of evidence, criteria and judgements.
In seeking to assess the success of learning, we should recognize that:
- the learning is internalized by the individual learner, who provides the evidence of learning success, through their behaviour and actions, the impact of these, and their perceptions of what has changed
- the learner has ownership of their learning, and their perception, use and valuing of their learning, all influence how successful the learning is for them
- successful learning, which builds capacity within a learner, is best measured in terms of its effect – how it has been applied and used by the individual and what benefits have been gained
- the learner is the key source of evidence of having learned successfully. The learner has a right to feelings and opinions about their learning, which are as important as the intended learning itself. The learning goes with the learner – not with the assessor.
- the individual will have views about how successful she/he feels the learning has been and will be, in terms of usefulness and benefit. Such views can provide valid evidence of success. A learner may learn something, and we may be able to estimate what we think has been learnt, but the true value will lie in the benefits, derived by the learner. For evidence of these we depend upon feedback from the learner or from the application and use of the learning by the learner.
WHEN DO WE LISTEN TO LEARNERS IN ORDER TO ASSESS THEIR LEARNING?
- At the beginning of any learning engagement and learning journey – no matter how short or long this may be, we need to assess where the learner is at, what they already know and can do, in order to connect effectively with them and their learning needs. We need to start with them where and when, they are ready, willing and interested – it is their choice and their learning journey. We need to listen and negotiate with the learner how we should begin the learning journey.
- We need to listen continuously, to assess their learning and progress, throughout their learning journey, in order to connect with them and their developing needs, and to support them in their learning experience. Assessing continuously provides evidence of change in the learner and helps shape the continuing learning journey, informing the learner and the worker how to continue.
- At the end of a learning journey we need to help the learner to understand and value what they have learned and how they have learned it, to explore how the learning can now be used , and how they might continue to gain from further learning. We need to listen to find out how we can best advise and support the learner at the end of this particular learning journey.
What has been described above is common practice within education and training. Teachers are trained and encouraged to have an assessment strategy. This commonly includes:
- Initial Assessment at the start of any course or learning programme (the learning journey for the learner)
- Formative Assessment – continuous assessment throughout the course or programme ( the experience of the curriculum)
- Summative assessment – at the end, summarizing and confirming what has been learned.
In the area of community learning which is about enabling and encouraging adults to make changes and improvements in their own lives, and in the lives of their families, neighbourhoods and communities, the situation is often very different to a formal education and training scenario.
- Would we design and use a formal exam or test at the end of a learning programme to encourage and support people, in a neighbourhood, to have a voice in a local community strategy?
- Would we give a group of adults a ‘test’, if we wanted to find out if they have gained the confidence to visit their local college providing education and training opportunities, or to use the local library for the first time?
The challenge for workers and learners is to develop assessment strategies, which have appropriate tools and processes, and which are useful and work in relation to adult learning, capacity building and community development. Such tools and processes are not easily available ‘off the shelf’ where using ‘traditional’ assessment tools and processes may not be helpful.
REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION PROMPT
Someone shows, in feedback at the end of a learning experience, that they know and understand how dangerous dog-fouling in a children’s play area can be for the health of the children, and what to do to prevent the danger. Yet they continue to allow their dog to foul the area and do not ever pick-up the dog mess.
- How successful has this learning been?
- How appropriate was the method of assessing the learning?
- What were the learning gains and benefits?
- What might we judge that they had not learnt?