Reflection on 4th webinar ( 01. 11. 2023)

By Abeeda Khan (Group 2)

In this progressive journey of teacher training, this is my fourth webinar that actually I couldn't attend physically due to some reasons. However I participated in our group meetings and also contributed by provided links and information regarding the topic. For the rest of two groups, I went through their presentations and also watched the recorded session of all three groups. I would say that all the participants from three groups did the best job and provided informative material regarding the assigned topics.

Reflection on our group topic: (Group 2)

1: What are the laws, key documents and principles that guide the planning of teaching and guidance in vocational and higher education?

2: What are amendments  and guidelines regulating, governing and providing the framework for assessment in vocational and higher education?

3: Real examples from actual assessment cases.

First of all I would like to mention the laws informing planning of teaching.
  • The Finnish parliament
  • The government
  • The ministry of education and culture
  • National Board of education and working life committees
  • Teachers, workplace tutors and students
  • European council (and GDPR).
  • Section 14: Opetussuunitelmat curriculum/syllabus
  • Section 63: Education and research development plan
  • Section 66: Contingency plans (emergency cases, to ensure that institutions can operate in state of emergencies overseen by OKM) from the law for Universities of Applied Sciences and Polytechnics

Furthermore, tuition in universities of applied sciences provide programs leading to academic degrees. It provides teacher education for vocational education and training. Besides it issues certificates on studies (specialization programs, degree modules, other non-degree programs) completed at the university of applied sciences. These certificates are issued by government decree. ( 138/2018) Additionally, studies forming part of bachelors or masters degree (limited in duration and scope) can be completed as open university of applied sciences. Moreover these institutes offer language proficiency and other knowledge skills for immigrants.

What is guidance?

Planning of guidance

Finnish educational institutions provide guidance and counseling services to support students in their educational and career choices. These services aim to provide information, assistance, and personalized guidance to help students make informed decisions about their future.

Study guidance OAMK

Objectives

  • Support and help in completing a meaningful bachelors or masters degree
  • Counselling in matters of studies
  • Support and help in making personal study plan
  • Tutoring sessions

Study guidance staff at JAMK

  • Study counsellor 
  • Career tutor
  • Study psychologist
  • School pastor
  • Student tutor
  • Mentors
  • Harassment contact person
  • Student services
  • Student health care services
  • Expert in student wellbeing
  • Resource focused meeting (Volko)

What are the amendments & guidelines regulating, governing and providing the framework for assessment in vocational and higher education in Finland?

  • Education providers (EP)
    • Municipalities
    • Government educational institutions
  • National board of education (Opetushallitus)
  • The ministry of education and culture
  • The Finnish government
  • The Finnish parliament
  • European council


By the end I would like to mention examples of actual assessment cases from vocational education that are following:
  • Assessment grading 1-5
  • Pass/Fail
  • Verbal examination
  • Practical assessment
  • Possibility to improve and re-do
Education organizer plans how student assessment is implemented based on degree and education e.g. in Ossi evaluation is made: 

                                        Goals => Evaluation criteria

Two major types of assessment are formative and summative assessment. In formative assessment, teachers use feedback to improve learning process and learners skills to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of intended instructional outcomes. While in summative assessment teacher use/assign grading on students achievements (through written tests, exams/cases, projects, problems, oral presentations etc.)

Group 3

Group 3 worked on assessment, evaluation and feedback in higher/ vocational education by using their knowledge , research and experience. 

 

Goals and Intended Outcomes of Assessment and Feedback in vocational/higher education.

Assessment is the process of defining, selecting, designing, analyzing, interpreting and using information to increase students learning and development.
Feedback is about results or outcomes of assessment.

Assessment and feedback

The results through assessment and feedback may be used for judgmental and developmental process.

   

Formative goals

  • Improvement in learning activities
  • Progress in previous learning
  • Development
  • Takes place in every lesson/learning activity
  • Promote teaching learning styles
  • Guides decision-making and prospects of future learning

Summative goals

  • To evaluate the students learning
  • Grades with terminal responses and remarks (pass/fail)
  • Provides a final evaluation of concept knowledge
Further comes competence assessment and evaluation .Competence is ability to do something well, assessing it, is comparing individual skills to the requirements. Evaluation is about attainment of some skills/competence. Some commonly used  assessment and feedback methods in learning are:
  • Viva voice
  • Reports, portfolio
  • Essays
  • Quizzing and testing
  • Articles/editorials
  • Online practical exams
  • End term exam

Assessment methods in learning

  • Application
  • Analytical
  • Collaborative
  • Factual
  • Evaluative
  • Research
  • Practice

  Types of Assessment

Feedback methods in learning

  • Specific praise and encouragement​
  • Goal setting and progress monitoring​
  • Use of rubrics and checklists​
  • Verbal and written feedback​
  • Gamification and interactive feedback

Types of Feedback

  • Formal feedback​
  • Formative feedback ​
  • Summative feedback ​
  • Student peer feedback​
  • Student self feedback​
  • Constructive feedback 

Group 1

Most common assessment methods, how do they work and differ from each other?

How do the assessment methods reflect the view of learning and learning theory behind them?


Group one also presented their thoughtful material regarding assessment methods and their  topic was interlinked with the topics of other groups. They mentioned some of the main assessment methods that have been already discussed previously , for example formative and summative assessment methods in teaching and learning. 
 

Formal Assessment methods

Informal Assessment methods

  • Assignments

  • Case studies

  • Essays

  • Examinations

  • Multiple-choice questions

  • Observations

  • Professional discussions

  • Projects

  • Recognition of prior learning

  • Reviewing of learner evidence

  • Tests

  • Witness testimony

  • Written questions

  • Crosswords

  • Discussions

  • Gapped handouts (sentences with missing words)

  • Journals/diaries

  • Peer and self-assessment

  • Puzzles

  • Practical activities

  • Questions: oral, written, multiple choice

  • Quizzes

  • Role play

  • Simulation

  • Worksheets and workbooks


Selection of appropriate assessment method

While choosing an assessment method, an educator has to understand:

References

  • The Finnish Parliament:
  • The law on Vocational Education: Laki ammatillisesta koulutuksesta 531/2017 - Säädökset alkuperäisinä - FINLEX ®
  • The law on Polytechnics: Ammattikorkeakoululaki 932/2014 - Säädökset alkuperäisinä - FINLEX ®
  • The law on Universities: Yliopistolaki 558/2009 - Ajantasainen lainsäädäntö - FINLEX ®
  • National Board of Education & Working life Committees: National Board of Education (together with The Ministry of Education and Culture): Fundamentals for vocational degrees: ePerusteet (opintopolku.fi). Information about working life committees: Työelämätoimikunnat | Opetushallitus (oph.fi) (quality assurance for vocational education). The commissions of the National Board of Education: Opetushallituksen tehtävät | Opetushallitus (oph.fi).
  • Working life committees: example (comic in Finnish) on correction process related to assessment (Sarjakuva, osaamisen arvioinnin oikaisupyyntö (työelämätoimikuntien perehdytysmateriaali, su).pdf (oph.fi).
  • Gravells, A. (2017) Principles and Practices of Teaching and Training London Learning Matters SAGE
  • Irons, A., & Elkington, S. (2021). Enhancing learning through formative assessment and feedback. Routledge.​
  • Eurydice. https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-education-systems/romania/assessment-vocational-upper-secondary-education#:~:text=In%20vocational%20and%20technical%20education,to%20guide%20and%20optimize%20learning.​
  • Stone, Douglas, and Sheila Heen. Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well (Even When It Is Off Base, Unfair, Poorly Delivered, and, Frankly, You’re Not in the Mood). Penguin Books, 2015.

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