Designing the Classroom Curriculum
� the student ’ s achievements with those of other students ” ( NSW , DET , 2009 ).
School reports are usually framed around key learning areas / subject areas and key elements of the student ’ s personal and social development . In NSW the school or class report is communicated by letter grades ( i . e . A , B , C , etc .) that are linked to descriptors and specific supporting comments from the teacher . Table 8.2 provides an outline of the common grade scale used in NSW public school reports . Formal reporting in schools occurs twice each year and is generally associated with an opportunity for a parent-teacher interview . The specific elements reported on in classrooms and schools include :
� Achievement : results or outcomes in a subject or course of study � Aptitude : the capabilities of students � Effort : An attempt by way of earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something � Compliance : Attendance , homework , obeying rules � Attitude : a mental state involving beliefs and feelings , values and dispositions to act in certain ways .
Table 6.5 : Summary of research findings into effectiveness of different types of feedback 52 Feedback Type
Indicate whether answer is right / wrong answers Provide the correct answer Assessment criteria is understood Explain things to students Repeat teaching until correct Displaying results of assessment outcomes graphically ( a more precise and specific frame of reference to interpreting assessment results ) Evaluating the results by a set of “ rules ’ ( rigorous and uniform ways of interpreting assessment results )
Effect on Student Achievement Very low Low Moderate Moderate Moderate High
Very high
The NSW Department of Education and Training has developed software to support the generation of student reports . The School Based Student Reporting software is a web-based application and is available from the Department ’ s website . 53
Informal reporting occurs strategically ( meaning it is a planned component of the teacher ’ s teaching practice ) and for best effect should occur frequently in a teaching cycle . This type of reporting , also known as feedback , is chiefly used to inform the student about their learning performance with a view to enabling the student to improve their learning . This means the teacher , when planning their assessment regime , has to factor how they will provide feedback to each of their students . Research evidence suggests that some feedback strategies are better than others . Table 6.5 provides an overview of the effectiveness of different types of feedback .
Table 8.3 : Report Types
Report Type Attributes ‘ Best fit ’
52 Adapted from Marzano ( 2006 ) p . 5
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School Based Student Reporting ( SBSR ) software http :// www . curriculumsupport . education . nsw . gov . au / timetoteach / report / sbsr / sbsr . htm 122