Assessment for Learning (AFL)
What It Is:
With the article “Inside the Black Box,” originally published in 1998, an educational practice known as Assessment for Learning (AFL) has gained much notoriety.
Having been called “one of the most important instructional strategies ever studied,” Assessment for Learning is focused on the use of scaffolded learning targets written in student-friendly language and activities that are intended to engage youths in monitoring their own educational progress. At the core of these practices is the use of affirming “I Can” statements which students use to self-identify those skills/standards they have mastered and those they need help with.
How eDoctrina Helps:
eDoctrina comes pre-loaded (no additional modules are required) with reports and functionality that allow teachers to harness the power of AFL and engage young people. In fact, AFL strategies pop up in a number of eDoctrina’s tools. The Unit and Lesson Planning tools provide users several opportunities to break state standards down into student-friendly, scaffolded steps, making them a bit easier for young people to understand. The Individual Student Report’s “Learning Plan” hand-out allows students to see and self-track first their progress on specific skills/standards.