The seminar will focus specifically on exploring how assessment is inextricably linked to curriculum and instruction, introducing the notion of the ‘rich task’ derived from the work of Education Queensland. The rich task presents substantive, real challenges for the students to solve, based on a range of learning outcomes. The task is deemed to be ‘rich’ when it is authentic for the student and relevant to the learning outcomes in question, presenting students with an assessment that reflects real world challenges. This in turn provides assessment for disciplinary rigour, validity and reliability.The seminar will then work though sequenced tasks that will allow participants to firstly identify a rich task for their student cohort before exploring assessment features that allow the students themselves to determine what they wish to learn, what they want to be able to do and how they plan to get there and how they would demonstrate their achievement in the end.

Learning objectives related to the seminar inlcude:

Examine what is considered as meaningful, relevant and worthwhile assessment with respect to individual teacher education programmes.

Discuss instructional alignment and the relationship between assessment, learning goals and learning experiences.

Demonstrate an ability to use research on teaching and learning to apply and design appropriate assessment strategies.

Consider how best to involve pre-service teachers in planning what they need to learn, what they want to be able to do and how they plan to get there and how they would demonstrate their achievement throughout the process and at the end.