AAC Communique is also on-line in the Archive at www.aac.ab.ca/freenews.html

Marnie Beaudoin
Consultant, Curriculum
Edmonton Public Schools

The consortium has received numerous inquiries about the efficacy of online reporting of student performance and achievement to parents. The following perspective is provided with permission by respected authority on sound assessment and evaluation practices, Dr. Thomas R. Guskey, Professor, College of Education, University of Kentucky.

"I know of no careful studies that have investigated the effectiveness or utility of online reporting. I have seen some problems with these systems, however, particularly those that allow parents to check grade reports daily.

Specifically, none of the online reporting systems with which I am familiar allow teachers to record, or parents to distinguish, the difference between formative evidence gathered from students strictly for the purpose of checking on their understanding and guiding instructional revisions, and summative evidence gathered for the purpose of determining a mark or grade. This lack of difference fosters the belief among some teachers, as well as many parents and students, that "everything counts" in judging learning success and determining students' grades. The distinction between feedback designed to foster improvements in teaching and learning, and evaluative evidence used to appraise students' cumulative level of knowledge and skill, is lost.

Suppose, for example, that a teacher administers an assessment instrument provided by a publisher or testing company that is poorly constructed or poorly aligned with what the teacher taught and the instructional activities in which students engaged. As might be expected, all students perform poorly on this assessment, but then have their low marks recorded in the online reporting system to which parents have access. Although the teacher may subsequently recognize that the problem resides with the assessment and not the students, parents naturally interpret the mark as an indication of their child's poor academic performance, perhaps due to lack of effort or lack of adequate preparation. In actuality, the mark was more a reflection of the poor quality of the assessment device than anything having to do with the child!

Such systems also can perpetuate the belief that the more pieces of "evidence" you have, the more accurate the grade, even though all measurement experts know that it's the quality and purpose of the evidence that matters most. Two good sources of evidence are much better than 20 poor ones.

So, yes, I believe that it's a good idea for parents to receive, or have access to, high quality information about what their children are doing in school and how well they are performing in relation to clearly articulated learning goals. But I also believe that until we can help everyone - teachers, parents, and students - recognize the difference in online reporting systems between formative (feedback) evidence gathered to improve learning (or as Rick Stiggins says, FOR learning), and summative (OF learning) evidence gathered to quantify achievement or evaluate learning, we must be very cautious of the potential for misinterpretation and misuse."

Parent Engagement in Assessment Cycle

Teachers have strong opinions about parent involvement. While many teachers see parents as an essential link in the assessment cycle, others believe that parents do not understand the purpose of formative assessment nor will they support teachers in these endeavors.

My teaching philosophy falls into the first category. I support and encourage parent involvement in my courses. Teachers and parents share a common goal - the success of the individual student. The main method that I use is our web-based student mark program. At face value, this sounds like a very cold method of communication. However, in this program teachers can enter summative marks or formative comments. My experience has been that parents prefer to receive the comments on how well the assignment was completed; or, adversely why the student did not complete the assignment. Entering these comments not only tells the student what they could have done better - or what they did well - but also reassures parents that you are noticing their child as an individual and taking the time to help them succeed personally.

I see this program as a means of effective communication. On the first day of class, in addition to the outlines, contracts and usual first day paperwork trail, I send each parent and child the Internet address and their passwords to access this program. I invite them to contact me whenever they have questions. The program has an e-mail link for parents and students to contact me in addition to the school phone number. I may also enter my home phone number if I wish. Parents and students will enter their e-mail addresses when they log on. In this time of two working parents and children involved in various activities and sports, the e-mail connection appears to be the most convenient and efficient way of communicating about their child's learning. Throughout my teaching career, I have always made a point of phoning parents when I would notice something amiss or if they had missed an assignment, etc. This year, however, I have had more communication with parents than ever, most of it by e-mail, and happily to say, most of it positive communication. It may simply be that parents are less intimidated with this faceless communication or that it fits our busy lifestyles.

In my English class I invite parents to one of our initial formative assignments. During a study of the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, I have students research manners, dress, lifestyles during this time period, and the social stratification of the southern USA. While students are presenting their research, I invite all parents to come to school to help me prepare an authentic southern meal. Students must demonstrate what they have learned in their research and teach their peers. Parents are well aware that no marks are assigned and get a first-hand glimpse into the benefits of formative assessment.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Sandie Lefebvre, teacher and assessment specialist
St. Paul Regional High School