March/April 1998

Collaborative Assessment: Looking at Learning Through Careful Examination of Student Work

The following protocol was developed by Steve Seidel and colleagues at Harvard Project Zero. This "Collaborative Assessment Conference" brings teachers together to talk about student work. The protocol is based on the notion that students are often working on problems or exploring interests beyond the parameters of a given assignment. Project Zero is an education research organization based at Harvard Graduate School of Education.

(This process should take approximately 45 to 60 minutes.)

The purpose of this practice is to provide opportunities for teachers to examine and discuss pieces of student work in a nonjudgmental, structured conversation. It is designed to facilitate discussion in small groups. Through these conversations, participants can learn from the various perspectives and expertise of their colleagues, raise questions about the student and his/her work, see that student work is a reflection of the child and the learning environment, and use this opportunity to reflect on ways to improve learning environments for groups of children as well as the individual child.

1. Getting started. The group chooses a facilitator to guide participants through each phase of the conference. The presenting teacher shares copies of the selected work, without making comments about the work or the assignment.

2. Describing the work. The group describes any aspect of the work they notice. They do not make judgments about the quality of the work or their personal preferences.

3. Raising questions. The group asks questions about the child, the assignment, the curriculum, or any other area. The presenting teacher takes notes but does not respond.

4. Speculating about what the student is working on. The group "guesses" about what the child was working on when he/she created the piece. This could include ways the student was trying to fulfill the assignment, skills the child was trying to master, questions the child was trying to answer, or ideas he/she was trying to express.

5. The "presenting teacher" speaks. The presenting teacher now adds her perspective on each of the previous phases of the conference. She provides her own perspective on the students' work and responds to any questions or issues raised by the group.

6. Implications for teaching and learning. Everyone is invited to share any thoughts that have been stimulated by the examination of the student work. These could include thoughts about their own teaching, student learning, or ways to support a particular child in reaching his/her goals.

7. Final reflection. At this time, participants have an opportunity to reflect on the process of their own thinking during the conference.

Adapted with permission from Harvard Project Zero.