NISMED, in cooperation with the Bureau of Elementary Education of the Department of Education (DepED), organized and conducted a national seminar-workshop on the theme: Assessment for Learning (A4L) on October 28-30, 2009. Dubbed “Let Children Shine,” the 3-day event was attended by around 580 elementary school science and mathematics teachers and educators. The objectives of the seminar-workshop were the following: (1) Update teachers, administrators, educators, and researchers on innovative, creative, and productive assessment practices which sharpen children’s scientific and mathematical thinking skills and dispositions; (2) Enable participants to draw significant implications in improving the curriculum, teaching, and learning from findings in the classroom, district, division, regional, national, and international assessment tests; (3) Familiarize participants with assessment approaches that determine and promote scientific and mathematical literacy, and; (4) Create networking opportunities for various elementary school science and mathematics teacher organizations.
The seminar-workshop was opened by UP Diliman Chancellor Sergio S. Cao and keynoted by Dr. Robin Groves of Curtin University, Australia. Dr. Milagros D. Ibe, Professor Emerita of the UP College of Education; Prof. Corazon S. Salumbides, a retired Fil-Am Chemistry and English teacher who is in the country under the Balik-Scientist Program of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST); Dr. Marilyn U. Balagtas, a professor at the Philippine Normal University; the two deputy directors of NISMED, Dr. Marlene B. Ferido and Dr. Soledad A. Ulep, as well as the director Dr. Merle C. Tan, delivered plenary lectures.
Dr. Robin Groves of Curtin University. Australia deliversthe keynote address.
During the parallel sessions, speakers shared their research findings/experiences on pupil assessment. Parallel workshops for Science and Mathematics were conducted. The science participants were provided opportunities to construct and develop items intended to assess cognitive skills. On the other hand, the mathematics participants experienced answering assessment items and giving feedback on the answers provided by the pupils as well as sharing their ideas and experiences on how these items may be used to assess pupil learning. Two booklets on assessment, one for elementary school science and the other for elementary school mathematics, that provided models of assessment items and tasks in science and mathematics, were distributed to each participant during the parallel workshops.
The closing program on October 30, 2009 was graced by Dr. Yolanda Quijano, Director of the Bureau of Elementary Education of DepED, who issued the challenge to participants to improve pupils’ achievement through better assessment practices.
Due to the success of the national seminar-workshop, a similar international activity is being planned for secondary school science and mathematics in October 2010.
0 Comments