The Future of Education

This study examined the implementation of learning collaborative work across primary schools in an Australian Catholic Diocese, investigating the intersection between student assessment practices and teacher professional development. A qualitative research design utilising mixed methods was employed. Drawing from extensive survey data (n=417), school visits and focus group discussions within teachers, students and school leaders. Analysis focused on implementation levels of assessment practices, professional learning structures, and leadership approaches. Our analysis reveals primary schools demonstrating high implementation levels shared three key characteristics. These included integrated data literacy practices embedded within daily operations, systematic collaborative planning structures, and clear connections between professional learning and classroom practice. However, a notable gap emerged between teacher implementation of assessment practices and student ownership of learning. This was evidenced by 60% of schools still at the developing stage in student assessment learning behaviors. School leadership role enactment practices and collaborative professional learning teams (PLT’s) critically influenced assessment practices and teachers’ instructional decisions. The research identified the importance of balanced implementation approaches where formal assessment structures were complemented by informal collaborative opportunities, resulting in increased teacher agency in whole school improvement practices. Schools with regular structured data conversations demonstrated more responsive intervention strategies and differentiated instruction The study contributes new insights into how school-based collaborative practices influence assessment implementation, particularly highlighting the relationship between leadership practices, teacher agency, and student learning behaviors. The findings inform system-wide professional development approaches, suggesting integrated models that simultaneously build teacher assessment literacy and collaborative practice capabilities.

Key Words: Assessment practices, teacher professional development, school leadership, collaborative learning, primary education, school improvement 

References

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