Connections Publishing Announces September 2007 Start of "Facilitators' Round Table," a 10-month Assessment for Learning Workshop for School Leaders
News Release – For Immediate Release
Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada – July 11, 2007 – Connections Publishing announced today the formation of the "Facilitators' Round Table," a 10-month in-depth workshop on the subject of "assessment for learning", to begin in September 2007. The Facilitators' Round Table will be hosted and led by Dr. Anne Davies, who is a noted expert in the field of assessment for learning.
"We are seeing an incredible amount of interest in assessment for learning, but there are not enough people with the background needed to properly support schools and teachers on this path," said Dr. Davies. "I am hosting this Round Table to give leaders an opportunity to go deep, giving them tools and strategies to support assessment for learning at all levels in their schools and districts."
The Facilitators' Round Table is designed for leaders who are responsible to plan and implement assessment for learning initiatives in schools and districts, including district assessment coordinators and support people, lead learners and facilitators (those responsible to help their peers learn about assessment for learning), administrators, principals, and superintendents.
The Facilitators' Round Table will be comprised of three learning components:
- A monthly teaching cycle where participants will receive materials in advance and work with Anne Davies by e-mail on brief learning steps. This work will set the stage for the tele-conferences and roundtable discussions;
- A two-hour tele-conference and roundtable discussion every month from September 2007 to June 2008; and,
- A one-day Group Meeting in May 2008, to deepen learning as well as foster an opportunity for peer interaction.
The Facilitators' Round Table is intended to benefit school leaders in several ways:
- Small group coaching and roundtable discussions through ten months of sessions will help all participants significantly deepen their understanding of assessment for learning.
- Leaders who are relatively new to assessment for learning get the equivalent of a crash course in the subject and get up to speed quickly.
- Peer networking will provide support, perspective, and encouragement to all participants.
- The monthly tele-seminars will be recorded and available for download after the session, so participants never have to miss a session and can re-visit the topics and issues.
A full overview of the Round Table curriculum and related information is available in PDF format from Connections Publishing: http://www.connect2learning.com
ABOUT CONNECTIONS PUBLISHING
Building Connections Publishing Inc. is an educational publisher based in Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada. The mission of Connections Publishing is to see all students become lifelong learners, ready to solve problems in their own lives and in the world. Connections Publishing sees its role in this enormous task as one of providing educators with practical and powerful resources to use in their work.
ABOUT ANNE DAVIES, Ph.D.
Dr. Anne Davies is a noted author, consultant, and researcher. Anne applies her expert knowledge of developing quality classroom assessment practices toward her mission to "increase the possibility of learning for all our students." Educators at every grade level throughout Canada, the United States, and other countries have benefited from the high-touch support she provides during professional development events and multi-year projects.
Among the many books and resources Anne has authored and co-authored is the best seller, Making Classroom Assessment Work, as well as Knowing What Counts, a three-book series that offers practical ways to involve students in their own assessments (both available through Connections Publishing). In addition, she has written chapters and articles for educational journals and publications worldwide.
With more than 30 years of experience in education, Anne has demonstrated her skills in a variety of roles, including classroom teacher, school district coordinator, department of education planner, school administrator, and university instructor. She earned her doctorate in education from the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada.
ABOUT ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING
Educators use "assessment for learning" to improve student learning and raise standards. Most people think of tests and exams which evaluate student learning as primary examples of assessment, but those are examples of assessment of learning. Assessment for learning, also known as classroom assessment, is different. It is not used to evaluate learning but to help learners learn better. It does so by helping both students and teachers to see:
- the learning goals and criteria
- where each learner is in relation to the goals
- where they need to go next
- and ways to get there
Many studies have been done over the years to gauge the effectiveness of assessment for learning, and a review of this research in 1998 by Black and Wiliam found that assessment for learning is one of the most powerful ways to improve learning, especially amongst students who find learning to be more challenging.
Media Contact:
Lisa Robinson
Connections Publishing
2449D Rosewall Crescent
Courtenay, BC, Canada
V9N 8R9
Telephone: 1-800-603-9888
lisa@connect2learning.com
Website: http://www.connect2learning.com
