It is important to acknowledge that the existence of a curriculum is intrinsically linked to what society offers. High-quality curriculum systems are designed in accordance with the societal needs of communities. One crucial aspect of a curriculum system is its ability to effectively accommodate learners who may require differentiated assessments to ensure fair and fruitful learning experiences. Tomlinson (2009) reveals that learners differ in their knowledge and skills, in the ways and speeds at which they process new learning and connect it to prior knowledge, and in the ways they most effectively demonstrate their progress. This differentiation necessitates the use of differentiated assessment, an ongoing process through which teachers gather data before, during, and after instruction from multiple sources to identify learners’ needs and strengths. This paper aims to explore the significance of differentiated assessment and how well-developed curriculum systems address this educational concern.
In simpler terms, differentiated assessment is an assessment method and set of tools designed specifically for particular groups of learners based on their specific learning needs. The notion that all learners in the same grade or phase should be assessed in the same manner and for the same duration exacerbates the shortcomings of one-size-fits-all education systems, which have been proven ineffective over time. A matured curriculum system acknowledges the differences learners bring into the system and seeks inclusive solutions to accommodate such diversity. Differentiated assessment is a crucial part of this inclusivity strategy, ensuring that all learners are assessed fairly. Alberta Education (2010) posits that as student differences become apparent, assessment naturally becomes more differentiated because its purpose is to meet students where they are and guide them to the next stage. In this way, assessment and instruction continue to support and inform each other.
“Today’s classrooms are increasingly diverse, with students coming from various backgrounds and possessing a wide range of interests, preferences, learning strengths, and needs. Differentiated instruction makes it possible for teachers to reach all learners, particularly enhancing the success of students with disabilities, English language learners, gifted students, and those at risk of leaving school prematurely” (Alberta Education, 2010:3). The South African classroom is no exception to this reality. The question then becomes: How deliberate the South African education authorities are in implementing differentiated assessment within their curriculum to ensure that these learners also have an equal opportunity to learn without feeling excluded? Unfortunately, despite Education White Paper 6, which includes six broad key strategies for establishing an inclusive education system, South Africa’s inclusive education policy implementation remains a dismal failure. In agreement with this, a recent study by Izevbigie (2021) revealed that differentiated assessment in South Africa is failing due to poor and disastrous implementation. South African education is no stranger to failed policy implementation, ultimately rendering the entire education system incompetent in producing a relevant workforce for the job market.
When implementing differentiated assessment in the classroom, Kaur et al. (2018) draw from Tomlinson and Moon (2013), who emphasizes the importance of timing. Kaur et al. (2018:7) reveal that according to Tomlinson and Moon (2013), “pre-assessment conducted at the beginning of teaching a particular unit is the most appropriate and effective time. Information obtained from pre-assessment serves diagnostic purposes to make amendments in instructional plans. Another effective occasion for differentiated assessment is ongoing assessment that accompanies the teaching of a lesson or unit. Pre-assessments and ongoing assessments are two significant occasions for differentiation to occur. It is during these assessments that teachers can learn about students’ preferences, interests, and learning profiles. Teachers can employ a range of strategies, such as taking observation notes, journal entries, short-answer quizzes, entry and exit cards, and answers using hand gestures, to gain more information about students’ current knowledge. This practice can provide immediate feedback to teachers on students’ progress and instructional effectiveness.” Notably, this is only possible under a highly mature and flexible curriculum system in which teachers have been thoroughly trained to carry out such tasks.
Among other factors emerging from Izevbigie’s (2021:38) study is a citation from Engelbrecht et al. (2016), which states that “The implementation of inclusive education is further complicated by an inflexible curriculum, instructional practices, and assessment methods that do not take due cognizance of learner differences.” The inflexibility of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) in accommodating meaningful differentiated assessment is not surprising. CAPS, as the curriculum, is seriously flawed, and many policies are bound to stagnate or be completely aborted. This CAPS inflexibility hinders the successful implementation of inclusive education, as outlined in White Paper 6 (DoE, 2001). CAPS is already failing dismally in its primary goal of producing competent young adults for higher education and the workplace. Consequently, it is ill-equipped to handle complex issues such as differentiated assessment and curriculum differentiation. This paper contends that a relevant curriculum is explicit and deliberate in implementing differentiated assessment, and CAPS falls short of that standard.
Arguments like these prompted the development of the Personalized Education Curriculum System (PECS). Rooted in a humanistic approach and drawing from quality curriculum theory and competency-oriented education, PECS focuses on practical assessments to gauge students’ relevant skills, aptitudes, and values essential for navigating modern society effectively. PECS emerged as a response to dissatisfaction with the modernist curriculum system in South Africa, akin to the birth of postmodernism. It seeks to rescue learners from a curriculum that lacks progressive elements and fails to provide differentiated learning suitable for all students. Similar to the historical advent of progressivism, PECS acts as a disruptive and qualitative curriculum system aimed at resolving the confusion stemming from curriculum inconsistencies. PECS intends to restore the worth and respect of the education system by rendering it responsive to societal needs through a curriculum rooted in liberal education principles. A unique aspect of PECS is its emphasis on affording learners’ insights into the working world during their schooling years. This distinct feature underscores the relevance and inspiration that PECS offers to the educational community of South Africa and the broader African context. This perspective envisions an improved education system achieved through the implementation of such an approach.
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Cite this publication: XABA, S.S.A relevant curriculum system is constantly deliberate and explicit in effective implementation of differentiated assessment. 2023.. https://simnandisolutions.co.za/post/
Bibliography
Amrita Kaur, Mohammad Noman & Rosna Awang-Hashim (2018): Exploring and evaluating differentiated assessment practices of in-service teachers for components of differentiation, Teaching Education, DOI: 10.1080/10476210.2018.1455084. Date of Access:27 October 2023
Alberta Education, 2010.Making a difference: meeting diverse learning needs with differentiated instruction. https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/e02db4bb-ba84-4ee2-92eb-cd7e20fee97c/resource/4f325cbc-0b11-4284-80fb-6b83e3072b49/download/makingadifference-2010.pdf.Date of Access:26 October 2023
Izevbigie, E. 2021. Perceptions of foundation phase mainstream school teachers regarding differentiated assessment.https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/82832/Izevbigie_Perceptions_2021.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y. Date of Access:25 October 2023
Tomlinson, C.A. 2009. Differentiated assessment strategies:Identifying learners’ strengths and needs. San Pedro CA:Quality education programs, Incl.