Leveraging Assessment to Promote Kindergarten Learners' Self-Regulation in Play-Based Classrooms

• In Event: Bridging Self-Regulated Learning and Classroom Assessment

Abstract

Objectives
One core learning goal of kindergarten is the need to promote children’s independence and self-regulation, as independence has been linked to later school success (Corter, Janmohamed, & Pelletier, 2012; Panadero, 2017). Further, research suggests that assessment has the power to promote self-regulation in upper years education (Earl, 2014); yet few studies have explored how assessment operates in kindergarten contexts to support independence and self-regulation despite its importance. The purpose of this paper is to explore how kindergarten teachers leverage assessment to support children’s self-regulation in play-based contexts. We asked the following research questions:
1. How do kindergarten teachers conceptualize self-regulation for kindergarten learners?
2. How do kindergarten teachers conceptualize the linkages between assessment and self-regulation?
3. How do kindergarten teachers implement assessment practices that promote students’ self-regulation within play-based learning contexts?

Perspectives
This paper draws on two bodies of literature – self-regulation and assessment – to frame the study within the current context of kindergarten education. Self-regulation is the capacity to think and behave in ways that enable an individual to attain their goals (Zimmerman, 2000). Self-regulated learning specifically denotes thoughts and behaviours focused on learning. To support the development of children’s self-regulation, varying assessment approaches are suggested, including assessment for learning (AfL) and assessment as learning (AaL). Assessment for learning includes approaches in which teachers cultivate understandings about student learning to make learning explicit and to make better instructional choices (Klenowski, 2009). As a sub-component of AfL is assessment as learning (AaL), which focuses explicitly on sharing an understanding of student learning with students to support their self-regulation (Earl, 2014). AaL provides students with direct feedback on what they are learning and, more importantly, how they are learning (Clark, 2012).

Methods
Using a qualitative design, data were collected from 20 kindergarten (i.e., student ages 4-5) classrooms in Ontario, Canada. Teachers participated in a 1-hour interview focused on their assessment approaches to promote independent learning and four hours of video recorded classroom observation. 10 teachers were then purposefully selected for prolonged observations (10 hours) and a video-elicitation interview (Masats & Dooly, 2011). Two raters analyzed data for emergent themes (Patton, 2014).

Results
Results revealed how teachers support self-regulated learning within a wide range of assessment practices. Based on diverse teacher conceptions of self-regulation, data pointed to a complex system of support for SRL through assessment. Teachers focus of assessment (i.e. – academic, social skills, etc.), were mapped to their practices of assessment (i.e. – checklists, conversations, etc.), and their intended purposes of assessment (i.e. - AoL, AfL, AaL) in relation to their conceptions of self-regulation. Five main approaches to assessment to promote self-regulation were identified. Teachers also raised three challenges: (a) discomfort sharing observations with students; (b) data rich but information poor context of assessment, and (c) a developmental approach is not academically adequate for assessment.

Significances
Findings provide empirical evidence on the relationship between kindergarten teachers’ assessment practices and students’ self-regulation development. Findings shed light on how kindergarten teachers are productively using assessment to promote independent learning within play-based learning environments.

Authors

• Christopher DeLuca, Queen's University - Kingston

• Angela Pyle, University of Toronto - OISE

• Heather Braund, Queen's University - Kingston

• Laurie Faith, University of Toronto