Skills Assessment – Developing learning progressions

Developing learning progressions involves defining and conceptualizing the skills from a monitoring growth perspective, based in both theoretical and empirical work. The demand for understanding the growth of skills presents a perfect example where a general approach to monitoring growth, rather than the acquisition of skill, can be applied. It is not enough to understand whether a student can solve problems, collaborate, and think critically—we need to understand what various levels of proficiency in these skills look like. And teachers then need to understand how and when their students acquired these higher levels of proficiency, so they can provide equitable opportunities to learn such skills to all students. Further, teachers need the evidence behind our understanding of skills proficiency. For example, what does a highly proficient collaborator look like? What does someone who thinks critically look like? We need examples where we can see students using their proficiencies in these skills, such as how their subject knowledge or ability to learn and adapt improved. Essentially, we need road maps to understand the nature and growth of these skills.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at The use of 21st century skills assessment data: National and global perspectives