Assessment for Learning

This was the main theme for the Cambridge Internationl Examination Teachers' Conference last week. We were exposed to mainly:
1) The 4 key tools of AFL
2) The effectiveness of AFL in several case studies
3) i-Net

I'm putting this down in the way/pattern/vocabulary that I have understood and learnt from the conference so that it can be shared with others who are interested.

When a student learn, there are three phases that he/she will go through:
1. Engagement (What do we know already? What do we want and need to find out?)
2. Exploration and transformation(How will we go about finding out?)
3. Presentation and reflection (How will we know, and show, that we've found out when we've finished? Where next?)
Therefore, when we plan a lesson, we plan it such that they will go through these three phases. A lesson plan should have three ingredients: objectives, learning activities and assessment.

Assessment is not new to us (lecturers). The article in http://www.edsnet.na/Resources/TBCM/TBCM4/page1.htm gives a very simple yet clear description about what is continuous assessment, which includes (1) observation, (2) informal continuous assessment, (3) formal continuous assesment and (4) formal assessment.

In this conference, we focused on how to use 'summative' assessment not as an end to student's performance, but as a 'tool' to help the students to improve, by showing them three things:
a) where they are now
b) how they can improve
c) where they need to go/ success criteria

They believe that increasing the assessment quality will increase the standard of learning.

1) The 4 key tools in AFL:
i) Sharing learning intention & success criteria
- since the way of learning is by constructing knowledge from the existing knowledge, its good for the students (& lecturers) to know:
a) what I already know
b) what I want to know
c) what I need to know (the learning outcome/ syllabus)
d) why I need to know
The possible goal orientations are:
- exam performance
- mastery of skills
- learning - of attitudes, disposition, skills of learning how to learn

ii) classroom talk/ discussion/ questioning technique
Two things:
a) Lecturers' questioning technique - ask more open ended questions to provide opportunity for the students to think, which is a higher order learning/thinking in Bloom's taxonomy (www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html
www.teachers.ash.org.au/researchskills/dalton.htm)
A good approach that promotes learning is when the challenge is high and the skills of the student is high too.
-Some ideas for questioning:
- key word games
- 'hot seat' questioning
- ' no hands up'
- increase wait time (at least 3 seconds)
- concept mapping
- 'post-it note' game
(I have still to work out what some of these are!!)
b) Class activity of talking/ discussion in pairs, in four or in a group - has been shown by numerous researches that it can help students to learn better. (I will add in the quantitative findings here when i have time)

iii) Feedback - contructive feedback either written or orally
The quality of the feedback is important to determine whether it is helpful or demotivating. There are two main things a feedback can refer to:
a) effort
b) achievement
Some quality of a good feedback:
- explicit reference to criteria/goal
- comment-only marking (no grade given as it demotivates weaker students and doesn't show where and how they can improve)
- focused marking (???)
- suggesions on how to improve
-re-timing assessment - give it at an early stage and continuously so as to intervene and give time for improvement to be made by the student.

iv) Peer & self-assessment (for students)
This can help students to find out three things that I have mentioned earlier:
1) What they already know?
2) What they need to know/ what standard of quality is required?
3) How they can get there?

Four practical strategies suggested in the conference are:
1) students' self/ peer assessment:
a) using mark scheme
b) using criteria (e.g. an outline of the 'look for' when the examinar marks an assignment')
c) using examplars (e.g. 'A' vs 'B' vs 'C' grade answer/ drawings)
2) identify group weakness
3) self assessment of confidence level regarding a topic using:
a) traffic lights card
b) smiley face card
c) 'post it' notes
4) End of lesson students' review

In short, assessment is part of our lesson plan. We can use it to help the students to learn and to improve. So we should do a continuous assessment, either daily, weekly or every two to three weeks, and start it off early for intervention. The methods we can use include (1) sharing intention and success criteria, (2) classroom talk/ discussion & questioning, (3) Constructive feedback, (4) peer & self-assessment.

Graduation Ceremony in Perth

This is my uni. logo
My classmates at the main campus
Omg, this is my uni? Very classical architecture. So beautiful !!
This is our most respectable Prof.'s/ supervisor's room!! (But he was not in)
Tickets to the ceremony
These are my classmates - Subra, Winnie, Poh Chin, Prema, Sow
Fong, Chin Poh Choo (and the last guy did the course full time in the main campus)
You must be wondering where am I...arha, I didn't go. Look whose in red...our most respectable Dr. Elaine Chapman and Prof. Tom 'O' Donoghue
Hmm...now I know, my Graduate School of Education looks like this.
The other two lecturers...who (L centre) and Prof Marnie (R centre)
A toss for completing the 2 years of hard work on assignments and night classes...

OO...seeing these pictures, I am envy...but so lazy to go all the way there just to collect the scroll, after all , I have been to Perth and have also graduated in Master before.
Hurray!! More envy...@@ Nvm, save $$ to go to NZ!!
Aren't they cute?

Annual Dinner Dance Competition 2008

The full video can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-wksu3wvlE

The Rise of the Fabulous 8

The three sisters
My previous dance partner, Mr. Gobi
Me & Yan Yan
Mr. Thong, our ICT programmer & me, and the little teddy bear that we won!!!
Me, Mrs. Mary Ng (my boss & ex-teacher) & Amarjeet

(Video can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v7eF9yLK6w)


This is the dancing team from TUCMC
that performed dancing last friday
during the annual company dinner at Sunway Convention Centre

It was a team organised for the dance competition
I have no intention to join as I would like to spend my time on other things
than practising dancing
and performing in front of my bosses...wahaha
but...4 more weeks to go, I was asked by Mr. Leong
to be the reserve as one of their team member might drop out
real enough, when I promised, she dropped out
so there it went
most of my afternoons
since Hari Raya
for the past 3 weeks
were all dance practices
(mind you, the team members were very hardworking
so I could not be lazy either...they will check on me too...SCARY...)
I have gone to Subang Parade 3 times in a week to shop just for the shoes, ear rings , etc.
And went all the way to Damansara Perdana to rent our costume
In short, a lot of hard work, practice and time spent
(mamami ah, I want to read more about making $$$)

Eventually, the night has come
We could not wait to go up the stage to perform
to enjoy the dance
We turned out well
We all enjoyed ourselves
As much as our audience did
Their claps, shout and whistle
Brighten up the dance

Now that the dance is over
we have fostered closer friendship
I have learnt and discovered a lot from them
Mr. Leong - age does not matter, full commitment, persistence and belief matters (btw, he is 60++!!)
Mr. Subra RS - he can dance man!! He is also very creative...our choreographer and team leader
Mr. Chan - omg, my dance partner...he can twist his body very well, nice posture, and SEXY too
Ms. Thian Loke Boon - very strong leadership, time keeper, good dancer!!
Dr. Linda - she can shake very well ...with her traditional Spanish dance foundation from Philipine, and coming for dance practise amidst fetching her daughter to and fro
Ms. Grace - She shared with me a lot about her thoughts, her family, and we shopped together the most in Subang Parade !!

This is really a fabulous team...
A sweet memory in the heart forever...

Towards Absolute Financial Freedom

Fail to plan is planning to fail
A clear goal will at least bring me to somewhere, rather than no where
so I that I will not regret for what I have done in my life
As I have tried my best

There are 7 areas of my life that I have set a goal for
Health, family, career/ business, financial, intellectual/ education, spiritual and social

I am only going mention about the financial goal, as I am very excited about it.

Short term goal (within 90 days):
1) to generate a minimum income of RM10K per mth

Medium term goal (within 1-3 yrs):
1) one property investment generating min RM1,000 per mth
2) Investment in other instruments (e.g. share) that generate a return of min15% per yr
3) Diversification of portfolio (this, I would have to read more and learn more)

Master goal
1) to achieve total financial freedom (ie. to do whatever I want, when, as much as I want, with the ppl that I like at any time)
2) Generate an income that is more than I can ever spend for my basic neccessity
3) to be able to share this abundance to as many ppl as possible, as much as I want, any time, any where.

It is interesting to see an example of the amt that is needed to achieve the following purposes:
1. Financial protection: RM18,600 for six mths
2. Financial Security: RM37,200 per year from investment
3. Financial Independence: RM39,600 per year from investment
4. Financial Freedom:RM36,050 per mth
5. Absolue Financial Freedom: RM42,000 per mth.

And I love sharing the importance of having the attitude & strategies to attract abundance in all my students
so that they can start young, and retire early to enjoy life as much as they want too!!

Awakening by Thich Nhat Hanh's wisdom

He said,
Always make a mental choice
to be peaceful and happy
for each step that we make
Try to plan our daily activities
so that we can do the things
with peace and happiness
(rather than rushing)

YES!! THATS IT!
I am grateful for this reminder
That I have a choice here
regardless of what happens within
and externally
My choice
is to allow my heart
to be filled with peace and joy
with every moment of conciousness

"Drowning" in the samsara (more like working life)
was the word I described to my friend
Dealing with the defilements internally and externally
The -ve energy that pulls every one down
I have forgotten that I have a choice
searching every where for happiness
which is right here, in here, in this very moment
in every breath

and mother earth has its own healing power too
just trust it and go back to mother nature
beach, sea, mountain, all these....for example

A few question that can be asked to remind myself:
How will I conduct myself today?
Can I be a centre of peace now?
Can I live in harmony with my own being right now?
Can I put my intelligence to work for me, in my inner life and in the outer world?

Loving Kindness

I found this piece of poem
written by Bhante Sujivo
which I treasure quite a lot
when I was clearing my old stuff

Hope this poem will remain here
for future reference:

A heart feels
Oh! so much
so very deeply.

When you hold
a heart
in your hand
please be very gentle
O be very gentle!
Say not a hurting workd.
Look not a spiteful look.
Draw it close to your breast.
Feel its warmth and tenderness
its feats and hopes.
Hug it, love it.
Treasure it, but o please
Don't every hurt it!

A heart is very soft,
tender and fragile
easily broken.

When you hold
a heart
in your hand
Hold it with utmost care!
Love it with truest love!
Lest it tembles
& breaks!

Can't wait for my long awaited Meditation Retreat

2006 was indeed an energy draining year for me
(Why? Who cares, its over!!)
But looking at it positively now,
I do appreciate the hardship that I have gone through
Its only during hardship that ppl start to think and reflect
It makes me think of what I really want
How I really want to live or to live in a better lifestyle

That made me participated in two meaningful workshops at the beginning of the year
It's worth the investment
as it can make a life time's transformation (that's for my friends who find it $$)
And I did, in the mind

Now, reflecting back on the hardship
and the transforming energy from the workshop
as well as the book call "What I Didn't Learn at School but Wish I had"
and the abundance which starts to flow into my life again
I learn to gain my power to control my life, my destiny
I will not give in nor be affected by the conditioning of those -ve minded ppl in my daily life
As I know the way
As I am fully in charge of my life
my happiness

And I want more than this
I want to have abundance that I can share with ppl indefinitely
I want to do what I like to do,
with the positive, uplifting, wise and sincere ppl around me;
when and where
I want more ppl to be vibrating with positive E
to share the abundance that the universe offers
and not to be trapped in the rat race... least, not that much

So this year end holiday is what I have been waiting for 7 yrs
a long meditation retreat
where i can go deep into my existance
to be in touch with the deepest most of my heart
to resonate with it
back to my 'home'
back to my teacher
back to my 'family'
Which allows the natare to unfold,
the wisdom to grow,
to sharpen & purify mind
to gain power and clarity
to do my life's work more effectively
and reach its goal rapidly and even further

Purity, serenity, clarity, light, freedom, love...

Heart-Touching Movie

I have recently watched two heart-touching movie
1) Ratatouille
2) 400 Pounds

Ratatouille is a motivating movie
teaching every one about the attitude of
dare to dream (Think Big)
believing in your dream
and take action

About friendship
about ethics of not stealing
About believing in intuition

I love it very much
for it in bringing out the beaty of the heart
and hope!!

Well done!!

As for "400 Pounds",
It shows how, when a person chases after a dream
and uses the method to achieve the dream
which may not be accepted by majority
and tries to cover up/ deny his/her origin
He/she lost touch with the orginal heart
That is innocent, so bright, so beautiful, and filled with love and richness

But, at the critical moment,
she is courages enough to reveal the truth
and that was a great shock to all
but, due to her sincerity
she gain even more respect from ppl
As the beauty lies within a heart
that holds on the the ethics well

Sweet and touching!!

The Books to Success

I come across this in my second batch student's friendster
She is a very determined and ambitious person
who will do anything to succeed

Favorite Books:
The Purpose Driven Life;
What I Didn't Learn at School but wish I had;
Rich Dad Poor Dad series;
Think and Grow Rich;
The Magic of Thinking Big;
Awaken Giant Within
(I have only read one of those. It shows the possibities in life depends on your belief...and other possible approaches to succeed in life!! Good to read)

Who I Want to Meet:
Those who think big, dream big and take action :p
(Good to learn from those who are experienced, so that you can avoid a lot of

She worked very hard when she studied
but she doesn't believe in doing well in studies = being successful in life.
She also tried her very best to assist others to discover the abundance in life.

I like her call out:
""LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!
Live it to the best and fullest it could have possibly been.
Live your purpose,
live with passion,
have courage and do not dwell on fear,
but through creativity
you do what it takes.""

Specially to Phoebe

Phoebe is a student
who is very rich and beautiful at heart
That makes her really pretty
She sees life with her heart
She has a sense of maturity
great wisdom in her

I am lucky indeed to meet her up again
It's "God's" will
who sent her to me when I needed the knock on my head
to wake me up
from being swept away
by the current of the worldly thoughts
so empty, by the end of the day
That's what make ppl busy, getting involved in the rat race, and nvr feel happy and sufficient
That's definitely not the path I want to take

After losing touch with my meditation,
and listening and emersing myself too much in the worldly persuit
and the normal worldly view
I'm lost as to my purpose in life
why I am here
I started questionning myself
and it has slowly switched to chasing after $$ ....as the main purpose in life
Oh my goodness
That eventually will drain all my mental and physical energy
and ended up empty in the heart

Yes, I want to do my life's work
that I am gifted with
I want to enjoy the abundance that life offers
in all areas
abundance as in not just material, but most importantly, spiritual, mental,
and the goodness that touches the life and hearts of others
that makes a difference in their lives
This, is my purpose in life

Phoebe, thanks a lot
That conversation was truely inspiring
and put me back to my path
my purpose in life
to why I become a teacher

That's what I want to be
To enjoy the abundance in life
To show my students that they too
Can enjoy the abundace in life
To discover their potential
and live life to the fullest
meaningfully
by doing their lives' work
that brings abundance (with love, positivity and goodness) into the world

I am blessed indeed to have such student
Hence, this blog is specially dedicated to Phoebe Kho Hoon Choo!!

More Sipadan Pictures from Dan Dan and Jos's cameras

The effect of a good holiday & lots of snorkeling!!
Starfish can be spotted easily in both Kapalai and Mabul Islands

A fun trip indeed! Let's pose before we leave Mabul Island!!
Yea...what a happy hol!
Food was good! Especially seafood!!
The cloud...so cute!!
Aiyo...being captured after a good snorkeling around Mabul...this round, got lots of Jellyfish in the deeper area! Also saw a lot of fishes!

Baby crab swimming in the middle of the sea!! Fascinating indeed to see this!!
Yea, we got our fish...let's pose!!
Cheezy, my boy boy's good friend...almost adopted him as my 3rd Teddy bear!
Chin San & mua. She is a very good company for trips, with her optimism and positivity!! Look at that fish...is it lantern fish...can it be eaten??
You can see all sorts of fish being caught up...

The first catch of the boat, caught within one minute after the bait was put into the sea!!
Yea...Megan also caugth a fish!!
Can you see the 'little mermaid' behind the scene?
Cheezy and his first catch, two fish at one go!! That was after so many trials...so keep trying until you succeed!! Bravo! That's my boy!
Oo...where was me? Too hot, decided to dip into the cool sea water
BUT...ALAS....jelly fish every where...aiyo better get up asap!!


Our welcome drink at Sipadan Water Village Resort
Hey, I haven't seen this view!! It's beautiful!
Sunset on the first day! Beautiful indeed!
Ooo...that's our snorkeling guides and my boys! COOL!! 007

The view from Diving Centrr...can you see the dark cloud approaching...strong wind followed by storm....

Makan-makan Penang

This kind of picture is hard to come by...because I'm not good at posing..but thanks to Chin San!
Ya...my colleagues and Ms. Chin San, my model girl!!

Gurney Drive...its drying off...
Gurney Drive at night...its is so busy
This, is my lovely Lumpy...
My most respectable buddy...Ms. Ching
The White Caribbean Night....at Oreintal Seafood Restaurant - seafood here was good!!
We got seaview room!! Yahoo!! I love beaches...
Sunset captured the first night at Eden Seafood Restaurant
(sounds good only, food was LAUYA PUNYA BARANG!!)
But glad to have walked at the beach...